Looking for the best Great Lakes camping? From beach camping to backpacking to RV sites, here are the best camping spots along the shores of the Great Lakes!

Best Places for Great Lakes Camping:

I’ve spent almost five years living and working as a sea kayaking guide & outdoors writer along the shores of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, and I’m stoked to help you discover some of the most beautiful places to camp in the Great Lakes! In 15 Incredible Campsites on the Great Lakes, we’ll cover…

1. Where to find great Great Lakes camping
2. Which are the best Great Lakes campsites for the northern lights
3. How to find best beach campsites in the Great Lakes Region
4. The campsites and campgrounds for families on and near the Great Lakes
5. The most incredible backcountry campsites in the Great Lakes!

For more Great Lakes travel ideas, kayaking, road trip & backpacking tips, and conversations in the outdoor industry, check out my newsletter Hello Stranger.

15) Sea Kayak Camp the Georgian Bay, Ontario

Do you love crystal clear water, white rock islands, and kayaking through paradise? For some of the most beautiful Great Lakes wilderness campsites, head out to the Georgian Bay in Canadian Lake Huron. This Great Lakes camping idea is perfect hardcore adventurers looking for an adventure trip of a lifetime and to sleep under the starts.

The best way to experience the islands and wilderness of the Georgian Bay is to book a guided overnight kayak tour. 

14) Lake Superior State Forest Campground, Michigan

While many of the most beautiful places to camp in the Great Lakes are wilderness campsites, Lake Superior State Forest Campground offers remote feeling beach car camping on the notorious Shipwreck Coast of Lake Superior. Along this stretch of long sandy beach you’ll find massive wave-stripped trees, evidence of the wild storms from that slam this section of shoreline. Lake Superior State Forest Campground is one of the best beach campsites in the Great Lakes for families!

For well- spaced car campsites tucked between the beach and forest, you can’t miss Lake Superior State Forest Campground. Campsites are likely to fill to capacity in the summer, but are perfect for shoulder season camping.

When I stayed here it was the end of March, and we were the only people in the whole campground. It was a beautiful evening and I watched the beach. At night, I curled up in my sleeping bag and read shipwreck stories from the very same coast we slept on. It started to storm outside. It’s an easy place to think about ghosts.

13) 12-Mile Beach Campground, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Are you looking for the crown jewel campground of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore? Head to 12-Mile Beach Campground for beautiful camping on Lake Superior with great swimming and access to the incredible hiking trails of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Camping in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore offers a variety of activities for families and solo hikers alike, with some of the best backcountry lakefront campsites and hiking in the Midwest.

Don’t take a Recreational Kayak on Lake Superior! It might cost you your life: Read about Lake Superior kayak safety here, written by a Lake Superior Sea Kayaking Guide (Me)!

About 90% of my kayaking photos are shot on my iPhone and edited in Lightroom Mobile, a free app with one of my presets. To edit like me, download the Adventure Presets for phone photos, a set of photo filters I’ve spent the past few years working on to help you edit photos in one click,

12-Mile Beach is also one of the best campsites in the Great Lakes to see the Northern Lights with an unobstructed view of the Northern Horizon.

Looking for help planning a trip to Northern Michigan? Check out the Exploring Michigan eBook for more on where to camp, hike, and outdoor activities in the Pictured Rocks, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and more!

I’ve visited the Pictured Rocks several times throughout the years and have always been blown away by the beautiful hiking! While the kayaking is beautiful too, I highly recommend booking a guided tour with Pictured Rocks Kayaking specifically. If you’re interested in reading more about the many, many kayaking incidents in the Pictured Rocks and how to avoid your own incident, read this Deep Dive into Kayaking the Pictured Rocks.

12) Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan

Head to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore near Traverse City, Michigan to discover some of the best camping in the Great Lakes! Despite being one of the most popular Michigan destinations, Sleeping Bear has some of the best camping in the Great Lakes for families.

For wilderness camping and backpacking, head out to the Manitou Islands. For car camping with amenities like electric hookups and full bathrooms, as well as access to the warm and sandy Platte River, head to the Platte River Campground. To find rustic camping located just a quick drive from most of the best hiking trails and downtown Glen Arbor, check out the D.H. Day Campground.

