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Forest Lake State Forest Campground welcomes pets throughout its rustic sites near Chatham, Michigan. The campground provides drinking water, fire rings, and picnic tables while maintaining a pet-friendly environment where dogs can accompany campers on trails and around the campsite. Munising Tourist Park Campground, Bay Furnace Campground, and Au Train Lake Campground also permit pets with standard leash requirements. Most sites require pets to be on leashes no longer than 6 feet when outside vehicles or tents. The campgrounds maintain a clean environment with trash receptacles available for proper disposal of pet waste. Campers with multiple dogs should verify individual campground policies as some limit the number of pets per site. Sites are generally spacious with good separation between neighbors, providing adequate room for pets to settle comfortably alongside tents or RVs.
Hiawatha National Forest offers extensive pet-friendly hiking opportunities surrounding these campgrounds. Dogs can join their owners on most forest trails, though they must remain leashed to protect wildlife and other visitors. Lake Superior beaches near Munising provide water access where dogs can cool off during summer months. The campgrounds feature varying terrain from wooded areas to lakefront sites where pets can enjoy different environments. Seasonal considerations include heavy mosquito presence in summer months which can affect pets, particularly in the evening hours. Wildlife encounters are possible, so keeping dogs secured is essential for their safety. Local reviews note the Au Train Lake area offers excellent bird watching trails with educational signs, making for interesting walks with leashed pets. Veterinary services are available in Marquette, approximately 30 minutes from most Chatham area campgrounds.
"If you can’t get into the campgrounds in Pictured Rocks this site is a good alternative due to its proximity (three miles) the downtown and the entrance to the park. "
"AMAZING views of Lake Superior just steps away from the camp site. Spots don't stay empty for long. The RV park stays full"
from $29 - $45 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Wonderful wooded sites and ours had a path to Lake Superior. Can be a little tight for big rigs. Best sites are reservable, rest are first come first served. No electric or water at the sites."
from $26 / night
Check Availability"Tucked away in a silent wooded area. Paved roads all the way in. 15 minutes from Munising. Was a perfect hideaway for us driving from SW michigan over memorial day weekend."
"Small, remote campground, located on a nice size inland lake in Hiawatha National Forest. Close to Au Train, Munising and Pictured Rock National Lakeshore."
from $26 / night
Check Availability"Otter Lake Campground is nestled within the Hiawatha National Forest and a close driving distance to Munising, Michigan."
"Otter the Dog was being lazy Better showers than at home with tankless water heater so always hot water. Big sink so you can wash your dishes. All different kind of hookups spot."
from $20 - $38 / night
Check Availability"We opted for the rustic campground which still allowed access to the bathroom and showers, but was secluded from the cabin and RV area. The lake access was great! Warm water and good fishing."
"Outhouse and showers were clean Electric hook up
Filled water at dump station We stayed in site 10 it was quiet and away from the core of the noise
Friendly staff Seasonals were a little wild and"
from $20 - $200 / night
Check Availability"Near Au Train Falls. On 8 mile Forest Lake, with access. $15/night. Walk-in and lake sites. Beautiful, quiet spot with many regulars. Great for respectful campers. Great Dark Sky View!"
"Clean campground with access to the reservoir."
"Super close to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore! This KOA is pretty nice. Has a dog run, facilities including showers/bathrooms/laundry, along with a general store!"
"We went in September and it was still mildly warm, bugs were gone the only thing I would recommend is water proof hiking boots which is a must hiking in Michigan anyway."
"Pets allowed on leash. Trash receptacles convenient to each area of the campground. Bath house with coin laundry machines."
"Very close to tourist locations."
from $40 - $45 / night
Check Availability"You can walk across the street to the beach along Lake Superior and are drive distance to Black Rock and Pictured Rock. They even have a brewery in the campground."
"Nice, clean, quiet right on the lake. Full hookups, level sites and lots of room for large gatherings at the party pit. A short drive to Marquette."
