July for cooler weather

[garmp]

Were thinking of a week plus in the UP of Michigan in mid July and playing it by ear as were to stay and what to see. As a couple from St Louis in a B, and only requiring electric, we wanted to escape the heat and head north for a week or so, but a very reliable source recommended that we rethink our plans. A: the bugs are horrific, B: campgrounds are usually full, & C: reservations are normally made far in advance. We are not the reservation type of campers, sure it has burned us before, but so has the making of reservations in an unfamiliar campground. Besides we never know when we'll be where. Any ideas where such a couple can spend a week or so touring where the weather is not sweltering?
Thanks

[dave17352]

I second the rockies we have taken several trips up there when it has gotten really hot here in Nebraska.

[padredw]

I would be heading for Colorado.

[scbwr]

Haven't been to the UP yet, but if you haven't been to the Sleeping Bear Dunes, consider making it a stop along your travels. We really like the west coast of lower Michigan...such great beaches and sandy dunes.

[summerhouse]

Many private campgrounds will have openings in Michigan w/o reservations. The weekends do tend to be tougher, especially in "resort" areas. You could get in, I am sure, in Traverse Ciry, MI ( Traverse Bay RV Resort) and in Petoskey at (Hearthside Grove RV Resort). Those are not UP, but in northern lower peninsula.

[guitargeorge]

i live in Escanaba which is in Delta county, the park south of town is Fuller Park and is a very nice county park right on the lakeshore. a great place to stay, also the county has a park just north of town Pioneer Trail Park but may be filled up in July and the city of Gladstone just past Escanaba 7 miles has a nice campground on the lake but it too may be filled. the casino 14 miles west of town has a campground and world class golf course, there are lots of county, city, state and federal campgrounds in the U.P. just depends on what you want to see and do. enjoy

[cheteckie]

There are several lighthouses to tour in the UP. And the Locks in Saulte Ste. Marie. Lots of waterfalls, forests and wildlife.

From Bayfield, WI, you can take a short ferry ride to Madeline Island,Che largest of the Apostle Islands. the freezes should keep the bugs down during the day.

[Naio]

Can you go farther west? In the Rockies you should be mosquito-free as long as you stay away from lakes (rivers and creeks are fine -- mosquitoes don't like water that moves).

[michigansandzil]

garmp1 wrote:
Were thinking of a week plus in the UP of Michigan in mid July and playing it by ear as were to stay and what to see. As a couple from St Louis in a B, and only requiring electric, we wanted to escape the heat and head north for a week or so, but a very reliable source recommended that we rethink our plans. A: the bugs are horrific, B: campgrounds are usually full, & C: reservations are normally made far in advance.

A-hit or miss and depends on location. I've been in the UP in July and it was wonderful. Last year, I made a poor location choice and it was really buggy at the site.
B-In the UP? Who told you this? I've never been to a state park that was full in the UP.
C-Absolutely for the LP, especially on Lake Michigan, not so much for the UP.

If you do go to the UP, you'll for sure get "cooler" weather that you're looking for. It was 30* at night for us last year on July 8th! 😉

[Dance_Chick]

We stayed at a county campground in Bark River MI about 15 miles south of Escanaba. I can't remember the name of it. This was in July or August of 2013. It was on Lake Michigan and very nice. We did not make reservations nor did we have bugs. We called the CG the day we were headed that way to make sure they had a space for us.

[accsys]

You may also want to think about Wisconsin and Minnesota along Lake Superior. We were there last Summer and found the temperatures very livable and the sights nice as well. Ashland, WI has a city park (Kreher Park) right on the shore and it is first-come/first-serve. We also loved our time in Two Harbors, MN. Their city park also has some very nice sites right on the lake. You can check out our visit to those spots on our blog. The Ashland stop is here.

[cheteckie]

The Sauté St. Marie area in the UP is really nice. We stayed at a campground on the shore of the St. Mary River, but we had reservations.

There are some casinos in the UP that have campgrounds. There are also many state parks. Bayfield in wisconsin is on the shore of Lake Superios, and a great place to visit, too.

If it is buggy, just apply bug spray, and you should be fine. Or wear long sleeves and long pants.

[Old_Days]

In June and July we camp by lake Michigan,if the wind is coming off the lake you will not have to many mosquito. During the middle of the week you can find a place to camp, but weekends it is a challenge.

[agesilaus]

Boundary Waters? I suspect you'll have bugs no matter where you go so just go prepared. Deet, headnets as needed.