Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Hiawatha National Forest, MI is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Hiawatha National Forest campgrounds just for you. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Hiawatha National Forest. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
$15 / night
"its in the middle of nowhere, on a lake, super freaking beautiful and theres hardly many people around. i cant wait to go back honestly. vault toilets & no showers, no electric either. super rustic"
"Great little campground in the middle of nowhere. 15 minute drive off the beaten path keeps the crowds away. Couple spots right on the water. Vault toilets were fairly clean and stocked."
"The eastern side of the park is definitely quieter and less populated than the western half, but even the western half is pretty quiet except near Chapel."
"Campground Review
The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is great for backpackers. We camped at Lowney Creek and parked at the Beaver Lake Basin Overlook. "
$15 / night
"We really enjoyed the lake, the water is beautiful."
"Canoe Lake State Forest Campground is located on Canoe lake which is a small lake in the Lake Superior State Forest. This is a Rustic and first come first serve campground."
"This campground is about a 15 drive on a dirt road south of H-58 that runs along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore."
"Great site located between two lakes. In response to the previous review, your best directions will come from locating the site on your GPS (in our case Google Maps) and dropping a pin."
"We did have to clear a bunch of down trees to get down the road but we had the site and the lakes to ourselves. It was gorgeous."
"Think there were 19 primitive sites in total. There’s a water pump but no electrical. Each site has a picnic table and a fire pit."
"Both sites are beautiful and private... as long as no one sets up camp right next to you, because each one does have two other sites on either side."
"There are only a handuful of sites on this lake and the sites are all one right next to each other. NO hookups, large handicap accessible privy, large and well maintained fire rings."
LegendIt just so happened we were there on the very last night they were open for the season. And yet they still had over half the sure booked! It's a small campground, but very near the lake, and the coolest part is the old blast furnace (hence the name of the camp on the bay) on display. Mother Nature took it over, but you can feel the history!
A few spaces are actually on the water front with beach access, but one is taken by the camp host, the other two are reservable.... And they were reserved. But there were others, all within an easy walk of the sand. Ours was tucked in the woods, others more exposed, all with fire pits and grills and picnic tables. Even a hanging post of some sort. Drinking water was also a perk.
There is no electric and there are no showers, but vault toilets are centrally located. There is an adjacent park with more tables and grills. Even though there were a lot of RVs, we heard no generators the night we were there.
This is a forest service campground in the Hiawatha Forest. Sites are $20 each as of 2019.
TravelerLocated in Hiawatha National Forest on Lake Superior. We were on motorcycles & this was a spur of the moment pick for us but even though we arrived late in the afternoon we had a few sites to choose from. The sites offer plenty of privacy and are large and well maintained. Located on the southern Lake Superior shoreline, the beach area was fantastic & the water was clean/clear but cold as would be expected. perfect for a refreshing cool off in hot weather! There were waterfront sites, vaulted toilets, fire rings with grill tops. For those with Rv's there was a dump station as well. No electric or water hook ups available. Lake Superior access is a plus for us however it is not accessible by boat. Plenty of nearby stores, gas, food. Pictured Rocks is within driving distance and worth the trip.
RangerHurricane River Campground is a rustic campground located along the Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. The campground is accessible from Au Sable Point Trial Rd, or by Hiking along the North Country Trail. Campsites here are first come first serve. This campground has a Upper and a Lower sections of campsites. The lower section has 11 sites and is close to the shores of Lake Superior. The Upper section has 10 campsites. Some Sites will fit trailers but some are tent only. There are a couple sites for handicap visitors. Handicap sites become available each day to the rest of the public after 6 p.m. if not occupied, they do ask that you leave the next day at your earliest convinces rather than the 12 p.m. normal check out time, so if a Handicap person does come looking for a site the next day early it is available for them to use. This Campground is Rustic and offers vault toilets, drinking water, and trash/recycling bins. And I did see 1 bear box for food storage. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, and a lantern pole. Each site was separated from the next site by trees, so your sites were so what private.
Each section of the campground has a Kiosk that has a drop box for payment of your site, and information on weather and actives that are in the area, along with the campground rules. There are lot's of things do keep you busy around this campground. You are located along the Pictured Rocks NLS. You can take a 1.5 mile hike along the shores of Lake Superior to the Au Sable Light House stopping to see old ship wreck remains. There are lot's of hiking trails around including the North Country Trail that begins in New York and ends in North Dakota. You could also just spend the day hanging out on the beach, and checking out the small waterfalls along the Hurricane River. The beach and river mouth is located a short walk from the Lower section of the campground, if you are staying at the Upper it is a 0.2 mile hike through the woods to the beach.
