Best Cabin Camping near Wakefield, MI

Presque Isle is a rustic campground in the Porcupine Mountains on Lake Superior in Michigan. Not to be mistaken for the Presque Isle campground in WIsconsin.

The hiking is great and it has a majestic feel camping on top of a bluff looking out to Lake Superior. This is my kind camping. It doesn't get five stars because it lacks some amenities but it is secluded and there are plenty of open campsites.

The park is clean. There are trees everywhere with a large canopy providing a lot of shade. There is plenty of parking for your vehicle. The only downside to the campground is the campsites are very open and not very private, but there is a lot of space.

The Park is a little difficult to find if you have never been there before. It is about 17 miles from Wakefield and highway 28. Just follow the signs and you will get there.

FYI: While you are in Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park make sure you checkout Union Bay campground, it is right on the shore of Lake Superior.

Don't miss the hiking trails!

Two campgrounds in this state park - South and North but only a total of 56 sites between them, 23 of them with electric. Saw it was filling up even on a weekday in September so made a reservation but still could not get an electric site. Sites were generous in size and most has good separation with lots of trees. Nice hiking on the North Country Scenic Trail to Red Granite Falls and the Doughboys Trail to see the park’s namesake falls plus another and a cascade. We came from camping in Michigan State parks which are much nicer so we were a bit spoiled. My rating would have been higher if there was a bath house with showers in the North campground; the pit toilets were ok but it was too long of a walk to the south campground where there are flush toilets and showers. They were ok but not great (not as nice as Michigan State parks). Lots of hungry mosquitoes as it has not gotten chilly yet so bring bug spray! Very spotty cell service.

Have not camped here yet but the whole area is amazingly beautiful. Yurts and Cabins available. Definitely Seasonal. the road is not plowed completely in winter.

This campground is wide and very open. We arrived on a Sunday and the weekend crowd had cleared out, so nice and quiet. One thing is— do not plan on doing laundry on a Monday. The personnel use all the machines to wash linens and towels from the cabins after folks check out. One dryer did not heat very well. The entry to the laundry is a step up and I stubbed my toe because the threshold was not secured.

This small - off the beaten path - campground is wonderful. It has all the amenities you would need of a large campground without all the commotion. It sits on the shore of Long Lake, allowing for fishing, swimming or relaxing with cocktails at sunset. It's just south of Copper Falls SP and just a tad further to Lake Superior, which makes the location great for hitting up all the attractions this area of the Northwoods has to offer. RV water/electric sites, tent and cabin options.

This is a  private campground that fills up quick.    It is 1 mile from Bayfield town center.  It is close to the ferry dock, restaurants, parks and beaches.  All sites are electric and water and some are full hook up.  There are cabins and tent sites as well.   The office/store is very clean and stocked with things you may need.  8 flavor ice creams on site!  There is a  dump station and picnic tables and fire rings at each site.   There is free wi-fi and a shower house, bathrooms and laundry.

We liked the easy drive through sites with full hookup.  The campsites were tiered into the hill.  This helped sound proof the campsites.  There was a large group a few sites down from us that we didn't hear until we walked past their site.  Some sites also had a view overlooking the pond and Lake Superior.  We could see the full moon reflecting off of Lake Superior.  Our site did not have this view but we saw it on a walk in the campground.  The unique looking cabins were on the pond and looked to be very convenient for families with children who want to be in the water most of the time.  We loved all the amenities of Water, Sewer, Electric and WiFi.   We loved the close access to Bayfield and the water excursions we took from Bayfield.  One of the highlights for our group was the excellent golf course close to the campground.  I gave my review a 4 star because the day we were leaving the campsites lost water pressure and had no water to get ready to leave.  I believe the owners will be addressing this problem.  They were working on it while we were there.

This is the best base camp for exploring the Apostle islands. It’s about a mile from Bayfield. There is bike rental at Howl bike shop which is walking distance. Howl also has a brewery with outside seating. The camp ground itself is quiet and clean. We didn’t go in the bathrooms or use the washers due to Covid. Owners are very accommodating.

