Searching for a tent campsite near Brimley? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Brimley with tent camping. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
$5 - $8 / night
This rustic campground is situated on the shore of Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. Most campsites have direct access to the shoreline. Part of the shoreline is composed of large rocks, but could be hiked with caution. Near the picnic area, on the east side of the campground, there is access to the day-use beach. The beach is sandy and provides a nice area to swim and walk along the shore. There is parking for day-use visitors adjacent to the picnic area. The picnic area has tables, a fire ring and a charcoal grill.
There are 42 sites for tent and small trailer use. Campsites 7 and 32 are pull-through sites. Camping is limited to a 15-day maximum stay. Amenities include vault toilets and potable water from a hand-pump well. The campground is located 7.7 miles east of Naubinway via US-2.Sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations.
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
$15 / night
This rustic campground is located on Lake Superior at the mouth of the Two Hearted River. The campground offers excellent opportunities for fishing, paddlesports and hiking on the national North Country Trail. There is a day-use area on the banks of the river that has picnic tables and a charcoal grill. A developed boat launch and skid pier are adjacent to the day-use area. Visitors can cross the Two Hearted River via a suspension bridge on the west side of the campground to reach the shores of Lake Superior.
There are 36 sites for tent and small trailer use. Camping is limited to a 15-day maximum stay. Amenities include vault toilets and potable water from a hand-pump well. The campground is located 31.5 miles northeast of Newberry via M-123 and County Roads 500, 414, 412 and 423. Sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations.
$20 / night
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
$40 - $50 / night
Ranger
We camped here two nights in July. The campground is very easy to find and is an incredible location if you want to ferry over to Mackinac Island. It is convenient to groceries, restaurants and other amenities if interested. The park appears well maintained with three separate camping areas. We tent camp, and had one of the best sites in the park (in my opinion). Site 1A is in the lower East section of the campground. The site is only a tent site & it is HUGE! It was much more private than the other sites, located on the shore of Lake Huron & has a fantastic view of the Mackinac Bridge. There is a small beach area within the park, a one mile trail to a viewing platform of the bridge, and a playground. The bathrooms were clean. Our campsite had a standard picnic table and fire ring. Campsites were moderately priced, but a Michigan Recreation Pass is also required, as in all MI state parks, so it gets a little more pricey. If I was returning to the area, I would camp here again.
Scout
I took my wife here in 1981 when we were dating. Tent site along the beach drinking Stroh's beer. Beach is still as beautiful as I remembered. Park facilities are a bit out of date but nice and quiet. We took our maiden voyage in the RV we just bought to remember tge old times. Brimley nice small town with good whitefish dinners at Cozy Inn. Pickles goid bar too. Visited shipwreck museum on Whitefish point which was good.
Guide
I stayed at one of the new tent sites over Labor Day and this quickly became one of my favorite Michigan parks! The tent sites are large and very private and right on the water. Don’t be freaked out that they are called hike in sites because the walk wasn’t any longer than from any other site to the car. The best thing for me is that these sites are so removed from the rest of the park that it didn’t even feel like a holiday weekend. It was very calm and quiet and I recommend the tent sites to anyone who enjoys unplugging in camp!
Guidelove this campground. when tent camping prepare for windscreen when cooking. beautiful sunsets amazing night skys
Traveler
Great staff. Clean facilities. Quiet tent site.
ScoutWilderness was great, not what you are looking for if you are tent camping more of an RV park. Beautiful views though
RangerThis is our favorite rustic campground, Surrounded by woods and on the water edge.
Tent camping - rustic waterfront, fire pit
RV camping - electric/ water, fire pit
Open your door and you are on the water!
ScoutTent camped in site 441 right on the lake. Wide open spots (mostly campers in this loop but was fine for 2 tents), fairly close together but the views, the beach/water, the nearby activities entirely make up for that. Nice, clean bathrooms. Surprisingly no issues with bugs at all in early June!
TravelerI tent camped here with my parents, and came back often with my own children. Far enough from Mackinaw City for peace and quiet, near enough to visit all the attractions during the day. Tall trees and a beautiful beach. It,s a great vacation destination. One of the best state park campgrounds in a state full of beauties.
LegendWooded tent camping spots on the water :) Decent water to wade or swim in. The best part though… the view! Beautiful view overlooking the water and the bridge. Such a spectacular site to wake up to and go to sleep admiring beyond the campfire. There are a couple trails to check out and this park is near to many attractions and restaurants (within minutes). Definitely a place to visit again!
