Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Ottawa National Forest

This patch of wilderness within the Ottawa National Forest is unmatched. I didn’t think I was in the Midwest. Remote and not well traveled. I highly recommend heading over to nearby Silver Mountain.

This campground is one of the best in/near the Ottawa National Forest. Sites are large and there are lots of trees creating privacy. We loved the hiking trails surrounding the area! This is a more rustic place to camp, but the feel of nature surrounding you is worth it.

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!

Black River Harbor Campground is a rustic campground on the shores of western Lake Superior. It’s a 38 site campground, and accommodates everything from tents to RVs; however all sites are non electric and there are no pull thru sites or dumb stations, so keep that in mind. It’s part of the the National Forest, so going online and reserving it was super easy. The sites are large and give you plenty of privacy, and we even scored an awesome view of the lake. Unfortunately there’s no lake access, but we weren’t upset by that (Lake Superior is like 10 degrees anyway). The vault toilets were... well typical vault toilets. There were also water faucets around, which was really convenient for cooking and drinking water! Now for the down side: black flies. They. Are. EVERYWHERE. We went early-mid July and it was so bad we left with at least 20 bites each. Deet does nothing. In fact, we were told by a local that “no bug spray works, any spray that says it does is lying.” All you can do is either hide in your car and hope they don’t fly in or buy a solid anti-itch stick. Although we loved the campground setup and location, the black flies alone were enough to dock a star.

As far as things to do around the area, there’s PLENTY! At the harbor, there a place to put a boat in and a large picnic area that was actually kind of busy for such a hidden gem. I’ve read that there are fishing charters that’ll take you out on Lake Superior from there as well, but we didn’t look into them since we were only there 1 night. The main attractions are the 5 waterfalls, each with their own short trail and parking area. There are all along Black River Scenic Byway, so they are easy to find. The NCT also runs through the area, and if you’re looking for a longer hike, it connects all 5 falls. My personal favorite was Sandstone falls, we were able to walk out on the falls themselves. About 20 minutes away is the worlds largest freestanding ski jump, it’s called Pine Mountain Jump and it’s in Iron Mountain. Being in the heart of the Ottawa National Forest, there are plenty of trails and things to see, these are just some suggestions (:

Overall, it’s an awesome campground in an AMAZING area, but don’t forget your anti itch stick for all those flies!

Pet-friendly. Site can be reserved. Shore access & trail access to many waterfalls within a short walking distance.

Beautiful & clean. Great site overlooking Lake Superior. Need to walk over highway to get to water. Very orderly and great Park Manager. Family & pet friendly with awesome playground.

Loved this camping trip. Great park. Super helpful and friendly staff/hosts. Clean bathrooms, pet friendly. Awesome location on Lake Gogebic shore. Close to Porcupine Mountains and Bond Falls and hiking trails. Would love to visit again.

This was our first time camping in Michigan and we loved being so close to Lake Superior. We're used to MN state parks, so we found the campsites in MI to be a bit small and too close to each other. The fire ring for the site behind ours was very close to the bed area of our camper. Our spot was campsite #98. There's not a lot of shade or vegetation between campsites in that row, but it was easy walking distance to the modern restroom/showers and Lake Superior. Next time we would like to camp along the lake. The trail around Lake of the Clouds was well worth it!

Campground Review:

A nice well maintained campground in the Ottawa National Forest. This campground is very close to the North Country Trail, Lake Superior, and to several beautiful waterfalls. A large loop, there are 38 sites to pick from of varying sizes. If you are lucky, you will score a site that is set back a bit from the road and has some good hammock trees. Try to get a site on the outside of the loop, closer to the lake. No sites are on the lake with beach access, but there are a few that have lake views. The vault toilets are older but well maintained, and there are water pumps scattered around the campground. There are no hookups for RV’s, but they are permitted in the campground. There are no pull through sites. Just up the road is the Harbor with a boat ramp and large picincing area with some historical buildings and signage. There is some construction going on here, so be aware there might be some parking lots and access points closed. Further inland is a series of four spectacular waterfalls that can be accessed either individually from pull outs and parking lots or along the North Country hiking trail. Be forewarned: there are LOTS of stairs to access the waterfalls. Not too far away is Copper Peak, the only ski flying facility in North America. In the summer you can ride up to the top to see pretty far. It’s not for the faint of heart, you really can’t mind heights if you are going up there. The Red Bull X Games used the ski launch for some crazy competition earlier this summer.

