Best Glamping near Skanee, MI

This is my absolute favorite place to camp, hike, kayak, fish, and just get away from it all. If you want seclusion, you can find it here with many remote campsites that are only accessible through the water or overland by hiking the trails in the park.

The park has 2 rustic cabins and 2 yurts for rent that are a fantastic getaway and a great place to take your spouse.

The wildlife include loons, eagles, bears, moose, deer and others. The lake has fantastic fishing for smallmouth, northern pike, crappie, walleye, and the occasional musky.

I CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK!

This campground was developed by people who love and use the outdoors, for people who love and use the outdoors! Inexpensive, clean, pretty and with campsites set spaciously apart this new campground feels like it’s been a part of the landscape for years. With nearby opportunities for mountain biking, downhill and cross-country skiing, road cycling, hiking and paddling on the big lake– or nearby smaller lakes, this campground is perfectly situated along the shores of Lake Superior to take full advantage of the best the “Copper Country” has to offer. 

The sites have the usual fire ring and picnic table, with some overlooking the pond centerpiece of the property. The pit-toilets are clean, well ventilated, modern (automated hand sanitizer, it's the little things!) and also beautifully constructed. The campground also offers several adorable yurts and bunkhouse cabins for rent, which can sleep 6 comfortably and heated by woodstove fires. You know they have done it right by the bike hanging hooks perfectly placed on the side of the cabin. They know their clientele. 

The quaint village of Copper Harbor,½ mile away, offers restaurants, bars, gas and a small grocery store as well as the ferry depot to Isle Royale National Park. With numerous historic sites within an hour’s drive, this makes the perfect getaway destination for history buffs as well. The Keweenaw National Historic Park has sites located up and down the peninsula. Right off Brockway Mountain Drive, the area is great for those interested in more motorized recreation as well. The view from the top, an easy 5 mile drive, is not to be missed.

The Michigan Recreation Passport Solar does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas.

We are not a big state park fan as, in Michigan, there are very close sites and tons of noise. This one was relatively quiet. The site were the standard Michigan close but the campgeound was t full and there many options to choose from. The lake is real nice and the beach area is clean, spacious and it has a general store that has firewood for sale. We first reserved a rustic site, then changed to an electrical hook up site after arriving. The ranger was very accomodating.

Van Riper State park has very unlevel sites with no water and 30 amp service. Unacceptable with today’s campers. Time to update Michigan

We took a week long trip and toured Michigan. We spent 2 nights at Van Riper, the other campers were nice, the playset was large, and the beach was nice. The beach was steps down to the access (difficult with a wagon- we didn’t know), and the bathroom wasn’t the cleanest during our stay. The stars were gorgeous.

We discovered this campground 6 years ago when my nephew wanted to camp as far north in Michigan as we could. Since then we've spent 2 weeks each August tent camping on the shores of Lake Superior. The facilities are well maintained and the owner and camp host are the some of the most down to earth people we have met. There's a camp store that has limited supplies but have the essentials. Everything is based on the honor system

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.

This is a well run,clean campground in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was easy to access and right off the main road, no four wheel drive necessary.

The campsites are large and there are a few sites near the lake (We recommend 113).There is a great playground, the summer of 2018 it hosted an inflatable water park which was a riot!

The water system is getting redone which will remove the orange color in the showers (which would otherwise be very nice). The water was not drinkable due to high arsenic but a large container of potable water was available. That is the only thing keeping this campground from being a 5.

The lake was a great temperature and very swimmable. Quiet hours are all the time so it was very peaceful and enjoyable. Ask the rangers for a listing of moose sightings outside of the campground.

Would definitely recommend for visitors in the U.P.

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.

Along our travels in Michigan's Upper Peninsula from the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore west to the Porcupine Mountains, we stayed at Van Riper State Park campground.  We found this campground located along U.S. Hwy 41 about 40 minutes west of Marquette MI. The Park sits on the west shores of Lake Michigamme.   Van Riper State park has both a Modern and Rustic campgrounds along, with hiking, biking and ATV trails.  There is a fine sandy beach, and playground.  At the beach there is a concession stand.  The park offers areas for boating, kayaking, and jet skiing, and fishing.  To book or check into either campground you must stop at the park office.  A Resident Recreational Passport is required or a charge of $11 will apply for each vehicle without one.  The park office also has firewood, ice and even ice cream for sale. I recommend to get your firewood from another local area, the bundles are $5 but are very small bundles like 3 or 4 pieces.  They also offer kayak rentals the price on those was decent.  $10 for a 2 hour kayak rental.

