Best Tent Camping near Champion, MI

The Upper Peninsula wilderness surrounding Champion, Michigan offers several primitive tent camping options within state and national forest lands. Craig Lake State Park Campground provides secluded tent sites accessible via boat-in, hike-in, or walk-in routes, while Forestville Campground offers 15 rustic tent sites approximately 30 miles east near Marquette. Big Lake State Forest Campground provides additional tent camping options with sites nestled along shorelines about 25 miles west of Champion.

Most tent campsites in the Champion area feature basic amenities limited to pit toilets and occasional hand pumps for drinking water. Sites typically include fire rings and picnic tables, though campers should verify before starting fires as not all locations permit them. The terrain varies from packed dirt to forest floor with minimal site preparation. Access roads to remote campgrounds like Big Lake can be challenging, with one camper noting that "the entrance is not for low clearance vehicles...it is full of HUGE flooded potholes." Winter arrives early in the UP, so tent campers should prepare for potential snow even in mid-October.

The forested tent sites provide excellent privacy and natural settings. Many locations feature direct access to lakes for paddling and fishing opportunities, with boat launches available at several campgrounds. "Way off the beaten path but the sites are HUGE! Quiet setting right on Big Lake," described one visitor about the tent camping experience at Big Lake State Forest Campground. The Champion area offers exceptional backcountry tent camping opportunities along sections of the North Country Trail, which winds through the region's pine forests and wetlands. Tent campers frequently observe wildlife including deer, eagles, and occasionally hear wolves in the distance. Several campgrounds become extremely quiet during weekdays, with visitors often reporting having entire areas to themselves, particularly in shoulder seasons.

Best Tent Sites Near Champion, Michigan (16)

    1. Craig Lake State Park Campground

    4 Reviews
    Michigamme, MI
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 339-4461

    "The hike-in/paddle in camping spots are equipped with a picnic table and a firepit, everything else is up to you.  I have been going here yearly for the last 10ys and absolutely love it! "

    "Access is from 41 turn on the gravel road outside Michigamme coming from the East."

    2. Forestville Campground

    10 Reviews
    Marquette, MI
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 235-6861

    $25 / night

    "Close to Marquette but feels secluded At the head of some great mountain biking trails and backcountry rock climbing or bouldering. Also just great hiking, our site backed up to the NCT."

    "Only a one lane path with tight turns. The largest vehicle I saw during my few days here was a pickup truck with a bed-mounted camping unit."

    3. Big Lake State Forest Campground

    4 Reviews
    Covington, MI
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 353-6651

    "Way off the beaten path but the sites are HUGE! Quiet setting right on Big Lake. Probably my most beautiful site in the UP so far. Vault toilets and no shower. Very clean. Boat launch."

    "The Michigan State Forest Campgrounds continue to delight us. For $15 a night you can experience camping like I did as a child – simple, unelectrified, and in beautiful outdoor locations."

    4. Wood Pecker Creek

    Be the first to review!
    Big Bay, MI
    21 miles
    +1 (586) 625-7319

    $30 / night

    6. Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness

    3 Reviews
    Watton, MI
    36 miles

    "Hike in camping"

    "The hike in was one of the most beautiful switch back type hikes, with breathtaking views of the gorge on the way down, a quick hike to the top of gorge once you’re down, then look down and see the waterfalls"

    7. Ojibwa RV Park

    1 Review
    Baraga, MI
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 353-6333

    "Campground close to casino and lake Baraga. This is the best campground in the area."

    8. Paint River Forks NF Campground

    3 Reviews
    Iron River, MI
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 358-4724

    9. Bates Township Park

    1 Review
    Iron River, MI
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 265-2787

    "Close to the lake. Grass and gravel. Restroom share with the park/boat launch area. I would definitely stay here again. If there was a drawback would be sites have some slope toward lake."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Champion, MI

335 Reviews of 16 Champion Campgrounds


  • Roger W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 18, 2023

    Twin Lakes State Park Campground

    Good Stop Over

    Twin Lakes MI SP: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer) Overall Rating: 2-3 (A very clean campground, but old facilities, currently. A huge facelift in 2024 is being touted. New paving, new bath/shower rooms,and pavilion are coming. Shutdown during some of 2024 is anticipated. ) Price 2023: Usage during visit: 30% mid week Site Privacy: Poor Site Spacing: Poor Site surface: Blacktop Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Seems quiet Road Noise: Right along Hwy 26. Some sites back up to the Hwy. Through Traffic in campground: No Electric Hookup: Yes Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Yes Generators: Not needed Bathroom: Flush and pit Showers: Yes Pull Throughs: Some. Most are back in. Cell Service (AT&T): Very good Setting: Some tree cover in between the highway and Lake Roland Weather: High is I low 80s Host: Real nice young and helpful men manning entry booth Rig size: Large rigs Sites: Lakeside sites are the premium here and the only sites that would seduce me to visit. Good stop over place while

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 4, 2024

    Bates Township Park

    Motorcycle camping

    Great find. Sunday night beginning of June. Only camper in the tent section. Quiet spot with good hosts. Close to the lake. Grass and gravel. Restroom share with the park/boat launch area. I would definitely stay here again. If there was a drawback would be sites have some slope toward lake. Being only one there I found flat spot to tent but if busy choice might be limited. No control over weather but woke up and had to pack up in the rain. Definitely check it out! Thanks to the Hosts!

