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Best Tent Camping near Mackinac Island, MI

760 Reviews

Tent campsites around Mackinac Island offer a mixture of secluded, rustic experiences in northern Michigan's forested areas. The region includes established tent camping options such as Ocqueoc Falls State Forest Campground, located approximately 45 miles south of Mackinac Island, which provides walk-in tent sites along the Ocqueoc River. Other tent-focused options include Camp Darling and the wilderness campsites at Wilderness State Park, both of which cater specifically to tent campers seeking more remote experiences.

Tent campgrounds in this region typically feature basic amenities suited for traditional tent camping. Most sites include fire rings and access to vault toilets, while drinking water is available at select locations via hand pumps. The terrain at tent sites is generally natural forest floor with minimal grading. Several campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis, including Ocqueoc Falls, which charges around $20 per night on an honor system. Access varies significantly between locations, with some sites requiring boat access, such as Lime Island State Recreation Area, while others like Stoney Creek Trail Camp offer both drive-in and walk-in options for tent campers.

The tent camping experience near Mackinac Island provides excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation and natural immersion. Many sites are positioned along rivers or lakes, offering both scenic views and recreational opportunities. At Ocqueoc Falls, tent campers can easily access hiking trails that circle approximately 7 miles through varied ecosystems along the river. Sites are typically well-spaced, providing reasonable privacy even during busier summer months. Fall brings particularly favorable conditions for tent campers with fewer crowds and brilliant foliage. A review mentioned, "Camped off of the dirt bike/hiking trail. Found access off end of Black Hwy," indicating the availability of more isolated tent sites for those willing to explore. Visitors to Beaver Island noted the campground offers "private, quiet, and easy access to the beach" though warned about windy conditions requiring appropriate gear.

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Best Tent Sites Near Mackinac Island, Michigan (14)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Mackinac Island, MI

6 Photos of 14 Mackinac Island Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Mackinac Island, MI

760 Reviews of 14 Mackinac Island Campgrounds

  • Stacia R.
    Apr. 26, 2019

    Straits State Park Campground

    Unique View from camp

    We camped here two nights in July. The campground is very easy to find and is an incredible location if you want to ferry over to Mackinac Island. It is convenient to groceries, restaurants and other amenities if interested. The park appears well maintained with three separate camping areas. We tent camp, and had one of the best sites in the park (in my opinion). Site 1A is in the lower East section of the campground. The site is only a tent site & it is HUGE! It was much more private than the other sites, located on the shore of Lake Huron & has a fantastic view of the Mackinac Bridge. There is a small beach area within the park, a one mile trail to a viewing platform of the bridge, and a playground. The bathrooms were clean. Our campsite had a standard picnic table and fire ring. Campsites were moderately priced, but a Michigan Recreation Pass is also required, as in all MI state parks, so it gets a little more pricey. If I was returning to the area, I would camp here again.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 31, 2024

    Lakeshore Park Campground

    Close to the Lake

    Offers some sites close to the lakeshore and others a little farther back. Nice facilities and location. Picnic table provided at each site. Our site and most of the others had nice tree cover for shade. We had some great views of the mighty mack bridge and even saw the northern lights one night! The road into camp is nice and smooth! great location to stay it if you are planning to head over to Mackinac island!

  • Emily V.
    Aug. 17, 2018

    Pickerel Lake (Otsego) State Forest Campground

    Great getaway and lots of space!

    Great state forest campground. $15 per night can’t be beat. Sites are great for tents and RVs but no electricity. Hand pump wells for drinking water and vault toilets that are well kept. About 40 spots. All with picnic table and fire ring. Some are closer to the lake than others but good trails to get to the lake. Lake is perfect for swimming.