Product review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, from time to time I get to test products. On this camping trip I tested the Matador Camera Base Layer while hiking and photographing the waterfalls. I think some of the purpose of the Matador Camera Base Layer is to provide some insulation for sensitive cameras from extreme cold air, but I was hiking in July so this was not something I could really put to the test. However, I could test the padding and the water resistance of the 30D Cordura fabric and the integrated rainfly.

Here’s what I liked:

1. The padding was nice in that I was really comfortable tossing my camera in my day pack and not worrying about the screen getting scratched or losing my lense cap.
2. It was really easy to use: put the camera in the bag, roll the top closed, and clip like a dry bag.
3. My camera strap becomes the base layer bag strap, which means no added weight of extra straps, and no extra straps getting in the way.
4. The rain fly is integrated in a small pouch in the bottom of the base layer bag, and since it is attached, it won’t get lost or left behind.
5. I like the black color, makes it look like the professional, high end piece of equipment that it is.

Here’s what could be improved:

1. I would like some sort of clip or tie or velcro that I could use to attach this to my camera strap. Currently when you take it off your camera, you are left holding the bag, literally, in one hand and your camera in the other. Then you need to find a place to stash it while you use your camera. A single connector would allow this light as air bag to hand from the strap while you use the camera.
2. I wish the sides were closed up just a tad (an inch or two at most) more. I feel like the side openings are maybe too big and sewing them up just a bit more would provide a deeper, more protective bag for my camera (time to get out the sewing machine!).

Overall, I like the product and am glad I had it with me while out clambering around the ravines and waterfalls.

Pet-friendly. Site was able to be reserved online for overnight tent camping - however, it was labeled a "day-use" or "group" area - not sure if this was a fluke or what. Beautiful site right on the shores of Lake Superior with amazing views. The campsite was really busy, the sites looked packed together offering little privacy. This site is tucked away in a corner so you only have one neighboring site. Flooding would be a concern if expecting rain.

Beautiful family campground on the North ashore of Lake Superior. It has RV, tent and back country sites as well as cabins and yurts for rent. Many amazing hiking trails and beautiful waterfalls to explore near by. Campground has large clean bathrooms and showers and a nice camp store. It is also pet friendly and has WiFi,  but no playground.  We stayed at site 82 which had a partial view of the lake and backed the tree line. It was a nice site. I gave this campground 4 out of 5 stars because some of the sites were a little too close together but overall a great campground and we will be back!

This large campground stretches out along the lakeshore. Some sites have beautiful lake views(we suggest trying those first). There are also some double sites that would nestle you in closely with your neighbors- perfect for a larger group. A few walk in spots are available too. 

The nature trail doesn’t allow pets which was sad. However the paved bike route is nearby and goes for miles. Town is a short bike ride away. This weekend was an organized ride so it was quite a busy path. A couple days later the town had a large garage sale-type fair. The cookies and jam were great! 

This was a great discovery. We are adding this to our places to return to. 

The lake is beautiful and has a nice picnic area with a place to launch your boat.

This site is right next to the trail. Little to no privacy. Finding a place for a cat hole can be fun :D It does have a bear pole and water is available from the Big Carp River. I failed to take any photos of this location :(

I have 3 stars because we reserved a spot on the lake. Great view. All the sites are jammed together with little privacy. One wash house with 4 showers(shared by both sexes) for entire campground. Crowded with tons of dogs, that seem to bark non stop. Off leash along rocks barking at people. Wish people would be a bit more respectful with their dogs. Understand this is one of the few campgrounds in the Porkies with electric hookup. We did a lot of day trips so that made up for the crowded camp sites.

Overall a decent Campground. Lots are spacious. Layout of fire pit on sites are poor. For example lot 76, fire is offset to the left of the electrical post. This is a problem since majority of RVs have awnings on the right side and electrical hook up on the back left side. Our fire pit ended up behind the camper. Poor layout by campsite personnel. “DNR Officer” that oversees the grounds is a zealot on dog leashes! “Your dog must be on a six foot leash even while swimming,” he yelled at me. Being an owner of a finely trained Labrador Retriever that I was exercising in the water, I doubt I will be back!!!!!!!!

