Primitive Camping in Michigan
No matter where you’re from, everyone LOVES a Northern Michigan summer. We have amazing weather, beautiful lakes, lots of hiking, and tons of towns that come alive during these months. Although I feel like it’s not the most well-known summer spot in the outdoors community because we lack the mountains and only have one National Park (wayyyy up on an island in the Upper Peninsula), people come from all over the country to spend their summers here. I’m definitely a fall/winter kind of gal first and foremost, but if there’s one thing I look forward to the most about summer, it’s primitive camping.
Primitive camping is still camping but without the campsites, crowds, or man-made facilities. Pretty much it’s just you and your gear out in nature, and you often have to hike there. Now, if camping without restrooms or campgrounds isn’t your thing, there’s no shortage of great campgrounds all over the state. But that’s a post for another time, as this one is for my fellow lovers of the primitive camping, offering seclusion and connection with the outdoors.
I’ve been hesitant to write this post because I’m sharing some of my favorite spots in the state, but they're also fairly secret. When one of the best parts of the experience is that you get to be away from people, it does make me a little torn to share. But when I made this site, I promised I wouldn’t gate keep my favorite places because the outdoors belongs to all of us, and we all deserve to enjoy it. If I can help someone have a great time in nature, that’s something I can get behind. So let’s get to it!
** Please note that whenever you’re at any of these places you need a Dispersed Camping Registration Card which you can get here. **
1. Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area (44.087500, 86.244444): located just north of Ludington State Park is my absolute favorite place to camp in the state. It’s along the lakeshore of the Huron-Manistee National Forest, the only national forest in the Lower Peninsula. The coordinates I provided take you to the first of two parking lots in the area, but the second one takes you to the campground side, while this one takes you the more remote area. To backcountry camp here you have to be more than 400 feet from Lake Michigan and more than 200 feet from Nordhouse Lake, and dogs must be kept on a leash. If you truly want a ‘camp on the beach’ experience away from people and with the sound of the waves, this is it. Major summertime vibes and the BEST sunsets!
2. Sand lakes Quiet Area (44.723700, -85.360499): a close second favorite for me as far as backcountry camping goes. This one is closer to where I live, about half an hour east of Traverse City. I’ve never met anyone not from the area that’s ever heard of it, and even most locals have never been here. It’s extremely quiet and gorgeous. Although you won’t get the same scenery as the Lake Michigan Lakeshore, it’s an area of several marl lakes that are equally as beautiful! They’re made from glaciers and have a unique, bright greenish-blue color thanks to the calcium-carbonate in sediment at the bottom, and they remind me very much of the picturesque alpine lakes in Washington. There’s two parking lots here, and the first one you’ll come to is on N. Broomhead Road, but you’ll want to pass it. The coordinates I posted are for a parking lot further back on Sand Lakes Road and much closer to the lakes and hiking trails so you can easily get to the spot where you want to set up camp. Because backpacking isn’t everyone’s thing and sometimes you want heavier items i.e. a cooler, camp stove, etc., I actually discovered last summer that if you continue to drive on Sand Lakes Road past the parking lot, you come to several other lakes where you can drive right up to camp spots. It’s a great option if you like to car camp, and I’ve never seen anyone else out there. The road can be quite bumpy and I recommend 4WD, but the pull-off trails to camp are quite flat and perfect for having a lakeside fire all to yourself.
3. French Farm Lake (45.752952, -84.766833): I discovered this place last summer on accident and it was quite a treat! We were leaving Wilderness State Park and looking to go fishing somewhere. The guy at the nearby trading post recommended we try here. Not only was the fishing great, but we found amazing spots to add to our primitive camping favorites. It’s very private and you can drive your car right up into several camping spots in the woods. It’s a great place to camp outside, car camp, go fishing, and bring your furry friends. There’s no facilities here at all, so make sure to bring all the water you’ll need and you’ll need to be prepared to do your um, *duties* outside (check out my post here on how to properly poop outside). Much like Sand Lakes, it’s a great choice if you’re looking for a real rustic experience with little to no people. Plus, it’s right outside of the Headlands International Dark Sky Park, so on dark summer nights you can even catch meteor showers and the Northern Lights!
4. Porcupine Mountains (46.802914, -89.763626): aka “the Porkies” are a gem. They sit near the northwestern region of the Upper Peninsula not far from Ontonagon. They’ve got everything from overlooks, rivers, waterfalls, and great backpacking trails! This is the only one on the list where you should have a reservation before you go. You can find a map of all of the available backcountry campsites and make your reservations at https://midnrreservations.com/. The sites range from up high on the overlooks all the way down to the lakeshore. Dogs are welcome as long as they’re on a leash! It’s about as wild of a feeling as it gets in the Midwest.
5. Trappers Lake (46.586517, -86.316522): this is such a cool backcountry spot. It’s in the heart of one of my favorite hiking areas in the state, the Beaver Basin Wilderness. It’s right in the middle of all of the beauty of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and a very easy hike to my secret hammock spot (check out Big Star Cove, but keep my secret!). You can’t drive your car up to the site and you’ll have to hike in (some of the sites can be reached by boat if you’re coming from the lake), but it’s worth it. I’m not sure why the area isn’t as heavily populated as others in the U.P. because it’s extremely beautiful, but I do love that it’s quiet. You can hike for miles along Lake Superior without seeing a single soul, and the beach is beautiful white sand. The forest has amazing wildflowers in the late spring and the coves offer secluded spots to swim or hammock and eat your lunch by turquoise water. For how temperamental Lake Superior is known to be, it sure looks like heaven here! Side note, there’s also Coves campsite available nearby that’s pretty neat, and there’s a small campground at Little Beaver Lake that has firepits, restrooms, and you can drive your car up to your spot if that’s preferred.
6. North Manitou Island (45.124173, -85.985119): this might be the remote option on my list. You have to take the ferry to get there as the island is about 12 miles off the coast of Leland. From Leland, you just walk down by the shanties near the end of the dock to board the Manitou Island Transit. You’ll also want to get your backcountry camping permit here before heading over. After that, the ferry will take you over to North Manitou Island where you can set up camp basically anywhere. It definitely has the most freedom in regards to just being able to pop your tent up wherever you feel like. There’s some beautiful sites near Crescent Dock on the west side of the island that overlook the bluffs and offer great sunsets, and there’s also nice spots at the southern end near Stormer Place. You won’t have a hard time finding somewhere to enjoy the views here and get a cozy night’s sleep listening to Lake Michigan. The island also offers lots of old ruins and abandoned shacks from the old villages that existed there back in the day. If you bring your snorkel, you can swim around the area and discover some of the shipwrecks (there’s over 50!). Because of how remote it is, it’s probably not the most ideal trip for someone backpacking for the first time. You can also check out South Manitou Island that offers actual designated campsites if you’re not sure if this is for you yet.
I hope you feel inspired and excited to get out there this season and enjoy some backcountry camping! Honestly, Michigan is one of the coolest states for it and definitely something to take advantage of here. They say there’s nothing like a Northern Michigan summer, and I’d have to agree.
Wishing you all the best on your adventures and all the peaceful solitude in the backcountry!
Brooke
