Best RV Parks & Resorts near Copper Harbor, MI

When we got close to the park entrance on MI 123 our GPS wanted us to go another.5 mile to the campground(CG) but a trailer was turning into a state park road so we followed. Good choice as this was the correct road that led to the gate where you register and checked in. The road the GPS was taking us to is currently only used as an exit from the CG. After a not-so-informative check-in, we headed into the park to find water. From the online map, we believed there was a water spigot near our site so we drove to the site only to find it was not a water hose assessable spigot. Then we headed to the dump station where we did find two potable water spigots on each side of the dump station. There was a permanently fixed hose coming out of the spigots, but the first one’s threads were worn out and wouldn’t stay screwed in. We had to wait for another rig to get fresh water and dump before we could move forward to the second one that did screw in so we could fill our fresh water tank. After that, we headed to site 110 that’s an easy back-in but only electric(50 AMP/30/20). The 100s loop is newer and it's big rig friendly with sites nicely spaced apart. Site 110 is probably the most spacious and private site in the CG as it sits in a little berm. Site 112 is nicely spaced, but you will get highway noise. Concerning RV sites in the main CG area, there is a separate tent-only area on the lake, and RV sites closest to the lake tend to be smaller in site length but we saw a couple of 36 to 40-foot 5th wheels with the tow vehicle parked wherever. In the 20 to 40 numbered sites that are not on the lake, we noticed larger class As and a couple of toy haulers. In the mid-30s sites across from the lakeside, large rigs were parked willy-nilly to make their rig fit. All the original sites are pretty much crammed in together but if you want to be where all the action is i.e. partiers and kids, this would be your area. When you get past site 40 there are 90-degree back-in sites of various lengths with most having a lot of trees and vegetation between sites giving more privacy. The 35ish-foot 5th wheels we saw in there, didn’t seem to care about tree branches scraping the roof. One note about the 41- 60s area is that the power boxes are behind every two sites and shared. Depending on how you are positioned on the pad, and where the power cord connects to the rig, you may need about 60’ of power cord to reach the power box. We also noticed on our walks around the CG that due to the poor to nonexistent cell signal here(1 bar on Verizon), people especially teenagers were sitting around talking to each other versus staring at phones. There were plenty of nearby trails to explore with the dogs, including a dog beach. McLain makes a great staging point to explore the area and take in Eagle River and Copper Bay attractions.

Lots of wooded campsites for tents, camper vans & small rigs. Several sites are in clusters. Didn't see any pull through. No electric & water hookups. 3 his/hers vault toilets; clean. Potable water near campground entrance. Campground, cabins & trails are still under construction. Although close to Lake Superior, no direct access from campground to the lake. Can hear waves crashing. Highly recommend hiking the trails at nearby Hunter's Point Park. Firewood can be purchased from the general store in Copper Harbor. No T-Mobile nor AT&T cell service. Would stay here again

Loved this park. Despite the sites being pretty close, you have great water views, within walking distance to downtown and a short car ride away from lots of things to do and places to visit. 

All the sites are designed to be back-in but we asked if we could pull in forward so the view of the river was out our front window and our door opened right onto the patio. Luckily they didn’t have a problem with that so we had a great view. The patio is a wooden deck that hangs over the river bank and was suck a perfect to sit after a long day of exploring and enjoy a glass of wine. There is a picnic table, bench, BBQ grill, and fire pit and the patio providing nice shade during the day. The park is divided into two tiers and we were lucky enough to be in the lower one that was directly on the water. The upper tier has a view of the water too and the same patios but you are overlooking other RVs.  All sites are paved (as are the roads) with 20/30/50 amp electric, cable with 16 channels, and Wi-Fi. A nice feature about this park is that they do allow washing vehicles and your RV for a nominal fee.

The park is small with just 25 sites so book early if you are coming during the summer and they do have seasonal stays with good rates. We called with just a couple weeks notice but scored a site because someone cancelled. Added bonus is that this park is next door to a large waterfront park which is great for kids with lots of things for them to play on (just know dogs are not allowed). There are also picnic areas, sandy beach, and a boat launch. Continuing past the park is a four-mile paved, non-motorized pathway leading to downtown. 

There are no bathrooms or showers in the park so you must have a self-contained RV meaning pop-up campers and tents are not allowed. There are flush toilets in the waterfront park just outside the campground but were used heavily and not always clean if the park was very busy.