  • Sarah N.
    Jul. 5, 2021

    Marquette Tourist Park Campground

    Decent Enough FOR RVs ONLY

    Bottom line is I think the Tourist Park is good enough for RVers, tent campers might not enjoy themselves. You’ll see why below.

    The sites are very oddly sized and shaped; some are massive and some are teensy tiny, and it’s difficult to figure out the boundaries of your site when setting up. For example, I’m almost positive our neighbors ended up putting their tents on our site which was a bit awkward. Be mindful of this when booking.

    The campground backs up to what I believe is the public works department for Marquette, so you will likely hear some heavy machinery noise. Again, something to keep in mind when picking your site. It didn’t really bother me in my RV, but it might bother tent campers.

    Possibly the thing that bothered me most about the campground is it appears to be run primarily by teenagers and/or college kids. No campground host. We had a few noisy neighbors and the aforementioned neighbors camping on OUR site issue, and I didn’t bother to address them because I knew we’d have no one with any real sway to back us up. There was also no one enforcing arrival times, checkout times, quiet hours, etc. so it can stay loud late into the night and you’re largely relying on your neighbors to behave themselves.

    What’s good about the campground is a lot of the sites have abundant shade (but not all! Again, choose carefully), there is a playground (it’s very old and possibly unsafe though), it has great access to trails, there’s a beach, and the bathrooms were impeccably clean.

    It’s certainly not what I’d call a great campground, but it does the trick.

  • Amie L.
    Feb. 6, 2020

    Rippling Rivers RV Resort

    An Okay Place for Modern Camping

    Rippling 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.

  • Samantha W.
    Aug. 16, 2020

    Sturgeon River Campground

    Great Rustic Campground

    This campground is located just off the Sturgeon River in the Ottawa National Forest and is first come first serve with no reservations. From speaking with a local who frequents the campground, it is usually quiet with few sites actually in use at a time; it seems this year (2020) there have been more people out camping, though, so getting there earlier is better to ensure finding a site. 

    It is rustic -- there is no water pump, but there are pit toilets in the center of the site. If you don't bring enough water the river next to most sites can provide drinking water with the proper filtration. The national park website says there are 9 sites, but only 7 are actually available. My best guess is the MIA sites existed in the central part at one time. 

    Two sites can fit a camper, but they also happen to be the sites with the best view of the river. The remaining sites are tent-only due to a set of rocks blocking off the sites so vehicles do not drive in. From what I could tell with observations, 4 or 5 sites are either right on the river or have a short trail to get to the river.

    The locations are sparse enough that the only thing really heard from other campers is the occasional shutting of a car door. The soft sound of the river drowns most noises out. Each site has a fire ring, most have a grate on the ring, a lantern hook, and a picnic table.

  • Art S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 18, 2022

    Sturgeon River Campground

    Remote and beautiful

    The Sturgeon River is wide and beautiful. Just imagine sitting next to the rippling water. The road there is down some dirt roads with some bumps but it’s drivable.

    The small rustic campground doesn’t have all the frills so this is for the rustic campers. The sites vary but there is shade to be found. We enjoyed the seclusion of this forest campground.

    On the way to camp you pass a trailhead. Head back for a hike. This is in the Sturgeon River wilderness so take care to leave no trace that you were here.

  • S
    Jul. 21, 2021

    Van Riper State Park Campground

    Van Riper State Park

    We 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

  • Kirsty G.
    May. 1, 2019

    Chequamegon National Forest Perch Lake Campground

    Short secluded hike in sites

    The hike to these sites is very short. We paid when we parked. It’s a great place to camp if you want to experience being in the woods for the first time. We stayed on the south loop which has 6 sites. The sites still feel very secluded and private. There is a fire ring and picnic table at each site. There is no bear box and there definitely are bears (during one camping trip some hunters treed and shot a bear in the early morning and we saw them carrying it while hiking out) so you’ll want to hang your food. There was access to the lake from our campsite.