We stayed in the Modern campground.  There are 147 sites and 2 Mini Cabins.  Sites are equipped for tents, trailers and RV’s up to 50’.  There are free wifi by the restrooms, flush toilets, showers, drinking water, sanitation station, electric hookups at each site along with a fire pit and picnic table.  The daily price of sites is $22 - $24 and $49 for a Mini Cabin.  We stayed in site 92 that is located right next to the restroom/showers. Which was great having young children with us who seem to need to visit the restroom numerous times. This site is more for a trailer or a RV being the ground is hard and full of rocks.  We all used air mattresses so that wasn’t much of an issue.  We did take the time to remove any sharp rocks from where our tent was being placed to make sure no holes were made in the tent or mattresses.  Sites are very open and non private.  There is a host site that has information on activities around the park and neighboring areas.  They also offer activities for children to do.  

A short distance from the modern campground is the rustic campground.  There are 40 sites and a Camper's Cabin available. This campground offers vault toilets, and drinking water.  I did find out that for $2 per person for a day you can have access to the showers at the modern campground.  The daily price of these sites is $13, and $86 for the Camper’s Cabin.  These sites are equipped for tents, trailers and RV’s up to 30’.  There is no electric hook ups.  

During your visit to the park there are lot’s of scenic, historic, and recreational sites to visit.  A few miles from the park is the location of where Iron ore was first found in the Lake Superior region.  There is a Iron Industry Museum.  Lake Michigamme offers lot’s of activities for those visiting.  If you are really looking for a awesome adventure not too far from camp, you can drive an ½ hour west on Hwy 41 to the “Grand Canyon” of Michigan, this gorge and waterfalls are located along the Sturgeon River.  There is access to the North Country Trail here as well.  The Canyon Waterfall and Gorge are just breathtaking.  It is a 10 minute hike along the river from the parking area to the Canyon falls and gorge.  You can hike further in if you wish and discover the rapids area along the river.  We did not venture this far having small children with us.  Can’t wait to return on a adult trip to hike further along the river.  

I give this Campground a 5 star review, it is a great place to take the family on vacation.

This was a last-minute stop for us because we didn't want to stay at the campground we had originally intended. I found it here on The Dyrt, but bypassed it for another campground option. However, when we drove past the roadside sign, my husband said he wanted to check it out. And we're so glad we did!

When we pulled in, we were told to use the telephone to call the host and they would come and help us out. So when we did, somebody drove up and gave us our choice of spots. The campground was almost empty, so we had anything we wanted, and majority of the options were on the lake!

some of the spots are closer together so there's not a lot of privacy, but the side of the campground we were on had lots of buffers between the sites in the form of pine trees. each site had a gorgeous campfire ring made out of stones pulled off of the beach. It's a red Rock Beach! The bathroom was in a little house, but it had its own shower and looked like something from a log cabin. Not at all like a campground bathroom! there was another shower house at the opposite end of the campground which had similar decor. There was also dump station and fresh water easily available. not to mention the laundry house! Two washers, two dryers, and a sink for scrubbing plus all of the laundry soap and dryer sheets you needed. It was just payment on the honor system to use them. Very reasonable!

there was no electric hook-up at the site we were in, but we didn't need one. However, they were available.

Great little find in Michigan!

Van Riper State Park is a must-visit if you’re traveling through Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  It’s popular year-round, although camping is only open between May and October. Stop for the day to hike the trails and go for a swim, or stay a week and enjoy the sunsets and serenity.

The state park covers both sides of the highway with the campground and day-use area on the south side and a huge section of trails and wildlife viewing areas on the north.

There are 147 sites in the modern campground, including some sites with 50-amp electric service, and there are another 40 sites in the rustic campground. Plus, there are two mini cabins in the modern campground if you don’t own a tent or RV. All of the campsites have a fire ring and picnic table.

