Camp sites in MIchigan UP

rexlion wrote:
The municipal park at Grand Marais is (was?) pretty nice, and good location right on Lake Superior. You have Munising to the west with its waterfalls and boat tour of the rock cliffs, Tahquamenon SP and the Soo Locks to the east, and Seney wildlife refuge to the south. Also W of Manistique you have the Big Spring at Palms Book SP and the historic buildings at Fayette SP. Buy an annual vehicle pass for the state parks and spend a few days.

On your way, Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island are interesting. I was just at Wilderness SP a few days ago and it was a very pleasant CG with a rather new bath house, nice beach, and good pavement for bike riding.

Grand Marais. No reservations. Some pretty irate people showing up and finding after driving the 25 mile driveway nothing available. Not sure why they don't have a reservation system.

cinandtim wrote:
Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! As we are limited on time, we are thinking we will likely visit the area around pictured rocks and take a few day trips to surrounding areas. Hopefully will find availability through the week. We hope to return again to visit the western half. On our way home we hope to visit the area around Sleeping Bear Dunes. We hear a lot of great things about that area including Platte river CG. No availability there. If anyone has CG suggestions on that area, it would be appreciated! Thanks again!

We stayed at the Munising/Pictured Rocks KOA last week. It's a nice campground. In the Sleeping Bear Dunes area, we stated at Indigo Bluffs RV Park and Resort. They have two sections -- a more traditional campground side with everything from tent sites to full hook-up sites with concrete patios. They also have a "resort" side with very nice, very large stamped concrete driveway sites. We very much enjoyed our stay there.

Both Indigo Bluffs and the Munising KOA have pools as well, if that is something that would interest the kiddos.

We are currently at Wild Cherry resort in Sutton’s Bay that is close to the Sleeping Dunes area. You can call them and see if they have any openings for when you will be there.

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! As we are limited on time, we are thinking we will likely visit the area around pictured rocks and take a few day trips to surrounding areas. Hopefully will find availability through the week. We hope to return again to visit the western half. On our way home we hope to visit the area around Sleeping Bear Dunes. We hear a lot of great things about that area including Platte river CG. No availability there. If anyone has CG suggestions on that area, it would be appreciated! Thanks again!

Cinandtim,

I think I know a place that will suit your fancy for a day or two of dry camping.

On 123 about an half of a mile west of intersection that is Paradise, there is a large parking area for the snowmobilers that is not very busy this time of year. It has trails leading off in several directions. I never traveled any of those because we were there to sleep. The only services available there are fresh air and sunlight. It is pretty level.

If you go though Paradise and go north, you pretty much have to end up at the Whitefish Point Light Station and Shipwreck Museum.

You can take 123 through Newberry to the road that will take you to Munising.

Keep track of fuel in the UP, it is not a densely populated area.

If you have time to stop at the locks on the way by, the kids will remember them "flushing" a ship.

Matt

This is prime camping season in the U.P. With that said, you can check with the individual parks for cancellations, changes, etc.
If you go as far as the Porcupine Mtns. State Park, be advised that they're doing road work on County Rd 107 in the park.

There are MANY State Forest Campgrounds available, but not all would take your rig size. Check the Michigan DNR site for contacts, as they would be able to let you know of access issues.

Have a good trip!

Any idea where abouts in the UP you are thinking about going? The UP is about 400 miles and an 8 hour drive from one extreme to the other. No use recommending something in Copper Harbor if you're not going any further then St. Ignace. The Country Trail (hiking trail) spans from one side of the UP to the other. So there is literally hiking everywhere in the UP, some better than others, but each unique in it's own right. So if you had some idea of a area, you can get better recommendations of what to see in that area; which can also include other unique things not just hiking suggestions. Most of the waterfalls and all of the best ones are on the west half of the UP. Yes, Tahquamenon falls is really nice, but Bond falls is spectacular.

If you are on the west side of the UP, McLain State Park outside of Houghton/Hancock has great sunsets over Lake Superior !

Don't know how crowded it will be when you are there, but Baraga St Park was prob my fav UP park.
http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=408&type=SPRK
About equidistant from Marquette and Copper Harbor.

The municipal park at Grand Marais is (was?) pretty nice, and good location right on Lake Superior. You have Munising to the west with its waterfalls and boat tour of the rock cliffs, Tahquamenon SP and the Soo Locks to the east, and Seney wildlife refuge to the south. Also W of Manistique you have the Big Spring at Palms Book SP and the historic buildings at Fayette SP. Buy an annual vehicle pass for the state parks and spend a few days.

On your way, Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island are interesting. I was just at Wilderness SP a few days ago and it was a very pleasant CG with a rather new bath house, nice beach, and good pavement for bike riding.