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Best Tent Camping near Au Train, MI

667 Reviews
CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

National Forest lands surrounding Au Train, Michigan offer numerous tent-only camping options, with Grand Island National Recreation Area providing some of the most scenic backcountry tent camping in the region. Located approximately 20 miles east in Hiawatha National Forest, Grand Island features multiple walk-in tent sites including Channel Marker, Hemlock, and Duck Lake campsites. These primitive tent campgrounds are accessible via ferry from Munising and require short hikes ranging from half a mile to several miles from the dock. Lake Superior Beachfront on US Forest land offers dispersed tent camping with direct beach access for those seeking a more remote experience.

Most tent campsites in the Au Train area feature minimal amenities suited for self-sufficient campers. Sites typically have fire rings and some offer bear boxes or poles for food storage. Primitive toilets are available at most established sites, though facilities vary widely. Several Grand Island campsites provide free firewood near site entrances, an unexpected amenity for backcountry tent camping. Water sources include Lake Superior (requiring filtration) and occasional potable well water along trails. Campers should prepare for variable weather conditions, as strong winds off Lake Superior can affect tent stability, particularly at exposed shoreline sites. Insect protection is essential, with multiple reviewers noting significant mosquito and black fly populations, especially during summer months.

According to campers, the tent-only sites on Grand Island offer exceptional solitude and natural beauty. One visitor noted that "Crystal clear Lake Superior is accessible by stairs near Hemlock campsite with beautiful rocks to explore." At Road's End Campsite, a reviewer described it as "quiet, private, and off the path, with a pretty decent view of the bay." The walk-in nature of these sites ensures they remain uncrowded compared to drive-in campgrounds. Forestville Campground, while closer to Marquette than Au Train, was described as "heavily wooded and great for tents" with "lots of trails" connecting to the North Country Trail system. State Forest campgrounds like South Gemini Lake provide additional primitive tent camping options within a 30-minute drive of Au Train.

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Best Tent Sites Near Au Train, Michigan (40)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Au Train, MI

35 Photos of 40 Au Train Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Au Train, MI

667 Reviews of 40 Au Train Campgrounds

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 11, 2019

    Bay Furnace Campground

    Small and quiet without frills

    It 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.

  • Nona A.
    Aug. 1, 2017

    Hurricane River Campground — Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

    Great Campground in a Awesome Location

    Hurricane 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.

  • S
    Aug. 21, 2021

    Hemlock Campsite on Grand Island

    Stunning waterfront nearby, few people, easy hike in

    • Crystal clear lake superior is accessible by stairs near this campsite. Beautiful rocks to explore. When we went, the stairs were damaged and not open, though we were able to use them anyway. 
    • Potable well water is available along the hike in to the site, about .5 miles from the Hemlock campsite. We didn't expect this, and could have left our water filtration set up at home. 
    • Free firewood is provided right near the entrance to the campsite. We had no idea about this, and it was a great surprise. 
    • Fire ring and benches were at the site.
    • There was a bear box and pit toilet provided for this site, too.
    • The hike in is flat with some nice views of Lake Superior along the way. 
    • We didn't have too many problems with flies or mosquitos this year. It's been a very dry year, though.
  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 30, 2021

    Shelter Ridge Campsite On Grand Island

    Great kayaking destination

    When 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!

  • H. K.
    Jun. 26, 2022

    Twelvemile Beach Campground — Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

    Unbelievably Beautiful

    I 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!

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 12, 2025

    Hurricane River Campground — Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

    Small campground with private wooded sites on Lake Superior

    General: Very small (12-site) rustic campground on Lake Superior (Pictured Rocks National Seashore); although none of the sites have a direct view or access to the lake, it is just a short walk down some steps to a small but rocky beach. Reservations are required. Same-day reservations are accepted (but the campground was full when we were there). 

    Site Quality: All sites are wooded and spaced a very decent amount of space apart, providing ample privacy. Each site has a tent platform and fire ring with grill grate. No hookups or any type. 

    Bath: Two vault toilets only. Clean but no hand sanitizer so make sure you bring that and a flashlight at night! 

    Activities: A short walk to Au Sable Lighthouse (1.5 miles). We took our chairs and a light snack to the beach to enjoy the sunset. 

    We appreciated the privacy that foliage provided between sites and generally like small campgrounds compared to large ones. This was only an overnight stay for us. We did not check out the Upper Unit of the campground, about two miles from the Lower so don’t know how many sites are there or what they are like.

  • Christina M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 23, 2019

    Channel Marker Campsite On Grand Island

    Great site facilities and location!

    The channel marker campsite is the perfect distance (about a half mile on a well maintained flat trail) from the ferry dock and could be accessed by water too! There is a primitive toilet at the site along with a bear pole and storage locker, and a campfire ring with grill top. The site is private yet still close to the trail with an adjacent trail down to the beach, both areas include beaches. 

    The site requires that all tents are placed within 15 feet of a sign which only grants space for 1 tent easily. We also were able to fit one hammock within these guidelines.

    There is provided firewood at most all the other campsites we walked by, but no wood was provided to this site.

    Also note the bugs (mosquitoes and flies) are horrendous! Even with strong deet spray. Good idea to invest in the bug net gear the ferry service recommends!

