Perkins Park & Campground on Lake Independence welcomes pets throughout its varied camping areas. Most sites have electric hookups, fire pits and picnic tables, with options ranging from tent-only to full RV hookups. The beach area for swimming provides a pleasant spot where many campers bring their dogs to cool off during hot weather. Dogs must remain leashed within the campground boundaries and owners are expected to clean up after their pets. Campsites vary in size and privacy, with north side sites generally smaller and south side spots better suited for larger RVs or trailers. The campground features clean bathroom facilities, though showers require quarters (25¢ for 6 minutes).
Mouth of the Huron Dispersed Camping offers free, rustic beach camping directly on Lake Superior with pet access. The camping area has minimal facilities—just porta-potties—and operates on a first-come, first-served basis with a carry in, carry out policy. Dogs can enjoy the sand and water access, though owners should bring filtration systems for drinking water. The gravel road accessing the area is manageable in most vehicles without requiring high clearance or four-wheel drive. Wildlife is present in the surrounding areas, so pets should be properly secured and supervised. Forestville Campground, another pet-friendly option near Marquette, offers 15 basic tent sites with drinking water available and toilets but no showers. Cell service is non-existent at Mouth of the Huron, allowing for a truly disconnected experience with your pets.
"It’s a County Park in Big Bay on beautiful Lake Independence. They have full hook up sites to primitive sites."
"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."
$20 - $40 / night
"Stayed on our drive from Mackinac to see the pictured rocks lake shore. The campground is surrounded by 18 miles of trails. No camp store, but a convenience store is a quarter mile away."
"This campground is in Marquette, near Northern Michigan University. But once you're camped there, you won't feel like you're in one of the largest cities in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. "
$20 - $34 / night
"Dogs are not allowed on the beach but also cannot be left unattended in your site. The rules are heavily enforced in this park."
"We took a week long trip and toured Michigan. We spent 2 nights at Van Riper, the other campers were nice, the playset was large, and the beach was nice."
"Awesome spot right on the waters of Lake Superior. Absolutely gorgeous sunsets and sunrises."
"Easy to find, beautiful area, lots of room, porta potties, direct lake access. Only “complaint” would be no service, but given how amazing the site is it felt more like a blessing."
$25 / night
"Great spot if you’re looking for something near to, but away from Marquette."
"Rustic sites only, this is the trail head to a network of snowshoeing, biking, and hiking trails. There are 19 sites, three of which line the field the other 16 are tucked in the woods."
$40 - $50 / night
"Rippling River is a really nice campground, very close to downtown Marquette and right in/on a huge mountain bike park."
"Nice new place, located next to bike trails, orv trails, and the ski hill. Good location."
$35 - $51 / night
"It is located off US-41 which is a major Upper Peninsula thoroughfare but set back about ½ miles so you don’t get road noise but it is still convenient. "
"This is our 2nd time staying & both were because of its convenience to ‘civilization’ not to get away from it."
$30 / night
"Things I love about this campground: sites with easy access to private lakeside swimming, clean restrooms with Wifi and laundry, the fort is an interesting piece of history to explore, and the conglomerate"
"The center is blacktopped surrounded by grass and trees. Grass sites are around the perimeter- they are still great. There is nothing better than to walk on the pier at night and star gaze."
"My family and I took a 3 week vacation to visit Michigan. We stayed at a few different campgrounds, and did lots of hiking."
"Beautiful lake, great swimming area, secure, full hook ups. Very helpful we came in late night- they left reservation info in the mail box for us."
ScoutIt’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.
TravelerWe come up every year for the meteor shower, and every stay is a great one. New shower rooms, and huge dog park are awesome!
GuideBeautiful & clean. Great site overlooking Lake Superior. Need to walk over highway to get to water. Very orderly and great Park Manager. Family & pet friendly with awesome playground.
LegendThis park is located about 15 minutes from the town of Marquette and is a great alternative if you can’t get a site in the Marquette Tourist Park (which is closer to town and very popular in the summer). It is located off US-41 which is a major Upper Peninsula thoroughfare but set back about ½ miles so you don’t get road noise but it is still convenient. The campground is located behind (and within walking distance of) a shopping area that has a meat market, grocery, gas station, movie theater, bowling alley, a few restaurants and a brewery (which has good, inexpensive beer and food). It is also located next to an RV dealer/service center/camp store which is convenient if you need anything. Nearby are some interesting museums including the National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and the Michigan Iron Museum. You are only about 20 minutes from the town of Marquette which is worth a visit.
