2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Farquar-Metsa Tourist Park welcomes pets at its small and charming campground in Gwinn, featuring full hookup and rustic sites set among wooded areas. The park provides pet-friendly amenities including a leash hook outside bathrooms and dedicated dog waste bag stations. Campers with pets can choose between tent camping or RV sites with full hookups including electric, water, and sewer. Other pet-accommodating options near Gwinn include Little Lake State Forest Campground, Anderson Lake West State Forest Campground, and Bass Lake State Forest Campground, all allowing dogs with standard leash requirements. Country Village RV Park and Gitche Gumee RV Park & Campground offer cabin accommodations where pets are permitted. The campground is reservation only with no walk-ins accepted. Most visitors note their dogs enjoy the natural setting while remaining properly leashed in common areas. [Several sites near Gwinn, Michigan are featured on The Dyrt.]
Hiking trails directly accessible from Farquar-Metsa Tourist Park provide excellent exercise opportunities for dogs, with the campground situated along the Escanaba River offering water access for pets who enjoy swimming. Dogs particularly enjoy exploring the interpretive nature trail at Anderson Lake West created by an Eagle Scout years ago. Campers should be aware that some state forest campgrounds like Little Lake can become noisy on weekends with generators running constantly, potentially disturbing sensitive pets. During summer months, the abundant wild blueberries and raspberries growing on premises attract wildlife, requiring owners to maintain control of pets. Weather in the Upper Peninsula varies dramatically by season, with May through September offering the most comfortable conditions for camping with pets. Most campgrounds maintain pet-friendly status year-round, though amenities like water pumps may be unavailable during winter months.
"Rippling River is a really nice campground, very close to downtown Marquette and right in/on a huge mountain bike park."
"Nice new place, located next to bike trails, orv trails, and the ski hill. Good location."
from $40 - $50 / night
"We enjoyed our stay at Tourist Park in Gwinn. I loved that it was a small park with mostly RVs and a few camping spots."
"It’s on the back side of the city of Gwinn, which is a smaller more run down little town, 18 miles from Marquette. But this little campground is well kempt!"
"Landed here after trying unsuccessfully to camp along Lake Superior (everything full). It’s a sweet little campground: quiet, dark and removed from the crowds."
"We live nearby, and it’s the best place to just get away for a night or two. Would recommend to anyone."
"Stayed on our drive from Mackinac to see the pictured rocks lake shore. The campground is surrounded by 18 miles of trails. No camp store, but a convenience store is a quarter mile away."
"This campground is in Marquette, near Northern Michigan University. But once you're camped there, you won't feel like you're in one of the largest cities in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. "
from $35 - $55 / night
"A family tradition for us, the lake is wonderful. A few lake side sites are usually taken quickly. All are rustic. Water pump, bathrooms available. Haul out your trash. Nice boat launch and a beach."
from $15 / night
"Loads of hiking trails and an interpretive nature trail created years ago by an Eagle Scout. Has a pump for water. No power. Has bathrooms and a boat launch. 👍"
"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."
"Great spot if you’re looking for something near to, but away from Marquette."
"Rustic sites only, this is the trail head to a network of snowshoeing, biking, and hiking trails. There are 19 sites, three of which line the field the other 16 are tucked in the woods."
from $25 / night
"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. "
"This is our 2nd time staying & both were because of its convenience to ‘civilization’ not to get away from it."
from $35 - $51 / night
ScoutGreat spot, easy to get to. Could only find two pull off spots which are both relatively small, and only one has a fire pit in good condition so you’d need to build back up the other a bit. Very convenient spot that met all my needs
GuideThis campground is located directly on Lake Superior and operated by the city of Munising. It has 100 RV sites and 22 tent sites. About 1/4 of the RV sites provide water, sewer, and 50/30/20 electrical hookups. The rest of the RV sites provide shared water spigots (with both line pressure and with pressure reducers) and shared 30/20 electrical pedestals. Depending on the site, the water or electrical hookups may require an extension cord or another hose length to reach your RV. The campground is quite open, only the tent sites have any privacy. Do to lack of obstructions, I saw several starlink antennas on rigs..... The campground offers decent wifi and two very nice bath houses with flush toilets and showers. It also offers a dump station on site with tank flush and potable water fill stations. A beautiful sandy beach fronts the campground. One negative is that Michigan Hwy 28 runs past the campground and it has plenty of traffic at all hours.
We visited with plans to take a Pictured Rocks boat tour, but 3 days of gale force winds scrubbed those plans. The boat tours were canceled.
ScoutPerfect spot to pull off and camp for the night or weekend! Big pull in area where we stayed for the night, there was one other person but we stopped once we noticed the fresh tracks and didn’t go any further back. Perfect overnight spot.
GuideThis is probably the CG I was least excited about. The site seemed overcrowded with not much separation between sites. Just a big open park, next to a lake crammed with people. The staff were friendly when I called to reserve a site and were bang on when I requested one with WiFi. Because there were no tent camping sites I got one with electrical hook ups and at least recovered some of that cost plugging in my EV. But the adjoining site had a ginormous tent and a boisterous group and CD were less than five feet from my electric box.
I didn’t use them but the sower area was spacious and the bathrooms weren’t dirty.
By far the least fav CG I’ve stayed at on this trip and would look elsewhere next time but truth be told I’ve stayed at some great places. Stayed 10/2.
GuideWe stayed here on our last night, this beach was amazing! The site is set back really nice, the latrine is not very private and can be seen from both sites near. Other than that it has a bear pole and box and was very spacious, would stay again!
GuideStayed a night here while hiking the island, you do have to walk to the beach to get water but its close. There is only a bear pole not a box but it was fine. The latrine was fine but the privacy screen is a little too short.