My grandparents live in Northern Michigan. I’ve been visiting the Sleeping Bear Dunes with them since I was little. It’s only because of all the time we spent hiking in this place growing up that I wanted to explore the other National Lakeshores along the Great Lakes. Sleeping Bear is a great place to take kids to play outside! The hikes are mostly mellow, and there are plenty of beaches to play at.

11) Wilderness State Park, Michigan

Looking for the best place to camp to see the Northern Lights in the Lower Peninsula? Book a campsite at Wilderness State Park right on Lake Michigan in the fall or spring. From here, you might catch the Northern Lights over Lake Michigan from your tent!

Camping in Wilderness State Park gives you excellent trail access and is close enough to Mackinaw for a day trip. But keep in mind this popular Great Lakes Campground may fill to capacity on summer weekends!

10) Grand Marais Municipal Campground, Minnesota

Looking for a place to camp right on Lake Superior with both direct access to the lakefront and hiking trails and direct access to the restaurants and downtown of an adorable fishing village? You’re looking for the Grand Marias Municipal Campground. 

The Grand Marais Municipal Campground has everything from RV sites to rustic sites in the woods and a full service bathhouse in the summer months though the park remains open year round. Plus, it’s just a quick walk to downtown Grand Marais and a quick walk to the Sweethearts Bluff Nature Area with views of downtown from above. 

Because of it’s perfect location between town and the woods, this campground is best campgrounds in the Great Lakes for large groups!

For things to do in Grand Marais, Minnesota, click here! (I lived and worked in Grand Marais for two years, and these are all my favorite adventure suggestions!)

9) Backcountry Camp Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Ontario

Located North of Thunder Bay, Ontario with excellent hiking and sweeping views of Lake Superior, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park has beautiful backcountry sites along the 23-mile Kabeyun Trail. Due to its incredible lakeside campsites, unique rock formation views, and more, the Kabeyun Trail is one of the best backpack camping areas in the Great Lakes.

While you’re in the area, check out any of the many great day hikes in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park! To learn more about visiting Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, click here. 

8) Little Sand Bay Campground, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, WI

Bayfield and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is one of the most beautiful destinations on the Great Lakes. If you’re looking for sea caves, swimming spots, and short waterfall hikes, the Bayfield Peninsula is the place for you!

Pitch a tent at the beautiful Little Sand Bay campground! With 32 RV sites and 6 tent only sites, showers, beach access. Just a short drive to Myers Beach and Cornucopia, Little Sand Bay is easily one of the best places to camp on a beach in the Great Lakes.

7) McCargoe Cove, Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale National Park is a backpacker’s paradise with hundreds of Lake Superior front campsites to choose from! McCargoe Cove is easily the best of those campsites. With tent pads and shelters both, a communal fire pit, and a beautiful view of the scenic cove, McCargoe is a bustling hub of backpackers. Come for the views, stay for the friends you’ll make around the campfire. 

McCargoe Cove is the single best Great Lakes Campsite for backpacking culture, and the gateway to a wild Isle Royale adventure!

Read more about how to visit Isle Royale National Park.

6) Backpacking Campsites on the Superior Hiking Trail, Minnesota

Do you dream of waterfall-side campsites, and ancient mountains with Lake Superior views? Head out to the Superior Hiking Trail, 300-mile trail running from Duluth, Minnesota to the Canadian Border. The SHT is home to some of the best backcountry campsites in the Great Lakes. Despite the SHT’s popularity, many of these sites are available to backpackers who know where to look!

Campsites like Section 13, Bean & Bear, and Lake Agnes fill very quickly, especially in the fall. Still, campsites like the Devil Track River, Cross River, and other more remote campsites make for a great weekend trip!

Learn more about hiking on the Superior Hiking Trail and check out my detailed North Shore itineraries and interactive map in the Exploring the North Shore eBook, covering adventures along the North Shore, Bayfield Peninsula, and Ely.

