Do you enjoy camping but don't want to rough it? Glamping is a great option. Glamping near Ontonagon, MI is a great way to go camping with the tastes of home. You're sure to find glamping for your Michigan camping adventure.
Backcountry sites: An unlimited number of permits can be issued but only 63 spots have a metal fire ring. Fires are restricted to metal fire rings. Cost $14- for 1-6 people. Maximum number per site is 6.
$28 - $40 / night
The Porcupine Mountains Presque Isle Campground offers 50 rustic campsites near the scenic Presque Isle River. There are vault toilets and hand pumps for water. In addition to drive-up sites, there are also 6 walk-in sites. The campground is split into two loops. The east loop is a generator friendly side, while the west loop is generator free. There is access trails to the nearby Presque Isle River and or to the Lake Superior shoreline. Firewood is available for purchase at the campground office. At roughly 60,000 acres, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is Michigan’s largest state park. It is home to 35,000 acre old-growth forest, roaring waterfalls, miles of rivers and streams, more than 90 miles of hiking trails, the Lake Superior shoreline and vistas unrivaled anywhere in the Midwest.
$4 - $20 / night
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more:https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
Camping at River Road RV Park & Campground, Ontonagon, MI near the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Located by the Ontonagon River and Marina with easy access to Lake Superior, and just 1 mile from downtown Ontonagon.
River Road RV Park and Campground offers 30 full hookups with pull through sites for larger RV's and shady tent sites to accommodate all campers. Year Round Camping.
Free Wi-Fi
Pets Welcome.
Coin-Operated Laundry.
The Service Building has a laundry, flush toilets, and a new and modern shower facility that is handicapped accessible and features hot showers and a heated floor for those cool days.
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
Although not part of the Ottawa National Forest, this beautiful waterfalls is surrounded by the Ottawa National Forest. One of the most popular Upper Peninsula waterfalls. Managed by the U.P. Power Company, a developed trail is maintained with steps and bridges across the river at the base of the falls. This is one fall that is beautiful yearlong, and a variety of plants can be viewed throughout the summer.
Ranger
Have not camped here yet but the whole area is amazingly beautiful. Yurts and Cabins available. Definitely Seasonal. the road is not plowed completely in winter.
Guide
This is a very nicely maintained privately owned campground. Really great spaces for long Class A and C Motorhomes. Nice fishing on the Ontonagon River and big marina close-by. Porcupine Mountains just minutes down the road. Nice selection of books and DVDs to borrow too. Great play area for kids.
ScoutRight across the street is a river. They have a few docks. Just a few blocks from the Ontonagon city marina. Somewhat close to city beaches on Lake Superior. The bathrooms and showers are always clean. Nice pull through sites and full hookups. You can socialize or keep to yourselves.
Legend
Ontonagon County Park is right on Lake Gogebic. If that is all you read you might book a site. This place doesn't look like it has been updated in years. It is run down.
The positive is that it is right on the lake and has a boat ramp. So if you want to boat and can't find another place to camp on the lake, this will work for you. Otherwise I would head down the road a couple of more miles and stay at Lake Gogebic State Park or find a private campground on the lake.
GuideWe stayed here to visit Porcupine Mountain State Park. We enjoyed the park, had some great hikes along water falls and spending time along the shore of Lake Superior.
Check-in was smooth and they offered us several options of sites to pick from. The campground seems to be well maintained and some of the sites are large. Our site was grass and had some ruts from previous guests. It sounded like they had a lot of rain earlier in the summer.
Some sites do face each other which we find a little awkward when you are not traveling with friends. The pressure to visit when outside every time does feel a bit uncomfortable. We were fortunate to have a great family next to us which made the awkwardness feel much less uncomfortable.
There were some sites that were full of toys (four wheelers and side-by-sides) but we never felt that they were noisy. There were a couple of sites that enjoyed “sharing” their music with the campground, but that didn’t subside after a while (thankfully).
Ontonagon is a quiet sleepy little town which didn’t seem to have much happening. But it was a Covid year and everything is a little different.
We enjoyed our time here and would stay here again and will bring some friends along as well.