The park and facilities are well-maintained. The restrooms were super clean as was the pool and all the grounds. The people in the office were super nice in helping us pick a site and with information about the area. The park has over 105 RV sites with varying services and some being held by seasonal people. There are lots of amenities (which we did not use) including swimming pool, hot tub, playground, basketball courts, and more. The pool was super crowded and noisy so if you don’t want to hear kids screaming, stay away from sites close to the pool. The park does not take online reservations so you must call them directly.
We were assigned site #104 but could tell our motorhome was not going to get level in the site so we had to straddle the site and park partly in the adjacent grassy area. Luckily, the ground was dry to we didn’t make any deep ruts. Our site did have a nice shade tree on the patio which was welcomed because of the hot weather. The WiFi never worked at our site. We were able to get a clear view of the sky for our satellite television.
GuideWe stayed at Van Riper State Park three times during June and July. The park is always clean and well-maintained. The bathrooms and showers and generally always nicely maintained as well, and there are plenty of both. The bathrooms do tend to run out of soap and toilet paper at busy times. Dogs are not allowed on the beach but also cannot be left unattended in your site. The rules are heavily enforced in this park. Park staff will ask you to move vehicles if you have more than two, and you will be asked to turn music completely off upon quiet hours. This is not the place to go if you want to party.
Sites 15 and 17, as well as several other sites along that side of that loop, now have a wooden fence at the back of them, so they are not as large as they appear in the photos online.
We have stayed in sites 14, 90 and 93. We travel with a 34’ trailer.
Site 14 is narrow but manageable. It is well-shaded by large pine trees on the site. Site is entirely dirt. There are trees to hang hammocks or clotheslines in.
Site 90 is on a corner by the propane tanks. It is a large site. It does have some roots and low spots. It is partial grass. It has nice shade and is adjacent to the bathrooms. There are trees to hang hammocks or clotheslines.
Site 93 is a large site that backs up to a small grass/tree buffer. It is across the road from the bathrooms. It has nice shade. There is a place to hang a clothesline but not hammocks.
Pros: Clean, well-maintained park
Quiet
Lots of playground equipment
Bike/scooter pump track
Excellent beach area
Lots of green space
Hiking trails
Wood and ice available for purchase at the entrance
Laundry is available; one washer and two dryers
Very kid and pet friendly
Cons: Park website has out of date information, specifically that there is no longer a store on the beach, nor are there kayaks/SUPs to rent
The Water Warrior Island is no longer in the lake
There are very few sites with buffers between
It is sort of far to the beach and laundry from the modern campsites
No non-reservable sites available
GuideOur dd was excited that she could see the McDonald’s golden arches from our site! The campground is clean & well maintained. It was easy for us to park our 35 ft trailer because the sites are large & level, but also because there weren’t any trees along the campground roads. Our kids loved that there is a pool, hot tub & bouncy pillow! This is our 2nd time staying & both were because of its convenience to ‘civilization’ not to get away from it. This time we took the opportunity to enjoy the afternoon shopping in Marquette before heading to the eastern UP the next day for a week’s stay there. It is located in town, near a Camping World & just behind some restaurants, shops, a brewpub & a hotel, but the other sides of the campground are surrounded by trees/forest because it is the UP. A great campground if you want to explore the area’s history or natural beauty, shop in Marquette or if you are checking out Northern Michigan University’s campus (about 20 minutes away). Most sites are full hookup, they also have rustic cabins & a dog play area. I’m sure we will stay here again, as it’s a short trip for us, the kids love the amenities & I’d like to explore the area for more than our usual day trips.
RangerStayed on our drive from Mackinac to see the pictured rocks lake shore. The campground is surrounded by 18 miles of trails. No camp store, but a convenience store is a quarter mile away. Northern Michigan university is at the door step as well. Lake superior is 1 mile away. We biked there and fished at the campground beach. Lots of Brook trout there.
GuideThings I love about this campground: sites with easy access to private lakeside swimming, clean restrooms with Wifi and laundry, the fort is an interesting piece of history to explore, and the conglomerate formation rock beaches of Lake Superior are just a picturesque 5-minute hike through old pine forests. The sites are pretty compact in the east campground (though definitely not the toughest I’ve seen), but the west is more spread out.
Side note for those with sturdy shocks and off-road tires on their car, the nearby road to Horseshoe Harbor offer a short hike to a blissfully private and peaceful beach. Worth checking out!
GuideRippling Rivers Resort is new addition to an area that lacked a decent campground.
Amenities include bathhouses and shows (which have code locks on them), shared water access, picnic tables, fire pits, campstore with bar, and access to an outdoor pool and hot tub.
We stayed at one of the walk-in tent sites and also had the pleasure of enjoying the Carp River. The river was about 10 fee away from our site.
The staff is extremely friendly, to both people and dogs. I was very impressed with how dog friendly this location is. Even the other campers were respectful of each other.
