Eight miles from Paradise, Lower Falls Campground sits within Tahquamenon Falls State Park, where dense hemlock and pine forests create a shaded woodland setting. The campground operates two distinct areas: modern sites with electric hookups clustered in loops, and rustic sites positioned along the Tahquamenon River for direct water access.

Site spacing runs tight throughout the modern loops, with many campsites sharing electric pedestals between two spots. [Wailym C.](https://thedyrt.com/camping/michigan/tahquamenon-falls-2-state-park/reviews/189189) notes that "outer sites are very spacious, inner sites are much smaller," making perimeter locations more appealing for larger rigs. The thick forest canopy limits satellite reception and stargazing opportunities, though it provides consistent shade during summer months. Recent facility upgrades include individual shower rooms rather than open stalls, offering enhanced privacy.

A one-mile trail connects the campground directly to Lower Falls, where campers can launch kayaks or canoes into the river system. The rustic section provides river access with a fishing deck and boat launch for small watercraft. [Art S.](https://thedyrt.com/camping/michigan/tahquamenon-falls-2-state-park/reviews/2808) describes waking to "fog drifting down the river" from his riverside site. A four-mile trail system links both upper and lower falls areas, though expect crowds at the upper falls after 10 AM during peak season.

Campers share the park entrance with day visitors, creating potential delays during busy periods. Cell service runs limited to one or two bars on Verizon networks. The campground stays full most summer weekends, requiring advance reservations. Winter camping remains available with vault toilets, though shower facilities close seasonally. For additional camping options in the region, explore [campgrounds near Paradise](https://thedyrt.com/camping/michigan/near/paradise). Pack a long extension cord for electric sites and consider purchasing the annual Michigan State Park pass if staying more than three nights.

The Lower Falls Modern Campground features two campground loops, Hemlock and Portage. All sites have 30-amp service, and some 50-amp sites are available. A sanitation station is available seasonally, and recycling is available.

The Hemlock campground loop is located about a mile from the Lower Falls and is open year-round. The campground is generally more shaded than the Portage campground loop, with access to the park’s hiking trail system. The campground is the best place in the Lower Falls for cellphone service. In winter, portions are reservable for semi-modern camping.

The Portage campground loop is located near the river, about a quarter-mile from the Lower Falls. This campground loop features an ADA-accessible modern toilet and shower building and some accessible campsites. A few sites have river views, and the campground loop is generally sunnier and more open than the Hemlock campground Loop. There is North Country Trail access from the campground. In winter, the campground loop is open for hike-in camping.

Lower Falls Campground — Tahquamenon Falls State Park

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Paradise, MI has a lot to offer. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Discover great camping spots near Paradise, reviewed by campers like you.

Paradise

The Best Camping Near Paradise, Michigan

Just a short drive from Mackinac lies a beautiful campground to sink into the quietness of a river setting. I stayed in the rustic portion with campsites right along the river. River access is available for small boats along with a fishing deck. Vault toilets and water merge with large campsites to create a quiet ambiance. Showers and a modern toilet are available in the modern portion of the campground which is a short walk through a playground and separating trees. 

My site meant waking up to fog drifting down the river, birds chirping and quiet forest behind me. Walking my dog through the forest was nice as the fallen pine needles created a soft path. My site had plenty of room for the tent as well as tress to hang my hammock on. My dog couldn't wait to jump into the hammock and relax in the cool Michigan air. The campground hosts came through and we had a nice chat (which added to the homey feeling).

This campground is not by the Tahquamenon Falls area so I would make sure to get the correct location. It sits south of Paradise, MI. It was a 20 or so mile drive to get to the falls area with beautiful hiking trails. The remote location of the campground adds to the perfect Northwoods feel. The North Country Trail goes past the campground on the other side of the river. You can hike all the way to the falls area if you are up to it.

Tahquamenon Rivermouth Pines/Semi-Modern/Rustic Campground

This campground was big, there were showers and flush toilets.

Lots of spaces

Make it a priority to visit this stunning waterfall! If you are ever in the UP, please put this on your list of places to visit! Great photo ops, stunning views and well maintained trails, it is a MUST see!