Legend
This is a beautiful area to visit even if it is just for a day, but just a days visit will leave you wanting to comeback for more! The Porcupine Mountains is located in the Northwest tip of Michigans Upper Peninsula. There are multiple entrances depending on what part of the park you want to visit. One of the most popular sites in the park is Lake of the Clouds. I have never been fortunate enough to see it on a clear day in person so you may take your chances by cloud cover or the fog. There are campsites that do sit close to the lake but require a hike. This park offers many hiking trails that pass and cross numerous lakes and streams. If you are a backpacker this is an excellent place to go. I would suggest later August or Fall. The trails can be impassable at times during the late Spring and the black flies will disappear usually by August but they can stick around. Check trail conditions often!! You can either camp with your tent or rent cabins along the trail which are usually well kept, I can not say the same about the Yurt however. You should book these cabins or tent sites well in advance as this is a popular park. I prefer tent camping but on my week long hike I decided to rent cabins instead and I am glad I did. I did hike the second week of June and the trails were unkept and the tent sites were thick mud with not much of a choice but to sleep in the mud. The cabins do have wood burning stoves, beds and benches. You will have the occasional rodent but some of the cabins had traps in them and if you set one and catch one, you will be left alone for the rest of the night. I had set the trap and reset the trap twice in 30 seconds, after catching two and coming to the conclusion I could be up all night doing this, after the third trap I just left the rodent in the trap and it must have been a deterrent because I wasn't bothered the rest of the night.
I really can't say enough about this park even though my hiking experience was miserable given the trail conditions. It is a challenge to hike but with such a vast are of wilderness there is so much more to do. Near by is the Presque Isle River Campground and Scenic Area which shouldn't be missed either.
GuideWe visited with our dog the first week of October to catch the fall colors. After driving up from Chicago, checking in, and then driving to Little Carp River Road, finally ready to hike at 4pm. Parking lot isn't huge and all sites were booked that weekend but we were able to snag a spot. We took the Little Carp River trail all the way to the site, which was easy to follow, a good bit of up and down but nothing too difficult. Reservation site says 2.3 miles, we did closer to 3.5 by the time we arrived. LC-7 and LC-6 are close to each other but far enough away that you have some privacy, couldn't hear the other party chatting. Fire wood in the area was sparse, everything was damp. Bear pole was tough to find, follow the trail past the site, then a stump, at the second huge tree on your left, turn to your right and climb the hill.
Site has a fire pit, logs to sit on and plenty of level space to pitch tents. It is right on the trail, so you may see some traffic. Good coverage from old growth trees, enough hills in the area to find privacy for squatting, and the river is easy to access. If I had to choose between LC-6 and LC-7, would pick 6, it's up higher and further from the trail.
We hiked back the next morning, went to Lake in the Clouds and then Ontonagon for lunch. Visited Squeeze on Main for food and beer, place is brand new, looks nice, price reasonable, food was ok. Then the bar a few doors down for more beer, they had a good selection.
Then we drove to the Pinkerton Trail head, limited parking on the side of the road, but room enough on the end for a few cars when we arrived. Pinkerton was a pleasant stroll through the woods, lots of boards, dead falls, and mud, and it's a gradual descent. Met up with the Superior Trail 3 miles in, then went left to LS-3.
LS-3 is everything we came for - right on the lake, plenty of firewood, ultimate in privacy since no other sites are within at least a half mile, perfectly level spot for the tent and a built-out fire pit area. Highly recommend.
GuideWe stayed in this rustic campground mid-week in mid-September and were glad to find it wasn't busy or noisy. I think we hit it just right post-summer and pre-autumn colors (although several patches of trees along the way were blazing with fall color!). Loved that it had a 'no generator' side to help with the quiet we were seeking. While I had first booked Site 19 because all the lake sites were taken and I liked its privacy tucked into the woods a bit, we found that it was almost all dirt and, with rain expected, we didn't want to hang out in a mud bowl. We went back to the ranger and he recommended Site 11, which was actually super nice--still somewhat private but also grassy and with a slight view of Lake Superior. I think 18 would be great, too, if the lake sites are unavailable. All of those looked awesome, with my favorites being #10 and #6. Site 10 was right across from us and was vacant for the majority of our stay, which allowed us to set our chairs on the bluff overlooking the lake and read and enjoy the views.
The weather was unseasonably warm for mid-September and Lake Superior was oddly calm. This resulted in some flies, which was a bummer. Every night, though, the winds kicked up around dinner time and they were gone. When they were hanging around, though, (mostly mornings), they made cooking miserable and also the pit toilets buzzed with them, which was not fun. But I think once the autumn temps kick in and the winds sustain a bit, they'd be much less of an issue.
The park is in an amazing location, with the Presque Isle River running through it and phenomenal hiking trails/vistas right there. It was also an easy drive to Lake of the Clouds, Summit Peak, and Ontonagon. Just stunning forests, waterfalls, hills and drives and, of course, the incomparable Lake Superior all within easy reach. We also stopped at Bond Falls on our way to the Porkies from the east, which was beautiful.
