Map showing campground location near Big Bay, Michigan

Camper submitted image from Perkins Park & Campground

Perkins Park & Campground

SUMMARY PRESENTED BY

Quiet and remote by Upper Peninsula standards, Perkins Park & Campground sits on the shores of Independence Lake in Big Bay, Michigan, drawing a mix of families and retirees throughout its May-to-September season. The campground runs along the lake with views of the water from nearly every site, and a dedicated beach area with a pavilion, volleyball, and a playground gives the park a well-used, community feel. Campers exploring places to camp around Big Bay will find this county-managed facility one of the more developed options in the area, with full hookups for RVs up to 50 feet, tent sites, walk-in spots, and even boat-in access.

Site quality varies considerably depending on where you land. The south side of the park has longer, better-spaced full-hookup sites, though they're dirt and can get muddy in wet weather. Sites on the north side run smaller and are packed closer together, with a few flanking the bathroom building directly. Neil T. notes that cleanliness is "above average," and the central shower and bathroom building draws consistent praise, though the smaller north-end facility gets mixed marks. Showers cost 25 cents per six minutes, so bring quarters.

Swimming in Independence Lake is accessible right from camp, and a boat launch with space for watercraft makes the park a practical base for paddlers and anglers. An old railroad line converted to trail runs nearby, and Lake Superior's shoreline is about a mile down the road. Marquette is roughly 30 minutes away for resupply. The Big Bay Point Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast sits a few miles northeast for campers interested in a different kind of overnight stop in the area.

Crowding is the most consistent concern across reviews. Privacy between sites is limited, noise can carry from the nearby Lumberjack Tavern late on weekends, and the campground fills up during peak summer weeks. Cell service is workable on Verizon but inconsistent on other carriers. Reservations are available through the county website, which also includes leveling details for each individual site. Book early for summer weekends, and consider arriving in shoulder season if a quieter stay matters to you.

Check Availability Suggest an Edit

RV Road Trip Guides

The Great Northern Road Trip

Sault Ste. Marie to Duluth: 4 Day Road Trip

Build Your Trip

Plan a TripAdd

Map & DirectionsPerkins Park & Campground is located in Michigan near Big Bay

Public Campground

Directions

In town on CR-550.

Coordinates

46.81304425 N
87.72830836 W

Open in Google Maps

Connectivity

Presented by

T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More

T-Mobile
No Coverage
Verified by 2 users
Last on 8/15/26
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 2 users
Last on 8/15/26
AT&T
No Coverage
Verified by 6 users

Connectivity

Presented by

T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More

T-Mobile
No Coverage
Verified by 2 users
Last on 8/15/26
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
Verified by 2 users
Last on 8/15/26
AT&T
No Coverage
Verified by 6 users

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.
Boat-In
Sites accessible by watercraft.

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites
Standard (Tent/RV)
Group
Cabins
Tent Cabin
Yurts

Features

For Campers

Market
ADA Access
Trash
Picnic Table
Firewood Available
Phone Service
Reservable
Showers
Drinking Water
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Sanitary Dump
Sewer Hookups
Water Hookups
Pull-Through Sites
50 Amp Hookups
Big Rig Friendly

Contact

General Info

Drive Time

3 hrs 57 min from Green Bay, WI
4 hrs 17 min from Appleton, WI
4 hrs 33 min from Wausau, WI
5 hrs 48 min from Traverse City, MI

2026 Explorer Giveaway

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Enter to Win

Reviews12 Camper Reviews - Perkins Park & Campground

Add Review

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

4.0

out of 5

12 Reviews

Visitors repeatedly highlighted the beautiful lakefront location with excellent swimming and boating facilities. Site conditions vary considerably, with some cramped spacing issues. Occasional noise from nearby bar patrons may disrupt quiet hours.

SUMMARY PRESENTED BY

Greg S.

Legend

Reviewed Jun. 12, 2025

4.5 stars

This is a very quiet and remote area. The campground and town are both very calm and quiet. The beach is very nice and the water in Wilderness Lake is clean. There is an older playground that our kids still enjoyed, and an old abandoned railroad line that is now a trail. Town is tiny with a store or two . About a mile down the road to Lake Superior shoreline- there's a cool little park with a boardwalk and place to launch kayaks. The full hookup sites were nice and long and well spaced, but they were dirt so could be muddy in the rain. There were a lot of mosquitoes, but we kept them at bay with tiki torches and bug spray. Nice place to chill.

Site50

Month of VisitJune

(4) View All

Tim L.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 28, 2022

Great for Tents

Good campground for tenting. Our no electric tent site was right on the water which was great for a quick cool off in the hot weather. Bathrooms were clean. Full hook up sites looked to be pretty uneven so be sure to bring options to help with leveling.