We stayed in a rental trailer here and were very impressed! There is a good mix of open and wooded sites. The weekends it gets busy, but the sites are for the most part spaced well enough apart that you don’t feel packed in. The owners/management were very friendly and responsive to all of our requests. You are close to all of the activities Eagle River has to offer, although not directly on the chain of lakes. They have a nice walking trail on the property, in addition to a bunch of activities geared toward the kids. We definitely plan to go back here again!

If your from Wisconsin this sits at the very north of the State. If your looking for areas to visit while camping here you may have a little bit of a drive. The park features some of the best waterfalls in the State and the trails surrounding those falls can get you pretty close for some spectacular photos! The North Country Scenic Hiking runs through the park. This is the longest hiking trail in the county and stretches over 4500 miles. The park does have a beach but if you have a four legged friend with you the pet beach isn't the best as your subject to the boat landing area and isn't very inviting. You can walk through this park and never get bored of the scenes. If you like being surrounded by green this is the place! A nice park to get away from any amenities or thoughts of the city!

I can't say enough awesome things about this park. The hiking trails and scenery are top notch, the variety of camping options are extensive and the quality of the sites are excellent.

If you just want to get away to some beautiful seclusion, this is the place. Even the RV camp site is nicely laid out, not far from the main doughboys hiking trail. In summer, the pads looked good, fairly level and mud free. The sites were heavily wooded and though near the main camp road, it didn't feel like a major throughfare.

I was actually really blown away by he handicap accessible site which was situated right near the top of brownstone falls. You could fall asleep listening to the water crashing down.

The trails were well maintained, especially the waterfall trail (Doughboys). Lots of overlook platforms and a selfy station. If getting away from people is your jam, there are lots of trails away from the hustle and bustle of the main trail. Dirt and turf with some lower muddy spots if you take the trails less travelled.

The swim beach is nice, just a short walk from the parking lot at the ranger station. Plenty of bathroom facilities. The main lot has flush and vault bathrooms, a little nature center (closed for covid), lots of picnic areas and a large spread out feeling.

I never felt crowded at this park which is saying a lot, given how popular it is. The drive there through the Chequamegon forest is even a joy!

This is a larger campground with a good mix of seasonal and weekend campsites. The majority of the weekend campsites are located near the prime activity locations; the pool, playground and lake areas. There are full sun and full shade sites available. The Shady sites are amongst the evergreens, so they tend to be sandier. The full sun sites are all grass. All of the sites have a gravel pad to park on; the exception to this are the lakeside sites which are concrete pads. There is a camp store and a good sized bar & grill. The weekend we were here it rained non-stop, so we did not get to use any of the available canoe/kayak/fishing boat/pontoon boat rentals. We did make ample use of the mini-golf, playground, and heated swimming pool though. The pool was warm enough that even the non-stop rain did not cool it down enough to be uncomfortable. The seasonal campers I met and talked with were all friendly and did not have the “why are you here” attitude I occasionally come across when staying at seasonal heavy resorts. I did see several people fishing in the rain and pulling keepers out of the lake to be cleaned and cooked. They were fishing from the docks. Our kids are 7 & 10 and they were never bored. There were a couple trails within the campground that were good for nature hikes. If it were a little closer to home, this campground would be on the shortlist of places to have a seasonal site at.

This was a GREAT campground to stay at for checking out some of the numerous popular waterfalls in upper Michigan. Our grassy site was on the shore of the lake with lots of trees. It felt quite secluded and the park wasn't too busy. The facilities were clean and the park rangers were very friendly and helpful. We like trying new campsites on each trip, but this was pretty ideal so we might be back next year!

Bond Falls is a little difficult to figure out if you haven't done your homework before visiting. You will show up to Bond Falls looking for a campground. You will see a self-registration board at the falls but it has NOTHING to do with camping. It is only to register your vehicle for the daily admittance pass if you have not already done so. Problem, it is the same form and envelope in every other Michigan State park so you will see the line for camping fees on the form and it can be a bit confusing.

