Upper Peninsula Michigan camping

[Shadow Catcher]

I have heard of the Sylvania Wilderness for many years as being comparable to Boundry Waters for canoeing, and less used. This is National Park Service and is in the Michigan UP and North of Wisconsin. It is in the Ottawa National Forest www.fs.fed.us/r9/ottawa/offices/about_the_ottawa.htm
There are showers at one of the camp grounds and there would appear to be boon docking opportunities using some of the old logging roads.
Particularly if we procrastinate and fail to get our passports again this/next year so we can cross into Canada this ma well substitute for Lake Superior Provincial park as a destination. For us it would be faster for us going through Wisconsin.

[Montana]

When I think of the U.P., I think of the Porcupine Mountains, Sylvania, the Huron Mountains, The Mcormick Wilderness and the Ottawa National Forest.

Someone mentioned Sylvania here and there's a good page on it, with pics of the campground:

http://www.parkcamper.com/Sylvania-Wild ... erness.htm

Really nice fall colors there.

There is only one drive in campground in Sylvania but it's beautiful in the fall. Definitely try and get one of the sites that border the old growth forest. They are incredible. I set up there a couple years ago in the fall and it was very peaceful.

The northwodos are great. For more choices in drive in campgrounds, definitely head for the Porkies or the Ottawa National Forest itself which is loaded with fairly remote and quiet campgrounds.

[Shadow Catcher]

We planning on heading north next summer. Our first love is Lake Superior Provincial Park but unless we get our act together and get passports it ain't happening. I love the micro climate vegetation variations along the Canadian granite shield, and canoeing is wonderful.
Second idea is Ottawa National forest (North Of Madison Wisconsin but still UP) with canoe trips in the Sylvania Wilderness area. Supposedly comparable to Boundary Waters.
One of the reasons I have gone to great lengths to make us as prepared for off grid, '200W solar, water filtration to where I can take it out of the river/lake safely' is to be able to boondock or semi (primitive camp ground) boondock.
We are open to a group however, so if you organize it others may come to pare a phrase.

[tearhead]

I can vouch for the beauty of both Tahquamenon Falls and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (great hiking and kayaking, and both the pictured rocks boat tour and the shipwreck boat tour are GREAT). Though I have never camped at either spot. I resolved to go back! The actual "pictured" part of the park is visible only from the lake, but it's fun hiking and seeing the many many waterfalls in and around Munising and the park. There is a whole lot of "middle of nowhere" along Lake Superior. You can be driving along a road that is labeled like a main road that all of a sudden turns to sand and tree roots. We did see some primitive campsites right along Superior, to the east of Pictured Rocks, though you can't get there by driving east from Pictured Rocks. You'd have to drive south and over to Grand Marais, and then west, to get to them. Right by the lake, though! I'm excited that Mike and others are going to be camping in the UP. We had thought to, too! Maybe we should organize something?

[Nitroxjunkie71]

Maybe we should organize something?

I'll sure second that but I am already going up that way in July. I think Karl from D-Town may venture up sometime during my visit as well. I really need my boat fix and plan (at this point) to camp just down from the Soo Locks.





It won't be the view I had last summer but I will still be in my element.





I will probably stay there a night or two. I want to visit the Valley Camp and gather supplies to start my week long trek. After that, I am heading up to Andrus and then thanks to some great ideas on this thread, I may head over towards Pictured Rocks. There has been a wealth of info and ideas on here and I thank everyone for adding their 2 cents.



Maybe Mike should plan a trip once a year to the Great White North???

[mikeschn]

What do you miss the most, the black flies, or the mosquitoes?

Just kidding... I'd like to get back up there someday too!

Mike...

[Nitroxjunkie71]

What do you miss the most, the black flies, or the mosquitoes?

I totally agree with ya Mike but it's so well worth the trip and the bugs.

[Karl]

I think Karl from D-Town may venture up sometime during my visit as well.

Count me in!!

[Carter]

I spent a few days in the Porcupines a long time ago. I remember the black flies driving me away from Lake of the Clouds. We stayed at the campground at the SE end of the park and I don't remember the bugs being too bad.

One of the most memorable northern trips included a stay at Lake Superior Provincial Park with a campsite along the lake. Rented a canoe we kept at the campsite and paddled along the shore in the morning fog. The diminished light allowed us to see the rock formations in the smooth surfaced 30+ foot deep water. Seagulls bantered in the distance, and in-between, the most profound silience I have ever enjoyed. Unfortunatly Highway 17 runs adjacent to the park and the sound of trucks climbing the grades is a constant distraction at the beautiful campground. Too bad, I have a number of remote places that are delightful to camp at except for the noise polution.

Jim

[eight433]

My Girly and I went up last fall, albeit not camping. We stayed in the Coastguard Crewmans quarters at the shipwreck museum. VERY cool

[Nitroxjunkie71]

Count me in!!

Great. I will keep you posted...

Carter, that sounds like a nice campground.

We stayed in the Coastguard Crewmans quarters at the shipwreck museum. VERY cool

That does sound cool, thanks for sharing.

Is it summer yet? :thinking:

[mikeschn]

I am familar with all the areas that you shot in those photos...

This might be a good weekend to go north...

Yesterday the real feel down here near Detroit was -8 F.

this morning the real feel was -6 F.

I wonder how much colder it is up in the UP?

Think we could walk across to the island at tahquamenon falls?

Mike...

[Nathan N]

never camped up there but loved the couple visits we had

Keeweenah Peninsula


Upper Tahquamenon Falls


Whitefish Point

[Nitroxjunkie71]

I wonder how much colder it is up in the UP?

I think Spring is here.

As of 5:39 pm EST today

[whitefishpoint]

This is your best friend for planning U.P. trips

http://www.upfishing.com/bug.html

We camped across the U.P. for 18 days in the summer of 2007. 2 weeks in June and a week in July.

I couldn't believe how good the bugs were. No blackflies, very few mosquitos, just some nats.

In 2008 we went up again. When we got out of the car a cloud of flys hovered around it and a cloud of mosquitos hovered around the trailer - it was so awful, we didn't stay.

So I believe that bug index is a very good indicator.

Lets home for a low precipitation spring with warm winds this year.