Looking for an adventure where you can explore Ontonagon and then fall asleep in your tent? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Ontonagon with tent camping. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your Michigan tent camping excursion.
From the MI DNR Porcupine Mountains website:
Union River Outpost is a small three-site rustic campground located on the Union River. The campground offers solitude and a camping experience unlike a typical modern campground. Union River is a classic UP trout stream. The sites are ideal for tent, van or compact campers.
There is a vault toilet, but no running water is available at any of the outpost campgrounds. Fill up at park headquarters or visitor center.
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-ppl
The Wild and Scenic Sturgeon River rushes out of the northern portion of this wilderness, over the 20 foot volcanic outcroppings of Sturgeon Falls, and through a gorge that reaches 350 feet in depth and a mile in width. Throughout this rugged, steep Wilderness, the Sturgeon and Little Silver Rivers and their tributaries have carved falls, rapids, ponds, oxbows, and terraces. Stunning views are possible from the eastern rim of the gorge. Except for a few naturally bare slopes, most of the land is forested with pine, hemlock, aspen, sugar maple, birch, and basswood. When the leaves of the hardwoods change color in the fall, they form a vivid tapestry. There are few established trails in Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness, and the few overgrown logging roads are hard to find and follow. The North Country National Scenic Trail parallels the northern and eastern boundaries for about eight miles. Sturgeon River Campground offers seven sites on the southeastern boundary. In spring and during peak runoff, kayaking and white water canoeing are challenging, and only recommended for advanced paddlers. Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness Map
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/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html
Planning a trip to the Sylvania Wilderness? Watch for Alerts at the top of the page for any Alerts regarding this facility. The Sylvania Wilderness encompasses 18,327 acres of primitive lands and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Visitors can camp in 50 designated campsites within the Sylvania Wilderness. Visitors enjoy endless canoeing, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities.
Sylvania's abundant lakes provide plentiful non-motorized boating, canoeing, kayaking and fishing opportunities. Other popular activities include hiking and viewing wildlife.
The old-growth forests and pristine lakes in the region provide habitat for a wide range of animal and plant life, including rare orchids, bald eagles, loons and osprey. The wilderness contains 34 named lakes, some with sandy beaches and others surrounded by record-size red and white pines. The Ottawa National Forest is comprised of nearly 1 million acres and is located in the western reaches of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The forest's rolling, tree covered hills extend from the south shore of Lake Superior to the Wisconsin border. Lakes, rivers and waterfalls are found throughout this beautiful landscape.
Cancellations If you cancel reservation at least 14 days prior to check in date, all recreation fees, minus a $10 cancellation fee and the reservation fee ($8 if made online or $9 if made through the call center) will be refunded. If you cancel reservation less than 14 days prior to check in date, all recreation fees, minus $10 cancellation fee, reservation fee ($8 if made online or $9 if made through the call center), and first nights use fee will be refunded. The reservation fee ($8 if made online or $9 if made through the call center) is non-refundable. No Show Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. For more information about rules and reservation policies, visit the Recreaiton.gov Rules and Reservations Policy page.
$15 / night
This rustic campground provides visitors with access to deep woods with fishing and canoeing opportunities on the Middle Branch of the Ontonagon River. This dispersed campground is just a short walk from Mex-i-mine Falls. As you overlook this jewel you can feel the history when loggers used this area to transport their product to the saw mills.
This deep woods dispersed campground is located on Robbins Pond, a well known trout pond. It features three campsites and is located in the northeast corner of the Watersmeet Ranger District. Currently there are limited services provided at this campground.
Tepee Lake is easily accessible and fairly large lake that provides boaters and fishermen the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and relax
Traveler
Hancock campground has LOTS of RV sites as well as some really nicely hidden/shaded tent spots. You can walk down to the beach as well as some hiking trails nearby down the road. Also, it’s about a 33 minute walk to some restaurants and shops in town. Clean, heated restrooms. As of October 2024 when im writing this, their dryer is out of order, so laundry unavailable. Campground attendant is very nice as well
Guide
Great location, and has the basics for the camping. I was in site 44, and most of the sites in the "middle" were more of an open field with a couple of trees. There were no real clear boundary lines . If you are looking for a little more shade or tree cover, book a perimeter site. This is also the first campsite I've been to where the fire pit didn't have a grill grate on part of it. There is water on site, but it is the hand pump style, so it would help to have a large open container to capture the water.
Cell service was really spot (can be a good thing when camping), and I wasn't able to pick up a lot of radio stations either. Still nice to enjoy the quite dark skies. Short walk down stairs to Lake Superior which offered some great sunset views.