Seriously the BEST trails in the UP!

Although this is a gorgeous campground. Very beautiful hiking trails. Very scenic waterfalls. The mosquito population is ridiculous. I believe our family "donated" enough blood for a lifetime. We had a selection of bug sprays and nothing deterred the bugs. We will not be back again. I believe the Park needs to do Mosquito spraying before campers arrive.

OVER RUN WITH BUGS!

Well maintained. Has electrice hookups but no water. Nice bathroom shower area and cleaned daily. Playgrouns for the kids and nice hiking a s trails. Lots of mosquetoes! 

Lower falls campground

What a beautiful campground. Located on the river. Spectacular sunrises and quiet. Non-electric and very clean pit toliets.  The misquitos were crazy but a little misquito repellent and my pup and I were good to go.  The hiking trails are awesome and the river is perfect for kayaking and fishing

Perfect!

We brought our two kids and dog camping and had a great experience. Camp sites were decent sizes, and we had great access to the water. Restrooms were clean and well-maintained, and our kids loved riding bikes all around the campground. We stayed in the Hemlock part, but they could easily travel between the two. Just a note, the mosquitoes were bad in September, so take bug spray!

Great Family Camping! 

Nice listening to the waterfalls at night. Nice clean bathrooms and showers. Huge campsites.

Quite and clean. 

This campground was cute and had very nice facilities. Our campsite was near the mouth of the river. It had ample room at the campsite, a fire ring, clean bathrooms, and a close water source.

Very nice

Rustic with modern bathroom 1/4 mike away in next campground; on the river with access for kayaking and fishing; no motor homes, quiet and well spaced sites

Rivermouth is serene, scenic and for those who love the peace of nature

We stayed in the Lower Falls modern campground for 3 nights. The Lower falls were a short hike away, and there was a nice hike to the Upper falls 4 miles away. Unfortunately our campsite backed up to one that was full of noisy, ill-behaved children and a very loud dog. The bathrooms and showers were not cleaned very often and were covered in mud. If I went to Tahquamenon again I'd probably choose the Rivermouth campground in the hopes that it would be more peaceful.

Great, but not Peaceful, Hiking

Great hiking, obvious beautiful falls, and quiet! 

Lower Falls

Great state park. Nice facilities, huge sites. Beautiful hiking trails to the falls. Brewery has good beer.

Huge sites

It’s a great place. Nice showers and bathrooms. Store nearby. Good hikes every directions. Walking distance from the falls. A little flooded in October!! 

Super awsome

Very beautiful and the perfect "yooper" experience. Camping this close to the falls makes it one of the best. We enjoyed hiking trails and riding our bikes. 

Beautiful

We stayed at the Lower Falls campground and LOVED every second of it. The park and facilities were clean and the staff was helpful. The hike from the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls was great and works out with being able to grab some food at the brewery and hike back down. It took us and our boys 4 hours for the round trip. 

Stay at the Lower Falls..

Super nice RV park with nice facilities and a nice playground for the kids. I recommend portage vs hemlock. We stayed in site one next to the playground (not super close like I expected) but I also recommend site 5 and 13 for the views. The park was super clean and we didn't have any issues with bugs (mid Sept). The colors were just starting to change (probably will peak in the first week of October). The lower falls are in walking distance with a little icecream shop.

Highly recommend this park in the fall.

Awesome 

We stayed in the Rivermouth Modern Campground. Each of the campsites are very close together and you can see everyone around you. The bathroom facilities were very clean. 

  

We enjoyed renting a rowboat and rowing a short distance to and island to view the lower falls! The lower falls are much more enjoyable to see than the upper falls. The upper falls area is very crowded and you can only view the falls from a few areas. 

  

In the Rivermouth campground, there is a small beach area along the river. It is very peaceful and a great place to layout at night and watch the stars.

  

We also traveled outside the state park up to Whitefish Point. We went there because there is a beautiful long beach on Lake Superior that goes on forever. There is also the Whitefish Point Lighthouse that you can tour!

