Best Glamping near Presque Isle, WI

Only a few hours drive from northern Wisconsin. Porcupine Mountains is one of my favorite northwoods spots to visit. I have seen black bear here on numerous occasions. I love to sit on the flat rock shore of lake Superior. The colors of the rocks are remarkable! Check out both lake of the clouds and the presque isle area. Happy adventuring!

We spent Labor Day weekend in the Porcupine Mountains; it was our first time, we loved our time there, the Presque Isle campground is awesome, sits close to the Presque Isle River, on a bluff over Lake Superior. The sunsets on Lake Superior while we were there were fabulous. Campsites are large, the campground seems to be well taken care of. The only issue we had was the vault toilets, they hadn't been cleaned in a very long time. We have camped in other rustic state campgrounds over the years and we have never had the experience with the vaults that we did over Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately it took away from out experience.

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!

We camped at Presque Isle in the Porkies for a long weekend in October. The color change was amazing! This campground is rustic with only vault toilets and no hookups. There is a section that allows generators during certain hours of the day, a non-generator area and a few walk-in sites. There are a few sites which are along the cliff side looking down to Lake Superior, we were lucky enough to reserve one of those, site 2. It was a very large site, equipped with the standard picnic table and fire ring. Many of the sites back up to the woods, which were smaller and a little soggy while we were there. This campground is one of two in the park, Union Bay is the other more modern campground located right on the lake. The sites there are much smaller and crowded. I prefer the more remote Presque Isle campground by far. Less amenities but far less people. The hiking throughout this park is unparalleled in its beauty. The campground is close to the Presque Isle river trail which is waterfall after waterfall. The park has a ski lift we rode to check out the views from the top of the mountain, as well as an 18 hole disc course. It’s the hiking and rugged beauty of the area that is the main attraction, especially catching the fall colors surrounding Lake Superior.

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!

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!

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.  

This is a beautiful area to visit even if it is just for a day, but just a days visit will leave you wanting to comeback for more! The Porcupine Mountains is located in the Northwest tip of Michigans Upper Peninsula. There are multiple entrances depending on what part of the park you want to visit. One of the most popular sites in the park is Lake of the Clouds. I have never been fortunate enough to see it on a clear day in person so you may take your chances by cloud cover or the fog. There are campsites that do sit close to the lake but require a hike. This park offers many hiking trails that pass and cross numerous lakes and streams. If you are a backpacker this is an excellent place to go. I would suggest later August or Fall. The trails can be impassable at times during the late Spring and the black flies will disappear usually by August but they can stick around. Check trail conditions often!! You can either camp with your tent or rent cabins along the trail which are usually well kept, I can not say the same about the Yurt however. You should book these cabins or tent sites well in advance as this is a popular park. I prefer tent camping but on my week long hike I decided to rent cabins instead and I am glad I did. I did hike the second week of June and the trails were unkept and the tent sites were thick mud with not much of a choice but to sleep in the mud. The cabins do have wood burning stoves, beds and benches. You will have the occasional rodent but some of the cabins had traps in them and if you set one and catch one, you will be left alone for the rest of the night. I had set the trap and reset the trap twice in 30 seconds, after catching two and coming to the conclusion I could be up all night doing this, after the third trap I just left the rodent in the trap and it must have been a deterrent because I wasn't bothered the rest of the night.

I really can't say enough about this park even though my hiking experience was miserable given the trail conditions. It is a challenge to hike but with such a vast are of wilderness there is so much more to do. Near by is the Presque Isle River Campground and Scenic Area which shouldn't be missed either.

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.

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.

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.

Willow River State Park in Wisconsin is an amazing camp site and since it's in a state park the rates are quite reasonable as well. There are tons of hiking trails that start right In the campground. My favorite hike is to the waterfall and walking up the steps to get to the top of it. I am actually surprised it's not a lot bussier then when I've been there.

Me and the kids took a road trip from North Carolina to Wisconsin over the summer during Covid to get away. We stopped at several states and several campgrounds and this one to this day is still our favorite. Even though less amenities since there’s no showers... the site and scenery made that less important! The camp host was very nice and full of helpful information. The campsite was huge and private, also our site was on the lake with access to it. Perfect for pitching up your hammock and just enjoy the scenery and sounds of the lake. Mornings were beautiful with the pines mirrored on the lake and the crying Loons. I’d definitely make this trip again! It’s a great way to let nature just naturally reset your mind! It was sad when we had to leave. We also found a nice family market in Mercer which had everything we needed about 10-15 minutes away. Get the Cinnamon bread! We went up there every morning to get more😂🤣

This is a nice campground located in a nice place that isn’t too rustic. Lots of sites in this large campground too. The road in is paved and yet nicely wooded. It feels like a more upscale location than some other more remote campgrounds. Once in there are a variety of sites to choose from. Firewood is for sale in the wooden building - an honor system for payment. Vault toilets are spread throughout.

