851 County Road AKE
Champion MI 49814
Phone: 906.339.4461
Park Website
Park Map

Date visited: October 2014
Recreation Passport Required: Yes
Approximate Size: 1055 Acres

Bike/scooter Friendly: YES- Paved campground roads
Kid Friendly: YES!
Rustic/Modern Cabins: YES
Rustic/Modern Sites: YES

To The woods! This campground came up when we were searching to travel just a bit further west than we have ever been (Christmas), yet not all the way to the Porcupine mountains (Still on our list!).

The campground is located in Champion MI, which is about one hour 20 minutes past Munising if you are traveling from the Pictured rocks, or 3 and a half hours from the bridge if you are coming from the lower peninsula.

The drive is an easy one, the campground is easy to find. We weren’t sure what to expect on our travels up there, so we loaded up on necessities and groceries that we didn’t already have before crossing the bridge. NOTE: There are major stores, including a Wal-mart, Target, etc. just outside of Marquette. Plenty of shopping opportunities approximately 30 minutes outside of the campground.

This park has been one of my favorite state parks we’ve visited, hands down. We came in the off-season, so there were no activities going on, not even a ranger, so we left our money in a box at the gate. There was a recommended list of sites to pick from, however, there were a few other campers there who stated the electricity and water were on for most of the sites, so I’m not sure it mattered where we stayed.

Our campsite was covered in beautiful tones of yellow, orange, red, and brown. We couldn’t even see the grass on our site due to the leaves, and we loved it. Early October is a great time of year to visit, however, depending on the year the colors can be hit or miss!

There is a nice sized playground for children at the front of the campground. The boys enjoyed playing here a lot. There is also another set of swings further into the campground. There is also a small stage where it appears they do activities during the summer months. The campground sits overlooking Lake Michigamme on one side. There is a nice trail down to the beach where you will find a nice sand beach and swings.

One of my favorite parts of this campground was the large community fire pit overlooking Lake Michigammee. There were giant benches constructed of trees, and a huge bonfire pit. There are charcoal stoves and picnic tables in this area.

This campground is well known for it’s hiking. There are many hiking trails at this state park. Be on the lookout for Moose! This area is known for moose spotting. We had hoped to see one but never did. Next time! We did some day hiking with the boys, it’s an easy hike with children, and one of the most beautiful hikes we’ve done in the UP. I’ll never forget this camp with my family. If you have a long weekend, I highly recommend this campground.

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