"Petes Lake is a great campground tucked in the Hiawatha National Forest. The campground is located about 15 minutes south of Munising. "
"We stayed at Petes Lake Campground from June 10-16, 2018. We enjoyed the large site of 3A and were traveling with three dogs. There are clean vault toilets and water available."
from $24 - $50 / night
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TravelerThis is a great lakeside campsite just outside of Manistique. There is a main bathroom area with showers. Good shallow water to swim (and watch the beautiful sunset) but a little difficult to fish. Staff is friendly. They even do weekly events such as "Traveling Trivia" for kids. Pet friendly too!
RangerWe were in Site# 14. We had electric/water with a paved pull-through. We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site along with my jeep.
The site was easy to level but the wheels of our motor home were off of the ground.
Check-in is at the hotel. The RV park is not visible from the hotel (it’s back in the woods). There is a phone at the shower house that can be used to request a free shuttle to the casino.
Our site was not shaded with limited trees. This was a smaller lot with our neighbors fairly close.
The lot comes with a picnic table and fire ring.
There was not any WiFi (we used our Starlink). They do not offer Cable TV.
There is not a community outdoor kitchen or community fire pit.
They do not provide garbage service at your site so you must walk to garbage dumpster.
They do have an indoor Swimming pool at the hotel with a sauna and steam shower.
There is not a Playground. There are not any additional play areas like Bocce ball, shuffleboard, basketball sport court, horseshoe, or volleyball courts.
They have a general store in the parking lot of the casino where you can also get gas.
There are restaurants on site in the hotel as well as a spa. The closest big town with stores is Escanaba (about 20 minutes away).
This is solely an RV park. They do not have any cabins to rent or any tent areas.
They have one shower house. The shower house has individual showers (toilets & sinks are on opposite side of shower house).
The laundry facility is located at the BP gas station (located in the parking lot of the casino/hotel). It is a cash only facility, but they have a change machine. It is approximately $2 to wash and $2 to dry a load.
They do not have a fenced in dog park. There are areas to walk dogs.
Bugs did not seem to be an issue.
Some fun things to do outside of the campground are to visit the Sandy Point Lighthouse or Ludington Park in Escanaba.
The casino is smoke-free. It states that the tables are open from 10am to 2am. Not all tables are available though (for instance, roulette wasn’t always available and if they did open up the one roulette table, it wasn’t until 6 or 7pm). The slot machine options are abundant.
RangerOnly 2 sites, and they need to be reserved, according to the ass who told me. Both occupied by people with pets, which I don't mind but is supposedly not allowed. 2 stars for the view.
GuideOne of my favorite places to rustic camp! Sites are first come first serve, planning arrival for certain days and times is required so you can land a site. Hiking is the best part of pictured rocks, bring the right shoes and lots of big spray so you can enjoy Mother Nature’s beauty. No pets are allowed which is a bummer but understandable. I’ve seen bear while driving through the park both times I’ve camped in pictured rocks, so they’re definitely around!
ScoutLittle Bay De Noc, Lake Michigan access with a pier. Only a few campsites, but includes group fire pit, playground and proximity to Pictured Rocks, 1 hour. Lots of hiking and great motorized non-motorized off-road trails.
TravelerStayed here for 4 nights early July 2020. Social distancing had some sinks and urinals turned off. Seemed super clean. 4-6 tent only spots are in pretty good shade. All sites had at least water and electricity. Swingset and covered sandbox for kids. Volleyball net. I saw dogs and cats; we brought 1 dog.
Cell coverage (AT&T for my family, Verizon for my friends) was pretty hit or miss at 0-2 bars at any given time. I could sometimes stream audio for an hour or two. Other times, it wouldn't do anything. Wifi was available, but it wasn't any more reliable than cell service down in the tent area. Service wasn't normal until hitting either of the east-west roads at the north and south sides of the UP that run along Superior and Michigan, ~8-10 miles north or south of the campground. We like limited to no signal, but realize some count on it, so try to always include it in reviews.