Upper Peninsula Waterfalls

I showed up unannounced for one night and they gave me an auxiliary site which worked out great. Showers are clean. Super close to the lower falls and also the upper falls. Friendly and quiet campground. I’ll definitely come back and reserve a longer stay next time. 

So Accommodating! 

We love wintering camping here, I wanted to share some of the amazing sites to see during the winter. 

We snow shoe the upper and lower falls, it’s absolute breath taking to see the falls freezing. 

Not a lot is open in paradise so bring what you need. We pay at the booth every year. Fill out a slip and leave money. 
No bathroom or showers are open
They do have a few out houses unlocked. 

The hike to the falls is maybe a mile, it’s so beautiful. 


Summer camping: has a lot more open and near by lighthouse.  

Winter camping 

A thick forest of Hemlocks and pines fill the interior of the Hemlock campground giving it a shady, woodsy feel. Tahquamenon (rhymes with “phenomenon”) has tightly compact sites at the Henlock campground with many roving kids on bikes yet somehow maintains a peaceful atmosphere. Alas, if you’re hoping for a dark campsite, try to avoid anywhere near the bath house - it provides a LOT of light. But with all the trees, Hemlock isn’t an ideal area for stargazing anyway. 

The main draw is the beautiful old growth forest hikes to the upper and lower falls. While you’re at the upper falls, stop by the Tahquamenon Brewery for a pint, check out the food truck options, or swing by the gift shop! A fun, beautiful place. 

Shady, woodsy, quiet

Close to the falls, local bar open in summer minimal winter hours. 

Beautiful look outs, site seeing, hikes, snowshoeing and good snow mobile trails in the area. 

Local store- minimal supplies (essentials) 
In paradise 

Rustic lots 

Beautiful falls 

We arrived at this park late Friday night and couldn’t set up because it was pouring and ended up staying the the first night in our car. I was nervous because it looked like our site was primarily dirt and I thought for sure it would all be mud the next day. However to my pleasant surprise although it was wet, it wasn’t mud so we were able to set up the next morning!!! We were at site 158 which is across from the bathrooms. It wasn’t too busy and most people kept to themselves, and no one cut across our site which was nice! The bathrooms were cleaned at night which made them much better, the shower was subpar but it had hot water and that’s all we need!

The trails were the best part! We hiked to the lower falls (only a mile) and it was a nice hike with some mud but like I said it rained the night before! It was my first time seeing the falls and they were beautiful. I would highly recommend!
We would have hiked to the upper falls as well but we had a 10 and 11 year old with us who are not as excited about “walking”. Hopefully we will break them in someday. That hike would be another 4 miles to the falls, then all the way back, so 10 miles total.

My only complaint is the entrance into the park. The campers and the visitors of the trail all share the same entrance. We went up to Whitefish Point in the morning one day and when we came back we had to wait in this long line to even get into the park, just to be passed through. It would be nice if they could make a separate entrance for us so we wouldn’t have to sit there and wait. 

Other than that, great park, wonderful trip!! 

Nice Park, Beautiful Trails

Camp was great. Weather pulling in Friday wasn’t nice. The next two days were awesome! Recommend 

So beautiful 

MUST see before you DIE!!

A must if you live in Michigan.  Portage camp is a walk from the lower falls.  Brand new and clean bathrooms.  Sewage dump is a mile at hemlock camp.  Get water there before you go to your site.

Rite of Passage

This is a family friendly campground. Even though harvest fest was canceled this year, there were still plenty of Halloween decorated campsites and kids dressed up in their best costumes to get some candy around the campsites. The showers are warm and the bathrooms are clean. 30 amp service was great. Water was in walking distance. 

Peak Fall Color Camping

We stayed 2 nights at Hemlock campground over during off season. There are a decent amount of trees however the campsites are pretty close together and do not offer much privacy. Since we were there during a slow time it was fine, but I can imagine it gets pretty full in the summer. Campground is great for a night to see the falls and or hike but not somewhere we would set up camp for a longer time. 

Worth seeing the falls

We were there late in the season and had a lovely, quiet campsite near the River where we fished for our dinner and later built a romantic campfire.

Breathtaking Fall Camping

Snowmobiled, snowshoed, hiked, cross countries, oh and nice waterfalls.

