Although not part of the Ottawa National Forest, this beautiful waterfalls is surrounded by the Ottawa National Forest. One of the most popular Upper Peninsula waterfalls. Managed by the U.P. Power Company, a developed trail is maintained with steps and bridges across the river at the base of the falls. This is one fall that is beautiful yearlong, and a variety of plants can be viewed throughout the summer.

Bond Falls Campground

Bond Falls is beautiful! The campground is tidy but busy.  There is a nearby gift shop that sells just about anything you may have forgotten. The trail system is fabulous and some trails are handicap accessible. The pit toilet is pretty gross, only downside. I highly recommend camping here! 

Beautiful and fun family camping

These campgrounds are run by the Upper Peninsula Power Company and have just about everything. The sites are mostly private and spread out with the exception of the loop which is more family oriented. The damn here has enhanced the natural waterfall here and is one of he main attractions. The lakes are stocked with brook trout and the fishing is amazing. Picnic areas are located near the falls and hiking in the surrounding areas is limitless. It's very inexpensive and also very popular. 

One of the best

Bond Falls is a little difficult to figure out if you haven't done your homework before visiting.  You will show up to Bond Falls looking for a campground.  You will see a self-registration board at the falls but it has NOTHING to do with camping.  It is only to register your vehicle for the daily admittance pass if you have not already done so.  Problem, it is the same form and envelope in every other Michigan State park so you will see the line for camping fees on the form and it can be a bit confusing.

The falls are very pretty and worth checking out.  There is no "campground" per se.  There are campsites strung along the banks all around the lake, there are even a few camp sites on some islands in the middle of the lake.  The camp sites are managed by a power company.  They have a visitor center right off the main road outside of the park entrance where you can get all of the information you need.

Do your homework before you commit the time and resources to camping at Bond Falls.

Do your homework before you camp at Bond Falls

Bond Falls is a very short walk from the car, with longer hiking opportunities nearby. I visited the falls in the wintertime when some of it was frozen, and the ground covered in snow. Very pretty that time of the year.

Lovely Falls

There are about 20 campsites and a handful on the water. The sites are free for up to a total of 14 days which is really nice. We stayed at a site that was up the hill from the water. Each site has a fire pit and a picnic table and allowed for our 10 person tent. There are a few port-a-potty’s scattered throughout the campground, but no shower site. There are a few rules regarding the sites, but you can check in with the park ranger for all the details. This was our first time camping here and I would defiantly go back.

Secluded campsites on the water 

This was a man made like, yet they did a decent job about educating about the dam, what the water ways looked like prior to the dam and where power goes from the dams generation. 

The sites themselves were nice and had a cool path around the falls.

Coming from the PNW, I thought the water was a bit dirty to swim in... very brown, but after spending some time in the UP I guess people do swim in most waters. 

Such an interesting Dam 

This place has a variety of options. We loved the rustic sites that were furthest from the sign-in building. You feel “out in the wilderness” but close enough to town. The sites are spread apart nicely with plenty of privacy. The loop extends a bit because of this. Vault toilets and water are available. This area has a boat launch that was popular this weekend. Other sites can be found dispersed along the flowage. Plenty of options here. 

Towards the station are Bond Falls. There isn’t much hiking here but the falls are spectacular. Some people were climbing quite close but we kept further back. It’s a popular day visit spot. 

Sprawling campground with many site options 

Best free campground. Fire ring picnic table. Beautiful lake full of fish. Amazing waterfall. Clean campground with toilet and hand pump for water. No dump station. West side is near the falls. 

Awesome lake amazing waterfall

8/26-9/1/22- Free camping! There are vault toilets and hand-pump well drinking water in several places, and picnic tables and fire pits at each camp site. The sites are well maintained, clean, and reasonably flat. I tried self registering, but there was nowhere to sign-in. About 11Am the next morning, someone came by to register us. 2-bars Verizon 5G, and 2-bars AT&amp;T 4G. 

  

We rolled in about 10pm and drove through the western loop sites 1-22, pulled into the first pull-through site(W5) that we could easily get our 34’ fifth wheel into and went to sleep. In the morning, I walked the loop and found several others that we could fit(now that it was light out), and we moved over one site to W6. Site W21 has a lake view and a large loop in front of this back-in site that would be super easy to navigate for a big rig. Sites 11 and 12 were really close together but had a good views of the lake as well. Later, we drove over to the east camp site that all seemed to have lake views, and sites E12 and E13 are surrounded on 3 sides by water, a turn-around loop, and more sunlight for solar powered rigs. I didn’t think to check cell signal while there. 

  

The towns of Watersmeet and Conover had the cheapest diesel fuel. The Wild Turkey Bar&amp; Grill in Conover, WI had fabulous smoked meats, and there is a great little hardware store in Conover as well.

Great Views and Quiet Camping

This place was a great one night stop with beautiful camp spots on the lake. Beautiful waterfall. 

Very quiet campground, far from neighbors.

I stayed one night at the end of May and it was stunning (from inside my van). Unfortunately, the mosquitoes came in clouds but that’s expected. Was able to make it in my van and would be back a different, less ferocious time of the year. Just stunning.

Stunning!

Beautiful sites, some very private and right on the lake.  Boat launch nearby.   Sites are spacious and privacy depends in the site.  Some are isolated, others are mean to camp with friends.  All have fire pit and table.  First come, first served.  We got there on a Thursday and lots of sites, but was full by the weekend.  You have to drive around and pick an open site and caretaker comes around about 11am to check you in.  Pit toilets, some ADA accessible.  