We're planning a 2 week family trip in July from London Ontario, through Michigan, to Lake Superior and then back home through Ontario. Looking for any insight as to parks to stay at and places to see and visit.We are considering Burt Lake SP, Lake Superior PP, Chutes PP, and Oastler Lake PP but are open to others. Prefer drives under 5 hours.We are familiar with the booking process for provincial parks but not the State parks.Thanks.

The state parks in Michigan require a passport I think its 10 bucks for a yearly pass you can get it at the gate, and you can reserve some spots in advance. Depending on where your going in the UP and what your interests are. There is a large campground close to Sault Saint Marie right on the lake close to the soo locks, also there is Tahquamenon State park on the eastern end of the UP. farther west there is a koa in Newberry and farther west in Munising there is the city tourist park right on the lake just west of the city, also Grand Marais has a campground close to the lake. Whitefish point houses the museum where some artifacts from the Edmund Fitsgerald are on display, thats close to Tahquamenon falls.

I recommend a visit to Kakabeka Falls, which is 19 miles (30km) west of the city of Thunder Bay. The falls are called the Niagara of the North. The falls have a drop of 40 m (130 ft) on the Kaministiquia River.Ron

Campgrounds are not something I know about as we are travelers and not camp ground campers. But as for things to see.. If you are crossing into Michigan at Sarnia, run Rt 23 up the shore of Lake Huron, two stops before Machinaw. One should be short, it is just the memorial to Rogers City people lots on the lakes. The next may take some time at Mill Creek Park there is a water powered mill there and it is interesting. Machinac Island is mostly tourist trap, but the fort is a very good stop and as you are going across the bridge anyway, you might consider taking the ferry from St. Ignas instead of Mackinaw City. I don't recall it being cheaper, but it is often a nicer ride. When you get to Sault Saint Marie, as soon as you can, get near the locks and go into the visitor center and look on the board for when ships will lock through. You may want to adjust your schedule. Watching the ships is free. There are two campgrounds on the river. Both are nice. It is kind of a stretch to say that either is walking distance to the locks, but they are not that far. Between the campgrounds and the locks are the Museum Ship Valley Camp, the river walk on E. Water Street and the Tower of History. You can get a single ticket for the ship, the tower and the River of History Museum (closed Sundays), but I am not sure the tower is worth it. When you are all locked and shipped out, go out 28 & 123 to Paradise, but keep going the Light Station Museum at Whitefish Pointe. When you leave there, go back to Paradise, and turn right to go out 123 to the two (Upper and Lower) Tahquamenon Falls. There is camping there, but we didn't stay. You will need the Michigan sticker (11$) to get where you can park. That sticker is good for all Michigan's parks for the year. From there, head west to Munising. The Munising Fall is interesting (and free) and then you can go into Munising and pick a boat ride out to the Pictured Rocks. I am out of writing time now, but this should give you a good start.Matt

Pictured Rocks is a place you should plan to go. You can go to mich.gov and find the parks and recreation area. You can make reservations for the state parks thru there. If you plan on going to more than 1 state park then you should purchase a season pass. I'm not sure of the cost. I know it's $10 if you purchase it when renewing your MI license plates, but may be a little more when purchasing it otherwise. If you get further west - Copper Harbor and Lake of the Clouds is an area to see also.

Grand Marais MN and Duluth Marina.... highly recommended.

Lake Superior trip planning | Good Sam Community

camp-n-family
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
Your original post said "to Lake Superior and back through Ontario" that defines a Lake Huron Circle Tour. Through Michigan to Minnesota and back through Ontario would define a Lake Superior Circle Tour. It doesn't really matter, both routes have websites that can be found by Googleing Lake XXXXX Circle Tour.