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 30, 2025

    Munising Tourist Park Campground

    Pluses and minuses

    This campground is close to Munising therefore convenient for visiting Pictured Rocks and other tourist draws in the area. In the busy summer season it may be difficult to get a last minute spot with an RV, but as I was tent camping and pleased to take a walk in site I had no problem getting a same day reservation even in August. The tent sites are all walkin, with a tent parking area and then various distances to hike in along a path to the different tent camp sites. The campsites themselves are gorgeous, with tall trees and right on the shore, and privacy in between. Also, they provide several wagons in the adjacent parking area so you can easily tote your gear into your site. All of that would make for a 5 star rating, maybe 4 due to road noise from the nearby highway. However, I am only giving this experience a 3 because of one really important drawback: there needs to be at least an outhouse provided adjacent to the tent area. As it is, if nature calls you first have to hike down the path through the tenting area to the tent parking lot, then hike through the campground to the bath house which is a good distance away. Apparently this is too far for some people so they decided to just poop by a bush by the tent site trail and left it right there. Worst yet, the spot I saw like this had be left there for probably a few days, which shows a need for maintanence to patrol the tenting area more often and clean up such messes as they are health hazards as well as nauseatingly ugly. I wish this hadnt happened as otherwise it would be a pretty decent place to tent camp!

  • August M.
    Feb. 3, 2021

    Kingston Lake State Forest

    peaceful, beautiful, quiet

    This campground was a wonderful surprise to stumble across after staying one night at a nearby campground that was so buggy it was unbearable. This campground still had its fair share of bugs, but not nearly as many as Blind Sucker in early July. It was very quiet and peaceful here, with so much wildlife very close by - deer, birds, snakes, beavers, foxes, and coyotes. Supposedly there are bears in the area, but we didn't see any. This campground is somewhat close to a lot of other cool things to see in the area, like waterfalls and Pictured Rocks. Highly recommend, bust make sure you leave no trace and respect the environment. I would hate to see such a beautiful place's ecosystem harmed by human overuse.

Guide to Au Train

Dispersed camping options in and around Au Train, Michigan extend beyond Grand Island, offering secluded sites throughout Hiawatha National Forest. Most areas require a short hike or boat access, creating natural buffers between campsites. Tent camping opportunities range from established sites with minimal amenities to completely undeveloped areas where campers must be entirely self-sufficient. Winter access remains extremely limited, with most sites closed from November through April due to heavy snow accumulation.

What to do

Kayak to island sites: Shelter Ridge Campsite provides an excellent paddling destination approximately 10 miles from William's Landing. "When 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," notes a GoWhereYouAreDraw N.

Wildlife watching: Duck Lake Campsite serves as a prime location for observing local fauna. "Bear box and pole to keep food safe and a lot of blueberries around when in season!" reports a camper who visited in August.

Biking the island: Grand Island features an extensive trail network ideal for mountain biking. A visitor to Grand Island National Recreation Area recommends: "Bring a bike for travel, see all the lakes, greenery and you must visit waterfall beach."

What campers like

Beach proximity: Multiple campgrounds offer direct shoreline access. "It was nice to have a day to relax on the beach which is right in front of the site. Best part, it was nice enough for us to take a dip in Lake Superior!" shares an October visitor to Shelter Ridge Campsite.

Secluded locations: Road's End Campsite earns praise for its isolation. According to one camper, the site is "Quiet (unless the wind is roaring off the bay), private and off the path, with a pretty decent view of the bay."

Unexpected amenities: Despite their remote nature, several sites offer surprising conveniences. At Hemlock Campsite, a camper discovered: "Free firewood is provided right near the entrance to the campsite. We had no idea about this, and it was a great surprise."

What you should know

Insect populations: Mosquitoes and flies present significant challenges during warm months. A visitor to Channel Marker Campsite warns: "MOSQUITOES!!! They were horrible! We applied copious amounts of deet bug spray but these little buggers did not care. Swarms followed us and when they dispersed...the horse flies would start their attack flight patterns."

Water availability: Plan accordingly for water sources. At Road's End Campsite: "No water access, so make sure you hike some in," advises a reviewer. Conversely, Hemlock Campsite offers unexpected water access: "Potable well water is available along the hike in to the site, about .5 miles from the Hemlock campsite."

Changing regulations: Some previously available dispersed sites now prohibit camping. Lake Superior Beachfront has recent restrictions according to visitors: "There are several signs saying 'No Camping' and 'Day Use Only,'" reports a July 2024 reviewer.

Tips for camping with families

Site selection for children: Channel Marker provides relatively easy access for families with younger children. "The channel marker campsite is the perfect distance (about a half mile on a well maintained flat trail) from the ferry dock and could be accessed by water too!" notes a summer visitor.

Group camping options: For larger family gatherings, specific sites accommodate multiple tents. "I suggest Murray Bay group site. Excellent location with your own small beach," recommends a repeat visitor to Grand Island National Recreation Area.

Hammock opportunities: Some sites offer tree configurations suitable for hammock sleeping. At Little Dune I Campsite, a camper found the "sites were better than expected and very well maintained," though space remains limited at many locations.

Tips from RVers

Vehicle restrictions: Most tent camping near Au Train prohibits RV access entirely. Gamefence Campsite and similar locations require either "a ferry boat or sea kayak paddle away from the main land near the town of Munising," as one visitor explains.

Parking limitations: For RVers seeking tent camping experiences, secure mainland parking requires advance planning. The ferry landing offers limited overnight parking for Grand Island access, with no hookups or facilities available.

Weather considerations: Strong winds impact tent stability throughout the region. A Shelter Ridge camper notes being "quiet (unless the wind is roaring off the bay)," indicating weather patterns that could challenge both tent campers and RVers attempting setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Au Train, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Au Train, MI is Channel Marker Campsite On Grand Island with a 5-star rating from 3 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Au Train, MI?

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