Best Tent Camping near Ewen, MI

Tent campsites in Michigan's western Upper Peninsula near Ewen include rustic options scattered throughout national forests and state parks. Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping offers tent-specific sites accessible by hiking, paddling, or walking in, while Union River Rustic Outpost Camp in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park provides secluded tent camping with just three sites. Burned Dam Campground features tent areas situated along the Ontonagon River with access to Mex-i-mine Falls.

Most tent campgrounds in this region have minimal facilities but varied terrain. At Union River Outpost, sites are situated on forested, sometimes sloping ground that may challenge tent placement. Vault toilets are available at Burned Dam and Emily Lake State Forest Campground, but many areas require campers to pack out all waste. Water access varies considerably—campers should bring sufficient supplies as drinking water is limited to hand pumps at select locations. Michigan Department of Natural Resources requires permits for backcountry camping at locations like Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness, where visitors access tent sites only by hiking in. During spring and fall, expect considerable temperature fluctuations and prepare for early winter conditions in October.

The dense forest cover throughout much of the region provides natural privacy between tent sites. According to one visitor, "Union River Outpost felt like nobody else was out here. We had more than enough room to set up and could even have fit additional tents." Walking paths often connect directly to hiking trails, allowing tent campers to explore without relocating camp. At Big Lake State Forest Campground, sites are described as "HUGE" with a "quiet setting right on Big Lake," though recent logging has altered some of the forest canopy. Bug protection is essential, especially at Burned Dam where a camper noted the site was "beautiful, quiet, free campgrounds right next to the Ontonagon River," but warned that "even with bug spray, the assault [from mosquitos and biting flies] was nonstop."

Best Tent Sites Near Ewen, Michigan (21)

    1. Robbins Pond Campground

    1 Review
    Ottawa National Forest, MI
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 358-4724

    2. Burned Dam Campground

    3 Reviews
    Watersmeet, MI
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 358-4724

    "We did look around and it’s a decent place. A couple sites are large enough for a small camper and screen room. Others will only fit a tent. There is a vault toilet but no water or garbage."

    "Beautiful, quiet, free campgrounds right next to the Ontonagon River and Mex-i-mine Falls (you can hear the rushing water)."

    3. Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping

    4 Reviews
    Watersmeet, MI
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 358-4724

    "A lovely area with a good balance of open space and tree cover. Nearby Clark Lake is very pretty, good for swimming, and serves as the primary water source."

    "We did it the easy way, loaded our canoe, crossed the lake to our campsite and set up camp. No portaging with our gear."

    4. Union River Rustic Outpost Camp — Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

    4 Reviews
    White Pine, MI
    27 miles
    Website

    "We had more than enough room to set up and could even have fit additional tents."

    "If you were tent camping, you would likely be sleeping on a slope of some kind. Bugs were bad in late May."

    5. Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness

    3 Reviews
    Watton, MI
    28 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"

    6. Emily Lake State Forest Campground

    2 Reviews
    Nisula, MI
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 353-6651

    "Several great sites to tent camp. Caught some blue gills. Good times"

    "You will be able to hear your neighbors."

    7. Tepee Lake Area

    1 Review
    Trout Creek, MI
    22 miles
    Website

    8. Big Lake State Forest Campground

    4 Reviews
    Covington, MI
    34 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."

    9. Paint River Forks NF Campground

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

    10. Lake Perrault

    7 Reviews
    Toivola, MI
    43 miles

    "Nice small lake, easy access from the main road. Road to the lake isn’t paved and there are huge potholes so go slow."

    "We stumbled upon this location through this app."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Ewen, MI

495 Reviews of 21 Ewen Campgrounds


  • Stephanie F.
    Jul. 3, 2017

    North Trout Lake Campground — Northern Highland State Forest

    Fewer amenities, but great trade-off

    We arrived on a Thursday and were able to snag one of the much-coveted lakeside sites for a private view of the sunset. Sites were level and clean and it never got busy for the weekend, which is just the way I like it. Although there are tons of other state campgrounds nearby with more amenities, I would gladly trade all of that for the no-electric, vault toilet, water pump solitude of North Trout Lake. The campground has a nature trail and is also located on a paved bike path that runs between nearby towns and connects to the other camping areas.