Our tent location was entirely shaded and made it feel as though we were camping in a forest.
The downsides. The tent sites were too small and not level. We had a very hard time finding a place to put our tent. The sites were also very close together. Our neighbors were backed right up to use.
As mentioned above, the shower/bathhouse requires a code to access it. It was kind of weird. And made it a challenge if you had to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.
Parking was very limited. Not a problem if you have only one vehicle, but we had two. One of us had to park on the other side of the campground, which became an inconvenience.
Seasonal camping options near Big Bay, Michigan range from rustic tent sites to full-hookup RV spots. Winter temperatures can drop below 0°F, while summer averages 75°F with significant rainfall. Lake Superior creates a microclimate that produces sudden weather changes, especially in transitional seasons when campers should prepare for temperature shifts of 30+ degrees within a day.
Kayaking on Lake Independence: Perkins Park provides easy water access with rentals available. "We camped right on the lake at number #13 which is the last site towards the back of the camp ground... Super close to downtown Marquette, like a 10 minute bike ride," shares Elias W. about Marquette Tourist Park Campground.
Mountain biking trail access: Multiple trail networks connect directly to campgrounds. "If you love mountain biking or hiking you stay here. Period. You are right on the trails," notes Rory L. about Rippling Rivers RV Resort, which features direct trail connections.
Historical exploration: Visit restored military buildings just 90 minutes from Big Bay. "Great place to visit. The historic fort - they've done a great job of making history understandable," explains Cheryl K. about Fort Wilkins Historic State Park.
Sandy beach access: Facilities for swimming and relaxation vary widely. "The beach area was clean, which we really appreciated. There are garbage cans and dumpsters within the park which helps with clean up... They have a cool trampoline type thing in the water that kids loved playing on," notes Ashley W. about Michigamme Shores Campground.
Privacy between sites: Tree coverage differs significantly between campgrounds. "The electric sites opposite the FHU sites are very wooded, and this provides some amount of privacy between sites," writes Lee D. about Marquette Tourist Park Campground, highlighting the importance of site selection.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Dawn and dusk offer the best wildlife watching times. "Ask the rangers where to go to look for moose," suggests Tracie S. about Van Riper State Park Campground, which sits on Lake Michigamme and offers multiple wildlife habitats.
Cell service limitations: Coverage varies dramatically by location. At Mouth of the Huron, "the only 'complaint' would be no service, but given how amazing the site is it felt more like a blessing," notes Jack H., highlighting how disconnected experiences can enhance pet-friendly camping near Big Bay, Michigan.
Shower facilities: Amenities range from none to premium. "Bathrooms and showers are clean... They have a hot tub and pool, and altho we didn't get to use it on this trip we certainly will on the next visit!" shares Jan D. about Rippling Rivers RV Resort.
Water conditions: Lake Superior can be frigid even in summer. "The only bad thing was no real sandy beach for littles - so make sure you bring water shoes," advises Jamie B. about Fort Wilkins Historic State Park, pointing out an often overlooked necessity.
Reservation requirements: Some campgrounds fill quickly, especially on weekends. "We could not get a spot for the weekend but sites did open up during the week," notes Nancy W. about Marquette Tourist Park, suggesting mid-week visits for more availability.
Playground access: Multiple age-appropriate options available. "The campground has a lot to offer. It has two playgrounds, a small beach on the river basin, and immediate access to both paved and mountain bike trails," explains Greg S. about Marquette Tourist Park Campground.
Swimming areas: Water features range from natural to developed. "They have a water toy park... Several Large floating climbing structures in the swim area. Kids were having a blast. Great sandy beach with resort style lounge chairs," describes Steve about Michigamme Shores Campground.
Educational opportunities: Several campgrounds offer historical or nature programs. "Awesome State Campground... There is a fine sandy beach, and playground. At the beach there is a concession stand," shares Nona A. about Van Riper State Park, adding that interpretive programs run throughout summer.
Site leveling challenges: Terrain varies significantly between campgrounds. "We were assigned site #104 but could tell our motorhome was not going to get level in the site so we had to straddle the site and park partly in the adjacent grassy area," shares Nancy W. about Country Village RV Park.
Hookup locations: Position varies by site. "The hook-ups are not laid out conveniently on some sites which requires extra hoses and electric cords," notes a reviewer about Marquette Tourist Park, suggesting RVers bring additional length cords and hoses.
Road access: Approach routes differ in quality. "Easy gravel road access, no clearance issues or 4wd needed," mentions Andrew B. about Mouth of the Huron, making it accessible for most vehicles towing campers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Big Bay, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Big Bay, MI is Perkins Park & Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Big Bay, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 43 dog-friendly camping locations near Big Bay, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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