Best Tent Camping near Skanee, MI

Tent campgrounds in the rugged wilderness near Skanee, Michigan offer diverse camping experiences, particularly at Craig Lake State Park and Lake Perrault. Craig Lake State Park features walk-in tent sites that require a quarter-mile hike from the parking area, with additional sites accessible only by boat or by hiking portions of the North Country Trail. Lake Perrault provides dispersed tent camping options with fire rings constructed of rocks, offering primitive lake-front opportunities for backcountry camping enthusiasts.

Most primitive tent sites in the area feature minimal improvements beyond basic fire rings. Access roads can be challenging, with Lake Perrault campers noting "huge potholes" requiring slow driving and high-clearance vehicles. Craig Lake State Park prohibits motorized boats on the lake, creating a quieter experience for tent campers. Water sources are limited, with Craig Lake State Park providing hand pumps while Lake Perrault has no potable water facilities. Vault toilets are available at some locations, though Lake Perrault lacks bathroom facilities entirely. Weather conditions change rapidly, with early winter conditions possible by mid-October.

Tent camping areas around Skanee provide excellent access to hiking, fishing, and paddling opportunities. Campsites at Craig Lake State Park offer notable privacy, with one camper reporting "no one camped at the sites near me" during a two-night stay. The North Country Trail winds through the region, making these tent sites ideal starting points for section hikes or multi-day backpacking trips. Lake Perrault provides direct water access with some sites positioned right at the shoreline. Wildlife viewing opportunities include loons, eagles, deer, and occasionally bears. A visitor described Craig Lake State Park as "an absolute heavenly oasis" for those who value remote tent camping experiences away from crowds.

Best Tent Sites Near Skanee, Michigan (14)

    1. Craig Lake State Park Campground

    4 Reviews
    Michigamme, MI
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 339-4461

    "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! "

    "Access is from 41 turn on the gravel road outside Michigamme coming from the East."

    2. Ojibwa RV Park

    1 Review
    Baraga, MI
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 353-6333

    "Campground close to casino and lake Baraga. This is the best campground in the area."

    3. Schoolcraft Township Rustic Campground

    1 Review
    Hubbell, MI
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 296-8721

    "Located on the southern side of the Keweenaw Peninsula just south of the Schoolcraft Township Park on Big Traverse Bay, this rustic campground has 5 huge sites right on Lake Superior."

    4. Lake Perrault

    6 Reviews
    Toivola, MI
    27 miles

    "Nice small lake, easy access from the main road. Road to the lake isn’t paved and there are huge potholes so go slow."

    "We stumbled upon this location through this app."

    5. Big Lake State Forest Campground

    4 Reviews
    Covington, MI
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 353-6651

    "Way off the beaten path but the sites are HUGE! Quiet setting right on Big Lake. Probably my most beautiful site in the UP so far. Vault toilets and no shower. Very clean. Boat launch."

    "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."

    6. Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness

    3 Reviews
    Watton, MI
    29 miles

    "Hike in camping"

    "The hike in was one of the most beautiful switch back type hikes, with breathtaking views of the gorge on the way down, a quick hike to the top of gorge once you’re down, then look down and see the waterfalls"

    7. Emily Lake State Forest Campground

    2 Reviews
    Nisula, MI
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 353-6651

    "Several great sites to tent camp. Caught some blue gills. Good times"

    "You will be able to hear your neighbors."

    8. Forestville Campground

    10 Reviews
    Marquette, MI
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (906) 235-6861

    $25 / night

    "Close to Marquette but feels secluded At the head of some great mountain biking trails and backcountry rock climbing or bouldering. Also just great hiking, our site backed up to the NCT."

    "Only a one lane path with tight turns. The largest vehicle I saw during my few days here was a pickup truck with a bed-mounted camping unit."

    9. Harts trail camp LLC

    Be the first to review!
    Hubbell, MI
    25 miles
    +1 (906) 369-0899

    10. Keweenaw Peninsula High Rock Bay

    4 Reviews
    Copper Harbor, MI
    45 miles

    "The nearby town of Copper Harbor is very cute. Check out Jamsen's Bakery for some delicious donuts!

    You can buy a state park pass at the nearby Fort Wilkins Historic State Park if you need one."