  • Sonny S.
    Aug. 2, 2022

    Sparrow Rapids Campground

    Great primitive camping

    It is a great and mostly empty spot for primitive camping. There’s a fire pit with built in rack for stove top/ grill stuff as well as a post and hook to hang things from and a picnic table. Plenty of trees to set up a hammock and enough room to park an SUV, put up a 4 person tent, set up chairs around the fire, and still have a lot of room. Gravel road leading to the location and it’s pretty far from most things. There’s a handful of sites to choose from and only 1/3 were filled when I arrived. Great for silence and privacy


Guide to Champion

Primitive camping sites dot the remote forests and lakeshores surrounding Champion, Michigan, a small community in the central Upper Peninsula. Located about 30 miles west of Marquette, the area sits at elevations of 1,500-1,800 feet with mixed hardwood and pine forests. Tent camping near Champion typically runs from late May through mid-October, though early snow can arrive by mid-September.

What to do

Paddling opportunities: Craig Lake State Park Campground offers multiple lakes for canoe and kayak exploration without motor noise. "The lake has fantastic fishing for smallmouth, northern pike, crappie, walleye, and the occasional musky," notes Jeff P. Boats must be carried or portaged in as motorized craft aren't permitted.

Hiking and backpacking: The North Country Trail runs through multiple camping areas around Champion. At Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness, "the hike in was one of the most beautiful switch back type hikes, with breathtaking views of the gorge on the way down, a quick hike to the top of gorge once you're down, then look down and see the waterfalls," according to Rebecca P.

Winter activities: Some Champion area campgrounds remain accessible for winter camping. Near Marquette, Forestville Campground provides winter access to facilities. "We camped here in a van in December and were able to access the pit toilets. They were very clean. We had the whole place to ourselves," reports Jenny K.

What campers like

Remote solitude: Big Lake State Forest Campground provides a true wilderness experience despite being accessible by vehicle. "Long windy road into the campground resulting in a peaceful area. The lake was nice and there was a small beach. Enjoyed listening to the sandhill cranes every morning," writes Amy K.

Wildlife viewing: The Champion area offers excellent wildlife observation opportunities. At Craig Lake State Park, one camper notes that "the wildlife include loons, eagles, bears, moose, deer and others," making it ideal for nature photography and wildlife watching.

Off-grid experience: Forestville Campground provides a rustic camping experience with trail access. "Close to Marquette but feels secluded. At the head of some great mountain biking trails and backcountry rock climbing or bouldering. Also just great hiking, our site backed up to the NCT," reports Molly M.

What you should know

Road conditions: Access roads to many campgrounds require high-clearance vehicles. At Big Lake, "the entrance is not for low clearance vehicles...it is full of HUGE flooded potholes (small ponds really). Not recommended for 2 wheel drive, low clearance vehicles," according to one visitor.

Limited amenities: Most tent camping sites near Champion have minimal facilities. "Vault toilets and no shower. Very clean. Boat launch," notes Tracy W. about Big Lake State Forest Campground.

Reservation systems vary: Many smaller campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Forestville uses a self-registration system: "There's no one on site to tell you if anything is available so you just have to go look," explains Aleia W. Arrive early on weekends, particularly during summer months.

Cold weather camping: Paint River Forks NF Campground and other sites can experience dramatic temperature drops, even in summer. One camper advises: "Would be great Mid summer with a big group of people! Just keep on lights!"

Tips for camping with families

Site selection: Look for campsites with level ground and easy water access. Big Lake campground offers "HUGE" sites according to visitors, making them suitable for families with multiple tents or larger camping setups.

Alternative accommodations: For families new to tent camping near Champion, consider cabin options. "The park has 2 rustic cabins and 2 yurts for rent that are a fantastic getaway and a great place to take your spouse," notes Jeff P. about Craig Lake State Park.

Safety considerations: When camping with children, select established campgrounds rather than remote sites. Some isolated areas like Paint River Forks may not be suitable for families, as one visitor warns it "would be great Mid summer with a big group of people" but not recommended for early or late season family camping.

Tips from RVers

Size restrictions: Bates Township Park offers limited options for RVs and trailers. "If there was a drawback would be sites have some slope toward lake. Being only one there I found flat spot to tent but if busy choice might be limited," notes Dan S., suggesting the terrain presents challenges for larger vehicles.

Site limitations: Many campgrounds around Champion aren't designed for RVs. At Forestville Campground, "no types of hookups for anything, and large RVs will not be able to access these sites! Only a one lane path with tight turns. The largest vehicle I saw during my few days here was a pickup truck with a bed-mounted camping unit," reports Joshua L.

Plan ahead: RV campers should call ahead to verify site conditions and access. Most primitive camping areas around Champion have no hookups, limited turning radius, and often challenging access roads that may be impassable after rain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Champion, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Champion, MI is Craig Lake State Park Campground with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 16 tent camping locations near Champion, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.