Campground was pretty busy and the internal noise levels were fine, but you could hear vehicles (possibly cars as well as ATVs) racing off grounds in the night. I'm a very deep sleeper, so this didn't bother me, but I did hear it when I was awake for my nightly jaunt to the potty. My buddy mentioned it kept him awake for a while.
Went tubing with a launch from the grounds and got picked up by staff about half to 3/4s of a mile down river. My guests paid, so not sure how much, but perfectly nice little break from the heat for an hour.
~20-5 minutes to closest spots to hit the beach, both of which were about 10 degrees cooler than the campground.
LegendPortage Bay State Forest Campground sits on a little peninsula just outside the Shingleton State Forest Area south of HWY 2 in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. This campground is not hard to find but it is a drive away from the main road. As you head further into the forest and closer to the campground the road narrows. There is still room to drive your RV to the campground but be cautious as some traffic can be coming from the opposite direction so pay attention and be courteous to other drivers.
As you enter the campground you will enter from the South entering on the West end of the looping around to the East shore where the 23 available campsites sit. All sites sit on the shore but some are closer to the shore than others and access to Lake Michigan is more accessible on some sites compared to others. Some sit directly on the lake and some have hills blocking the view, but you can set your tent up on the hill for a spectacular view. Having the hill on your site does help cut down on the cool breeze that can come off the lake. You can tent or RV on these sites and the sites are rather large offering you a variety of camp set up!
Pit toilets are the only toilets available. There are a couple walking trails, nothing difficult or long but they offer beautiful scenery and gorgeous walks in the woods and to the lake.
This is a rustic campground and available by walk-in or drive-in only. People that camp here like to keep things quiet! I am not saying that it is not kid friendly but lacking amenities and being a good distance from any town you might want to reconsider if you have young ones. There are some small towns on the peninsula to pick up some necessities but the nearest town of any size is almost an hour away in Manistique.
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.
GuideOpen, level gravel sites and some concrete pads scattered throughout this pretty new campground. A few baby trees in the open meadow are trying to get started, but other than those there is no shade. We stayed in a full hook up 50 amp site, and experienced no power issues despite 2 days of freakishly high winds and scorching heat in the 90s. This is an immaculately clean and well run campground. Wi fi is ok for email and phone scrolling social media. The only reason we didn't give 5 stars is due to construction in the campground with dump trucks and beep beep beep of machinery backing up every day. Once they are finished and the shade trees grow this will be a premier campground in a beautiful area. Pets allowed on leash. Trash receptacles convenient to each area of the campground. Bath house with coin laundry machines.
Chatham, Michigan sits at approximately 900 feet elevation within Hiawatha National Forest where thick forests of maple, beech, and pine shelter numerous inland lakes. The area's climate features warm summers with temperatures typically ranging 65-80°F and cold winters dropping well below freezing. Campgrounds near Chatham typically operate from mid-May through late September, with most requiring advance reservations during peak July-August periods.
Boat Rentals at Superior Times: Explore Au Train Lake with affordable watercraft rentals. At Superior Times, "You can rent jet skis - rented them for $60/hour, played basketball, and had a great time," according to Tressa B. The lake provides warm water compared to nearby Lake Superior.
Bird Watching Trails: Observe local wildlife on educational paths. At Au Train Lake Campground, "There was a great trail near our campsite that had signs and info about the birds in the area (great for young ones especially)," notes Jade G. The trails feature informational signage identifying common species.
Visit Historic Bay Furnace: Learn about regional iron-smelting history. "The history of the campground with the bay furnace within the limits. Where they used to smelt iron in a 150 year old furnace is fascinating," shares Corey O. The ruins sit within walking distance of most campsites.
Lake Superior Beach Access: Swim in the largest freshwater lake by surface area. The water is "clean/clear but cold as would be expected. Perfect for a refreshing cool off in hot weather!" according to Lisa R. Most beaches have parking areas within 50-100 yards of the shoreline.