Love the UP; love the remoteness yet accessibility (if that makes sense) of this campground; love tent camping on Lake Superior; love this place.
Legend
This was a GREAT campground to stay at for checking out some of the numerous popular waterfalls in upper Michigan. Our grassy site was on the shore of the lake with lots of trees. It felt quite secluded and the park wasn't too busy. The facilities were clean and the park rangers were very friendly and helpful. We like trying new campsites on each trip, but this was pretty ideal so we might be back next year!
Traveler
Hi, all. So, everyone’s been traveling haven’t they? Us spontaneous no planning SOB’s are SOL. My family could not find anywhere to stay and this was the very last campsite on the map in the state of Michigan. We thought F it. We will pay 30$ for electricity and a shower... honestly worth it for the shower. But definitely not a destination spot if I do say so myself. If you can, PLAN your camping. I’m from MN and am not used to having to reserve your campsite. Plan ahead and get the best of the best. Although, we did have weird luck camping at smaller lakes outside of pictured rocks for free.
Legend
Bond Falls is a little difficult to figure out if you haven't done your homework before visiting. You will show up to Bond Falls looking for a campground. You will see a self-registration board at the falls but it has NOTHING to do with camping. It is only to register your vehicle for the daily admittance pass if you have not already done so. Problem, it is the same form and envelope in every other Michigan State park so you will see the line for camping fees on the form and it can be a bit confusing.
The falls are very pretty and worth checking out. There is no "campground" per se. There are campsites strung along the banks all around the lake, there are even a few camp sites on some islands in the middle of the lake. The camp sites are managed by a power company. They have a visitor center right off the main road outside of the park entrance where you can get all of the information you need.
Do your homework before you commit the time and resources to camping at Bond Falls.
LegendPresque Isle is a rustic campground in the Porcupine Mountains on Lake Superior in Michigan. Not to be mistaken for the Presque Isle campground in WIsconsin.
The hiking is great and it has a majestic feel camping on top of a bluff looking out to Lake Superior. This is my kind camping. It doesn't get five stars because it lacks some amenities but it is secluded and there are plenty of open campsites.
The park is clean. There are trees everywhere with a large canopy providing a lot of shade. There is plenty of parking for your vehicle. The only downside to the campground is the campsites are very open and not very private, but there is a lot of space.
The Park is a little difficult to find if you have never been there before. It is about 17 miles from Wakefield and highway 28. Just follow the signs and you will get there.
FYI: While you are in Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park make sure you checkout Union Bay campground, it is right on the shore of Lake Superior.
Don't miss the hiking trails!
Legend
This is a beautiful campground right next to the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park in the U P of Michigan. After reading the reviews of the Union Bay Campground in the park, I'm glad I could get a reservation here!
This is a well established campground. There's 50 sites with water & electricity, but no sewer. There is a dump station.
Some sites have more room than others. We had site 16, which was roomy. Site 20 is also roomy & shady.
The best sites over look the Union River. Sites 27/28 are nice & site 29 is outstanding. There are a few pull throughs.
Any of the perimeter sites would be good. These have a woods view in the back.
Avoid sites 24A/45&46. these sites are very near the dump station, with 45 right by it. There's a tall fence separating you from it.
The bathrooms are beautiful! Clean with hot showers. Decorated nicely, with music also. There's a community fire pit on the front lawn with swings & chairs. A nice view of Lake Superior. The sunsets are outstanding. There's a free beach across the street. You need to take the stairs down to it. Don't try climbing down the rocks!
I didn't have much luck looking for Yooper Stones.
The gift shop is small, but has some nice things.
Out of the 3 campgrounds we stayed at this trip, this was our favorite!
Legend
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. Lots of space in between most sites gives you a good deal of privacy. In mid-October, we woke up to full on winter one morning, so be prepared for anything in the shoulder season. Also, 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.
Getting to Big Lake leads you through some marvelous pine meadows and wetlands with browsing deer and pheasants. The North Country Trail (long distance backpacking 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. Within 10 miles back on the highway is a large gas station/convenience store and café where you could get a hot meal or stock up on a few essentials.
Opportunities for hiking, biking, paddling or fishing abound in this area, so plan to bring your gear with you. There is a small craft launch right in the campground to access the lake, which as it turns out isn’t very big when you compare it to nearby Lake Superior. I imagine that this might be a popular deer hunting campground during rifle season. Bathrooms are simple pit-toilets, and water is accessible year-round with the hand operated well pump.
