Best RV Parks & Resorts near Skanee, MI

We have been camping every Labor Day at Marquette Tourist Park for about 8 years. We come up from the mid Michigan area for Marquette’s Blues Fest. This park is set in a beautiful area around the Northern University. Some sites have full hook up that we love, but this year we didn’t reserve early enough to get one. The site we are on is #2 and it’s very nice, facing the water. It has water and electric and a great big tree for shade. We love Marquette, it’s our “Happy Place”.

One great thing about this park is the location and how close it is to downtown Marquette and Lake Superior. The campground can tend to feel a bit crowded in the summer and on weekends but there are not many campgrounds in town so you may have to put up with crowds for convenience. We didn’t have reservations and could not get a spot for the weekend but sites did open up during the week. The park offers great water access for fishing, swimming and paddling plus there are many other amenities like a playground, ball fields, trails, picnic areas, etc. Another plus is the paved bike path that runs by the campground and leads downtown (about a 10-minute bike ride) and along the waterfront. 

There are a mix of sites from those fitting the largest of RVs to tent sites. Lots of tall trees provide shade but this can make for some crazy maneuvering with large rigs.  Be aware if you are a large RV with tow car that many sites are not long enough so be specific how long you are when you reserve a site. The park is dated and in need of some work so there are potholes in the roads and not all sites are level. Many sites in the RV hookup areas are sandy/dirt especially when campers put our patio mats and park vehicles wherever they want.  The hook-ups are not laid out conveniently on some sites which requires extra hoses and electric cords. There is WiFi in the campground but does not pick up well in all areas of the park – it just depends where you are but works well at the office. Our television antenna picked up a dozen or so channels including the major networks. Verizon 4G was strong and our hotspot worked great. 

There was a sign posted mentioning there were reported break-ins and people should lock up their belongings. We found this a little disturbing because you normally don’t see this in campgrounds. It also appeared that some campers were not well-versed on camping etiquette throwing trash in fire pits, walking through others campsites, and leaving garbage all over their sites.

Arrived around 5 pm on a Tuesday and there were two sites left. We got site 6 which has a good view of the lake, with site 5 in between. We brought a camper trailer but everyone else was renting. Quietest campground I’ve been to. Great fire pit and picnic table at site. Wish we would’ve brought kayaks... lake was still as can be!

General: A variety of different options ranging from rustic tent sites (10) to electric hookup only (57) to water and electric (4) to full hookup (39). 

Site Quality: Varies. Only the FHU sites on the perimeter have paved camper pads, all others are either dirt, grass, or a combo. The electric sites closest to the Dead River are, although wide and fairly deep, still in an open grassy area with very few trees so don’t count on shade (this is especially true for sites 1-3, 6, and 11). The FHU sites are mostly very close together with some trees but otherwise not much privacy/separation. IMO, the best sites are the electric sites opposite the FHU sites – they are very wooded, and this provides some amount of privacy between sites. 

Bath/Shower: Clean with soap and paper towels. Didn’t use the shower so cannot comment on it other than it looked clean. 

Activities/Amenities: There is a beach with what looked like a swimming area; although we understood there was a lifeguard on duty, we did not see one. We saw a boat go by, but I did not see a boat launch. There is somewhat dated playground. Free WiFi. 

We had originally planned to spend two nights here but ended up heading down the road the next day.

On the shores of Independence Lake, just south of Lake Superior, sits this gorgeous, sparkling clean county park with a well-managed campground. Wasn’t expecting much, so was blown away by the facilities for the low price. Lots of site options: non-electric, with electric only, with full hookups, walk-in or boat-in sites on the water, as well as a couple cabins. Sites are nicely spaced apart, but not much privacy between them. We chose the site right by the boat launch, which definitely has the most privacy when it’s not boating season. Lots of deciduous trees, making the fall truly glorious! 

The campground was about 10% full upon arrival, and everybody left before we did, so we had the place to ourselves. Did we mention how much we love fall camping?!? Bathrooms and showers are clean and well maintained and spread out throughout the campground. 

Tons of hiking, mountain biking, and water sports of all kinds around. Nice boat launch facility, as well as special place to launch canoes/kayaks. A large picnic pavilion with stone fireplace sits right at the waterfront. This is a reservation only type of place (with a $3 nominal fee), but the website allows you to book for the same day, and there is decent cell service at the campground. Win win! 

Stock up in Marquette before heading out here as there is only a small gas station convenience store across the road from the campground, as well as a small café and laundromat.

This campground is in Marquette, near Northern Michigan University. But once you're camped there, you won't feel like you're in one of the largest cities in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. 

The sites are generally spacious and they have a lot of options to choose from based on what rig you have and how you like to camp. They have tent sites that are non-electric, about 100 RV sites with just electric, and another 38 sites that have water and sewer hookups. They even have some sites that are pull-through. They also offer a dump station and potable water for folks that don't have the full hookup sites. 

The campground is adjacent to a municipal park that has a beach. The campground also offers sites that overlook Dead River Basin. The sites aren't paved, so rainy days could lead to some mud to deal with, but the nice stand of trees and the basin view can make up for it. There also are some sites that are tucked into the trees quite a bit for additional privacy. Because you're near a major UP city, you have access to plenty of shopping and services if you need them, plus there is great (Verizon) cellular service in the campground. The park wifi is a bit weak depending on where you are at in relation to the office, but we used our wifi booster and had smooth sailing for our jobs all day long. 

The bathroom and shower facilities seem older but also appeared to be clean and functioned well. There weren't very many showers, so if you need to use one you may need to wait for it. 

All-in-all a decent campground that serves as a perfect oasis in an area where there aren't any state parks to choose from. We also liked that when they close the office at night, they print out a map with all the reserved sites, so if you show up without a reservation, you can quickly check the map to find an open site. Then you just get some rest and register at the office in the morning.

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!

We stayed here for 2 nights 3 days. The spots are not level and where we were was next to a bridge that rvs couldnt cross. I had to back out turn around and then back down the road to get my trailer onto my site. The water and electric is by the road so bring extra hose and cord. 

Bathrooms werent tended to as I would expect. 

Plus side is you're right next to the mountain bike trailhead, can walk to town, and they have lake frontage on a smaller lake to swim in. 

I would up this rating if the park was better cared for and was cleaned as I would expect for the price paid.

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.

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