Recommendations for Mackinac and the Apostle Islands?

[Karen B.]

Hi, all-

I'm planning the long way home from Ohio to Minnesota and I've decided to go north, instead of south. I'm planning to stay a couple of days at Mackinac and a couple of days in the Apostle Islands--and I'm looking for campground recommendations. (And any other recommendations you might have on those places.) On the water or really close to the water is preferable, cat-friendly (though they both stay inside). I need electric, but don't need water. A place that's good for a solo woman to park a 13-foot Scamp.

Thanks!

Karen

[Joy A]

Karen,

I stayed at the Straits SP lower campground (sites # 52 to #117) on the northside of the Mackinac Bridge a very nice park. The other portion of the lower campground is not as level and some sites could be hard to get into. There are campsites that have a view of the bridge but no hook ups. It's just on the edge of St. Ignace. Be sure to stay a couple of nights and take the ferry to Mackinac Island. If you have a bike take it. It's a great place to spend the day.

As far as the Apostle's, I stayed at Dalrymple Muni Park just north of Bayfield. The sign is a little hard to see on the right just after you top out on a hill. The sites are first come first served with about 6 or 7 sites right about the water and a view of Madeline Island. I stayed in site #23 (beautiful view) next to another site which had a 4 outlet electric hookup so I ran an extension cord to it. There are a couple other sites that have electric down by the water. As far as water hookups there are none but you could run a long hose to the site I was in or the one next to mine and to fill your tank. There are several common water spigots throughout the park.

It's a ways from the Mackinac Bridge to Bayfield. A nice place to stay is Munising, UP MI muni campground, just west of town. I stayed in the overflow area with water and electric. It was nice because I didn't have direct neighbors which I would have had in a regular campsite. There are campsites right at the beach area but I imagine they are hard to come by. On the east edge of Munising is an entrance to Pictured Rocked Nat'l Lakeshore.

[Karen B.]

Thanks, Joy!

-k

[Nancy]

Karen,

Are you coming to the meet in Bayfield June 11-13? I think there are about 40 eggs signed up. If not for the gathering I would probably prefer Joy's Bayfield site, and might stay there before or after the meet.

Nancy

[Karen B.]

I've thought about it, but my plans are so up in the air, I don't know when I'm doing anything yet. I'm hoping to be home (to MN) by Memorial Day, but that will depend on a lot of different factors.

-k

[Mike Magee]

Another great stopoff in between is the municipal CG in Ontonagon MI, right on Lake Superior. Full hookups for about $12 a night. Nice sandy beach. Nearby Porcupine Mountains SP is worth a visit. The west part has a great walk along a river with multiple little waterfalls; the east part has the high panoramic view of Lake of the Clouds.

At Mackinaw, the Wilderness SP west of town was nice. One of my favorite things was to bicycle around Mackinac Island... you can rent bikes there if you don't bring your own.

Never been to Apostle Islands yet, hope to visit the area someday.

Mike