Tubbs Lake State Forest Campground is currently OPEN!!!

The area was first flooded in the early 1900's by a beaver dam.  The DNR built Winchester Dam in the late 1950's and approximately 1,420 acres were flooded.  The drainage area of the Martiny Lakes Flooding is approximately 38 square miles.  The project flooded a total of eight lakes, all of which had drained into the south branch of the Chippewa River thus creating the Martiny Chain of Lakes. 

The existing lakes are: Big Evans, Saddlebag, Boom, Lost, Tubbs, Dogfish, Bullhead and Manaka.  The chain of lakes are connected by channels (weather/vegetation permitting).   A unique feature of Tubbs is its naturally occurring stand of wild rice.  Wild rice across Michigan is uncommon and has greatly reduced in numbers.  Only about a half dozen stand of wild rice still exist in the state.