  • Jeffrey S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 28, 2020

    Magnus Park Campground

    Decent base camp

    It is a municipal campground so we didn't expect much but the access to the Little Traverse Wheelway and views of Lake Michigan were awesome - and full hook ups for the price was great.  It has a small bathhouse and the sites are pull-though with back to back setup (so utilities are at the same post as one of your neighbors) but we scored that the 2 sites in front of us cancelled (it was wet, cold, windy and in general miserable weather but we lucked out day 2 and got a bike ride in to Petoskey State Park and a stop at Burnt Marshmallow Brewing before rain rolled back in) so we had a big open space for the kids to bike around on and allowed a view of the lake.

    link on The Dyrt doesn't work - try this:

    https://www.petoskey.us/departments/parks\_and\_recreation/campground.php

    PROS: was really quiet, our neighbor is a regular and was extremely friendly and helpful.  The bike path to Petoskey State Park is right in front of the campground and takes you by the harbor and can branch off into town too.  Really close to downtown (which we did not explore but looks really nice).  We originally planned on staying at the state park but the campsite was half closed due to construction (so it will probably be really nice next year) but this worked out great.  Full hook ups on long pull thru sites for the price was great.  Firewood was available at the check-in kiosk and there is a playground on site.  Bathhouse with showers.  Less than 1 hour from Mackinac Island.  I read mentions of the hospital noise and while trucks unloading during the day was noticeable during the day, we didn't hear anything from there at night - the camp ground did have a transformer that was loud the first night but it was fixed by the next night.

    CONS: it is no-frills and could be packed in during summer, but that should be acceptable for the price if you are looking for an easy base camp with access to everything in Petoskey.  The bathhouse was clean but dated.  The campsites look like they did not get a lot of cleanup - I filled a grocery bag full of trash from our site and the 3 open ones next to us.  

    Ideal site would probably be as close to the lake as possible - the road in front is not travelled much since it dead ends at the campground.  There was a city facility at the end but it was not open on the weekend and we were told is pretty quiet when it is open.

    NOTE: This was our first MI campground as part of out trip from GA to MN via TN-KY-IN-MI-WI-northern MN before staying in MSP for a week, then return via MN-IA-MO-IL-KY-TN-Home.

  • Macy M.
    Sep. 15, 2020

    Hoeft State Park Campground

    Nice SP on Northern Lake Huron

    We stayed 8-3 to 8-7, only issue was the weather. Didn’t rain, but was hit with a cold front 😳. This was a great SP, no issues fitting our 36’ TT with 2 slides in our pull through site. We were nestled in the back of the park. Electrical box did have both 30 and 60 amp service. Our site was gravel and pretty much level. Large cemented fire ring and site was spaced great (especially for a SP). No water hookups but we try to reserve next to a water spigot. Lots of trails all around the park for walking and bike riding. To get to the beach you had to take one of the beach trails which is roughly 50-75 yards off the campground road. We went nearing dusk and it was so beautiful. Since we were in the back of the park we decided to leave the park the following day about half mile to the East to a roadside pull off to watch the sunset (I wasn’t about to lug 4 large camping chairs across the campground, lol). This was unknown to us at the time but we ended up seeing a blood moon rise and on such a clear night that you can see all the stars and constellations. I would seriously recommend this campground to everyone (just pack warm clothes). There are some other great attractions in roger city like the quary, 40 mile lighthouse, and a small waterfall just outside of town. We will definitely be back.

  • Kendra H.
    Oct. 16, 2023

    Little Brevort Lake North State Forest Campground

    Small rustic campground with boat launch

    Stayed here in early June and had the pleasure of having the whole campground to ourselves. Sites are close to one another and has vaulted toilets. This is a beautiful campground with access to the water via boat launch but not easy access from a few sites. Most sites are wooded and provide great shade and wind protection. Can be quite buggy. We kayaked and enjoyed beautiful sunrises and sunsets to escape the bugs. I did come back later in the season, early August, and sites were packed with multiple tents per site, and kids were riding their bikes around the loop all evening. I like to camp more secluded and this was just too busy and loud for my liking. I ended up leaving and staying at hog island state forest campground that trip.

  • Melissa H.
    Aug. 28, 2021

    St. Ignace-Mackinac Island KOA

    Nicest KOA I've ever stayed at!