Lots of great hiking trails, and close to a lot of other fun attractions. I would plan on coming back up here another time, and possible pick a different site after being here.
Guide
We stayed for 3 nights. Lovely old and second growth trees. Bear and Wolf precautions, please. Hiking was good, fishing was good.
Guide
We stayed here the 2nd week of October. They were actually turning the water off for the year when we left. We had the park mostly to ourselves. They water access is nice and it is right off a main highway, although it was not too noisy. There are some state park hiking trails access from campground, also. Facilities were pretty standard state park fair. Sites seem to have plenty of room.
Traveler
Very wooded and quiet camp area - only 3 sites total in this loop! Note that there is no cell service here or really nearby. Not an issue if you're prepared for that! Great that we could access hiking trails from camp! Great spot for exploring the Porcupines and also for some privacy compared to the modern campground in the park. Night and day difference and you can use the amenities which are like 5mins away
Traveler
We love the area. Very nice people, well run campground. Staying on Lake Superior is almost always beautiful. Sunsets are amazing!! The sites are generous and partially wooded. Drawbacks, no laundry facilities, even in town. Stores, restaurants and gas stations nearby but expensive. (Though there is a dollar store) They do not take reservations, so it’s a gamble to just show up. You really have to be there, in person by 7AM to wait in line to get a site.
Overall, great place to stay!!
Traveler
We come up every year for the meteor shower, and every stay is a great one. New shower rooms, and huge dog park are awesome!
Traveler
Awesome little campground on the south side of the Porcupines. It’s in a convenient location to the hiking around the park. The sites are large, the campground is small (and quiet) and there’s even a creek that runs along the west side of the campground. We stayed in site 1. If you do cook using the fire pit grates, they do not have them here in the fire pits at this campground. You need to reserve sites and check in at the visitor center before you head to the site. I’d highly recommend this place to anybody in a tent especially!
ScoutThey don't do reservations, but despite having 10+ sites available, they're holding them for people who may never come.
Traveler
Excellent place to stop. Close to the lake. Great site. Peaceful. Reasonably priced
Traveler
We tented on lot 7 during the second week of June. It was very quiet. I was lucky to find this gem and you will only have spotty phone service at best. My dog had more fun than I did and we did a lot of hiking.
Traveler
Beautiful spots, friendly staff, clean toilet and trash canat each site. Will definitely return.
Scout
I can hear my neighbors talking at their campsite from mine. We are packed in here like sardines.
Beautiful area, though. Caught a rainbow just as we were setting up camp. And they had wood and ice.
Guide
Very nice n open for pulling in and doing dispersed camping, nice overview of the lake from the hill , quite too, fire pit made of rocks
Guide
Really nice and level site(62) just a short walk from the beach. Really clean and well kept state park. Hiking trails are plentiful. Centrally located on the Keweenaw Peninsula allows time for exploring many sites this location has to offer. Too bad the “Gitch” washed away some of the lakeside campsites, hopefully they rebuild soon! My family will definitely come back!
Guide
Cool Spot at Number 15 with my Boardwalk down to the River
GuideI spent an overnight in this beautiful place. I was all alone in the campground. A few people drove down to the water while I was there. The place is a "lovers lane" of sorts.
The road in is AWFUL. But slow driving is the cure for that.
There are a few spots suitable for a small travel trailer, but most of them are better suited to tents.
Legend
Saw a deer walking through camp. Nearby brewery was a nice treat! Sites we stayed at were pull through sites with full hook ups. A picnic table and fire pit is provided at each campsite and we were able to stay next to friends we were traveling with (specified we would like neighboring sites when we made the reservations). Nice amount of tree cover at our sites. The road into the campground was nice and smooth. There is also a small playground, bathrooms, and sanitary dump site in the campground.
LegendNice small lake, easy access from the main road. Road to the lake isn’t paved and there are huge potholes so go slow. A couple of the campers looked like they’re long-termers, but there was still plenty of room. It’s a dispersed area with some sites with fire pits that are cleared and open for camping, maybe about 6 spots or so. A couple of the spots are right down at the water.
There’s also a little trail by the water but the mosquitoes were too bad for me to try and hike it. Though this is definitely a local hangout, with trucks coming in and out almost all day and late into the night, everyone was respectful and quiet, and it was really nice and peaceful overnight.
There was a little road noise but not bad at all. Some interesting animal calls overnight as well. There was good cell reception for Verizon and ATT.