Winters Best

Tight camping at the campground. Good restroom and showers. The lower falls are great place to swim. The upper falls and brewery are magic.

Tahquamenon Falls Lower

Awesome base camp to explore the UP of Michigan.  Clean facilities, level sites, well spaced out, and beautiful scenery 

Beautiful and level sites

Stayed here two nights in mid-July. The hot showers were such a bonus! Short walk to lower falls and trails, which is exactly what we wanted. Camp hosts were awesome.

Great camping

Campground was gorgeous with plenty to do. The sites are good size sites and campground is well maintained. 

Perfect Trip

Really enjoyed the campground and falls. Park was busy but still very enjoyable 

Great experience 

We're camped at Tahquamenon Falls State Park - Lower Falls - Hemlock. The sites are level and fairly large (site 187). If you have an RV and your neighbor has one too, the sites are fairly private but otherwise there's not much separating you from the next site. We are parked on dirt, not much grass on our site but there's the standard picnic table and fire ring and the site seems well groomed or the last folks did a good pick up before they left. No trash or cigarette butts.

The bugs aren't horrible but you have to make sure you get some deet/ThermaCELL/picaridin or shelter at dusk or risk exsanguination.

Pretty happy with the site.


Large campsite but not much privacy

This is a very popular campground. With the crowd comes noisy kids running and screaming through the campground. Sites are mostly flat, with a few pull throughs. Takes some skill to get larger campers onto the sites. 

Popular Campground

Fine site with room to hang a hammock in the trees. 
Bath house was pretty grim.  
Quiet walk to the falls ,which were a little less impressive than expected

Pleasant

Great getaway place for a no-service weekend! Clean showers, bathrooms, and access to plenty of convenience stores and gas stations nearby. We stayed at the Rivermouth campground which was not too far from the Lower Falls area. Good hiking spots close by (Clark Lake and the falls). Clean area that was not too cold at night with a blanket and sleeping bag. Had an incredible time. Beware of woodpeckers and chipmunks!

Beautiful, quiet area

We have a handi-capped son who loves camping as much as we do.  They have a few handi capped sites which we love because they are all paved for these folks and he’s able to use his wheel chair to get close to the fire pit and enjoy a hot dog, or marshmallow with us.  The area is so  beautiful with the falls and its a great hiking area for us.  The park is very safe, and firewood is available at anytime thru there self-check station.  The folks who work there are the best we’ve met at a state run campground.    

Love this state park

I have gone here with my family over the years and I promise it gets better every time I go! The falls are insanely beautiful and the hike was well worth the view at the end:) 100% recommend

Beautiful ! 

Stayed at the group site

Quiet clean campground. Walked to lower falls from campsite. Great waterfalls. Upper falls is only a few miles up the road. Electric at site. Nice showers. Dump station with water.  

Nice waterfalls quiet camping

We spent 2 days at this park, mostly to see the falls and surrounding area (Whitefish Point).  One night would have been sufficient.  The bathrooms were clean, the park was gorgeous;  however, our biggest complaint was the sites were on top of each other.  It felt like tailgating.  Additionally, there was only 1 electric hookup box per 4 campsites, and it was on the wrong side for us (passenger side).  Our electric cable isn't infinitely long, so we had to park the camper far to the left (passenger side), and were more or less in our neighbor's campsite.  BE SURE to look where the electric hookup is located in photos when you choose a site, unless you have a really long plug.  For reference, we stayed at the Lower Falls Campground, Portage Loop, site 60.  Also to note, there was a monsoon of a rainstorm, and quite a few tent campers took on a few inches of water.  The pools were gone 24 hours later, but that didn't help the soaked tent people.

The trails and waterfalls were absolutely amazing, and the gift shop was A+.  I doubt we will go back there, but I'm glad we went for our first UP adventure.

Beautiful park, mediocre camping

We stayed on site 65, which was situated between to sites where we had to share with one neighbor on the electric, no big deal. All sites with electric were split that way, 2 sites per electric box. If you don't have a really long cord for the electric, buy one! Or cadycorner your trailer to fit like we did. The bathrooms were clean and I found it intriguing that each shower was its own closet not a stall, A+ for privacy!! The campground is off the main road to the lower falls so at night you can walk down to the parking lot and enjoy the dark sky, great for viewing all the stars! It was amazing for star gazing. 