    This was by far the nicest and most spacious KOA I've ever stayed at. There were a ton of trees and nicely wooded spots. We had site #16 right near the front, which meant we had some traffic noise and kids running to the adjacent playground, but the spacious lot size made up for it (and having 3 kids of our own, we didn't mind the playground being so close). Big towering pines and a soft bed of needles kept our site shady and cool with plenty of room to set up our camp chairs and hammock. Made for a relaxing place to read. The back campsites looked really nice and were much quieter.

    The pool was a little on the older side, but was clean and warm. There was (free) mini golf for the kids - pretty basic and again, older, but the kids didn't care. A couple of old-school playgrounds as well. Laundry facilities were clean with 6 washers and 6 dryers. The "dog run" was pretty laughable, as I'm finding with all KOAs - it was at most 20' x 20' square, so not much room for bigger dogs to actually run around. Wifi provided an excellent signal. The staff was friendly, but not very informative about things to do on Mackinac Island or the surrounding area.

  • Bev B.
    Sep. 30, 2023

    Reddmann's Sleepy Hollow

    Really perfect in off season

    Got here the weekend it was closing for the season and aside from the beginning of duck season and the firing of lots of shotguns on my next to last morning here, it was a really peaceful place. Best sites 17, 26, 27 otherwise somebody will set up a tent right next to your van or tent. Good artesian well and very clean vault toilets in this small family campground. They sell firewood and have nice moveable picnic tables and lots of trash receptacles sprinkled about. Lovely sunrise views of Lake Huron. $15/night without electrical

  • Ari A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 11, 2020

    Lime Island State Recreation Area — Lime Island Recreation Area

    Hard to get to but worth it

    Lime Island Recreation Area is located in the St. Mary’s River at the very east end of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It sits in the middle of the river with Canada on one side and Michigan on the other. Raber, Michigan is the nearest shore town, 2 miles across the river. The only way to reach the park is by boat but there are no designated ferries, so the only way to reach it is by using your own boat or finding someone in the area with a boat willing to charter you and your gear. Non-motorized boats are not recommended due to the many freighters and choppy water conditions.

    Overnight accommodations include six cabins that can sleep between four and seven guests each, as well as 10 tent sites on wooden platforms that look out over the river. The park is a favorite among fishermen, couples, and large families who like to rent out all the cabins for annual reunions. 

    A boat slip comes with your reservation. The island has limited electricity (solar-powered only) and no running water. Portable toilets are provided and there is a pump for a potable-water well. Cabin guests need to provide all their own gear, including sleeping and cooking supplies and equipment.

    Approximately 7 miles of hiking trails traverse the island, providing guests the chance to wander, explore and possibly encounter wildlife. With so little human activity you never know what you’ll find.

    One of the favorite pastimes of guests is sitting and watching the large Great Lakes freighters pass by at all hours of the day. They pass so close to the island you feel you could almost touch them. It’s quite a sight!

    There's a ton of history on the island, some of which is still visible. According to the Michigan DNR, “Lime Island provides a significant representation of early 20th-century industrial and maritime history. The coal dock, fuel storage tanks, Quonset hut with bunker, fuel heating and pumping equipment, other supporting buildings, and scattered industrial equipment, provide a complete picture of the island’s use as a ship refueling depot. The schoolhouse, superintendent’s house (that was brought to the island by dragging it across the frozen river), cottages, and fruit trees remind visitors of island life for the workers that supported the depot.”

    It's not an easy state park to reach, but if you can find a way to get there, the seclusion should make for some great camping on the tent platforms (or hanging out in the cabins if you're into that sort of thing.)

Guide to Mackinac Island

Tent camping near Mackinac Island, Michigan, offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, perfect for those looking to escape into the wilderness.

Some prices for tent camping range from $10 to $20

Local attractions to explore

Tips for tent camping near Mackinac Island

  • Make sure to reserve your spot at Camp Darling, where you can enjoy amenities like toilets and allow pets, making it a great choice for families.
  • Pack your essentials if you choose Hog Island Point State Forest Campground, as it has no electric hookups but offers a beautiful beach for swimming.
  • For a more adventurous experience, consider Stoney Creek Trail Camp, which features kayak and canoe rentals, perfect for exploring the nearby waters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mackinac Island, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mackinac Island, MI is Camp Darling with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.

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