Guess I should've worded it better, sorry. The idea was to go around Lake Superior, not just to it. I googled the Lake Superior Circle Tour and it's exactly what I needed, Thanks.
Water-Bug
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
camp-n-family wrote:
Thanks for all the ideas so far, keep 'em coming. It looks like the full way around Lake Superior might be too far for our 2 week trip, leaving little time to stop and enjoy the sites. Now thinking north through Michigan, couple stops along the way, cross at the Sault and do Lake Superior PP and Sleeping Giant PP then reversing the route. Same way back but different campgrounds. It leaves us more time to stay for a couple days at each place.

Google "Lake Huron Circle Tour". There is all kinds of information available on the exact trip that you are planning.

Right idea, wrong lake. It is a good trip but we've done it already.

Your original post said "to Lake Superior and back through Ontario" that defines a Lake Huron Circle Tour. Through Michigan to Minnesota and back through Ontario would define a Lake Superior Circle Tour. It doesn't really matter, both routes have websites that can be found by Googleing Lake XXXXX Circle Tour.
luvztheoutdoor1
Explorer
Feb 02, 2014
Michigan annual recreation pass for out-of-staters is $31.10. Either the daily or the annual pass is necessary to enter any of Michigan's State Parks.
MNRon
Explorer
Feb 02, 2014
We live in the Twin Cities and have been traveling to Grand Marias MN every year for the last 21. Definitely recommend making it there if you can. They have a municipal campgrounds on Lake Superior that we always stay at; nice, not too expensive, and walking distance into the town.

Two years ago we pulled our TT around Superior, it was a VERY nice trip. Highly recommended. Depending on how much driving you want it may or may not fit in (we did 10-11 days if I recall). Highlights were Keweenaw Peninsula, entire northeast coast drive of Superior in Canada, Fort Williams at Thunder Bay and Kakabeka Falls (beautiful!), and Grand Marias.

Have a good trip!
Sherri_Jo
Explorer
Feb 02, 2014
We RV all summer and Tourist Park is one of our top campgrounds. Pat the host is wonderful! The sites are GIANT unless you do a sewer site which then they are pretty close. We give up the luxury of sewer to have a site that is 10 times bigger then most in other campgrounds. They are very pet friendly, have internet and town is just down the road, though you feel like your out in the country. We absolutely LOVE this campground and never miss a trip there in the summer. Going again in June.There is SO much to see and do there... We did not like the Aune Osborn Campground, they pack them in like sardines
camp-n-family
Explorer
Jan 27, 2014
Thanks for all the ideas so far, keep 'em coming. It looks like the full way around Lake Superior might be too far for our 2 week trip, leaving little time to stop and enjoy the sites. Now thinking north through Michigan, couple stops along the way, cross at the Sault and do Lake Superior PP and Sleeping Giant PP then reversing the route. Same way back but different campgrounds. It leaves us more time to stay for a couple days at each place.

Google "Lake Huron Circle Tour". There is all kinds of information available on the exact trip that you are planning.

Right idea, wrong lake. It is a good trip but we've done it already.
Water-Bug
Explorer
Jan 27, 2014
Google "Lake Huron Circle Tour". There is all kinds of information available on the exact trip that you are planning.
Parrothead_Mike
Explorer
Jan 27, 2014
As an alternative to Burt Lake State Park I would suggest Aloha State Park on Mullett Lake, just northeast of Burt Lake. The sites are grassy at Aloha and when I last checked Burt Lake many of the sites were just dirt.
dverstra
Explorer
Jan 26, 2014
From the stops that you have described, I'm assuming that you are not going west into the U.P. I would stop in Sault Ste. Marie at the Aune Osborn Campground. This is a city park, I think. Right on the St. Marys River where the large ships pass close by. Go to the observation deck at The Soo Locks and watch a large freighter go through. Or take the Soo Locks Dinner cruise and go through the locks.

If you are traveling west through the U.P., go to Munising and see the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. You will need to take the cruise to see most of it or kayak the lakeshore. Stay at the Munising Tourist Park that is right on Lake Superior. It is a city park and you can reserve a site. You could also go to Houghton and stay at the city park there before going to Copper Harbor.
LowRyter
Explorer
Jan 26, 2014
Grand Marais MN and Duluth Marina.... highly recommended.