Beautiful area with quiet camping

we stayed at the non-electric loop down the street from the overly crowded, loud campground loop by the falls. the non electric campground is peaceful along the river. the sites were not very secluded but in september after labor day there was only one other camper so privacy was not an issue. 

peaceful riverfront camping

I was camping with my disabled husband and small dog. Checkin was a pain and the DNR was aggressive and rude. My husband who has ALS and therefore no use of his hands or legs, was walking our dog while I set up camp. He can’t hold a leash but our support dog obeys his verbal commands. Not good enough for the DNR and they harassed him even though we complied with leashing her to his wheelchair as soon as we were told to do so. They could have approached things with less aggression and gotten the same result. It ruined my time. I packed us up early and headed for friendlier grounds. 

Bad checkin and rude DNR

As a lifelong Michigander it’s always been on my bucket list to travel up to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and visit Tahquamenon Falls. This campsite was taken care of, had great facilities, electricity, quiet by 10pm and was a 6 mile hike to the Upper Falls from camp. 

Only reason why I’m giving it a 4 instead of 5 was because the toilets were backing up semi-frequently. 

Quiet campsite with a hike from the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls

We stayed here towards the end of July. Our GPS wanted us to turn about 1/3 mile sooner on a closed gate rather than the actual Lower Tahquamenon Falls campground(CG) entrance. We got in line at the park checkpoint and paid the$36 for the annual MI State Park Pass as that was more economical for us than paying$10 per night. The ranger then told us to park in the area behind the gate and come in to register for our campsite. We were told that if we needed to fill with water there was potable water at the dump station. We then proceeded to Hemlock Loop, back-in site 182 that’s electric-only(50/30/20 AMP). As we entered our loop, we were a little worried as the sites coming in were either small or had some trees that would prevent an easy back-in. In addition, with our 39’ fifth wheel and F450 truck, we could not avoid brushing against trees on the side and top of our rig as we drove through. We went slow and there was no damage. When we got to site 182, we were relieved to see that the site was open and long enough for our rig and truck. We were also able to swing into the 90-degree back-in with no issues. If the campers in the site in front of us had parked on the front side, we probably would have asked them to move their truck while we got into the site. We got a bar, maybe two on Verizon and were able to get a usable signal very early in the morning. We didn’t get any OTA channels and with all the trees, a satellite would have been iffy, so we didn’t try. We took our showers at the shower house that had really good water pressure and hot water. This state park is a premier tourist attraction so the campground was full every day during our 6-day stay. There were hiking trails leading out of the CG at different locations, and we enjoyed walking our dogs both to the lower falls and other areas. If you go to the falls after 10:00 AM, expect crowds.

Nice but Very Busy

Love this campground to go fishing and paddle boarding. Quiet and relaxing with a hike that boarders the water. Down the street you will find whitefish bay with more fishing opportunities and it’s also great place to take photos if you are into photography! We stayed at site 126 and it was right next to the water and pretty private! Definitely recommend and hope to go back soon! 

Favorite UP MI camping!

I camped in the area around the falls as a kid, and have fond memories of it. Nothing prepared me for camping near the river mouth. You want the old part of the campground, right on the river, with no electricity. The sunsets are magical, and are happening right in front of you. Simply the best experience short of backpacking. It is a short walk to the newer part of the campground where there are flush toilets. That just keeps everything in the old part very quiet.

The campground near the river mouth is amazing.

We stayed at the Hemlock campground near the Lower Falls.  The campsites are so close to one another, with absolutely no privacy/buffer.  I am used to camping at parks in Wisconsin, where there is generally more brush and understory plants and sites are better spaced out.  We were there on Saturday and Sunday nights, and the campsite was packed with people; an army of kids riding bikes and scooters, and some teenagers driving an RC car all over.  Lots of dogs, but thankfully they all seemed well-behaved.  I was shocked with how quiet it was after sundown.  I was expecting there to be some loud and obnoxious people, but everyone seemed to be respectful volume-wise.  

