Best Pictured Rocks campgrounds (views!) 🌳 Camping in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 🌳 + backcountry camping along Lake Superior 🌳 Upper Peninsula Michigan travel blog

Hi there!

 

If you’re planning a camping trip in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and you’re looking for a campground with beautiful views of Lake Superior, then you must consider camping in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore!

You can choose from regular camping (aka tent camping, RV camping, car camping) or backcountry camping (aka overnight hike to your camping spot).

There are camping spots near the Lake Superior shoreline!

Whether you are camping at one of the regular campgrounds or doing backcountry camping, you cannot camp for free in Pictured Rocks.

For camping at a regular campground, you should camp at Twelvemile Beach Campground when visiting Pictured Rocks!

For backcountry camping, you should camp at the Chapel Beach campground!

You will get views of Lake Superior from your campsite at both of these Pictured Rocks campgrounds.

There are no cabins in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

 

I have stayed at all of the regular Pictured Rocks campgrounds, and here is what you need to know about the Pictured Rocks camping spots!

 

 

Best campgrounds in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

 

None of the campgrounds in Pictured Rocks have showers or electricity. There are only no-flush toilets. So the Pictured Rocks campgrounds are rustic campgrounds.

The regular campgrounds (first 3 campgrounds listed) go in order from east (Grand Marais side) to west (Munising side).

 

 

1. Hurricane River Campground

 

The Hurricane River runs right by the campground, and this is a river that flows into Lake Superior.

There are 2 sections of the Hurricane River campground: lower and upper.

The lower campsites are the ones closer to Lake Superior, and you’ll be less than a minute’s walk to the shoreline. This is also where you’ll find the hiking trail that will take you to Au Sable Point Lighthouse, and further to the Log Slide Overlook if you want to hike longer along the Lake Superior shoreline and the North Country Trail.

The upper campsites are located about 0.2 miles away, and there’s a trail that connects to the lower campsites and Lake Superior.

See more about Hurricane River campground.

 

 

2. Twelvemile Beach Campground

 

Twelvemile Beach campground is possibly the best campground in Pictured Rocks! There are many campsites in which you can see Lake Superior directly from your campsite!

See more about Twelvemile Beach campground.

 

 

3. Little Beaver Lake Campground

 

Little Beaver Lake has very few campsites and is a quieter campground. It’s also in a less visited area of the park.

There are campsites that are located right along the inland lake of Little Beaver Lake. You can also make it a hike to Lake Superior, which will take you to the west end of Twelvemile Beach. It’s possible you may be the only one on the beach!

Once at the shoreline, you can also pick up the North Country Trail that runs along Lake Superior. You can hike to the Big Star Cove for more scenic shoreline views.

See more about Little Beaver Lake campground.

 

 

4. Backpacking Pictured Rocks: Backcountry camping along the North Country Trail in Michigan

 

Backpacking Pictured Rocks is a thing. This means that you hike to your camping spot. There are designated backcountry campgrounds or backcountry campsites in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

The North Country Trail is a 4,700 mile long trail that extends from the midwest to the east coast. It passes through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for around 40 miles.

 

 

Basically, backpacking Pictured Rocks means backpacking the North Country Trail. It’s the North Country Trail that you’ll be following through Pictured Rocks for most backcountry camping trips.

The North Country Trail in Pictured Rocks mostly follows along the shoreline, and you will be getting a lot of Lake Superior views by backpacking Pictured Rocks. 

If you want to backpack the North Country Trail in Michigan, Pictured Rocks just may be the section to choose!

Officially recommended by the National Park Service for a one-way hike within Pictured Rocks is to get a shuttle to start your hike. Then basically, hike to your car. This way you don’t have to worry about making it in time for a shuttle ride back. And, after your hike, you can get straight to your car! The officially recommended shuttle for backpacking Pictured Rocks is Altran, Alger County Transit.

See more about backcountry camping in Pictured Rocks.

 

 

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How to make camping reservations for Pictured Rocks

All Pictured Rocks camping reservations are made through the official national parks camping reservation website, recreation.gov.

Pictured Rocks is a popular camping destination, and campsites are limited.

So book earlier rather than later!

You can take a look at the current availability of your dates to get an idea of how soon you should book.