Clean, Well-Maintained Facilities: Campers appreciate basic but well-kept amenities. At Bay Furnace Campground, "Very clean vault toilets. Dump and potable water free to campers, otherwise it's $5," notes Jonathan S. Vault toilets are cleaned daily at most campgrounds.
Waterfront Sites: Direct lake access ranks high among camper preferences. "We were on spot N which is one of their rustic tent spots right on Lake Superior. $25/night which was very reasonable. My site had a nice, level and sandy spot for the tent," reports Emily V. Waterfront sites typically book 3-6 months in advance.
Dark Sky Viewing: The area offers minimal light pollution for stargazing. At Forest Lake State Forest Campground, campers enjoy a "Great Dark Sky View!" according to Jen W. Clear nights reveal the Milky Way and occasional northern lights displays, particularly during fall months.
Wildlife Observation: Animal sightings enhance the camping experience. "Lots of chipmunks in camp that were super cute. Sites aren't too close to one another so you feel separate but together," writes Chelsea & Wes J. Morning and evening hours provide the best wildlife viewing opportunities.
Seasonal Bugs: Insect protection is essential during certain periods. "Bring bug spray, the mosquitoes are 24/7," warns Kevin about Au Train Lake Campground. Black flies are most prevalent in May-June, with mosquitoes continuing through August.
Weather Variability: Temperatures can change rapidly, especially near Lake Superior. At Otter Lake Campground & Lodge, "I caught this Campground on a night where the winds chilled it down significantly. Still, it remained warm enough for an afternoon swim," reports Tucker B. Temperature swings of 20-30 degrees within a single day are possible.
Limited Cell Service: Many campgrounds have minimal connectivity. "No cell service, however," notes Kelly C. about Otter Lake Campground. Some locations offer WiFi near registration buildings, but coverage is inconsistent throughout most camping areas.
Reservation Requirements: Securing spots during peak season requires planning. "Open, level gravel sites and some concrete pads scattered throughout this pretty new campground," mentions Jennifer B. Many campgrounds fill 3-6 months in advance for summer weekends.
Activity Options: Look for campgrounds with built-in entertainment. "This is a small campground but had fun things to do for the kids. There are kayaks and canoes you can rent and a fun playground for the kids," says Quynh V. about Otter Lake Campground & Lodge.
Educational Opportunities: Enhance kids' experiences with learning elements. The bird watching trail at Au Train Lake "had signs and info about the birds in the area (great for young ones especially)." These interactive trails typically cover 1/4 to 1/2 mile distances.
Spacious Sites: Select campgrounds with room for children to play. At Pictured Rocks RV Park and Campground, "The sites are well layout, with a good amount a space between sites. Full hookups and everything worked well," according to Sam C. Most campgrounds offer sites ranging from 25-40 feet in width.
Beach Access: Prioritize locations with swimming areas. "There is a beach and boat launch near. We went there to chase the northern lights but missed it by a night," shares Chelsea & Wes J. Most swimming beaches feature gradual entries suitable for children.
Hookup Availability: Electric and water connections vary significantly between campgrounds. "Sites have electric but no water. Some road noise but that's to be expected," notes Victoria K. about Kewadin Casino camping area. Most RV sites with electric run 30-amp service.
Site Levelness: Terrain challenges exist at some locations. "Site 4 is gravel and very up hill. But we were able to make our Solitude work off autolevel," reports Lauren M. Bringing additional leveling blocks is recommended, especially for larger rigs.
Dump Station Access: Waste disposal facilities aren't universal. At Bay Furnace, "Dump and potable water free to campers, otherwise it's $5," while many state forest campgrounds lack dump stations entirely, requiring visits to nearby facilities.
Road Conditions: Access roads can present challenges. "The road in is really bumpy, taking us by surprise. It forced us to go much slower than even on the usual forest roads," warns Art S. Many campground access roads remain unpaved with occasional potholes after rain events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Chatham, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Chatham, MI is Munising Tourist Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 49 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Chatham, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 129 dog-friendly camping locations near Chatham, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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