Gladstone Bay Campground

On a last minute camping trip to Michigan, we were looking for places that didn't require reservations, so I felt very lucky and happy to find tent sites available at this campground on a Sunday afternoon. Nearly every spot for RV camping was occupied. Of the eight or so tent sites available, only two were occupied. 

We were given our choice of tent site and settled on site 5 because it was the furthest from all other sites. The grass was solid enough to drive our car across, but there were several questionable spots of swamp we had to be careful to avoid. Site 5 sits next to the playground, which looks like it hasn't been maintained in years. The foliage around the lake was too tall for us to be able to see the lake from our tent and too thick, plus the swampiness of the land, to be able to walk through to access the lake. 

A nearby boardwalk was damaged and blocked off to foot traffic. The paved drive within the camp site was where everyone seemed to be spending their time, riding bicycles or roller bladeing in circles.

Four or five showers are available on site, with separate flush toilets for men and women. Firewood was available for purchase, as well as ice and vending machines. 

The showers were great to have. However, with no easy access to the lake, not much of a view, being very crowded and catered towards RVers, I would only stay here again if I had no other options, as a tent camper.

Ranger Review: Roanline Clothes at Gladstone Bay Campground, MI

Campground Review

We really came to like the Gladstone Bay Campground during the time we were there. The first impression is that it is a mix of seasonal campers mixed with transients and there is a crazy mix of campsites scattered in all different directions. This county-operated park sits on a pretty part of Bay de Noc in Gladstone Bay just north of the larger town of Escanaba in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The best feature for us was the nice view of the water and direct access but there are lots of other things we liked about this campground too. For example, there is a nice walking path that wanders along the water down to the marina and county park (that has free outdoor concerts during the summer).  The path goes through the campground but is located along the water so you don’t feel like everybody is walking through the campground. We used the path every day to walk our dog who loved the water access to cool off and swim. Another feature we liked was the 1,500-foot sandy beach. Here is a great place to set up a chair and read with a pleasant view, take a swim, or launch a kayak. This park has some of the cleanest bathrooms and showers (in separate rooms) that we have seen all summer long. They are modern, clean and well-stocked so a big “thanks” goes out to the people who maintain them and do such a great job. 

The main roads are paved while the ones leading to the waterfront sites are gravel. Some campsites are gravel while others are grass. Patios are grassy and really nice because the grass was thick and not sandy so you didn’t feel like your camper was always dirty. There was a heavy downpour during our stay and some big puddles of water in low spots. All sites have a picnic table (which was in good condition) and a fire pit which was clean when we got there. 

Our site (#20) was pretty close to our neighbors but some are really well spaced – especially the water/electric only or no hook-up sites. As mentioned earlier, we really like the campground and for $30 for a 50 amp full hook-up site (with WiFi) that is a good price. We did not really spend any time in Gladstone (except to go to the grocery which is a couple of miles away) but we did go to Escanaba a couple of days. In Escanaba we visited the lighthouse and historical museum which was interesting ($3 entrance fee) and ate at the highly-touted Swedish Pantry where we had the most delicious Swedish pancakes with lingonberries. We also stopped at Dobber’s Pasties to get some frozen pasties for the road. There is an ice cream truck that comes through the park for those of you with a sweet tooth.

One thing we noticed is that some campsites have lots of people staying on them.  On Labor Day weekend two campers came in with lots of people who stayed up until well past 2 a.m. having a fire and good time. We were two sites down in our RV with pretty good noise insolation and still heard them. It’s great that people want to enjoy the holiday weekend but some rude campers ruin it for others.

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Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I occasionally get products to test and evaluate. At Gladstone Bay Campground I tested clothes from Roanline. This company’s philosophy is to provide quality outdoor clothes and gear from up and coming companies with a commitment to giving back to the environment. Super cool!

I had a hard time picking out what to order because so many of their items appealed to me. Finally, I settled on two shirts featured by the company United by Blue (who pledges to remove one pound of trash from waterways for every item sold.  Hooray for them). The first one is the Knowle Plaid long-sleeved shirt.  This item was a good choice since the morning temperatures were dipping into the high 30’s.  The first thing I noticed was how soft this shirt was. It has a nice outdoorsy look with the plaid pattern but has a feminine fit. The shirt was not too bulky so you could wear it under a sweater on days that you need to layer. After a couple of washings it stayed true to size, color and that great soft feel. 

The other item I received was Pine Bear Tee. I was looking for a tee that was more stylish than just a typical unisex shirt and this one delivered. This shirt has a nice fit with a v-neck and is super soft.  It is lightweight enough to be worn hiking on warm days. The stitching and material in this shirt makes it high quality and it has definitely stood up to the wear and tear I put my clothes through.  

Will definitely be ordering from this company again. Their quality products are at a good price point (and they offer many sale items and discounts) and the company has a great mission and philosophy.

For a video review of these Roanline products click here.