RangerGreat area with tons to do, but the campsites themselves aren’t exceptional. Bathrooms etc. are relatively modern. Tent sites kind of small. Definitely make reservations if you’re there in summer. Plan to spend most of your time off site as the park itself is small. Nice wooded area, sandy, waterfront. Go out to the bay itself for more activities. Oh and I could see Canada from my camp site.
TravelerGreat campground only about 15 minutes from mackinaw city. Vault toilets but they are kept clean. Front desk was very nice and helpful. The tent site we stayed at had a good view of the lake and passing ships. Just a short 30 second walk from our site to the beach. Other sites are fairly close by but there is pretty good tree coverage for privacy from other campers.
TravelerThis campground is one of the cleaner state parks that I have stayed at in Michigan. there are beautiful sites near the lake, although I remember staying here as a kid when the beach access was better. Now there is a lot of beach grass (probably due to the park trying to preserve the grasses/beach) and the beach isn’t as nice as it once was when I was young. This is a very family friendly park. Prime times are during the car show in St. Ignace. a great place to stay if you plan on checking out the island for a day or so. Good prices for sites. I highly recommend tent camping so you can hear the waves at night.
Legendamazing views of the straits of Mackinac and the mighty Mac bridge! Absolutely loved camping here despite the nearly hurricane like wind and rain experienced overnight that ended up soaking all of my bedding. Bathroom and shower facility was nice and clean.
But seriously, the best thing this campground has to offer are the amazing views of the bridge from many of the campsites. I had a waterfront tent site with the best view and it was so inexpensive.
TravelerI have camped here many times over the years, it is tucked away right near the Mackinaw Bridge. There are tent sites right on the water and you can watch the lights come on at night. There is wood to buy and the camp hosts are always keeping you updated on the weather and have plenty of ideas of things to do. The St. Ignas Trolly comes through and picks people up to go to the ferry there as well.
Guide
This is a great location to camp if you are looking for proximity to Mackinac Island. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. They have electric and water but no sewer. There is a dump on the way out. The spots are very tight to navigate into and took some extra work for my fifth wheel. Tent camping or smaller campers would enjoy this site. The town nearby is cool, includes a nice bakery and a great RV/hardware store. Wifi is hit and miss. You can walk up to the water to get a nice view of the bridge.
Guide
Arrived here late after finding no sites at Mouth of the Two Hearted. Found an excellent tent site that comfortably accommodated 2 tents and a sleeping hammock. Site also had beach access so our kayaks could launch easily. There seemed to be to be a decent number of fishermen in the morning, but our own fishing attempts were unsuccessful.
Bodi Lake trail looked interesting, but my feet were killing me from hiking Taquamenon earlier that day, and we were eager to get back to 2 Heart. Looking forward to coming back at a future date to try it out.
ScoutI stayed at Bodi Lake on 9/23/21 in site 11. It was a nice secluded site not far from the vault toilets and quiet which is always a plus. The only downside to my stay and a warning to those who may be planning to visit is that it rained heavily and the site flooded very quickly. I've camped other places in the rain but this was the worse I've experienced in terms of flooding. Not knocking the campground in any way, just saying that if you are tent camping and rain is in the forecast, maybe don't pick site 11. I can see why they don't, but it would be nice if the SFC's had raised tent pads like some other campgrounds.
GuideThe sites are decently sized and come equipped with a fire pit. The showers had decent shower heads and lots of pressure. There are some swings dow by the lake for adults and kids. Everything is nearby (not really walkable) and the shuttle for Mackinac Island ferries will come pick you up. They do not have full hookups, but we got by fine for a week since we have a composting toilet.
There is a small play scape feature by the lake. Plenty of folks tent camping as well as RVs. The campground has been here for quite a while and has mature trees. A small game room at the office features a pool table, air hockey, and a modern pinball machine.
GuideThis campground is beautiful any time of year I have camped there many times before. There are great private tent sites as well as larger sites for groups. The facilities were modern and very clean! There are water and electric hook ups for campers and RVs. Short hike to the beach with the best views of the bridge! There are many campgrounds within the state park so getting a spot is relatively easy any time of the year. The UP is known for is breathtaking fall colors so I highly recommend aiming for peak color week to have the best experience. Make sure to dress for variable weather, it can get cold in the UP even in the middle of summer, and it can start snowing in early October so be prepared for anything!