Month of VisitAugust

Neil T.

Legend

Reviewed Aug. 31, 2021

Fun lake exploring!

Vibe: Mix of retirees and families.

Cleanliness: Above average.

Facilities: Average.

General spots: Varies from right up next to each other to odd shaped spaces that have extra room and trees.

Our site: 40. One of the odd shaped spaces that had extra buffer room and big trees for shade. It was at an intersection at the camp and traffic was pretty steady during the day.

Noise: Mostly quiet. Kids played well after dark in a parking lot across from us, but quiet hours didn’t start until 11 and they were never a problem.

Cell signal(Verizon): Full bars. I streamed a movie (Anatomy of a Murder...see below).

Other: You can swim at Independence Lake right at the camp. If you want to swim in Lake Superior, Squaw Beach is about 10 minutes away. Ate the Lumberjack Tavern and found out about“Anatomy of a Murder” and that it took place at the tavern. Turns out the couple involved had a trailer at the campground.

Site40

Month of VisitAugust

(15) View All

S G.

Traveler

Reviewed Aug. 25, 2021

A nice beach park, great views.

We stayed in our tents at this site. The sites are reasonably sized and well described on the county website, even details about how level each site is. There seem to be sites available for all sizes. Showers are great ($.25 for 6 minutes) and bathrooms are really clean. Great park for kids, boating (kayaking, etc). Laundry facility is outside the camp (private) but worth noting.

Close to Lake Superior, just off of the Circle Tour. Marquette is within 30 min.

Views of Lake Independence from nearly each site and beautiful sunrises.

Site25

Month of VisitAugust

Katie M.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 14, 2021

Family friendly and crowded

Overall, this is a good option for coming near Marquette, especially if you have a trailer, a family, or are looking to post up for a bit.

Pros: The campsite has a lot of amenities that are easily accessible. Each site has a table, a fire pit, potable water nearby and most have electric hookup. The beach area for swimming in Lake Independence is nice with a pavilion, volleyball, and ping pong nearby. You can launch your boat or fish from the dock. The views are beautiful.

Cons: It's a crowded location that doesn't offer a lot of privacy. At 2am we were woken up by a boat coming back in from the water blasting it's music while the whole crew was loud and obnoxious.

Site32

Month of VisitAugust

(6) View All

Sam ..

Guide

Reviewed Jul. 22, 2021

Perkins Park

Perkins Park is a county-owned park situated on beautiful Lake Independence. The lake and beach are gorgeous. There is a boat launch near the beach and there’s ample room to park to watercraft there. The beach is easily walkable from any campsite, and there are nice walking trails around the park.

Visitors to the park must pay $2 per vehicle per day to enter the park, and this is payable at the entrance.

There is no store on site, but Cram’s General Store is right across 550 from the park. They do sell and deliver firewood at the park entrance.

The sites on the north side of the park were all fairly small. We travel with a 34’ trailer and managed to squeeze in to site number 5. If you have a large trailer, you’d be much happier on the south side.

There is a great mix of site types in this park. A lot of the sites are very small, on hills, or in tricky places, so be sure to carefully read site descriptions when reserving. They crammed too many sites in on the north side of the park. Sites number 1 and 24 flank the bathroom building (which I mention in the next paragraph) and people will be walking through your site to get to it.

There is a small bathroom building on the north end of the park which left a lot to be desired. The doors and walls were covered in mayflies and there were a lot of insects inside of the bathroom building. The toilets didn’t work very well and it wasn’t the cleanest. The large bathroom/shower building in the center of the park was the nicest. The beach bathroom/shower building was outdated but otherwise okay. One thing not well-advertised was that showers cost 25¢ per 6 minutes, so make sure to bring change; we did not note a change machine anywhere.

We managed to squeeze in to site 5, which was very narrow. We travel with a 34’ trailer. The site backs up to woods and a walking trail. There were tons of tree roots and a large tree in the site.

Pros: Beautiful lake and swimming

Full hookup sites

Great mix of site types

Walkable to amenities

Playground at the beach

Cons: Cell service is poor to so-so

Some of the sites are narrow, unleveled, or just plain small

Coin operated showers

Most sites have little to no privacy

Fill station is in a very weird place and you have to make a tight U-turn to use it.

Site5

Month of VisitJuly

Shari G.

Legend

Reviewed Oct. 21, 2020

Wasn't Expecting Much, but Blown Away!