    "You have to drive like 30 minutes down an old logging road that has atvs and dirt bikes running around. I wouldn’t suggest doing it in a car as some spots got really rough."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Skanee, MI

312 Reviews of 14 Skanee Campgrounds


  • Roger W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 18, 2023

    Twin Lakes State Park Campground

    Good Stop Over

    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

  • Sarah N.
    Jul. 5, 2021

    Marquette Tourist Park Campground

    Decent Enough FOR RVs ONLY

    Bottom line is I think the Tourist Park is good enough for RVers, tent campers might not enjoy themselves. You’ll see why below.

    The sites are very oddly sized and shaped; some are massive and some are teensy tiny, and it’s difficult to figure out the boundaries of your site when setting up. For example, I’m almost positive our neighbors ended up putting their tents on our site which was a bit awkward. Be mindful of this when booking.

    The campground backs up to what I believe is the public works department for Marquette, so you will likely hear some heavy machinery noise. Again, something to keep in mind when picking your site. It didn’t really bother me in my RV, but it might bother tent campers.

    Possibly the thing that bothered me most about the campground is it appears to be run primarily by teenagers and/or college kids. No campground host. We had a few noisy neighbors and the aforementioned neighbors camping on OUR site issue, and I didn’t bother to address them because I knew we’d have no one with any real sway to back us up. There was also no one enforcing arrival times, checkout times, quiet hours, etc. so it can stay loud late into the night and you’re largely relying on your neighbors to behave themselves.

    What’s good about the campground is a lot of the sites have abundant shade (but not all! Again, choose carefully), there is a playground (it’s very old and possibly unsafe though), it has great access to trails, there’s a beach, and the bathrooms were impeccably clean.

    It’s certainly not what I’d call a great campground, but it does the trick.

  • Samantha W.
    Aug. 16, 2020

    Sturgeon River Campground

    Great Rustic Campground

    This campground is located just off the Sturgeon River in the Ottawa National Forest and is first come first serve with no reservations. From speaking with a local who frequents the campground, it is usually quiet with few sites actually in use at a time; it seems this year (2020) there have been more people out camping, though, so getting there earlier is better to ensure finding a site. 

    It is rustic -- there is no water pump, but there are pit toilets in the center of the site. If you don't bring enough water the river next to most sites can provide drinking water with the proper filtration. The national park website says there are 9 sites, but only 7 are actually available. My best guess is the MIA sites existed in the central part at one time. 

    Two sites can fit a camper, but they also happen to be the sites with the best view of the river. The remaining sites are tent-only due to a set of rocks blocking off the sites so vehicles do not drive in. From what I could tell with observations, 4 or 5 sites are either right on the river or have a short trail to get to the river.

    The locations are sparse enough that the only thing really heard from other campers is the occasional shutting of a car door. The soft sound of the river drowns most noises out. Each site has a fire ring, most have a grate on the ring, a lantern hook, and a picnic table.

  • Amie L.
    Feb. 6, 2020

    Rippling Rivers RV Resort

    An Okay Place for Modern Camping

    Rippling Rivers Resort is new addition to an area that lacked a decent campground.

    Amenities include bathhouses and shows (which have code locks on them), shared water access, picnic tables, fire pits, campstore with bar, and access to an outdoor pool and hot tub.

    We stayed at one of the walk-in tent sites and also had the pleasure of enjoying the Carp River. The river was about 10 fee away from our site.

    The staff is extremely friendly, to both people and dogs. I was very impressed with how dog friendly this location is. Even the other campers were respectful of each other.

    Our tent location was entirely shaded and made it feel as though we were camping in a forest. 

    The downsides. The tent sites were too small and not level. We had a very hard time finding a place to put our tent.  The sites were also very close together. Our neighbors were backed right up to use. 

    As mentioned above, the shower/bathhouse requires a code to access it. It was kind of weird. And made it a challenge if you had to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. 

    Parking was very limited. Not a problem if you have only one vehicle, but we had two. One of us had to park on the other side of the campground, which became an inconvenience.

  • Art S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 18, 2022

    Sturgeon River Campground

    Remote and beautiful

    The Sturgeon River is wide and beautiful. Just imagine sitting next to the rippling water. The road there is down some dirt roads with some bumps but it’s drivable.