LegendThis is one of our favorite state parks for just hanging out. We prefer the Lower West campground due to proximity to the water and views of the Mackinac Bridge.
This place can get very busy and the sites are quite varied in terms of size, shape and how unlevel they are. Some sites offer a lot of privacy but others are more open. The sites right along the water are spectacular, but note they do not have electricity.
If you have a van or truck camper, note that even the tent sites have electricity available, so consider those if the RV sites are full.
The Lower West campground isn't the quietest campground but the views and atmosphere make up for it.
Also note there is good cell service for Verizon and Google Fi (2 to 3 bars LTE with decent data speeds).
LegendWe stayed for one Monday night on our way to the Porkies.
This is an established campground. The sites are tight, most have no bushes/trees. We were lucky on our right side to have some privacy. The perimeter sites back into a chain link fence that has a view of the woods. This is on both sides of the campground.
The bathrooms/showers were clean. The showers had 2 large lips to step over. My mobility challenged husband had some trouble.
The best sites are 26,27,28,76&77. These sites are right by the beach & have great views. 27 looked like it didn't have electricity & might be a tent site. Strangely, 26 & 27 were empty the night we were there.
The beach is small & you can swim there. There's no pool. There's several swings & benches to sit & look at the water. There's a game room by the store.
I did like this campground. It reminded me of what camping must have been like in the 50s/60s. A retro feel to it.
LegendThis very popular state park is a real winner due to its gorgeous remote location, sandy beaches, and crystal clear waters along the shores of Lake Michigan-- located just southwest of the iconic Mackinac Bridge. The sunrises and sunsets alone are worth the price of admission! And, we lucked out to be camping during a meteor shower, one of the best we’ve ever seen. We laid out on the beach and watch the night sky for hours.
All of the sites have electric hookups and are rather packed together, so there is literally no privacy between them if it’s a busy time of the season. The sites along the lakeshore are the best, and have direct beach access, but you need to be the early bird and make a reservation the morning that they open up. The campground hosts do a great job of keeping this park very clean.
Because of all the cool things to do and see at this park, we honestly didn’t sit around much during the day. We hiked, biked, swam, snorkeled, and paddled our hearts out. We made it out to the most remote islands that are part of the park and even found Petoskey stones along the shores. Some of the finest Lake Michigan paddling we've done!
We can’t comment on the bathrooms and there were simply too many people at this campground for us to feel comfortable using them during a pandemic, so we set up our own portable shower and toilet tent and it worked just fine. We would highly recommend this option to others who don’t have a bathroom in their camper or are tent camping.
The closest “real” grocery store is in Mackinaw City, about 30 minutes away. But, Mackinaw City is a total tourist trap, so I’d avoid going there unless that is your thing. There is a small general store for snacks, ice cream, ice, and adult beverages about 4 miles outside of the park.
Scout
As others have said, if you like a campground off the beaten path, this is it. We live in the UP and use this campground frequently for day and overnight use.
Most visitors will likely head east on m-134 stop in Cedarville to grab provisions, gas and a snack there are a couple cute stores a bakery and ice cream in town.
The road to the campsites once you turn off m-134 is gravel/dirt and a bit windy, we usually tent camp so I am unsure how it feels to drive a trailer down it. Being so far off the road makes it a very quiet campground.
Bring cash or check and fill out your self-serve registration and pay for the site and if needed your Recreation Passport which is required.
Outer loop sites will keep you in the trees, sites closer to the water have trails that lead to the beach but access to the beach is reasonable for all sites at this campground. Plenty of sandy area to lay out and the water is clear and shallow.
Vault toilets, dumpster and hand pump water along with fire rings and picnic tables are the extent of the amenities at this campground, but if you come prepared it is more than enough.
On clear nights make sure to make your way our to the beach for some of the best stargazing!!
GuideDrive-in first-come first-serve camping through the Department of Natural Resources, this was my favorite place in Michigan's upper peninsula so far to tent camp. It offers a variety of twenty or so spacious sites for different camping needs - groups, RVs, or private. Multiple paths through the woods reveal sandy beaches and crystal clear water on Lake Huron.
We showed up to near max capacity on a Thursday night and were lucky to grab site 14. Plenty of dead trees were to be found in the surrounding woods for firewood. However, while our camp site was clear and covered in pine needles, the edge and woods were packed with poison sumac - which we were warned about on the information board. Standing water was to be found in the woods around each site, which made for pretty thick mosquitoes throughout the day and evening. With a good campfire and bug spray, I felt able to deal with them.
