Water Accessible Campsites

  Between Grand Marais and Munising campsites administered by Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and the Grand Island National Recreation Area offer the most developed campsites in terms of numbers, facilities and regulations. Please check regulations for each area as they do differ. Click here to find links to their websites where you can contact them if you have questions.

  The table below lists the water accessible campsites between Big Bay and Munising (as well as one just east of PRNL in Grand Marais). At the Hiawatha Water Trail Association (HWTA), we are aware that there needs to be more development of campsites. Please click here to see our how we are addressing this and click here to see how you can help out.

Campsite Location Distance by water following the coastline from access point Landowner Permit required Fee Vehicle access Notes Niessen site   6 miles from Big Bay Marina Private landowner has given permission for watertrail use       Cobblestone beach, no rough water landing. No fires allowed. 2 tent pads. Composting toilet. Little Presque Isle 046º 38’ 11.40” N 087º 28’ 19.38” W 25 miles from Big Bay Marina. Escanaba River State Forest, DNR X     Paddle up Harlow Creek and camp anywhere on the west side of County Road 550 (the bridge over the creek). Camping is not allowed between the lake and CR-550. No designated sites. Chocolay Marina 046º 29’ 46.56” N 087º 20’ 55.23” W Located at Chocolay Marina access point Chocolay Township     X Approximately 2/3 of a mile from Lake Superior on the Chocolay River. 2 tent pads. Gitche Gumme Campground 046º 29’ 21.24” N 087º 13’ 17.92” W 7 miles from Chocolay Marina. Private - commercial campground   X X Flight of steps up from beach. Commercial campground across Highway M-28. Showers. Laughing Whitefish River 046º 31’ 16.39” N 087º 01’ 40.00” W 19 miles from Chocolay Marina. Escanaba River State Forest, DNR X     Paddle up Laughing Whitefish River. No designated sites. Five mile point 046º 28’ 32.79” N 086º 44’ 12.53” W 42 miles from Chocolay Marina. Hiawatha National Forest Service       Landing is on exposed sandstone, no rough water landing possible. No designated sites. Bay Furnace Recreation Area 046º 26’ 30.99” N 086º 42’ 20.30” W 46 miles from Chocolay Marina. Hiawatha National Forest Service   X X   Munising Tourist Park 046º 26’ 29.83” N 086º 40’ 38.91” W 47 miles from Chocolay Marina. City of Munising   X X Showers. Woodland Park   42 miles from Sand Point Burt Township   X X Just west of Grand Marais Harbor and east of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Showers. Access to restaurants and grocery store in Grand Marais.

Notes:
- X means the campsite has those features, a blank space means it does not.
- Please check with the landowner for their rules and regulations as they vary.
- Assume camping is in a designated campsite unless noted otherwise.

Off The Water Trail Drive-In Camping

  Between Grand Marais and Munising, there are vehicle accessible campsites off the water trail administered by Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and the Grand Island National Recreation Area. Click here to find links to their websites where you can contact them if you have questions.

  The table below lists the vehicle accessible campsites off the water trail between Big Bay and Munising. See the above table for campsites on the water trail with vehicle access.

Campsite	Approximate location (ask locally for driving directions)	Landowner	Fee	Access to inland water	Notes
Perkins Park	Big Bay	Marquette County	X	X	Showers. On beautiful Lake Independence. Nearby grocery and paddle shops as well as restaurants. Not possible to paddle to/from Lake Superior due to private property alongside the dam.
Harlow Lake	Between Big Bay and Marquette on CR 550.	Escanaba River State Forest, DNR		X	No designated campsites & DNR permit required. DNR rents cabins on/near Harlow Lake. Hiking & mountain biking trails. Harlow Creek is shallow in places with windfall. It can be challenging to paddle to/from Lake Superior and is not recommended.
Marquette’s Tourist Park	North part of town on the way to Big Bay.	City of Marquette	X	X	Showers. Nearby bike path. On the Dead River. Approximately 1 mile from Lake Superior but it is necessary to portage 2/3 of a mile around a waterfall and shallow section.

Notes:

- X means the campsite has those features, a blank space means it does not.
- Please check with the local Chamber of Commerce/visitor center for more information including driving directions. Click here to be taken to our links page that lists these organizations for each community.

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