On the shores of Independence Lake, just south of Lake Superior, sits this gorgeous, sparkling clean county park with a well-managed campground. Wasn’t expecting much, so was blown away by the facilities for the low price. Lots of site options: non-electric, with electric only, with full hookups, walk-in or boat-in sites on the water, as well as a couple cabins. Sites are nicely spaced apart, but not much privacy between them. We chose the site right by the boat launch, which definitely has the most privacy when it’s not boating season. Lots of deciduous trees, making the fall truly glorious!

The campground was about 10% full upon arrival, and everybody left before we did, so we had the place to ourselves. Did we mention how much we love fall camping?!? Bathrooms and showers are clean and well maintained and spread out throughout the campground.

Tons of hiking, mountain biking, and water sports of all kinds around. Nice boat launch facility, as well as special place to launch canoes/kayaks. A large picnic pavilion with stone fireplace sits right at the waterfront. This is a reservation only type of place (with a $3 nominal fee), but the website allows you to book for the same day, and there is decent cell service at the campground. Win win!

Stock up in Marquette before heading out here as there is only a small gas station convenience store across the road from the campground, as well as a small café and laundromat.

Site33

Month of VisitOctober

(12) View All

Vicki J.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 23, 2019

We like it there!

It’s a County Park in Big Bay on beautiful Lake Independence. They have full hook up sites to primitive sites. You can walk/ride bikes to a convenience store, gas station, laundry, and restaurant. Golf driving range behind the convenience store, bucket of balls $5 and you don’t have to pick them up.
Marquette is a 30 minute drive.

Paige H.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 18, 2019

Nice!

This campground was really nice! I’ve tent camped here and camped in a hammock. Both were so fun!

Kyle P.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 17, 2019

Nice place

Tent camped here one night, nice quiet place

Rebecca B.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 3, 2018

Fishing Family Fun

Quite a few full hook up sites or camp with just electric. Lots of shade, a nice swimming beach, and great fishing.

Site48

Month of VisitJuly

Amie L.

Guide

Reviewed Sep. 8, 2016

Nice area but the campground was VERY noisy

As an avid hiker, I love this area. However, this campground has a lot to offer. First, it's close to the Lumberjack Tavern. Around 1:30 a.m. or so, the people from the bar came back to the campground...and continued to drink, very, very loudly. When they finally settled down, I got an hour or two of good sleep before the kids woke up and started riding their bikes and yelling.

The campsites are pretty close together and have no privacy. I was grateful that I was only staying one night.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do visitors rate Perkins Park Campground in Big Bay, MI?

Perkins Park Campground receives generally positive ratings from visitors, with most giving it 4 or 5 stars. Campers particularly appreciate the beautiful lakeside setting on Lake Independence, clean facilities, and variety of camping options. Some visitors note that it can get noisy on weekend nights due to its proximity to local establishments. The campground is praised for its value, with many surprised by the quality of amenities for the price point.

What photos show the campsites at Perkins Park in Marquette County?

Photos of Perkins Park showcase diverse campsites including full hookup options, electric-only sites, and primitive tent camping areas. Images display the shaded sites with trees providing natural privacy between some spots, while others highlight waterfront locations right on Lake Independence. Photos also capture the fire pits and picnic tables available at each site. To see current photos of the campground, check the official Marquette County website or The Dyrt platform for visitor-submitted images that show seasonal variations.

Are there hiking trails or activities near Perkins Park Campground?

Perkins Park offers several recreational activities on-site and nearby. The campground has nice walking trails around the park and an abandoned railroad line that's been converted to a trail. Water activities are popular with a swimming beach on Lake Independence and a boat launch for fishing and boating. The park includes volleyball courts, ping pong tables, and a playground for children. Nearby, visitors can enjoy a golf driving range behind the local convenience store. The surrounding area is known for hiking opportunities, making it appealing for outdoor enthusiasts.

What amenities are available at Perkins Park & Campground in Marquette County?

Perkins Park & Campground offers a range of amenities including full hookup sites, electric-only sites, and primitive camping options. Each site comes with a picnic table and fire pit. The park features clean restrooms and pay showers ($0.25 for 6 minutes). A swimming beach on Lake Independence provides recreation, along with a boat launch for water activities. Additional amenities include a pavilion, volleyball court, and ping pong tables. Within walking distance, visitors can access a convenience store, gas station, laundry facilities, and a restaurant in Big Bay.

Is there a map available of Perkins Park Campground in Marquette?

Yes, maps of Perkins Park Campground are available through the Marquette County website, which provides detailed information about the campground layout and individual sites. The county website even includes helpful details about site levelness to assist with selection. For current maps and site-specific information, visitors should check the official Marquette County Parks website or contact the park office directly. Having a map is particularly useful for selecting waterfront sites or identifying the locations of amenities like restrooms, showers, and the beach area.

Keep Exploring