The sandy beach was beautiful and so peaceful! Small rocks in the shallow water make it slightly uncomfortable wading in, but once you get past the small grouping of rocks, it's very sandy lake bottom to swim and play on. You can hear the lake waves hit shore from your camp site in the morning and it's a wonderfully relaxing sound to wake up to.
Multiple vault toilets were well stocked with toilet paper. A large dumpster is available for trash. A pump is available for water, although I did not test the quality of it and used my own bottled water.
In the town of DeTour Village, a 10 minute drive from camp, you can find ice, bottled water, a grocery and a couple of restaurants.
I loved my time here and would absolutely return.
Legend
Lime Island Recreation Area is located in the St. Mary’s River at the very east end of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It sits in the middle of the river with Canada on one side and Michigan on the other. Raber, Michigan is the nearest shore town, 2 miles across the river. The only way to reach the park is by boat but there are no designated ferries, so the only way to reach it is by using your own boat or finding someone in the area with a boat willing to charter you and your gear. Non-motorized boats are not recommended due to the many freighters and choppy water conditions.
Overnight accommodations include six cabins that can sleep between four and seven guests each, as well as 10 tent sites on wooden platforms that look out over the river. The park is a favorite among fishermen, couples, and large families who like to rent out all the cabins for annual reunions.
A boat slip comes with your reservation. The island has limited electricity (solar-powered only) and no running water. Portable toilets are provided and there is a pump for a potable-water well. Cabin guests need to provide all their own gear, including sleeping and cooking supplies and equipment.
Approximately 7 miles of hiking trails traverse the island, providing guests the chance to wander, explore and possibly encounter wildlife. With so little human activity you never know what you’ll find.
One of the favorite pastimes of guests is sitting and watching the large Great Lakes freighters pass by at all hours of the day. They pass so close to the island you feel you could almost touch them. It’s quite a sight!
There's a ton of history on the island, some of which is still visible. According to the Michigan DNR, “Lime Island provides a significant representation of early 20th-century industrial and maritime history. The coal dock, fuel storage tanks, Quonset hut with bunker, fuel heating and pumping equipment, other supporting buildings, and scattered industrial equipment, provide a complete picture of the island’s use as a ship refueling depot. The schoolhouse, superintendent’s house (that was brought to the island by dragging it across the frozen river), cottages, and fruit trees remind visitors of island life for the workers that supported the depot.”
It's not an easy state park to reach, but if you can find a way to get there, the seclusion should make for some great camping on the tent platforms (or hanging out in the cabins if you're into that sort of thing.)
Legend
We looked forward to our stay at this campground so close to Mackinaw City. We arrived just before 5 pm behind another camper. Walter was having difficulty handling both of our check-ins: he couldn’t find the other camper’s reservation (apparently not a one-off) and then his computer kept freezing while processing ours. The process to get both of us checked in took almost 30 minutes.
The advertised group gathering gazebo seemed to have been taken over by the office; I saw no other covered gazebo. And the fire pit was horrible! It spewed toxic smoke the entire time we were checking in (I had to keep stepping outside). As Becky’s review mentioned, there was junk surrounding the “office” and close by area.
The RV sites did not have any separation/privacy between them. We had reserved a water/electric site but in the end, chose one of the tent sites that faced the lake. We didn’t even see a number indicating what site it was– it was mostly a large grassy area.
The mosquitos were horrible (I realize this is not the fault of the campground although the grass was a bit tall).
Although I’ve seen worse, the restrooms were just passable. The floor was wet. At least there was soap and paper towels. Did not use the shower so cannot comment on that.
The best part of this campground is the view of Lake Huron. As advertised, there is a (far-off) view of the Mackinaw Bridge from the beach, but you have to look through the wall of mosquitoes.
It’s my understanding this is a city-run campground and if that is correct, we expected better. In order for me to give this more than two stars, it would have to:
• cost less ($50 was way too much money to pay for this campground),
• have a more efficient check-in system, and
• be cleaned up of all the junk lying around.
If we would not have lost all our money, we would have ditched and looked elsewhere. We didn’t even cook in our van, opting instead to eat in town. We were up and out early the next morning.
Tent camping near Brimley, Michigan offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Upper Peninsula, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
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