Aside from the awkwardness of being so close to other campers, the site itself was nice; flat, pine needle/dirt base.

The bathrooms were alright.  Showers were limited to 3 and always busy.  Water fluctuated between warm and mostly cold.  I did read that the bathroom/shower building is going to be replaced next year, which will be wonderful for future campers.

  

We bought firewood from the park's dispenser near the entry building.  It seemed wet and did not burn very well.  The second night we purchased our firewood from Gene's Tahquamenon General Store, just down the road, and it seemed to be better quality.   The general store looked nice inside, with all kinds of useful items for sale.

  

While we stayed at Tahquamenon Falls SP, we visited both waterfalls, which were beautiful and easy to get to.  Bathrooms at both falls were large and clean.

We also made a day trip to Whitefish Bay to see the Shipwreck Museum and hang out at the beach.

  

We wanted to get dinner in Paradise our second night, but the two food trucks that we originally wanted to check out were closed.  (Sub shop in town was also closed when we tried to stop by at lunch time)  We considered eating at one of the two sit-down restaurants in Paradise or driving to the brewery by the Upper Falls, but we didn't want to wait very long or spend that much money.  We ended up going to Eddy's food truck across from the Wheelhouse.  Food was alright, prices were fair for a food truck, owner was super friendly, and there was a nice little seating area off to the side.

  

Overall our camping experience at this VERY popular park was good.  If I were to camp there in the future, I would be sure to make my reservations much further in advance in order to get a site on the outer edge (or try out the rustic campsites).

Cramped Camping Near Beautiful Waterfalls

This was a really nice spot with clean bathrooms and showers, quiet, and close to some nice hiking and scenery.  The sites are fairly small and close together, but overall the campground was pretty quiet.  If traveling with a group you could get some sites together and it would work out really nice.

Nice Campground with Trees and Hiking Close By

Our first visit to this park and first stay at campground, and it was absolute bliss!  Absolutely worth the drive to enjoy all the peace, quiet, space, views, amenities, trails and of course the waterfalls.  Words cannot really explain the beauty all around.  The recent upgrades to this park can easily be seen and appreciated in the well kept grounds, available amenities, picnic areas, pavilions , fully functional accessible bathrooms and large personal shower rooms. Not a detail was missed!    And yes, the restaurant is a plus!  We enjoyed delicious bison burgers and beer.  The campground was full of guests but quiet, clean, clean restrooms, self serve firewood machine that accepts cards!  We were surprised to find out that you will need to pay for state park pass even with camping reservations. The $40 annual pass is the best value if visiting for longer than 3 days.  We stayed for 4 nights with 34’ camper on site 188, which is at the very beginning of loop but still very quiet, no road noise. Outer sites are very spacious, inner sites are much smaller.  Convenient trails connect Lower and upper falls, 4 miles.  One mile trail to reach lower falls from campground. the lower falls alone will give you plenty to explore.  We spent two days there, one kayaking around the lower falls and river where you can launch your own kayak from lower falls, next to picnic area and paddle up to the falls and down river. but be mindful, you will paddle upstream heading back. Some areas are low but doable. The park offers canoe rental but only to lower fall and back. We spent another full day just walking around taking everything in, and cooling off in the falls of course.  The upper fall area is just as lovely but you can only view from view points.  We enjoyed an evening walk to upper falls when hardly no one was there.  The park is roughly 30 mins to nearby lighthouses, 90 mins to western points like Munising and pictured rocks.  No need to second guess this place, just go and enjoy responsibly!  And please be respectful of this beautiful park.

Absolute Perfection

Decent bath house, no water/sewer. Minimal ATT cell service. Level lot, busy on weekend. Great proximity to Lower Falls from campsite, easy drive to Upper Falls. We took a chance and did not reserve a site and was able to stay a night. 

Great hiking within park

Accommodating staff fit me in without a reservation. Nice sites and clean bathrooms with showers. 

Photos of Lower Falls Campground — Tahquamenon Falls State Park

Real photos from real campers