One thing we noticed is that the sites at Van Riper are very large– so much bigger than many sites we’ve seen at other state parks. This means there is plenty of space for your trailer, truck, bikes, screen tent, kids’ toys, etc. without feeling like you’re infringing on your neighbor.

Another plus for the state park is the laundry facilities. Two washers and dryers are located in the restroom building near the beach.

Van Riper State Park is extremely family-friendly, with activities for everyone. There are approximately 5 miles of hiking trails on the north side of the state park. One trail provides a very nice overlook of Lake Michigamme and the surrounding area. Other trails run along the Peshekee River or through the woods and may even provide the chance to see the moose that live in the area. The trails are not difficult, but there is some elevation to get to the lookout. If you don’t want to hike the whole 5-plus miles from the campground and back, you can drive and park at the group campground and go from there.

A sandy beach awaits both kids and adults on Lake Michigamme. The lake is popular as it is much warmer than most of the lakes in the Upper Peninsula. A large, fairly new playscape is also located near the beach, as well as a swing set. One of the most unique activities is a bike pump track. This is the only state park that we saw that had one. It was very popular with the kids and is conveniently located between the campground and the day-use area. The lake is popular for fishing and if you have a boat you can use the launch in the back of the park. It also is a good location for kayaking.

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.

Spent the 4th of July here on site #5. Grounds are very clean and well maintained. Sites 7,8,9,10 have the best water views.

Stayed on a Wednesday and there was space available but booked solid for weekends. Filled up by 4 pm. Spots are small, side-by-side and no privacy, but they have several spots to watch spectacular sunsets. That was worth the stay.

Off the beaten path, older facility, that was so quiet & relaxing. Everything very clean and well kept. Lots of lawn areas, trees, and areas of viewing Lake Superior close by.

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!

This is a small campground, with sites that are somewhat close together. However, there’s a great view of Lake Superior, and the sunset from our site was wonderful. (Site 7) Nice and quiet too. We’d return if we’re in the area again.

Nice camp site to stay at with great view of the bay. We drove to Houghton and took a hike. Restroom and showers not close however. The dump station was so easy since small campground. Very good price.

If you're looking for an off-the-grid escape this is it.  The hike-in/paddle in camping spots are equipped with a picnic table and a firepit, everything else is up to you.  I have been going here yearly for the last 10ys and absolutely love it!  The only downside is the fishing has gone downhill the last 3ys, the bass used to bite every cast...

So amazing - I almost want to give this campground one star and discourage people because it is so amazing, and I'm selfish. For someone who GREATLY values hidden gems where you can get really out and remote, this place is a an absolute heavenly oasis.

Access is from 41 turn on the gravel road outside Michigamme coming from the East. Do not recommend coming or going from the access road on the west, can't remember the town/landmark...starts with an N - it's a VERY bumpy road, and my cockiness convinced myself I could do it in my truck, but didn't get very far before I gave in and had to back up aways to be able to turn around. Big boulders in road/trail.

What to expect:

• Park and walk/hike/canoe/kayak in. No motors on lake.
• First few sites near the boat launch are about 1/4 Mile Walk in and are close to each other. I stayed at Site 8 which is the next accessible site by trail. Follow North Country Trail and turn left at "Sandy Beach Sites" side trail to access the other hike in spots. Beautiful site, small, fire pit, tiny launch spot, so you can get there by boat from the launch. Next site was quite a ways further down. Was there for two nights and no one camped at the sites near me.
• Most sites are accessible ONLY by boat. Beautiful quiet lake. Some cabins available to rent. Guessing you need to reserve online.
• Here in late July and lake was quite warm, not sure I'd trust it to be swimmers itch free. I suspect it's a shallow lake. Lots of fish from what I hear.
• Late July, some mosquitoes. Had my thermacell running and it wasn't bad. I was able to relax in my hammock for a while without any bug spray or the ThermaCELL and was just fine.

North Country Trail skirts the lake and there are additional trails that branch on and off it, including trails that go all the way around.

Beautiful, peaceful, place.

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