    Amenities: nice/clean vault toilets, water from pump tastes fantastic, swimming beach, firewood for sale onsite, no electric, no showers.

  • Nona A.
    Aug. 10, 2017

    Presque Isle - Porcupine Mountains State Park

    Great Campground for exploring, and for those who love waterfalls.

    If you're a person who loves waterfalls, then I recommend you don’t miss this campground.  Presque Isle Campground is located at the southern edge of the Porcupine Mountains State Park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  This campground has bluff overlooking Lake Superior, there is a walkway and stairs that take you down the bluff to the shore.  Walking distance from the campground is the Presque River you can hike along and see all the beautiful waterfalls this river has to offer.  This is a Rustic campground that has vault toilets, and hand pump drinking water. The campground, restrooms and surrounding area’s were kept very clean. There are 50 campsites that are equipped for tents, trailers, and RV’s.  Each site has a fire pit, and picnic table.  There is no electrical hook up, and part of the campground is generator free.  Six of the sites are walk in sites, there are parking spots for these sites, you park and walk in a little ways to your site.  I recommend a site that is located on the outer sides of the campground loop.  They are larger sites and more privacy from your neighbors.  Inner loop sites are closer together and open.  Be prepared for mosquitoes and blackflies.  Blackflies bite, and bug spray does not affect them.  I found keeping a hand towel or fly swatter moving around me helped keep them away.  They are more active when it is humid, and down by the water.  These flies seem to be common up here along the shore.

    There are many things to do around the campground close to your site and others are a little bit of a drive from your site in the Porcupine Mountains State Park.  If you like to stay close to your camp, you can hang out on the beach, hike along the Presque Isle River and discover the Manabezho Falls, Manido Falls, and the Nawadaha Falls.  Also the Lake Superior Trail and North Country Trail are right by the campground.  These trails will connect you with other trails in the Porcupine Mountains.  The Porcupine Mountains have lot’s to offer anyone stopping to visit.  We took and day and seen The Lake of the Clouds, and Summit Peak.  They both are gorgeous areas to explore.  

  • Stacia R.
    Apr. 27, 2019

    Presque Isle - Porcupine Mountains State Park

    Stunning landscapes

    We camped at Presque Isle in the Porkies for a long weekend in October. The color change was amazing! This campground is rustic with only vault toilets and no hookups. There is a section that allows generators during certain hours of the day, a non-generator area and a few walk-in sites. There are a few sites which are along the cliff side looking down to Lake Superior, we were lucky enough to reserve one of those, site 2. It was a very large site, equipped with the standard picnic table and fire ring. Many of the sites back up to the woods, which were smaller and a little soggy while we were there. This campground is one of two in the park, Union Bay is the other more modern campground located right on the lake. The sites there are much smaller and crowded. I prefer the more remote Presque Isle campground by far. Less amenities but far less people. The hiking throughout this park is unparalleled in its beauty. The campground is close to the Presque Isle river trail which is waterfall after waterfall. The park has a ski lift we rode to check out the views from the top of the mountain, as well as an 18 hole disc course. It’s the hiking and rugged beauty of the area that is the main attraction, especially catching the fall colors surrounding Lake Superior.

  • A
    Aug. 19, 2020

    Black River Harbor Campground

    Great campground in a beautiful location

    We stayed at Black River Harbor Campground last week, in a year that the water supply was never turned on due to Covid. Nevertheless, we had an amazing time. We stayed in one of the many first-come-first-served campsites (which seemed to be available late into the afternoon, but filled most nights) and enjoyed a large site, separated by a pretty dense forest in between our neighbors. We had easy access to nicely maintained vault toilets, and had there been water available this year there were plenty of spigots—no hand pumps here. The fire rings were solid and had cooking greats on each one, and the picnic tables in many cases were new. If you are heading here during the wetter season, know that the ground will likely be soft, but every site we looked at had some effort taken to make sure it stayed dry.

