Michigan UP help

Geo*Boy wrote:
Tahquamenon Falls State Park has 30 amp and nice showers.

And the 2nd worst mosquitos I've ever encountered, killed 52 on the 1/2 mile hike from the campground to the falls and back. To be fair they didn't really bother us IN the campground. The worst mosquitos was that same trip Grand Isle, my poor younger son looked like pig pen he had so many around him.

We also stayed a week a Pictured Rock RV Park just outside Munising. Very, very nice new park with pretty large sites and impeccable shower house. Owner's were very nice.

No reason why you have to stay at one state park the whole time, unless that's what you prefer. If you are at Lake Gogebic, from there you can take some day trips to the Porcupine Mountains (east and west units are both nice, and not alike) and the Keweenaw Peninsula.

If you're over at Muskallonge or Tahquamenon, you can drive to Munising and take a boat tour of Pictured Rocks, or go east to visit the Soo locks, or check out the shipwreck museum at Whitefish Point.

From Indian Lake it's easy to go see the Big Spring (Palms Book SP, no camping), the historic old buildings at Fayette SP, the wildlife refuge north of Engadine, and the 5 mile long Mackinaw Bridge. Cross the bridge to Mackinaw City and you're right by 2 old forts, 2 lighthouses, and a tourist island with no motor vehicles.

If you're at J.W. Wells, you might head west to Stephenson and sample the wines at ThreeFold Vine winery; the same folks have a place across the street with craft beers, too, and the smoky one they had last year was quite good IMO.

A few years ago we spent a wonderful week at the Aune Osborne rv park in Sault Ste Marie.

Every state park I've visited in the UP (most of them) has had 30 amp hookups, hot showers and a central fill/dump station.

Most even have paved 50 amp pull-through for the monster rigs.

The parks further West are less busy, more than a few hours away from I-75 seems to discourage people. Regarding the weather staying near Lake Superior ... watch the wind. Temps can swing 30 degrees several times a day, and the bugs vary a lot. Wind from the South will bring warm air and BUGS from inland, from the North will bring cold air off the lake and shoo away the bugs.

Favorites: Indian Lake in Manistique (near Lake Michigan), Lake Gogebic outside White City, Muskallonge in Deer Park (on Lake Superior), Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor (on Lake Superior)

Honorable Mention: Tahquamenon Falls near Paradise, Straits SP in St. Ignace (on Lake Michigan), Wells SP outside Cedar River (practically Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan)

Ask me anything, I make several trips each year to the UP, it's my favorite place in the state.

dedmiston wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Depending how close you are to Lake Superior, it can get quite cool at night and in the early morning, even in July. Sweat shirts and jackets are a must.

That sounds heavenly right now.

First frost in the UP can be in September, October for sure. Most of the UP will have had snow before Thanksgiving, and most places it will stay until spring.

Tahquamenon Falls State Park has 30 amp and nice showers.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Depending how close you are to Lake Superior, it can get quite cool at night and in the early morning, even in July. Sweat shirts and jackets are a must.

That sounds heavenly right now.

I thas been quite a few years since I camped in the UP. At that time, many state parks did not have 30A hook ups. I know the lower peninsula had upgraded to all 30A several years ago, so I would hope the same is true in the UP.

All state parks have shower and bathroom facilities. There are a lot of state forest campgrounds which typically do NOT have water or electricity or waste dump facilities. Bathrooms may be pits toilets and they propably do not have showers.

Depending how close you are to Lake Superior, it can get quite cool at night and in the early morning, even in July. Sweat shirts and jackets are a must.