5) Oak Island Campsite, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin

Tucked away on a sandy, bear-covered island in Lake Superior is the single most beautiful campsite in Lake Superior. The north end of Oak Island’s beautiful, sandy, north-facing campsite makes for the perfect beach front hideaway! This campsite views of the outer ring of the Apostle Islands. 

While the North Oak Island campsite is hard to get to, it might be the single best beach camping spot in the Great Lakes! The best way to make it out to the remote sea caves of the Apostle Islands and a collection of beautiful campsites like this is to book a guided tour with Lost Creek Adventures. 

I used to be a sea kayak guide in the Apostle Islands! While the Oak Island campsite (and nearby hidden sea cave!!) are my favorite to visit, there are also beautiful beach campsites on Manitou Island, Rocky Island, Ironwood Island, and of course, the remarkable Outer Island Sandspit. Accessible wilderness campsites are available on Sand Island. Wilderness Inquiry is now offering adaptive tours of the Apostle Islands to make the islands and their beautiful caves more accessible!

4) State Forest Campgrounds

The best-kept secret of the Great Lakes States is the State Forest Campgrounds. At these tucked away campgrounds you can find beautiful and more remote campsites. Most of these sites are first-come first-serve. While a select few campgrounds fill regularly to capacity, many of these campgrounds are just far enough from town to avoid the crowds and maintain a sense of seclusion. 

To find the perfect State Forest Campground site, look for a campground greater than a 20-30 minute drive from the nearest major attraction. For example, if you’re looking to visit the Sleeping Bear Dunes, look for a State Forest Campground greater than a 25 minute drive from the bulk of park attractions; the vast majority of visitors don’t want to be inconvenienced by the extra drive, which means solitude is almost guaranteed for you!

3) Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario

Looking for a unique place to hike and camp on Lake Huron? Check out the Cyprus Lake Campground in the Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario. Here, you can camp in the woods, hike along the rugged cliffs of the Bruce Peninsula, or swim in crystal clear Lake Huron.

The Bruce Peninsula is a popular Great Lakes camping destination, so book early!

2) Meritt Lane, Isle Royale National Park

At the far Northern end of Isle Royale National Park is a small watercraft-only campsite straight out of a fairytale. Meritt Lane might be the most beautiful Great Lakes camping destination. This campsite has one shelter and one tent pad, views of barrier islands, and thick, mossy forest all around. 

Camping here, it’s easy to imagine you’ve been transported to Norway, and if you’re lucky you can catch the Northern Lights from the small dock at night. 

There are two moose in this picture! Can you spot them? This photo is from the two weeks I spent sea kayaking on Isle Royale! In that time, I was charged by one moose, ran into at least three more, and watched these two across the water chase each other and mate. Wild!

1) Pukaskwa National Park

The holy grail of Great Lakes camping is the wilderness of the beautiful Pukaskwa Peninsula in Ontario. The Pukaskwa Coast Trail is a 40-mile point-to-point trail along the rugged shores of Lake Superior, with beautiful views and even better campsites. This remote national park is easily the best backcountry camping destinations in the Great Lakes.

While the backpacking route is an adventure, take to the water on a guided sea kayaking tour for access to some of the best waterfront campsites. Book a guided trip, either sea kayaking or custom hiking, with Naturally Superior Adventures!

I haven’t made it out here yet, but sea kayak trekking the Pukaskwa Peninsula is on my bucket list! I dream of camping on the beach next to Cascade Falls. While I only know a few people who have made it out there, the Pukaskwa sounds like the adventure of a lifetime!

Looking for more wild Great Lakes adventures?

• Check out The Ultimate Guide to Tettegouche State Park, my home state park!
• Do you love camping, hiking, and paddling? Read about these Seven Hardcore Adventures from Minneapolis (that AREN”T the BWCA!)
• Check out 13 Stunning Hiking Trails on the North Shore of Minnesota

Download the Midwest Adventure eBook Bundle for detailed eBooks covering Isle Royale, the Apostle Islands and Northern Wisconsin, the North Shore, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and more!

Love learning about the best Great Lakes camping Destinations? Share this article!