The falls are very pretty and worth checking out. There is no "campground" per se. There are campsites strung along the banks all around the lake, there are even a few camp sites on some islands in the middle of the lake. The camp sites are managed by a power company. They have a visitor center right off the main road outside of the park entrance where you can get all of the information you need.

Do your homework before you commit the time and resources to camping at Bond Falls.

If you're a person who loves waterfalls, then I recommend you don’t miss this campground.  Presque Isle Campground is located at the southern edge of the Porcupine Mountains State Park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  This campground has bluff overlooking Lake Superior, there is a walkway and stairs that take you down the bluff to the shore.  Walking distance from the campground is the Presque River you can hike along and see all the beautiful waterfalls this river has to offer.  This is a Rustic campground that has vault toilets, and hand pump drinking water. The campground, restrooms and surrounding area’s were kept very clean. There are 50 campsites that are equipped for tents, trailers, and RV’s.  Each site has a fire pit, and picnic table.  There is no electrical hook up, and part of the campground is generator free.  Six of the sites are walk in sites, there are parking spots for these sites, you park and walk in a little ways to your site.  I recommend a site that is located on the outer sides of the campground loop.  They are larger sites and more privacy from your neighbors.  Inner loop sites are closer together and open.  Be prepared for mosquitoes and blackflies.  Blackflies bite, and bug spray does not affect them.  I found keeping a hand towel or fly swatter moving around me helped keep them away.  They are more active when it is humid, and down by the water.  These flies seem to be common up here along the shore.

There are many things to do around the campground close to your site and others are a little bit of a drive from your site in the Porcupine Mountains State Park.  If you like to stay close to your camp, you can hang out on the beach, hike along the Presque Isle River and discover the Manabezho Falls, Manido Falls, and the Nawadaha Falls.  Also the Lake Superior Trail and North Country Trail are right by the campground.  These trails will connect you with other trails in the Porcupine Mountains.  The Porcupine Mountains have lot’s to offer anyone stopping to visit.  We took and day and seen The Lake of the Clouds, and Summit Peak.  They both are gorgeous areas to explore.  

Campground Review:

There are a couple of camping options in the Porcupine Mountains of northern Michigan. Presque Isle is a primitive campground on the western side of the park. There are 50 sites, with generator and non-generator sites clearly separated (although that didn’t stop some idiot from parking his RV on the edge of the non-generator side and running his generator until 2am- the only one running a generator in all 50 sites). On the non-generator side sites on the outside of the loop back to either the woods or the lake and have great hammocking options. Sites on the inside of the loop are kind of in the open, with no privacy and just a few hammocking trees. All of the campground is well shaded. The vault toilets were clean, but in need of being pumped out. There is a steep trail to the lake (some of this is covered in staircases, but the last scramble is down a steep slope). The trailhead to the waterfall trails is located in the generator side of the campground. There is also a trail to the lake and a small beach where you could swim.

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt I get to review products from time to time. On this trip I got to review the Matador DL16 Backpack. I found this to be a really handy day pack to have around for this trip. While I brought my Osprey Talon daypack, I never used it, instead grabbing this little guy time and time again. This was a super convenient pack to toss in my gear tub and pull out (literally) when I wanted a small lightweight option.

Here’s what I liked:

1. When packed up in its little bag it fits in the palm of my hand. That means it easily fits in my gear tub for storage.
2. It weighs nothing. This was especially nice when my body was sore and tired from all of the hiking I was doing.
3. The side mesh pockets expanded to hold my nalgene water bottles with no problem. I have had other small day packs that can’t handle a 32 ounce bottle. This one handles two with no problem.
4. The front pocket is deep! Usually a front pocket is really shallow and barely holds your keys, let alone your phone. On the Matador DL16 Backpack I was able to put my key, phone, map, and granola bar in the front pocket with room for more, even with the main compartment full with my camera and rain gear.
5. The shoulder straps look flimsy but were able to handle the load without cutting into my shoulders. They also never seemed wet when I sweated through. Quick dry to the rescue! They also had easy adjustment straps that never seemed to be hanging down in the way.

