Bowman Bridge Campground, near Baldwin, Michigan, is a charming spot that offers a laid-back camping experience surrounded by nature. With its proximity to the scenic Pere Marquette River, it’s a prime location for those looking to fish or paddle, making it a favorite among visitors.

The campground features clean facilities, including well-kept vault toilets, and friendly camp hosts who provide firewood and ice. Many campers appreciate the open field layout, which allows for solar panel use, and the spacious group sites that can accommodate larger gatherings. As one visitor noted, “The cleanest vault toilets we’ve ever seen!”

For outdoor enthusiasts, the area is perfect for hiking, with a short trail leading to the North Country Trail. The peaceful atmosphere is a big draw, although some campers mentioned that the sites lack privacy and that noise from nearby traffic can be noticeable. Still, the overall vibe is welcoming, and the natural beauty of the surroundings makes it a great place to unwind.

If you’re planning a trip, keep in mind that the campground operates from May to October, so be sure to book your stay during the season. Whether you’re here for a weekend of fishing or just to soak in the tranquility, Bowman Bridge Campground has plenty to offer.

## Overview

 Bowman Bridge Campground is perfect for true nature immersion. Campers come here for easy access to the Pere Marquette National Scenic River and for the delightful views of the great outdoors.
## Recreation

 The top three activities for campers at Bowman Bridge are canoeing, fishing and hiking. Anglers cast for brown trout, salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout. Watercraft rentals are available at two nearby liveries in Baldwin. A permit is required to float the river from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Monday of Labor Day weekend. Watercraft hours during the permit season are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hikers can head up the campground's connector trail to the North Country National Scenic Trail. This \"north country\" trail weaves through many scenic, historic and cultural areas across seven states, measuring 4,600 miles end-to-end.
## Natural Features

 The campground is situated along the Pere Marquette National Scenic River, a 66-mile stretch of clear, unspoiled waters within the Huron-Manistee National Forests in Michigan. Large blocks of public land offering opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, photography, and hunting can be found in the surrounding area. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Visitors enjoy exploring the extent of the Pere Marquette National Scenic River. Other nearby attractions include the Bowman Lake Foot Travel Area and the historic community of Idlewild.

Bowman Bridge Campground

Baldwin is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Michigan camping adventure.

Baldwin

The Best Camping Near Baldwin, Michigan

We went to Bowman Bridge Over the weekend of the 4th of July last year. The facilities were easy to get to, and even the vault toilets were clean! The staff was awesome. We had to stay in a group site because all the others were booked. The group site was accessible, but still felt rustic. Add easy access to the Pere Marquette River to sling a streamer at some beasty browns and it's a great place to spend a weekend. 

Clean and Rustic 

**Bowman Bridge Campground** just gives you a sense of quiet. You don't want to break the silence.....and then the kids bust out of the car.... :)

Minutes outside Baldwin, Mi., Bowman Bridge is out in the middle of nowhere. Which, if you like that kind of camping, is awesome. It is a small campground without much shade on the sites. But it is orderly and clean. Short "grass" grows between sites and there is sparse tree cover. There were only a few people staying when we were there but it was evident by the reservation cards on posts that the regular and group sites are busy. The primitive area is of to itself also in the long grass with mowed paths and areas. Plenty of room for multiple tents. Newer pit style toilets. We could not find a Trailhead within the campground but the _Pere Marquette River_ is a short walk down the black top.

Shhhhhhh

The campground was on the smaller side and we’ll kept. The host was really friendly as were our fellow campers. Clean bathrooms with firewood and ice available on site. 

The location on the river is absolutely amazing. We highly recommend Baldwin Canoe Rental as they were able to pick us up at the campsite (on time too!) and take us straight to the canoe launch. We paddled for about 4 hours before beaching at the access at Bowman Bridge, leaving our canoe on a rack, then making the short walk back to our site. Saved us time and the drive to and from town! 

The downsides of the campground: 
- Sites are not very private 
- Traffic noise is noticeable especially in sites near the road
- There must be some sort of gun range nearby...there was shooting going on all weekend which wasn’t a huge deal but our dog certainly was not a fan
- Maybe I’m out of touch but $20 a night for non-electric sites seems pricey 

Overall solid, especially if you’re planning on paddling the Marquette River but we’ll explore other campgrounds in the area before we return. 

Great location but some downsides 

We stayed here 5 nights and the place exceeded our expectations! Trout fishing, national scenic Pere Marquette river and a short spur trail to the North Country Trail. 16 Sites in an fairly open field, which was great for us as we need to use our solar panels to top off our batteries! 4 group sites also. Cleanest vault toilets we’ve ever seen! Camp host has wood and ice. Try to use coordinates when mapping to get here-we just typed in Bowman Bridge Campground and Siri (Apple Maps😡) sent us to somebody’s driveway about 7 miles (as the crow flies) off course. They graciously gave us directions to the campground.

Photos of Bowman Bridge Campground

Real photos from real campers