If you are planning on staying at this campground I would recommend that you arrive early to get a site especially in the summer months. Be aware of other close campgrounds as back up in case the campground is full. Little Beaver Lake Campground and Twelvemile Beach Campground are a couple that are close by.
Scout
LegendPetes Lake is a great campground tucked in the Hiawatha National Forest. The campground is located about 15 minutes south of Munising. We stayed in Munising at a private RV park for a few days before discovering this place and fell in love with it. The campground has only 41 sites but because they are well-spaced and heavily treed you have some privacy and don’t feel cramped. If you want a campsite right on the water, look at sites 4a and 5a. Sites 7a and 8a are walk-in tent sites having lots of privacy. There are plenty of sites that are long and level enough to fit large RVs you just have to be mindful there are lots of trees. The main roads in the campground are paved and wide enough to maneuver. Campsites have no utilities but there are vault toilets and potable water. Picnic tables and fire pits are at each site and you are allowed to collect firewood from dead and downed trees (which I love since I am a campfire lover). Be aware that there are only two vehicles allowed per site and you will be charged $6/vehicle/night. Since this is a National Forest campground, senior pass holders get ½ off camping making this a bargain at $9/night.
For the outdoor enthusiast who is looking to get away and enjoy the outdoors this place is great. It is set on the 190-acre Petes Lake where you have a swim beach, boat launch and fishing piers. We spent a couple of hours paddling the lake which was very peaceful. Running through the campground is the Bruno’s Run Trail – a 9-mile trail traversing the woods and around small ponds. This was a great trail except for some pesky bugs that started annoying us as we heated up. Our dog loved the hike because we passed a couple of ponds letting her cool off and get a drink. We only encountered four mountain bikers during our hike which was nice compared to the crowded trails in the nearby Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
We would definitely come back to this campground and it would be a 5-star if it had hook-ups for our RV.
TravelerOnly 5 sites at this campground. When I reserved through the NF website, they didn’t even have an accurate map to display how the sites were laid out.
Sites 1, 2 and 3 are all decently spaced apart. Sites 4 and 5 are seemingly connected for double reservations.
Plenty of trees for hammocks and level ground for tents. Fire rings with griddle on each site.
There is no running water or shower house. Bring your own TP for the outhouse.
All sites sit along the lake with easy access to the water. Not a great lake for swimming as the bottom is very muddy and mucky.
Tucked just far enough away from the nearest “town”, Steuben- which only has about 8 homes along the road. Steuben is nice place to drive through and has a small convenience store. Prices are a little expensive, but take into consideration the desolate location.
Great campground and one of my favorites in this section of The Hiawatha National Forest.
LegendWhen camping here, bring your kayak inland off the beach. The strong winds here should not be trusted. You can access the campground by North Light Creek beach. It's about 10 miles from William's Landing. Primitive latrine, food storage pole, and fire ring. Benches are at the campsite as well. Grand Island is a beautiful place to explore!
TravelerI loved this campground. I wish we were on the lake side for the spectacular views, but it's not a long walk over to watch the sunset or enjoy your morning cup of coffee.
Our site had a pole for a lantern, picnic table, fire ring and tent pad. The water spigot was a few sites over as was the vault toilet. The vault toilet was clean and didn't smell. There were many garbage cans.
Our site was large and private. We had neighbors on either side of us but didn't hear them or see them from our site.
The flies were extremely bad or first day but not our other two days. Bring lots of DEET for you and permethrin or something for your dog just in case!
Overall great experience and can't wait to come back!
RangerSmall, remote campground, located on a nice size inland lake in Hiawatha National Forest. Close to Au Train, Munising and Pictured Rock National Lakeshore. Great "primitive" campsites with lot's of room, and shade. For those who want showers this is not the place. This campground has vault toilets, and water pump at the entrance. Otherwise almost rustic experience. There is a boat launch. Not sure about rentals, but you can definitely bring your own boat or a kayak, to experience the lake. Few nearby hiking and biking trails. Drive up to Pictured Rock Lakeshore for some amazing trails and Lake Superior beaches. Hiawatha National Forest offers tons of trials and lakes, spend the day wondering through the woods and discovering hidden lakes. I consider Upper Peninsula in Michigan the hidden gem of the Midwest. You have to go and experience it at least once in your lifetime, especially if you live within 500 mile radius...
Tent camping near Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan offers a serene escape into nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a rustic experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hiawatha National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hiawatha National Forest is Indian River Campground with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 51 tent camping locations near Hiawatha National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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