    The small rustic campground doesn’t have all the frills so this is for the rustic campers. The sites vary but there is shade to be found. We enjoyed the seclusion of this forest campground.

    On the way to camp you pass a trailhead. Head back for a hike. This is in the Sturgeon River wilderness so take care to leave no trace that you were here.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 23, 2021

    Trails End Campground

    Enjoyed camping here

    Lots of wooded campsites for tents, camper vans & small rigs. Several sites are in clusters. Didn't see any pull through. No electric & water hookups. 3 his/hers vault toilets; clean. Potable water near campground entrance. Campground, cabins & trails are still under construction. Although close to Lake Superior, no direct access from campground to the lake. Can hear waves crashing. Highly recommend hiking the trails at nearby Hunter's Point Park. Firewood can be purchased from the general store in Copper Harbor. No T-Mobile nor AT&T cell service. Would stay here again

  • S
    Jul. 21, 2021

    Van Riper State Park Campground

    Van Riper State Park

    We stayed at Van Riper State Park three times during June and July. The park is always clean and well-maintained. The bathrooms and showers and generally always nicely maintained as well, and there are plenty of both. The bathrooms do tend to run out of soap and toilet paper at busy times. Dogs are not allowed on the beach but also cannot be left unattended in your site. The rules are heavily enforced in this park. Park staff will ask you to move vehicles if you have more than two, and you will be asked to turn music completely off upon quiet hours. This is not the place to go if you want to party.

    Sites 15 and 17, as well as several other sites along that side of that loop, now have a wooden fence at the back of them, so they are not as large as they appear in the photos online.

    We have stayed in sites 14, 90 and 93. We travel with a 34’ trailer.

    Site 14 is narrow but manageable. It is well-shaded by large pine trees on the site. Site is entirely dirt. There are trees to hang hammocks or clotheslines in.

    Site 90 is on a corner by the propane tanks. It is a large site. It does have some roots and low spots. It is partial grass. It has nice shade and is adjacent to the bathrooms. There are trees to hang hammocks or clotheslines.

    Site 93 is a large site that backs up to a small grass/tree buffer. It is across the road from the bathrooms. It has nice shade. There is a place to hang a clothesline but not hammocks.

    Pros: Clean, well-maintained park

    Quiet

    Lots of playground equipment

    Bike/scooter pump track

    Excellent beach area

    Lots of green space

    Hiking trails

    Wood and ice available for purchase at the entrance

    Laundry is available; one washer and two dryers

    Very kid and pet friendly

    Cons: Park website has out of date information, specifically that there is no longer a store on the beach, nor are there kayaks/SUPs to rent

    The Water Warrior Island is no longer in the lake

    There are very few sites with buffers between

    It is sort of far to the beach and laundry from the modern campsites

    No non-reservable sites available

  • Sonny S.
    Aug. 2, 2022

    Sparrow Rapids Campground

    Great primitive camping

    It is a great and mostly empty spot for primitive camping. There’s a fire pit with built in rack for stove top/ grill stuff as well as a post and hook to hang things from and a picnic table. Plenty of trees to set up a hammock and enough room to park an SUV, put up a 4 person tent, set up chairs around the fire, and still have a lot of room. Gravel road leading to the location and it’s pretty far from most things. There’s a handful of sites to choose from and only 1/3 were filled when I arrived. Great for silence and privacy

  • Nona A.
    Aug. 6, 2017

    Van Riper State Park Campground

    Awesome State Campground located along US Hwy 41 in Michigan's U.P.

    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.


Guide to Skanee

Tent camping near Skanee, Michigan offers a chance to immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of the area, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure and tranquility.

Tips for tent camping near Skanee

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Campground amenities to enhance your stay

  • Ahmeek Copper Mine Camp features modern amenities like showers and picnic tables, making it a comfortable choice for tent campers.
  • The Wood Pecker Creek offers a unique experience with its walk-in sites and the chance to enjoy a peaceful creekside setting.
  • At Lake Perrault, you can find dispersed camping with fire pits, perfect for a cozy evening under the stars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Skanee, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Skanee, MI is Craig Lake State Park Campground with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Skanee, MI?

TheDyrt.com has all 14 tent camping locations near Skanee, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.