Michigan UP National / State Forest CG Recomendations

[Thomas G.]

I'm sitting here watching the snow come down and planning next summer's camping.

We enjoy quiet little campgrounds with minimal facilities, such as National and State Forest campgrounds. The kind with widely spaced sites, outhouses, maybe a small lake or river to paddle on. No hustle and bustle, string lights, loud music.....

My plan is to spend a week to 10 days in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and I'd appreciate any first hand recommendations for quiet campgrounds as described above. Those with paddling a big plus.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Nancy]

We have overnighted at Bay Furnace outside of Munising. It meets most of your requirements. It is a pretty popular place I think. Last time we were not able to get a spot and drove on to Van Ripper State Park. If that was the place we stayed it has two campgrounds, one was more primative (tenting type). We preferred the more remote sites, met a bicycle camper from France.

Furnace Bay is a good one day drive for us and will continue to be a stopover. Good place to use to do day excursions from too.

If you can reserve at Bay Furnace I recommend that. A few of the sites are on the water and are really lovely. We always just chance it and do not know if reserved sites are available.
Nancy

[Roger Kimble]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

I'm sitting here watching the snow come down and planning next summer's camping.

We enjoy quiet little campgrounds with minimal facilities, such as National and State Forest campgrounds. The kind with widely spaced sites, outhouses, maybe a small lake or river to paddle on. No hustle and bustle, string lights, loud music.....

My plan is to spend a week to 10 days in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and I'd appreciate any first hand recommendations for quiet campgrounds as described above. Those with paddling a big plus.

Thanks for any suggestions.

West of Grand Marais has a lot of camping

[Ron Humerickhouse]

We like Seney Twsp Park,,right on the Fox River Ron

[william russell]

DeTour State Forest Campground Detail

I've stayed here several times and always enjoyed it. The park is about 30 or 40 East of Mackinac bridge on MI 134. The campground is right on the shore of Lake Huron and has a very nice sandy beach.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Ron Humerickhouse

We like Seney Twsp Park,,right on the Fox River Ron

Ron, I saw that in another post. Can you paddle from the campground? Is the river swift, or can one paddle both ways?

[Ron Humerickhouse]

Yes you can,,out to M28,,,but sometimes water is low,in mid Summer,,great trout fishing...Google Fox River & the park..Ron

[john warren]

see? thats the problem with michigan.

ask for one campground sugjestion doesn't really work since they are all so nice.

think it would be better to ask is there any i should avoid?

that would be a more managable list.

[Joe MacDonald]

out of all you Michiganer's, is there anybody who lives close to the Sault?
I have been looking for somebody who's willing to store some of my e-bay purchases until I have enough to make a stateside run. most of my buys are small packages, however I am currently looking at a bull bar for the front of my envoy.
I can get storage in Sault MI. but it is expensive, and I can't coordinate the deliveries so that they arrive at the same time.If anyone is interested in helping out, i'd be glad to return the favor, or maybe there is something you need from Canada?

Joe

[Marsha D]

Check out the National Forest Campground Directory. We've stayed at Wide Waters and would go back. Golden Lake is a personal favorite, mainly for access to some great fly fishing nearby. Tahquamenon Falls State Park rivermouth campground can be nice, but on weekends you may get noisy neighbors. The sites not directly on the river are the most private. Carp River close to the Mackinac bridge is also a very nice, quiet place to stay. We love camping in the U.P.

We've also stayed several times at Andrus Lake, near Tahq Falls - north of Paradise. Last time we stayed there (Mid-July 2011) some local group was using the picnic area and it wasn't as quiet as it had been in the past. Once they left, it was great.

Michigan DNR is also a great source of State Forest Campgrounds. Alger County has quite a few that we've stayed at. As you see, I could go on and on. We also like private, primative campgrounds.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by john warren

...........<snip>..........

think it would be better to ask is there any i should avoid?

that would be a more manageable list.

Great suggestion - feel free to name any poor ones!

[Thomas G.]

Thanks for all the great comments and suggestions and please keep them coming.

I'm taking notes and coordinating with other internet resources in my planning.

[Ron Humerickhouse]

Unless you enjoy wall to wall campers,,lots of dogs & wild kids,,generators,,load TVs ,,,avoid the larger State Campgrounds at all costs,,,most with over 50 camp sites you WON't find US....Ron

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Ron Humerickhouse

Unless you enjoy wall to wall campers,,lots of dogs & wild kids,,generators,,load TVs ,,,avoid the larger State Campgrounds at all costs,,,most with over 50 camp sites you WON't find US....Ron

Ron, I couldn't agree more. I avoid most state parts for camping - that is a whole different dynamic than I am interested in.

[Ron Humerickhouse]

If any one wants to See pics of the Seney Twsp Park & the Fox River..or Seney Wildlife area,,,I have some i took a year ago,,but my slow dial-up won,t let me post here..i tried,,PM me your emails addy and i will share some...Ron

[john warren]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

Great suggestion - feel free to name any poor ones!

i'm thinking,,,,,i'm thinking,,,,,,

also don't forget you can camp on any state forest land thats not marked otherwise for free. must get a camp permit card from the dnr. this allows them to know just exactly who the bear ate later on.

[ScampBum]

Porcupine Mountain state Park for fall colors can't be beat,but....$25 a night,w/electric and showers,and not a lot of privacy.Ottawa N.F. campgrounds are cheap...most $10.Even Sylvania Wilderness at Clark Lake is cheap.I have the federal Interagency Senior Pass.You must be 62,it costs $10 for lifetime,and gets you 50% discounts at NF campgrounds.My Scamp doesn't have a/c or sat t.v.,so I prefer the boonies w/solar power.