Michigan (Presque Isle / Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park)
Trip Summary
Having been to Michigan before and loved it, I wanted to go back, but so many people told me that you haven’t REALLY seen Michigan unless you go to the Upper Peninsula! So my husband and I decided to make it part of a road trip, and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience!
Our driving itinerary was long–we were driving in from Minnesota and crossing Wisconsin–so I wanted to find a place where we could stop for the night that was close to the Wisconsin/Michigan border. We were also camping for the majority of this trip, so when looking at campgrounds (and there are many in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!), I found Presque Isle Campground. It was on the shore of Lake Superior, had a bunch of trails nearby that led to waterfalls, was in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, AND was close to Lake of the Clouds–a sight we also wanted to see–so it looked perfect!
And it really was! Like all campgrounds in Michigan, you have to pay for a Recreation Passport, but you can do this online or in-person at the front office (there are cards to fill out and a drop off slot for the money). This campground is also very small, so it was quiet and private and even though it was nearly full, we never heard our neighbors or even saw them much.
On the far right side of the campground is a staircase that goes down to the shore of Lake Superior and there, you can walk along the sand for a bit and hike over the driftwood that had washed ashore.
I highly recommend coming down here for pictures–especially during sunset–because the views are just out of this world and some of the best pictures of the whole road trip came from this little spot!
One of the things we did not expect being so close to the lake was how windy it gets! It was so strange to be at the cliffside and get absolutely pummeled with wind then to walk inland a hundred feet and hardly feel it at all! This meant that our camping spot–which faced the shore–was very windy, so making a fire was difficult as we couldn’t make it too big in fear of sparks being carried away to the trees and neighboring campsites. We also had to take the rain fly off our tent because it kept getting whipped around so much that we just started laughing when we went inside the tent briefly. There was going to be no getting sleep with that thing whipping around, so we made do with a small fire and retired early to bed (because it was cold!).
However, retiring to bed didn’t mean we were sleeping–just getting out of the cold! Knowing the sky was very clear, we looked forward to stargazing, so after warming up for brief periods of time, we set our phone on a tripod and aimed it at the sky to see what we could get…and oh, my goodness! The stars! And the pictures you could get with a phone without any fancy equipment! It was mind-blowing, and every time we rushed back to our tent to warm up, we looked through the pictures and oohed and awwed, then rushed back out to take some more. It was a magical sight because not only did you see the stars, but also part of the Milky Way! So beautiful!
After getting our fill of the stars, we went to sleep, and the next day, we decided to explore the Presque Isle River Waterfalls Loop, and it was a lovely trip around the area. There are a lot of small overlooks where you can see the various waterfalls and take pictures. Signs explaining the brownish-tint of the water, the fish that swim in the river, and so on are also posted for all to see, so it was educational as well. We were the only ones on the trail, so it was a peaceful way to start the day!
So for the magnificent views, quiet atmosphere, spacious campsites, and gorgeous shoreline, this little campground gets a full recommendation! The only drawbacks were the gross bathrooms (vault toilets are always disgusting, but it is understandable not being able to have plumbing this far out into the wilderness), rarely staffed front desk (each time we went by there, no one was in the office which can be troublesome if you want to buy firewood or need help getting your Recreational Passport), and the fact that directions to get here were unclear (the online receipt stated an address in Ontonagon–which is actually a city an hour and ten minutes away from the campground). We ended up going with our gut instinct and following our GPS to the campground just north of Wakefield–and thank goodness we did, because that would have been a lot of backtracking and frustration otherwise! So with those caveats, I have to give this place a less than perfect rating–but those views! Those views alone are worth an A+!
Presque Isle Campground: A-
After we left the campground, we headed to our next destination–Lake of the Clouds! This place is also in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park and is an absolutely beautiful overlook! Even though it was cold and rainy when we went, it was a gorgeous sight with all the fall colors, and the overlook is quite large so you can see in all directions–both over the lake and the valley around it as well as the numerous trails in the area.
It is also a very short and easy walk to the overlook, so anyone can go see it even if they decide not to hike. However, if you wanted to hike, there is an absolute abundance of trails that wander down into the valley and closer to the lake. A lot of these trails are quite long, and with the drive ahead of us (we were heading to see the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore next), we didn’t have time to hike, much to my husband’s dismay, but if you have time, I highly encourage you to check out the hiking opportunities! There are so many!
So for its unforgettable views, loads of hiking trails, and sheer size of the overlook, Lake of the Clouds gets high marks! Highly recommend going there if you are nearby! It’s a place you will remember forever!
Lake of the Clouds: A
All this to say, people were right about the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! It is absolutely gorgeous and boasts so many beautiful spots to camp and hike! From its abundance of nature to the big open skies to the wildness of the Great Lakes, Michigan is a top spot that deserves to be on your bucket list!
Favorite Experiences
I know I probably sound redundant in my posts when I say that everything was my favorite, but here, it really was! The shoreline is so beautiful, and when my husband and I bundled up and watched the sunset from the cliffs, it was a magical sight! The stars were the absolute best surprise of the trip, though, and the pictures we got are just incredible for being taken on a phone. At one point while the phone took pictures from the tripod, my husband laid down on the ground in the middle of the campground and just stared at the sky. One of the campers was walking his dog and came to a dead stop when he saw my husband on the ground, and I laugh thinking about it, because it must have thrown him for a loop! “Just looking at the stars,” said my husband, and how can you not? The skies are beautiful up here and with no light pollution, it is the prime spot to stargaze (and I’ve heard that you can even see the Northern Lights occasionally!). Unfortunately, we didn’t see those, but the stars were magical.
What I Wish I Knew
I wish I calculated our time better, because while a map will estimate how long it will take to get from one point to the next, you have to multiply that by time and a half because the small roads take forever. Wisconsin–while gorgeous– took a long time to get through, so we got to the campsite later than we expected, and this trend continued the whole time we were in Michigan and with the weather turning, we had to rearrange our trip a bit at the end. So if you decide to visit, give yourself plenty of time and don’t be too ambitious with your driving goals! Michigan is truly a place of be enjoyed, and you want to enjoy it to its fullest!
Also, when picking out camping spots, while it may seem like the spots closer to the water are nicer because of the views, they are very, very windy, so they will make campfires more difficult and will blow your tent around. The campground is designed in a loop, so there are plenty of spots a little bit away from the shore where it is much less windy. There are also a few primitive spots deeper in the woods that I imagine are less windy, too.
When we went, the front office was rarely staffed, so have your reservation already done beforehand, have your Recreation Passport completed and either do that online or use the drop-off slot (if you do this, bring exact change), and have some wood ready if you want to build a campfire. There are some trees nearby and you could pick up enough fallen sticks to build a fire (though, if it is wet and cold, this would be a bit more difficult). We had some wood we had bought from a supermarket nearby when we stopped to get groceries, so we lucked out in already having materials for a campfire, but just be ready in case!
All in all, though, I just wish I could have enjoyed it longer! Everyone was right about the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is a place you truly have to see and exploring it while camping and hiking makes it all that much better!
I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:
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Happy travels!