Musky Lake Campground is a nice campground. We camped mid-late June and had a nice little trip. Here's the good and the bad.

The good:

A surplus of dragonflies means that mosquitos were NOT a problem. As someone who gets eaten alive this is important.

Deer are rampant in the area. The loons on the lake are the epitome of the north woods! I camp to enjoy wildlife, so this is a plus.

Nice hiking trails nearby. Numerous bike paths as well.

Large bathroom facility with flush toilets and showers.

The bad:

Sites are close together. I prefer a bit more privacy than they allow.

Lake access from the site is...existent at best. I was able to launch my inflatable kayak very carefully between the sticks and weeds, though I'm not sure anything bigger or heavier would be worth launching from the site.

No beach swimming areas for dogs. There's a dog friendly picnic area, but it is certainly no place to let your dog swim.This was disappointing. Many of the trails are also off limits for dogs which is beyond me, though this is unrelated to the actual campground I'm sure.

All in all Musky Lake is worth checking out. There is a nice human friendly beach at nearby (you can walk there) Crystal Lake. The location is good, not too far from civilization for those who like a grocery store nearby.The sites were level and had plenty of room for our 2 tents. This area has to be on your list if you are a bike rider! I felt out of place because everyone up there had their bikes, and I could see why.

Very pretty and clean. The views of Lake Superior are amazing. Lots of really nice hiking trails, rookie hiker and his lady here. Did the 5 mile summit peak loop fairly easily. Bathrooms are nice, showers lack some water preasure Dogs allowed on leashes and not in buildings.

Loved the water view from our campsite, unfortunately on the other side was the main entrance and a highway so vehicular traffic sound was prominent. Sites are large, with some tree coverage. Many families with kids and dogs. Well maintained and great walking and biking trails in the park and surrounding area.

You can't beat the Porcupine Mountains if you're looking for wilderness experiences in Michigan. Union Bay is a nice campground to use as a base camp for lots of day hikes in the area.

It can be busy and weekends are louder with kids, dogs, loud neighbors, etc , just like most state parks. Weekdays tend to be quieter even when busy.

Many sites are quite close together and there isn't much privacy in those. Some sites have odd sizes and shapes so be prepared to adjust your rig on the site to get best placement and be level (back in vs. sideways, etc ). Also consider having leveling blocks with you.

Sites in bottom loop offer great views and access to Lake Superior. But even the upper loops are a short walk to awesome shoreline and amazing sunrises.

Bathrooms are clean and showers have good design, although shower heads could use some maintenance.

Staff working the office seem to really know their stuff about hiking the area, so check with them for ideas in addition to the Visitors Center.

If you want the wilderness feel of the Porkies but modern amenities at the end of the day, this is the place.

Note that cellular service can be extremely weak if you don't have a booster.

Great for beginning backpackers and those who want a longer trip, the Porcupine Mountains offer 100+ miles of trails. Can make 2-3 day loops, or do in and out hikes. Beautiful views, old growth forests, waterfalls and rivers. Starting with the 2018 season, the backcountry campsites must be reserved in advance. Campsites have bear poles and fire pits. There are also a few cabins that can be rented, but don't allow dogs inside the cabins.

Right on the lake. Rocky ledges made it very slippery, so no dip in the lake at the campsite. 30 amp service, but no water at the sites. Fill water tanks at the dump station. Plenty to do in the area. Took several day hikes with the family and the kids and dog enjoyed playing in Lake Superior at Presque Isle, about a 25 minute drive away, where they have a semi-sandy beach area and waterfalls. Did a pontoon rental for a day and enjoyed fishing on Lake Superior and taking a leisurely cruise up the Ontonagon River.

the campground is very nice and so are the campground hosts. its very close to 41 so you hear a lot of road noise (reason for my lower score). there are train tracks behind our site. we’ve only been here a few hours and havent had a train come by. it seems to be close to orv trails, lots of people here have sidexsides and quads. no one has been loud though. bathrooms are nice and clean and showers seem clean too (havent used them yet). no laundry here if youre looking for that. dogs are welcome.