Mary H.

Holland, MI

Joined September 2018

Love quiet, rustic camping for solitude and rejuvenation.

Unpretentious and quiet

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.

Rustic and lovely

Stayed here on a chilly late September weekend with very few other campers around. Loved it. It's remote, rustic and the lakefront is scrubby and unspoiled. We had one of the waterfront sites and could hear the shore sounds all through the night. The location, while removed from the bustle of touristy areas, is a great starting/ending point for exploring the peninsula with all its Lake Michigan vistas and quirky little bars. Loved it.

Off the beaten path

Would love to keep this gem as hidden as possible, so hesitate to recommend, but it is really wonderful. Amazing location and super quiet when the ATVs stay away. The drive out is remote and easy to get lost (I thought). A county road map is handy!

Remote and quiet

Landed here after trying unsuccessfully to camp along Lake Superior (everything full). It’s a sweet little campground: quiet, dark and removed from the crowds. Close to Laughing Whitefish Falls and also not far from Marquette and Presque Isle. Recommend all!

Upper campground: Rustic, remote, restful

The upper campground has a rustic feel, beautiful views and is a great location for wildlife encounters. While it has some amenities (electric on a few RV sites; scullery area near the pit toilets; showers available at lower campground), these grounds are away from the bustle of the outside world. We are tent campers, and without the need for hookup and never having been there, we reserved site 45--but do not recommend it for its challenging slope. When a loud, disrespectful family set up nearby that first night for a long weekend, we spoke with the camp host (helpful, amenable Jim), who suggested we ask about site 71, the most removed of all the sites. Went to the camp office and obtained it for the rest of our week-long stay--and it was perfect. (While it had a hookup that we didn't need/use, we did pay extra for it--but well worth the seclusion.) Super quiet back there and totally private. Some of the rustic tent sites looked lovely, too (did not note best site numbers; sorry), but we cannot recommend #71 enough. If you're an RV camper, however, the sites with the vista views overlooking the reservoir are amazing, if not somewhat close together. 

We wanted to encounter wildlife; went looking for it and found it! Everything seemed to be about an hour or more away on winding roads, but that was okay; love the meandering. We went to:  

  • Hyner View (gorgeous vistas -- and also came across a mama rattlesnake sunning on a back road and took photos from the safety of our car!); 
  • Pine Creek Gorge (Leonard Harrison State Park) more amazing views; 
  • Benezette to find elk (wild herd at dusk on Winslow Hill, complete with mama and baby--then three buck sauntering through town!); and 
  • lovely nearby Kettle Creek Vista. We also saw a few elk and lots of deer as we drove along the river's edge over the Leidy Bridge. 

Pennsylvania is gorgeous!

We also enjoyed meeting Julie at the Lock Haven Visitors' Center and had our only meal out at Deb's in Cross Fork. For ice cream treats (a weakness): Ice Shack near Lock Haven; Old Bull Cafe in Benezette; the kiosk at the top of Pine Creek Gorge. 

A very restful, quiet week in early June was just what we needed, and Kettle Creek State Park Upper Campground was wonderful.

Quiet, remote, unspoiled

I hesitate to write a review for this campground, because I don't want people to find it! But when I was looking for it, I was grateful for those who had reported on it. It's a lovely, quiet, private, in-the-middle-of-nowhere-in-the-middle-of-Michigan place on the beautiful Pine River. We listened to it burble past us all night long and it was heavenly.

Early June brought few campers yet; I don't know how busy it gets in the height of summer. It was just the quiet I needed to start the summer season. The Silver Creek Pathway is a great hike around the river -- other than that, we just enjoyed reading at the campfire and swimming in the super cold river.

Beautifully located on Lake Huron

Lovely rustic campground, with several sites fronting Lake Huron. We tent-camped in August and swam twice a day in that beautiful crystal clear water. Our site was not particularly private (a medium-sized RV came in part-way through the week and its generator ruined our serene quiet), but its location on the water was priceless. We enjoyed touring the area, and especially loved Presque Isle. Some gorgeous farmlands to drive around, too, and we serendipitously came across an amazing sunflower farm. We'd love to return to this campground.

Beautifully wooded, wonderfully located

Camden Hills State Park was our third camping stop along Maine's coast and all three were wonderful. Our schedule allowed us to stay here only one night (disappointing!), but we loved this campground. Our site (74) felt private and was so beautiful among all the trees. While we didn't get to take advantage of the hiking trails, we drove up to Mt. Battie (part of this park) and the views were phenomenal! Had another friendly, helpful ranger check us in and, again, super clean bathrooms and showers. We explored the area a bit; loved Camden and headed down to Rockland to the Farnsworth Museum -- all within an easy drive. Also drove out to Owl's Head Point, but the fog overtook it. I bet it's super cool on a clearer day. Loved this place!

Lovely sites; great location.

Another awesome state park in Maine! We loved the location; so easy to get to Acadia National Park but well out of the fray. We had site 42: not right on the Frenchman Bay (a gorgeous thing!) but we could see it. Foggy mornings felt almost like rain -- but it usually burned off by 10am. Be sure to visit Seal Cove Farm nearby for their delicious goat cheese pizza/specialties and cool environment and, of course, trek around Acadia -- as amazing as is promised.

Bathrooms, showers and scullery sinks were kept super clean (we're usually rustic campground campers, so these were quite the bonus!), and Christine, the ranger who checked us in, was really friendly and helpful for area tips and suggestions. Loved our experience here.

Quiet, private, scenic

Loved the privacy and remoteness of this park. We had a tent site (53) that had a short root-laden walk into the site, but not bad and well worth the bay view. Woke early enough for the sunrise on the bay, which was spectacular (and first in the country!). Great home base for exploring this rustic coastal part of Maine; totally enjoyed: Lubec, West Quoddy Lighthouse, Campobello Island, Eastport, Reversing Falls, Western Head Trail (amazing) Sipps Head Trail, Shackford Trail (careful; not well marked interior and we nearly got lost at dusk) and Machias. Love this area! And the campground, while rustic, has quarter-operated showers; excellent bonus! Highly recommend this place.