    The real gem of this place is the location. The Black River Falls are an astounding bit of Michigan scenery just minutes away by car. We decided to take a 7 mile out-and-back hike that brought us past five of the falls—each one far exceeding the expectations of this downstater. Next door to the Black River Falls are the Presque Isle Falls (though next door still means about an hour drive due to following the valley roads). The Presque Isle Falls are part of the Porcupine Wilderness State Park, and are gorgeous and even more accessible than the Black River Falls.

    Beyond hiking we had a great time hunting for agates on the beach and enjoying the marvelous spectacle of Lake Superior, including its unpredictable weather!

  • 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!

  • Andrew D.
    Jun. 26, 2023

    Franklin Lake

    Great campsite

    Stayed one night on  a Sunday.  Mostly empty but you can see it is heavily booked for the Fourth of July weekend. They just added electric hook up to some sites in the South End.  Right now the price is the same for electric or non-electric sites.

    Sites are large and decent spacing between sites.  Heavy tree cover with mostly shade.

    The site was mostly gravel with nice fire ring and picnic table.

  • K
    Jul. 14, 2021

    Ontonagon Township Park Campground

    Life saver — if timed right !

    No reservations, that’s on us. Looked at several after driving around all day sight-seeing. We called the number on the listing; got a pre-recorded message from the township. Decided to check it out in person. First, camping is divided up; two loops on beach side of the road, two loops on the non-beach side. We nabbed the last place on the beach side and could see Lake Superior from the site. Camp hosts were very accommodating considering we roll in just as they’re locking up shop around 8:00pm. Got us checked in and sold us firewood. We quickly set up and were on the beach in minutes. The water felt so good, we ran back up and got into trunks to swim. Brisk but totally swimmable. The beach was sandy, the lake-bottom sandy/small pebbles (no aqua-socks needed). The beach wasn’t AS pretty as other places we’d been but still had spectacular views. The trash was nearby, showers and flushing toilets a quick minute walk to other loop. Fire rings in each site and power/water posts (no generators, yay!). It’s worth driving over to see if they have a spot!

  • Hilary S.
    Oct. 11, 2020

    Porcupine Mountains Backcountry Camping — Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

    Beautiful at peak fall color!

    I did a 3 day/2 night hike during peak color, starting at the Lake Superior Trailhead. I was warned the Lake Superior trail was muddy when I checked in, and the ranger was not joking - I was grateful to have trekking poles to help balance on logs, branches, roots and rocks to try to keep my boots as dry as possible in the parts of the trail that were submerged. 

    Campsite LS-14 had a lovely location on the lake, but was very muddy/previously submerged with water. It immediately abuts site LS-13. There was a wooden platform to put my tent on, but I had to bolster the corners so that it was big enough for my tent poles to have something to rest on. If I had gotten in before dark, I might have seen the small area near the trail side of the site that had higher, dryer ground. There is supposed to be a bear pole for these sites, but the group at the other site said there wasn't one. In hindsight, I think there probably was, away from the campsites, but since I had a canister, I didn't go looking for it after dark. The Lake Superior trail continued to be muddy until you got close to the Big Carp River mouth.

    Campsite BC-8 was a big upgrade - very large site, a little patch of open sky over the fire pit, easy access to the river for water. The big trees provided good shelter from a minor storm and high winds overnight. This site is right alongside the trail, but separated from the cabin and next site by a good distance. The hike out from here up the Big Carp River trail to Lake of the Clouds is a somewhat longer trek with a bit of elevation gain, but nothing too intense in my opinion.


Guide to Ewen

Tent camping near Ewen, Michigan offers access to the Ottawa National Forest, which covers nearly one million acres across the western Upper Peninsula. Winter arrives early in this region, with freezing temperatures possible from October through May and snow accumulation of 150-200 inches annually. Tent camping sites range from heavily wooded areas to lakeside settings, with the early fall shoulder season providing some of the best camping weather with fewer bugs and comfortable daytime temperatures.

What to do

Hiking on the North Country Trail: Big Lake State Forest Campground serves as an excellent access point to the North Country Trail. "Getting to Big Lake leads you through some marvelous pine meadows and wetlands with browsing deer and pheasants. The North Country Trail winds through this part of the UP, and the Big Lake campground would make a perfect starting or ending place for a section hike."