Big lake is beautiful and certainly a draw. We loved the bicycle route that runs throughout the area. People were walking, running and biking - even one wheels were in play. This is a great way to get out into the dispersed local community without touching your vehicle. If you would rather something more trail oriented, WinMan Trails is not far. To be honest, we only made it a mile before we ran back to the car to avoid the flies and mosquitoes. The trails were beautiful. They also have mountain bike routes and short tracks along with winter cross country ski routes.

This is a welcoming campground that we look forward to returning to.

Have stayed here two or three times. Pretty quiet except for the boaters coming in and out in the morning and evening. Just your basic campground with pit toilets and pump water. Firewood available for $5 or $6 when I was there. Sites that I stayed in seem to have good amount of vegetation in between for privacy. Overall a good campground.

Big Lake Campground is a great spot if you’re looking for a simple and peaceful camping experience. The facilities are very basic—vault toilets and no showers—but they are clean and well-maintained. Firewood is available for sale on-site, which is super convenient.

The real highlight is the beautiful natural surroundings. The campground is nestled in a quiet, wooded area, perfect for relaxing and disconnecting. There are some really nice hiking trails nearby, offering scenic views and opportunities to spot wildlife.

If you’re okay with minimal amenities and want to enjoy nature, this is a great spot. Perfect for tent campers and anyone looking for a rustic getaway!

Enjoy the road as it winds you between many lakes on the way to Henry Lake. 5 miles of well kept gravel road. It gets bumpier on the last leg to the campground.

A small campground with one loop awaits you. A variety of nice sites with plenty of shade can be found. All of them were empty when we arrived - it was mid-week. It might be different on the weekends. There really seems to be fishing and relaxing in camp as your options. It is a beautiful spot in a peaceful and quiet setting.

Side note. On our visit we passed a group hanging out by their trucks just as we turned off the highway. By the time we got to the campground one of the trucks was following us. We didn’t feel comfortable so we left (always trust your intuition). We passed the whole group of trucks on our way out as they headed back towards the campground. It may have just been coincidence but we felt better moving on to another spot

Campground is a hidden gem - these sites are huge and if you can get one of the sites right on the lake, do it! We reserved a site last minute and stayed on site 1933 which had a slight lake view but site 1925 looked amazing. Families staying here had kids swimming right off the campsite in the very nice lake.

There are bathrooms here but no showers. Sites have fire rings and picnic tables. There are dumpsters in the campground. They also had firewood for sale for $5 (cash or check).

We were inspired to stop here by the other Dyrt reviewer!

With covid changing campgrounds to require reservations, we found a spot here over the weekend. We got one of a couple open sites. Upon arrival the horseflies greeted us with curiosity. They seemed to leave us after we finished setting up but we still put up our screen room. Sites that are near the lake have more direct access. For the rest of us it’s a short hike through the woods or a quick drive to the beach. We loved the amount of greenery between sites that kept us feeling secluded. The tall trees provided shade. We would enjoy this much more out of the fly season. They aren’t so troublesome in town so we did venture out to explore the area. Mercer is only about 11 miles away. It’s also a treat to have 2 dots of Verizon service in camp.

Decided on a last minute get away here and it was perfect. Super quiet and the views were great for the weekend. Yes there are flies and yes there are mosquitos, but get on the water and it is not so bad. I was able to grab a site near the water so I could get in and out with the kayak, but also the location lended itself to other lakes to fish nearby as well. Sites are fairly private because of the lower vegetation so you don't feel as though you are right on top of your neighbors. The sites in the back are super private and easy to get away from noise of other people, but they do have more flies bc it is less breezy. I did go down to the swimming beach and watch some turtles laying eggs. I will certainly come back again. I love this area! 

If you get the chance to get a walk in site...do it. They are very much in a perfect location!

Roomy wooded sites right on Lake Gogebic which is the Upper Peninsula’s largest inland lake. 2 fairly clean bathroom and shower areas, volleyball net, basketball hoop, beach/ swim area, kayaks available, boat launch, walking trails.

We loved staying at Lake Gogebic!

There’s a beach a short walk through the campground and the site hosts are super friendly. There are sites that back up to US-64 so I’d recommend the middle or lakeside sites. The sites are also really big!! Park policy says you can either have 1 RV/trailer per site (with an added tent) or as many tents that can fit on the site, which is a great policy IMO. There is also ice for sale at the front of the campground; $2 per bag. There are electricity hookups but they’re spaced out weird so, depending on site, you’ll need a long extension cord to get power to your site.

I will say there was A LOT of kids around, riding their bikes/scoters/rollerblades and yelling at each other. It was a little annoying but we looked past it; if that’s a dealbreaker, maybe look for a different campground!

The weather was cool for 2/3 nights we were there so would recommend some warmer clothes and blankets. Not terribly bugging when it’s cooler, but the 1 day it was warmer there were a lot.

Overall, it was a great stay and if we ever find ourselves up in that area again we would stay again!