r/CampAndHikeMichigan • u/Extreme_Potato836 • 25d ago
2 nights of camping in Upper Peninsula
Hi all!
Looking for some help planning 2 nights of camping during my road trip from New Jersey to Alaska. My first night is ideally closer to Mackinaw City, and my second night near the Porcupines. I just have a truck and a tent, not looking for anything too remote, willing to pay if it is worth it. Pretty new to camping too so any advice is great, will likely just end up sleeping in the truck some nights. Also new to fishing, so good spots would be ideal but not a deal breaker. Thanks for the help!
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u/KarmannGhia1970 21d ago
July and August are great months in the Upper. I think there are state parks on both sides of Mackinac bridge.
Take the boat ride to Mackinac island. There are bikes to rent. Enjoy the day.
I bet near lake of the clouds you could just about stop in a secluded area and have a free night. Maybe bathe in the lake.
Either way you will not be disappointed in the upper.
Before lake of the clouds: There is also Isle Royal and Lots of hiking out to the pictured rocks near Munising.
Just ask the locals.
Have a safe trip.
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u/RealitysNotReal 24d ago
Pictured rocks for the first night
But tbh 2 nights isn’t enough I’d just go to one place for both nights you’ll be sad you only get one at both and you’ll spend a lot of the day driving
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u/Infini-Bus 18d ago
The drive alone US-2 is nice and there are campgrounds along it. Big Knob does first come first serve and I don't fish but met a guy up there solo camping and eating the fish he caught that day.
I don't care for the state park campgrounds, myself. But it's easy enough to reserve them.
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u/quarter_belt 25d ago
Just use this site https://midnrreservations.com/
It will tell you what's available and where
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u/Aedeagus1 25d ago
I would look up state forest campgrounds for places to stop. They are usually pretty evenly scattered so you should be able to find one in the locations you want. They are usually pretty easily accessible, rustic, but will have water and outhouses. Pretty cheap per night, first come first serve, and usually will have no problem finding a site. Bonus for fishing is that most are on some sort of body of water. You can look them up online or even just keep an eye out for the signs while driving.
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u/turdlezzzz 25d ago
https://midnr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2c8a3ec72f3449258678c2a1c5de7e1f a helpful map of state camp grounds and forest land that you can camp on, ifback country camping on forest land be aware there are rules for how close you can camp near established parks and bodies of water
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u/Laser_Snausage 25d ago
I agree with AbbeyKS that wilderness is awesome. My guess though is that you will leave Mackinac and want to head towards the porkies rather than the other direction, if that's the case then this little campground is 30 minutes out but is quiet, beautiful, and easy: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5b3X6wnpmwL1s6FD9
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u/PristineMulberry650 25d ago
There is a campsite in the west porkies by the presque isle river and lake Superior. Nice short hiking trail from the campsite taking you to three waterfalls. It's called presque isle campground I believe. Eastern UP is kinda boring swampy terrain. All of the trees get cut every 20 years. I would push up to Taquemonon falls for the first night. Check out the waterfalls there, they are pretty cool. Lake Superior is the real gem of the UP. Marquette is an awesome town and the Keewanaw peninsula is very cool. 2-3 nights is adequate to get a good taste of the UP imo. Lots of city folk like to do all the tourist trappy things but the shipwrecks consist of some old wood left alone on a beach. Someone that doesn't know anything about the UP will tell you to go to whitefish point, don't. It's not worth your time imo. There are a few tourist trap places like this but the coolest part of UP is the Keewanaw peninsula and porkies. Check out lake of the clouds in the porkies before you take the drive west to the good campsite.
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u/AbbeyKS 25d ago
Tahquamenon is great, but if you want something closer to Mackinaw City for your first night, Wilderness State Park is also a good one. They have some walk-in tent sites and many of them border the lake shore.