 

Here is the availability and cost of Pictured Rocks campground at recreation.gov:

• Hurricane River campground
• Twelvemile Beach campground
• Little Beaver Lake campground
• Pictured Rocks backcountry camping permit

 

 

Cost of camping in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

In 2023, the cost of camping in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore at one of the official campgrounds is $25 per night, plus taxes and fees.

The Pictured Rocks backcountry camping permit costs $15 for at the permit, and then and additional $5 per person per night.

 

 

Additional cost of camping in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

According to the National Park Service:

To access Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, you must possess and display:

Pictured Rocks 7-Day or Annual Entrance Pass

OR

America the Beautiful Pass (Annual, Military, Fourth Grade, Senior, or Volunteer).

If you already have an America the Beautiful Pass, you do not need to buy a separate Pictured Rocks Entrance Pass!

 

When camping at Michigan state parks, the campground cost will include the entry fee to the state park.

This is not the case for national parks, and that includes Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

So you will also separately need to pay for the entry fee.

The cost to visit Pictured Rocks in 2023 is $20 per car. This will get you a 7-day Pictured Rocks national park pass. (There is no one-day Pictured Rocks pass.)

Confirm current Pictured Rocks fees.

You can buy a Pictured Rocks national park pass at a Pictured Rocks visitor center when you arrive, or you can buy it online at recreation.gov before you go.

If you will also be visiting other national parks that have entry fees, then you may want to look into getting an annual national park pass aka the America the Beautiful pass!

This annual national park pass will also be accepted at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. (There is campgrounds at Sleeping Bear Dunes too!)

Other popular national parks “near” Michigan include Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina, but these parks do not have a national park entry fee.

If you have several more weeks to spare in the summer or fall, you can make use of the America the Beautiful national park pass by driving out to Yellowstone National Park!

You can go to national parks in Wyoming and national parks in South Dakota, and you could even add on a national park in North Dakota and/or a national park site in Idaho! See how I did the drive from Chicago to Yellowstone.

If you are a senior, there is also an annual national park pass for seniors that will be worth it even if you only visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore! It’s $20! See current fees under America the Beautiful passes.

If you have a senior annual national park pass, then you also get 50% off on campgrounds at Pictured Rocks too! Confirm this under camping fees.

 

 

RECAP! Pictured Rocks camping

Here are your basic options for camping in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, with more pictures!

 

1. Hurricane River Campground

Regular Pictured Rocks campground that has an upper area and a lower area. The lower area can be less than a minute to the Lake Superior shoreline from your campsite.

 

 

2. Twelvemile Beach campground

Regular Pictured Rocks campground that can get you views of Lake Superior from your campsite.

 

 

3. Little Beaver Lake Campground

Regular Pictured Rocks campground with limited campsites that’s in a quieter area of the park. Hike 1.5 miles to Lake Superior.

 

 

4. Backcountry camping throughout Pictured Rocks

Backpacking Pictured Rocks: Hike to your campsite along the North Country Trail. There are many backcountry campgrounds that come with views of Lake Superior that are steps away!

👆 Taking a break during a backpacking trip in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

 

👆 Backcountry camping in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore at Chapel Beach campground.

 

 

And that’s a bit about camping in the Pictured Rocks!

 

Explore more of Pictured Rocks:

• Hurricane River campground
• Twelvemile Beach campground
• Little Beaver Lake campground
• Pictured Rocks beaches
• Pictured Rocks waterfalls
• Best of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

 

More of the UP:

• More camping spots along Lake Superior
• Camping in Michigan state parks
• Circle the UP Michigan road trip

Plus, the best of Michigan’s national lakeshore parks, including camping in the Michigan’s other national lakeshore park.

 

More for your trip to the UP beyond Pictured Rocks campgrounds:

• Tahquamenon Falls (map)
• Kitch-iti-kipi (the bubbling big spring of Michigan!) (map)
• Presque Isle Park (map)
• Porcupine Mountains (map)
• Crisp Point Lighthouse (map)
• Bond Falls (map)
• Things to do in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (for views!)
• Best Upper Peninsula campgrounds (views!)
• Best Lake Superior campgrounds (views!)
• Porcupine Mountains campgrounds
• Best places to visit in the Upper Peninsula (for views!)

 

HAPPY CAMPING IN PICTURED ROCKS!