The Huron–Manistee National Forests provide recreation opportunities for visitors, habitat for fish and wildlife, and resources for local industry.

The Huron National Forest is prone to frequent seasonal forest fires, due to ecological and geological factors including the domination of the jack pine in sections of the forests, the needles of which are extremely flammable,[3] sandy soil composition as a result of glacial outwash plain geology of sections of the Huron National Forest,[4] and jack pine barrens management practices to create nesting habitat for the Kirtland's warbler resulting in dense, young stands of jack pine that are extremely susceptible to crowning wildfires.

[6] Huron–Manistee boasts thousands of lakes and miles of sparkling [citation needed] rivers and streams.

The nationally known Pere Marquette and Au Sable Rivers offer quality canoeing and fishing.

The area is popular for fishing, camping, boating, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and hunting.

In descending order of land area it lies in parts of Lake, Newaygo, Wexford, Manistee, Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Mecosta, and Montcalm counties.

The Manistee National Forest is not one continuous mass but is broken by private property and towns.

There are two trailheads to access Nordhouse Dunes: from the north at the Lake Michigan Recreation Site and from the south off Nurmberg Road.