LegendVery nice and clean city park, right in town on the main road. The sites are all open and have zero privacy between them, but there was still a calm friendly vibe at the park (usually wide open campgrounds feel chaotic and messy to me).
FHU sites are $35/night, power only is $25, tents are $15. Pull through sites to your left as you come in, and to the right is a loop with back in sites.
Dumping fee for non-campers is $15, a bit higher than most places, and it’s another $15 to fill your tank with water. :(
Good cell reception here since it’s right in town. There’s a swing set but not much else in terms of activities or a playground. Each site has a nice new picnic table and fire pit. There are trash dumpsters but no recycling here.
ScoutCity run operation. Close to downtown Hancock. A few sites right along the canal. Variety of site configurations - from remote tent pads to open areas that permit families to set up camp units close together. Limited sites that have sewer, water, and/or electric.
Legend
This is one of the nicest USFS campgrounds we’ve stayed in. It’s freshly paved, including each camp spot’s parking area, so they’re relatively flat. It’s more open and clean and cared for than most USFS campgrounds we’ve stayed in.
It’s $16/night, self pay at the iron ranger. No host, no dump station, no recycling. There’s water (closed when we were there though), a trash bin, and vault toilets.
There’s a nice walk near site 18 to a scenic overlook of the lake, and if you keep going past the overlook there are stairs that take you down to the boat ramp, beach, day use area, trail to the falls, etc. Really nice lush beautiful green trail.
A few sites have a “view” of the lake, meaning you can see the water through the trees. #18 has the best view of the water. No cell service at the campground but Verizon and ATT had a very weak sporadic signal from our site (#20). This signal went away everywhere else in the campground though.
Flies and mosquitoes were annoying!
Legend
The road to this campground wasn’t too bad, it was paved most of the way, though there were a lot of potholes and bumps and dips. The last mile or so was unpaved but not bad at all.
We came here intending to stay at this campground right on the water, and maybe find some agates, but it was just not the vibe for us. The camping areas are big grassy open areas, and everyone just finds a spot along the perimeter and sets up camp. It had just such a crazy, chaotic feel to it- ATVs going up and down the road, shirtless barefoot kids on their bikes zooming around, beach going families going to hang out at the water for the day- it seemed like these were locals and they all knew each other, like a group camp.
Cost is $20/night, self pay. We didn’t see anyone that looked like a host, but who knows, maybe there was a host parking in there amidst the chaos. There are several day use area parking spots- no camping allowed here.
Easy access to the beach from the campground & day use. There’s a playground for the kids, and toilets, and a bunch of picnic tables set up behind the building in the center by the pay station. We didn’t stay the night but I can’t imagine that it’s quiet or calm at night here. No hookups or other amenities other than trash bins.
LegendMcLain SP - MI:
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer)
Overall Rating: 4.0
Price 2023: $35
Usage during visit: Near full, mid-week.
Site Privacy: Most sites have little privacy. Lake view sites: do not count on any privacy to the sides. but what you can create with your trailer.
Site surface: Grass and Gravel sites.
Reservations: Yes.
Campground Noise: Pretty quiet during our stay.
Through Traffic in campground: None
Electric Hookup: Yes. Bring an extension cord . Required for some sites.
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Yes
Potable Water Available: There is a dump station on the way in to the camping area. Potable water is there and there are a few scattered spigots. See the map in my photos.
Generators: All sites have electricity.
Bathroom: Pit and flush toilets.
Showers: Yes
Pull Throughs: See ‘Sites’, below.
Cell Service (AT&T): Good
Setting: 1 - 41 in open grass area with few trees. 42 + in nice wooded area
Weather: Highs in low 80s during our stay.
Bugs: Not bad. Probably the breeze from the lake is holding them at bay.
Solar: All are electric sites
Host: Never seen.
Rig size: The largest I’ve seen is about 35’.
Legend
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
Traveler
Our campsite possibly was the best one The Beaver Lodge Interpreted Trail System is a good hike. Bathrooms are conveniently located. Cell phone service isnt good, but didnt come for that.A great get away.. I gave a 5 star, for the beauty.
GuideVery nice place, well set up. It was super hot so the bathroom floors were sweating and wet But over all clean.
If you don’t have water it’s a bit of a pain but onboard tanks or jugs are doable.
Tent camping near Ontonagon, Michigan offers a serene escape into nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure and tranquility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ontonagon, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ontonagon, MI is Union River Rustic Outpost Camp — Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park with a 5-star rating from 3 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Ontonagon, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Ontonagon, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