Paddling opportunities: Canoe camping is popular at several wilderness lakes. "Loved my first experience at canoe camping. We did it the easy way, loaded our canoe, crossed the lake to our campsite and set up camp. No portaging with our gear," shares a visitor to Sylvania Wilderness. Beginners can rent equipment from Sylvania Outfitters who will deliver gear lakeside.

Waterfall exploration: Multiple waterfalls can be accessed via short hikes from campsites. At Union River Outpost, campers recommend: "Keep walking past campsites and over the bridge. Take the right trail and it connects with the Union River mine trail. It's 1 mile long and perfect for relaxing after dinner." The Sturgeon River Gorge also offers "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!"

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Union River Rustic Outpost receives high marks for seclusion. "This is a perfect, secluded spot. Site 1 was so secluded and private. It really felt like nobody else was out here. We had more than enough room to set up and could even have fit additional tents." Another camper notes, "Very wooded and quiet camp area - only 3 sites total in this loop!"

Night sky viewing: The Robbins Pond area offers exceptional dark sky viewing opportunities. "This campground is located at the end of Robin's Pond road where the Paulding Light is seen. The campground offers no amenities, only a rock fire ring is provided. This setting is PERFECT for telling ghost stories and watching the light!" The atmospheric conditions create opportunities for northern lights viewing during peak aurora seasons.

Lakes for swimming and fishing: Waterfront sites are available at several campgrounds. At Lake Perrault, "There's also a little trail by the water" and "A couple of the spots are right down at the water." Another camper mentioned "Small lake with some camping spots" that offers swimming opportunities. At Emily Lake, campers report, "Several great sites to tent camp. Caught some blue gills. Good times."

What you should know

Bug protection is essential: Mosquitoes and biting flies are prevalent throughout the warm season. At Burned Dam Campground, "The flies were quite bothersome so we decided to move on. We did look around and it's a decent place." Another camper advises, "Bring a screen-printing popup shelter with you or you will suffer."

Road conditions vary significantly: Many forest roads require slow driving or high-clearance vehicles. "The road to the lake isn't paved and there are huge potholes so go slow," warns a Lake Perrault visitor. At Big Lake, a camper cautions, "The entrance to this campground 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."

Site terrain challenges: Many tent sites require careful setup due to uneven ground. At Union River Outpost, "Site was not that level. If you were tent camping, you would likely be sleeping on a slope of some kind." Similarly, at Sylvania Wilderness, "The area is covered in soft pine duff but finding a truly flat spot free of any small mounds of moss or decayed nurse logs can be a challenge."

Tips for camping with families

Pack weather-appropriate gear: Temperature swings can be extreme, especially in spring and fall. "In mid-October, we woke up to full on winter one morning, so be prepared for anything in the shoulder season," reports a Paint River Forks camper. Early snow is possible by late September.

Water access planning: Hand pumps are available at select locations but require effort to use. Most wilderness areas require water filtration systems. One camper notes: "Clark Lake is very pretty, good for swimming, and serves as the primary water source" at Sylvania Wilderness sites.

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Bring binoculars for bird watching and wildlife spotting. A Big Lake camper enjoyed "listening to the sandhill cranes every morning." Forest service rangers can provide information about wildlife viewing areas and seasonal activity patterns.

Tips from RVers

Campsite size considerations: Many rustic campgrounds have limited space for larger rigs. At Big Lake, "The sites are HUGE!" but some campgrounds require advance scouting. "Several sites are large enough for a small camper and screen room. Others will only fit a tent," notes a camper at Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness.

Leveling challenges: Bring additional leveling blocks as many sites feature uneven terrain. At Union River Outpost, "The gravel drive was uphill so we ended up turning the camper 90 degrees" to achieve a level position.

Water and waste management: Fill tanks before arrival as most rustic sites lack hookups. "More amenities can be found at the main campground in the state park. We filled up with water there," advises a Union River Outpost camper about utilizing facilities at the main Porcupine Mountains campground several miles away.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ewen, MI is Robbins Pond Campground with a 2-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Ewen, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.