Best Glamping near Sault Ste. Marie, MI

This park pretty much lacks any character as it is an open area with a bunch of scattered campsites but it makes up for that with its location. Most people come to the town of Sault Ste. Marie (called the “Soo”) to check out the famous Soo Locks and watch massive Great Lakes freighters pass through them on their way from Lake Superior to Lake Michigan.

This is a city run park that is 20 acres right on the St. Mary’s River so you get a great view of the ships passing by. When we arrived it had been rainy during the day and there was lots of water in the roads and at people’s campsites. Luckily our site was dry but there were some pretty big puddles and lots of standing water. Some of the sites are right on the river which and have unobstructed views of the ships. Reservations are by phone only. I had to leave a message but got a call back within a few hours and it was pretty easy from there

There are 100 sites with water and electric and all are pretty easy to get into with an RV. Tent camping is allowed but there is no separate section so you are mixed in with RVs.  Some of the hook-ups at sites are crazy. Our water was nearly 50 feet away and some are on the wrong side. Bathroom and shower facilities very nice and well maintained, with private lockable shower rooms. There is a laundry with book exchange but no camp store. The park has showers and restrooms that were very clean and modern. The showers are separate rooms that have privacy so you are not in the bathroom. They also have a laundry facility. The park wifi worked well at our site (#72) as did our Verizon phone and hotspot. Adjacent to the campground is a boat launch, playground (which looked like it was from the 1960’s), fish cleaning station, and an RV dump station.

The campground is not very large so for walking our dog we went to the adjacent park and were able to throw a ball for her. Within walking distance of the campground is a convenient store and there is a casual restaurant with burgers/fried fish/hotdogs/etc. 

A visit to the Soo Locks is definitely a must. The Visitor Center (operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) is free and well worth a visit. There are some short films, interpretive exhibits, and a board letting you know what time the ships are expected into the locks. Outside is a viewing platform where you get a great view of the ships in the locks watching them rise 20+feet as they make their transition.

I wouldn't consider this an amazing park, but if you come to Sault Ste. Marie there are not a lot of choices and its fine. You are just a few miles from downtown and the Locks and get to watch freighters navigate the narrow stretch of the river. The downsides are there are not lots of trees or privacy and the drainage is really poor. 

Tip 1: Site #9 is probably the best in the park as it is on the end, has a great view and more privacy.

Tip 2: For a delicious hamburger head under the International Bridge to West Pier Drive-In. It is the kind of place where you sit in your car and eat the most delicious juicy hamburger that fills your belly all day.

We decided to splurge on a yurt for our first camping trip of the summer. Well worth it! We stayed in"Kai" one of the newest yurts. It's at the end of what we came to call"the yurt village". Complete with electricity, indoor and outdoor string lights, two deck chairs, a heater, a queen sized bed, and an electric kettle with pour over coffee supplies, it was truly a treat! The bathroom and shower building is about.1 miles each way according to my fitness tracker, but it's doable. Downside: the firepit is small(about the size of a small charcoal grill) and shallow, so it's not really suitable for cooking. Bring a propane stove or some no-cook foods, or go enjoy some of the area restaurants! The site is still a diamond in the rough with cut downed wood and sawdust scattered about, and the ground is uneven. With time, though, it will probably turn out beautifully! We were there for three weeknights and rarely even heard other campers. A quiet and peaceful retreat.

We decided to stay 5 days here after our original plan fell through. It’s a smaller secluded campground with larger sites. We arrived in the middle of the week so there were a variety of sites available. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. Be prepared to bring enough firewood and supplies as many of the shops nearby close early.

Pros: Little Brevort lake is a great spot for stargazing with good visibility and shooting stars. Large sites, close to Lake Michigan, quiet, secluded, great views, shaded sites, inexpensive, opportunity to listen to native wildlife.

Cons: Sites can be close together but not clustered. Bathrooms are stocked by DNR but were FULL of flies. No individual trash cans, dumpster only. We made the mistake of buying cheap trash bags that ripped on the way to the dumpster.

We choose this campground for its close-ish proximity to St. Ignace and the Labor Day Bridge Walk. There are modern toilets, and even though the facilities are very dated they are possibly the cleanest I've ever come across at a campground. There are kayak, SUP and Canoe rentals on site, as well as ice and wood for sale. There is potable water and a dump station. (The water is far enough from the dump to feel safe enough to fill our tanks.). Very quiet after 10pm, the quiet hours seemed very enforced, there was not a single generator going overnight. A nice mix of FCFS sites and reservable ones, and there were at least some vacancies even though it was a holiday weekend.

Pros: This camp site was amazing! Very family friendly with plenty of activities. You are able to rent water equipment, play mini golf and swim around the lake. You are able to buy bagged ice ($2.50) and firewood about 6-7 pieces ($5.00) on site.

Plus, Our 3 dogs came with and had a great time!

Cons: Quiet hours were well followed. I felt we had to whisper around the fire, to feel like we weren’t disturbing anyone. It was very family based so got pretty quiet around 8:00 PM. Also, Campsites are pretty close together!

Altogether the camp site is great, I wouldn’t go again but enjoyed it!

If you’re one who likes the thrill of winding backroads and wants to be away from all the noise and commotion of the city this is your spot. I took my friends on a loop through the UP this past June and they made me plan another one because they loved it so much. Bodi Lake Campground is off of a dirt road that is about 35 minutes from Tahquamenon State forest, 30 min from crisp point lighthouse (you can climb to the top and had a beautiful view), and about 2 hours from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This campground is my favorite so far because it’s right on the lake which you are able to kayak, or canoe on, has beautiful sunrises/sunsets, and is very remote. This campground also includes fire pits, toilets, and is very spacious. You are close enough to your “neighbors” but still have privacy. There are no water hookups, showers, or anything larger than tents. This campsite is a drive up, FIRST COME FIRST SERVE because it is free. No reservations are taken. This campsite is run by an older couple during the summer months. They gave us a couple of brochures and are happy to answer any questions you have! They are the reason we found the lighthouse! Overall this is a GREAT place to stay and I recommend it to anyone and everyone!