Loved that fact that you could walk to town. We strolled into the Keewenaw Brewery for a beer a couple of afternoons, checked out a museum that pays homage to the birthplace of American hockey (which started in Houghton), did a little window shopping, and ate the best pasties at Roy’s Pasties and Bakery. It is well worth the time to venture up the Keewenaw Peninsula to explore the other towns like Copper Harbor and Calumet. Calumet is an old copper mining town and there are lots of museums and interesting sites to see there including a very nice National Park Service visitor center. We toured the Quincy Mine and really enjoyed that. 

Pros:

·        Great water view

·        Nice patio with picnic table and bench

·        Within walking distance of town

·        Nice walking path

·        Lots to do and see in the area

·        Paved sites and roads

·        Full hook-up with cable and good WiFi

Cons:

·        Must have a self-contained RV

·        Sites are close to each other with very little privacy

·        Most sites have no shade

·        May be hard to get a site if you don’t book early

McLain SP - MI:
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer) Overall Rating: 4.0 Price 2023: $35 Usage during visit: Near full, mid-week. Site Privacy: Most sites have little privacy. Lake view sites: do not count on any privacy to the sides. but what you can create with your trailer.
Site surface: Grass and Gravel sites. Reservations: Yes.
Campground Noise: Pretty quiet during our stay. Through Traffic in campground: None Electric Hookup: Yes. Bring an extension cord . Required for some sites.
Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: There is a dump station on the way in to the camping area. Potable water is there and there are a few scattered spigots. See the map in my photos.
Generators: All sites have electricity. Bathroom: Pit and flush toilets. Showers: Yes Pull Throughs: See ‘Sites’, below. Cell Service (AT&T): Good Setting: 1 - 41 in open grass area with few trees. 42 + in nice wooded area Weather: Highs in low 80s during our stay.
Bugs: Not bad. Probably the breeze from the lake is holding them at bay.
Solar: All are electric sites Host: Never seen. Rig size: The largest I’ve seen is about 35’.

A bit tricky to maneuver but once you are set up this is a great city waterfront park! The sites are close but the view and proximity to outdoor walking make this a campground we will return to visit.

The campground host is helpful and if you get a chance, purchase a book he wrote to enjoy a coming of age in the Upper Pennisula story!

Love Houghton and exploring the history and geology of the area.

We camped for a week in our 42 ft motor home with jeep. We walked the water view trail daily with our four legged camper. There is a city beach/park adjacent to the campground and although there are no restrooms or showers at the campground, there are restrooms at the adjacent beach area.

We were able to access the campground WiFi and our satellite had a good signal. ATT coverage was good.

This campground was developed by people who love and use the outdoors, for people who love and use the outdoors! Inexpensive, clean, pretty and with campsites set spaciously apart this new campground feels like it’s been a part of the landscape for years. With nearby opportunities for mountain biking, downhill and cross-country skiing, road cycling, hiking and paddling on the big lake– or nearby smaller lakes, this campground is perfectly situated along the shores of Lake Superior to take full advantage of the best the “Copper Country” has to offer. 

The sites have the usual fire ring and picnic table, with some overlooking the pond centerpiece of the property. The pit-toilets are clean, well ventilated, modern (automated hand sanitizer, it's the little things!) and also beautifully constructed. The campground also offers several adorable yurts and bunkhouse cabins for rent, which can sleep 6 comfortably and heated by woodstove fires. You know they have done it right by the bike hanging hooks perfectly placed on the side of the cabin. They know their clientele. 

The quaint village of Copper Harbor,½ mile away, offers restaurants, bars, gas and a small grocery store as well as the ferry depot to Isle Royale National Park. With numerous historic sites within an hour’s drive, this makes the perfect getaway destination for history buffs as well. The Keweenaw National Historic Park has sites located up and down the peninsula. Right off Brockway Mountain Drive, the area is great for those interested in more motorized recreation as well. The view from the top, an easy 5 mile drive, is not to be missed.

Overall, this is a good option for coming near Marquette, especially if you have a trailer, a family, or are looking to post up for a bit.

Pros: The campsite has a lot of amenities that are easily accessible. Each site has a table, a fire pit, potable water nearby and most have electric hookup. The beach area for swimming in Lake Independence is nice with a pavilion, volleyball, and ping pong nearby. You can launch your boat or fish from the dock. The views are beautiful.

Cons: It's a crowded location that doesn't offer a lot of privacy. At 2am we were woken up by a boat coming back in from the water blasting it's music while the whole crew was loud and obnoxious.