Here are the things I think could be improved:

1. It would be nice to have one or two loops to clip on extra items.
2. I wish it had either a sternum strap or hip belt to help carry the load better.

Overall, I really liked this for carrying a light load on a day hike.

This was our second time camping at the porkies rustic camp sites. This time we stayed in one of the walk in sites, which are great if you are planning on staying more than one night. Was a bit of a trek to set up for the one night we stayed. It was however more away from people and I would chose it again. The bugs were dine this time but the first time we were there a couple of years ago the biting flies had just hatched and it may have been one of the most miserable experiences ever. I like how close this campground is located to multiple waterfalls, and not a very difficult walk as long as the beige isn't flooded! This is a great place to stay while you explore the rest of the park.

nice primitive campground with large sites near great hiking. showers are available at the electric campground down the road.

We would return here again and again. On the Presque Isle River, numerous hiking opportunities by the water, in the woods with mega views. Campground was quiet and in the woods, the perfect retreat for those looking to relax and get back in touch with nature. Truly extra ordinary, quieter than Union Bay, close to Lake of the Clouds. Recommended!

LOOOOOVED THIS CAMPGROUND! So worth the drive through the mountains for the rustic feel and amazing scenery.

Awesome campground located right on a central boardwalk trail to 4 falls. no service anywhere near, and big rvs beware of the trip up the mountain as the roads haven't been paved in forever. if you can take the risk definitely stay at this gem in the mountains

Later in the fall, high winds off the lake, great location

We stayed in this rustic campground mid-week in mid-September and were glad to find it wasn't busy or noisy. I think we hit it just right post-summer and pre-autumn colors (although several patches of trees along the way were blazing with fall color!). Loved that it had a 'no generator' side to help with the quiet we were seeking. While I had first booked Site 19 because all the lake sites were taken and I liked its privacy tucked into the woods a bit, we found that it was almost all dirt and, with rain expected, we didn't want to hang out in a mud bowl. We went back to the ranger and he recommended Site 11, which was actually super nice--still somewhat private but also grassy and with a slight view of Lake Superior.  I think 18 would be great, too, if the lake sites are unavailable. All of those looked awesome, with my favorites being #10 and #6. Site 10 was right across from us and was vacant for the majority of our stay, which allowed us to set our chairs on the bluff overlooking the lake and read and enjoy the views. 

The weather was unseasonably warm for mid-September and Lake Superior was oddly calm. This resulted in some flies, which was a bummer. Every night, though, the winds kicked up around dinner time and they were gone. When they were hanging around, though, (mostly mornings), they made cooking miserable and also the pit toilets buzzed with them, which was not fun. But I think once the autumn temps kick in and the winds sustain a bit, they'd be much less of an issue. 

The park is in an amazing location, with the Presque Isle River running through it and phenomenal hiking trails/vistas right there. It was also an easy drive to Lake of the Clouds, Summit Peak, and Ontonagon. Just stunning forests, waterfalls, hills and drives and, of course, the incomparable Lake Superior all within easy reach. We also stopped at Bond Falls on our way to the Porkies from the east, which was beautiful. 

Love the UP; love the remoteness yet accessibility (if that makes sense) of this campground; love tent camping on Lake Superior; love this place.

I only stayed for one night but it was incredible! The waterfalls are remarkable. Stay for more than one night because there is so much to do.

Perfect spot for exploring Porcupine Mountains

Porcupine mountains wilderness area is truly amazing!! I recommend a few nights backpacking so you can stay at both presque isle and the lake of the clouds area of the park. Late summer early fall is nice time to visit. Lake Superior has an absolutely beautiful flat rock lake shore. I've seen moose and black bear here. If you're brave enough for fall weather camping in the northwoods I promise you the colors are worth it. Happy Adventuring!