GuideMy boyfriend and I spent 3 nights on the island in the beginning of October, this was our favorite site! There is a fully enclosed toilet near by, a day use area where you can drop trash and your right on the beach. It was windy but it's a beach site. However the cell service was spotty for me.
GuideParking off a paved rd, not rough. 1/4 mile walk to the most awesome site on the water. Perfect for boat or canoes.
GuidePaved roads coming in. Huge sites and a lot of trees between em. Took #1 has scenic bench’s on Lake right across the drive with sunset view. 13 miles to Munising
Tourist Park in Gwinn offers camping opportunities at an elevation of 1,087 feet within Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The small community sits 18 miles south of Marquette and serves as a central hub for exploring the region's extensive waterways and forest trails. Campsites throughout the area remain accessible primarily from late spring through early fall, with most facilities closing during the winter months.
Hiking the Eagle Scout trail: Anderson Lake West State Forest Campground features an interpretive nature trail developed as an Eagle Scout project years ago. "Loads of hiking trails and an interpretive nature trail created years ago by an Eagle Scout. Has a pump for water. No power. Has bathrooms and a boat launch," notes reviewer RAS at Anderson Lake West - Gwinn State Forest.
Swimming in Bass Lake: This state forest campground provides excellent water recreation options with designated swimming areas. "A family tradition for us, the lake is wonderful. A few lake side sites are usually taken quickly. All are rustic. Water pump, bathrooms available. Haul out your trash. Nice boat launch and a beach," says RAS about Bass Lake State Forest Campground.
Foraging for berries: During summer months, wild blueberries and raspberries grow throughout the area, providing natural snacks for hikers. "Beautiful natural swimming area in the rear of the property and we picked blueberries and raspberries right here on premise. Hope to return one day," shares Vincent S. about his stay at Tourist Park.
Access to multiple lakes: The Gwinn area offers numerous water access points within short driving distances. "Very nice park, on a river with various levels of campsites. Easy access from town and close to post office, library, stores 1 mile away, hiking trails, trout stream, golf course 6 miles, swimming in river, 15 other lakes in a 10 mile radius," explains Michael M. about his experience at Farquar-Metsa Tourist Park.
Secluded tent sites: Many campers appreciate the privacy offered at certain campgrounds. "Tent sites are well shaded and secluded from each other. Tenants were amazing and hiking trails were beautiful. The weather was too cold to swim but the beach area would be nice with warmer weather," notes Jenni C. about her stay at Tourist Park.
Proximity to Marquette: Campers value the short drive to Marquette for additional amenities and attractions. "This reservation only campground was well kept and close to amenities in Gwinn like their city park and diners. The full hookup sites were well marked but not a lot of shade and septic hook up was far back," reports Jenni C. from her visit to Tourist Park.
Reservation requirements: Some campgrounds near Gwinn operate strictly on reservations. "The only down side is that they are by reservation only. No 'walk-in's' if you will," explains Emilee S. about Tourist Park.
Generator noise at rustic sites: State forest campgrounds can become noisy during peak times. "We came in on a Saturday afternoon campground only 2 sites left. Very loud, generators running constantly. 2 groups playing very loud music. One group did karaoke for 6 hours," reports Rebecca H. about her experience at Little Lake State Forest Campground.
Trash disposal protocols: Many rustic campgrounds require campers to pack out their trash. "Bass Lake is a rustic campground situated on, you guessed it, Bass Lake. It has 22 sites, nearly all of which have buffers in between them. Six of the sites are right on the lake and have their own private lake access. Trash must be hauled to the DNR Field Office in Gwinn, which is 15-20 minutes/10 miles or so away," explains Sam about state forest campground policies.
Pet-friendly trails: Multiple campgrounds welcome dogs with standard leash requirements. "We enjoyed our stay at Tourist Park in Gwinn. I loved that it was a small park with mostly RVs and a few camping spots. My dog was allowed and they had a leash hook outside the bathroom and dog bag station. We would definitely go back," shares Pepper C. about pet-friendly camping near Gwinn, Michigan.
Basketball and recreation: Some campgrounds offer sports facilities for family entertainment. "It has a small put put golf, pool, camp store and large clean bathrooms and showers. WiFi! If you are in to biking amazing trails this stop is for you. The cabins are very clean and super nice," reports Randall J. about Rippling Rivers RV Resort near Marquette.
Family-friendly lake sites: Waterfront campsites offer direct access for swimming and fishing. "Bass Lake has 22 sites, nearly all of which have buffers in between them. Six of the sites are right on the lake and have their own private lake access. This campground is a first-come, first-served, self-pay operation. There is a boat launch, beach, a hand pump for water, and four vault toilets," notes Sam about Bass Lake State Forest Campground.
Hookup locations: RVers should note site layout before arrival. "The full hookup sites were well marked but not a lot of shade and septic hook up was far back. There is a dump site on premise so we utilized that," advises Jenni C. about Tourist Park.
Road conditions to campgrounds: Access roads can be challenging for larger rigs. "The whole road from the highway in to this campground is littered with potholes and sharp curves," warns Sam about access to Bass Lake State Forest Campground.
Alternative accommodations: For RVers seeking more amenities, Country Village RV Park near Ishpeming offers additional options. "Very enjoyable location. Love the the closeness of the stores and the fact there is a Camping World immediately out front," notes William Y. about this pet-friendly camping option near Gwinn, Michigan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Gwinn, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Gwinn, MI is Rippling Rivers RV Resort with a 4.4-star rating from 21 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Gwinn, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 123 dog-friendly camping locations near Gwinn, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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