RangerIf 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.
LegendCampground Review:
There are a couple of camping options in the Porcupine Mountains of northern Michigan. Presque Isle is a primitive campground on the western side of the park. There are 50 sites, with generator and non-generator sites clearly separated (although that didn’t stop some idiot from parking his RV on the edge of the non-generator side and running his generator until 2am- the only one running a generator in all 50 sites). On the non-generator side sites on the outside of the loop back to either the woods or the lake and have great hammocking options. Sites on the inside of the loop are kind of in the open, with no privacy and just a few hammocking trees. All of the campground is well shaded. The vault toilets were clean, but in need of being pumped out. There is a steep trail to the lake (some of this is covered in staircases, but the last scramble is down a steep slope). The trailhead to the waterfall trails is located in the generator side of the campground. There is also a trail to the lake and a small beach where you could swim.
Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt I get to review products from time to time. On this trip I got to review the Matador DL16 Backpack. I found this to be a really handy day pack to have around for this trip. While I brought my Osprey Talon daypack, I never used it, instead grabbing this little guy time and time again. This was a super convenient pack to toss in my gear tub and pull out (literally) when I wanted a small lightweight option.
Here’s what I liked:
Here are the things I think could be improved:
Overall, I really liked this for carrying a light load on a day hike.
GuideNice size lots, clean, quiet
ScoutGood people good times
GuideNot much to share here. RVs spaced about awning to awning in a field. They had power and water and sewer, but not much else to offer. Would consider if nothing else available within an hour’s drive.
LegendRefused to pay a lot of money for a crappy campsite at Union Bay campground - Porcupine Mtn State Park, so we stopped for the night at River Road Campground. $20 with no hookups. Clean restrooms & shower stalls. The campground is an open field with plenty of pull thrus. Also has tent sites. Good overnight stay. BTW: Syl's Cafe in town is good.
GuideFound this place by chance. Amazing location across from Lake Superior. The best sunsets I’ve seen west of the pacific.
TravelerThis place in the fall is magic. Beautifully wooded, many sites have a view of Lake Superior. You can hear the waves at night. Some of the sites are a tight squeeze if your rig is large, opt for the pull-through. Don’t expect to do work or school, service and internet up there is practically non existent. Instead, walk the shore of Superior, enjoy the all gorgeous sights the Porcupine Mountains have to offer just a short drive away. Bathrooms and showers were clean and well kept.
GuideA bit cramped But clean and friendly
ScoutGreat location, some of the best kept facilities, nice sites, but rules are strict(COMPLY!), owners are on you like a hawk to see fit you don’t break one, and they become outright unreasonable and rude—even for the slightest, and easily correctable misunderstanding(versus flagrant violation), which can ruin the experience, unfortunately. The owners are not tolerant of visitors, interrogating them at check in, and threatening to tow cars away if not out by the time required. They refer to other campgrounds in the area as“Siberian refuge camps.” It’s their right and choice to be this way. Make sure you know the rules and have back-up plans if you happen to be caught up in any misunderstanding or honest error about“the rules,” which they will certainly let you know about and automatically escalate.
RangerCampground is surrounded by trees which provide a lot of shade, inner circle sights are close together, some unique set ups but the outside sides are spacious..
Electric hook up with water fill station and dump.
Bathhouse is centrally located
Staff/ owner very friendly and helpful.
Store on property sells wood, ice and other goods.
Cross the street and you arrive at Lake Superior
20 minutes to town 10 miles to lake of the clouds
Book early, these sites go fast!
TravelerWe decided to go on a two week no plans but travel trip and found this campground by mistake and so happy we did. Super nice family-owned location with showers, wifi and so much more. You are just a 1-minute walk from the lake. You for sure will not be disappointed with the decision to stay here.
LegendThis campground saved the day when we visited the Porcupine Mountains. We might have skipped the step about doing enough research, and we arrived after a 10 hour drive to find that everything in the backcountry and campground were 100% full. I wouldn’t really rave about much else, other than the view of the beach and the fact that it’s really close to hiking in the park. The entire grounds are just a large grassy area and a lot of the sites were a little soggy when we were there. BUT, like I said, it totally saved our asses, so it gets 4 stars! Oh, and the bathrooms were SO CLEAN! Like epic clean👌
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Ontonagon, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Ontonagon, MI is Porcupine Mountains Backcountry Camping — Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park with a 4.7-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Ontonagon, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 glamping camping locations near Ontonagon, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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