Best Cabin Camping near Grand Marais, MI

This beautiful state park is a stunner during the fall colors! Located just outside of the town of Paradise on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It has all the amenities of a state park such as: spacious camp sites with plenty of room for larger RV’s, fire rings, picnic tables, super clean bathrooms and showers, nature programs, a playground, and a camp store. The campsites vary from rustic to those equipped with electricity to camper cabins, depending on your needs.

There are miles of hiking trails, gorgeous waterfalls, fishing boat rentals, paddling/canoeing opportunities, large picnic areas for groups and more. In the winter, they offer snowmobiling and cross country skiing.

Camp site fees vary, but keep in mind that non-residents pay an additional $9 per day for use of Michigan State Parks.

We arrived on a Friday evening. We had a pull through site and a cabin booked. The pull-through sites are SMALL! (Cabins were basic.) If you happen to have a neighbor, you share campfire and picnic table space. Luckily enough, this place doesn’t seem like it’s ever THAT busy. There wasn’t much for the kids to do. They are all 11 and older and the playground was less than appealing to them. The pool was just recently opened and was SUPER warm. they also had a little game room and store. The first night we were there, a cabin-renter up the hill and his wife were arguing loudly and seem to be regulars at this place. While it provided entertainment in the otherwise quiet and boring campground- it was a little off putting when he started driving his truck through the pull through site next to us frequently like a mad-man. We eventually put stuff in the site to prevent this. The one staff member was friendly. We did venture out to see the falls, it was busy but worth the trip.

Great cabin. I would highly encourage anyone who likes the outdoors to go there. I'm reluctant to post a good review because I don't want everyone booking up all the dates, but like any other government program, if you don't show a need they won't give funding to build more cabins like this.

The cabin is great for a family. We brought our kids and they loved it. Having no electricity was great and no running water added to the "camping" experience. The outhouse was only about 25 yards from the cabin and there was a wood shed in back too so you don't have to worry about that, which is nice. We had the lake to ourselves and couldn't see or hear any other people. Why you'd chose a campground instead of a place like this is beyond me. The water was about 75 yards from the cabin with the fire pit that way as well. The lake had some muck the first few feet but was sandy after that.

Inside the cabin were two tables and eight chairs. There was a small counter top as well. The wood stove was free standing so be careful about burns if you use it. The storage room was also nice to double as a changing room. There was plenty of space in the bunk room, enough beds for 8. The cabin is usually pretty dark, even in the middle of the day so make sure you bring lights and lanterns. There are hooks hanging from the ceiling in 4 or 5 spots throughout the cabin for light.

The bugs weren't bad but the horseflies and mosquitoes could make a showing. You're not far from Munising and we took trips up that way. The Camel Riders restaurant is only 2 minutes down the road and is decent, but small. They have a couple televisions for the kids. The prices are what you'd expect from a resort restaurant and the food does take a while, but it's pretty good.

If you're coming from the south I would recommend stopping at Van Cleve Park in Gladstone on your way up. The beach is really nice and they have a big playground. Worth the stop.

This place is a gem. 50 minutes from Munising, makes the perfect camping spot for a pictures rocks trip.

Beautiful beach with all the privacy in the world. The best part about camping here was the Beach!

Another really nice amenity was the lantern posts next to the picnic table and the grill grate attached to the fire pit. Can’t recommend this place enough.

Some tips: DO NOT take 721 trail off Adams trail. Apple maps told us to take this route. It’s really only meant for atv’s and specialized off road vehicles. It would have saved 3 minutes off our total drive time. The local tow truck told us he comes here 3 times a week while he towed us out. And there’s no signal. It was pretty scary.

No running water in restroom, so pack some Clorox wipes.

Bugs are pretty bad on the non-lake side so try to get a site near the water.

This was an awesome rustic cabin. We went to Tom's Lake Cabin a couple weeks prior to this and had a really good experience. I was able to book this one just a few weeks out.

It's not on Google Maps so I had to plug the coordinates from Recreation.gov into the Maps program, then the route came up. I took this trip with my wife and 4 kids who were 1, 4, 8, and 9. I read there was a 1000 foot walk in and was fine with that but the trail was not as conducive for the wheeled wagon and bags, but they worked. It took several trips because we brought a ton of stuff for activities. I would recommend packing as much as you can in packs you can carry. There were a few bugs along the way so make sure you bring enough bug spray.

When we got to the cabin, there were very few bugs and the cabin was nice and clean. The twin beds were just fine and there was enough room on the deck to keep supplies so you didn't have to crowd up the cabin. The cabin is at the top of a hill which offered a great view and discouraged the little ones from wandering. The pit toilet was clean without a bunch of bugs roaming around. There was plenty of wood in the shed. The Park Service advised that the wood should be used for just the stove inside the cabin. The fire ring and a picnic table is located right next to the cabin which made it convenient for fires. The water pump is located about 50 yards down hill toward the lake so make sure you bring something to carry water.

The lake was nice and there was a very small sandy area near the shore. It got a little mucky as we ventured out. It was far enough from the cabin that I didn't have to worry as much about little kids drowning, which is good. Once you get out into the lake a little bit, the water is about 15-20 feet deep.

Make sure you set aside some time to check out the trails around the cabin. They go in a loop and make for a fun hike.

I would go back there again and I recommend this trip for anyone who is willing to put in a moderate amount of effort to get to the cabin. Once you're there the solitude is so much better than a crowded campground.

Oh, and there's no cell service. Also, if you're coming from the south, don't forget to stop at Van Cleve Park in Gladstone. Totally worth it.

This rustic national lakeshore campground is tucked in the trees along the south shore of Lake Superior. Next to the campground, there is literally a 12-mile long beach of beautiful white sand along the crystal clear waters of this great lake.

Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table and fire ring with water spigots scattered throughout the campground. There is no electricity available and only pit toilets (which are clean, but rather stinky). Sites are smallish, a bit close together, and can accommodate tents and only small RV’s. RV’s over 25 feet will only fit in a few of the sites near the entrance to the campground.

We visited this campground in third week of September and hit the fall color spot on! The surrounding area provides great opportunities for water sports of all kinds, cycling, hiking, and dune climbing. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Visitor’s Center is about 35 miles west of this campground in the town of Munising where you will find grocery stores, gasoline, a laundromat, and restaurants.