TR Nat'l Park to Lake Superior S Shore

[eponacelt]

Husband and I are planning to travel from Virginia to Glacier NP to Theodore Roosevelt NP to the south shore of Lake Superior and then home through Michigan this coming summer.

I think we have a good handle on our plan from VA -> Glacier, but I would love some Airstream suggestions in TR Nat'l Park and the Lake Superior area.

We're open to boondocking or at least camping with pretty minimal services, but do have a 26' 1968 Overlander, so we're not exactly tiny.

Any great places to stop in the interim would be welcome too! We have three weeks total for the trip and are plotting about 10 days of that for TRNP->Lake Superior->Home

[Lily&Me]

There are lots of state and county parks on the Superior Shore.

If you start at Duluth, hug the shore, and work your way east into WI and then MI, it is a beautiful drive.

The county parks are with few amenities, but with a beautiful view of the Lake, which cannot be beat.

If you have time, take the ferry from Bayfield, WI, out to Madeleine Island.....beautiful state and county parks there.

Get an AllStays app and just pick ones where you want to stop.

Get a site early, then do your exploring.

Maggie

[tvketchum]

In Michigan you will find wonderful areas to explore. McLain State Park has a lighthouse, and spectacular sunset vistas. The park has suffered some from erosion, but, this means some sites are available as first come as they were removed from the reservation system. On the tip of the Keewenaw is Ft Wilkins State Park, at the end of US 41. This is a pre Civil War fort, giving great insight into Army life. In the area are copper mine history items, ghost towns, trails, and trees. Houghton Hancock has the Keewenaw Historic Park, which is also in Calumet and Laurium to the north. The Gipper hailed from these parts. Farther east is Marquette and Iron Country. I like Muskalunge State Park, east of Marquette, remote and quiet. Whitefish point has an interesting Great Lakes lighthouse and maritime history museum, and is where the Edmund Fitzgerald went to her watery grave. In Sault Ste Marie are the Soo Locks, featuring a viewing area for the ships going from Superior to the lower lakes. Lastly, you will find great fresh fish, and the Yooper favorite, Pasties, in abundance. On your way to Virginia, the Mackinac Bridge, Mackinac Island, and Ft Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City are sights to see. If your time permits, in Dearborn are the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.


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Tom
TVKetchum

[tvketchum]

Also, Porcupine Mountain State Park has both modern and rustic campgrounds, and the view of Lake of the Clouds is worth a million. You will find more to do than time will allow.


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Tom
TVKetchum

[Jwestman]

A slight detour out of Duluth up the North Shore a half hour to Two Harbors Municipal Park is gorgeous - water and electric. We have a 25 and these spots are fine. In Michigan's upper peninsula: Ontonagon Township Park as beautiful sites right on the lake. Further East is Munising which has nice waterfront spots. From there you can go to pictured rocks on a boat tour which is worth it if you have the time. These are 3 parks that are not high on the camping directory radar so they are less crowded and very nice.

[cegardner]

Grand marai in the upper of Michigan has a great city camground. Right on the sand dunes of superior. It is next to picture rock national shorelinr which is awesone. Lots to do in the upper. The state park up there is very nice. Grand Marais michigan not minnesota

[BoscoMN]

North Shore Ideas

Minneapolis/St. Paul:
• Airstream Park
o Minnesota Airstream Park — The Midwest's only Airstream-only RV resort.
o 8795 82nd Street S.E., Clear Lake, MN 55319 (320) 743-2771

Duluth:
• Canal Park – lift bridge, check the sailing schedule to watch big ships come/go through canal
Duluth Shipping News

• Gramma’s on Canal Park – great eatery Grandma's Saloon and Grill

• Portland Malt Shoppe
Great Malts at the PortLand Malt Shoppe

North Shore State Parks:
• Camping & Lodging : Information : Stay Overnight: Minnesota DNR
• Cascade River State Park: Minnesota DNR
• Gooseberry Falls State Park: Minnesota DNR
• Split Rock Lighthouse State Park: Minnesota DNR
• Temperance River State Park: Minnesota DNR
• Tettegouche State Park: Minnesota DNR

Bayfield, WI:
• Apostle Islands – great kayaking in sea caves (multiple guide services for beginners through experts)
• Apple Festival – very busy!

[JCWDCW]

If Two Harbors Municipal Park is full which it often is, just south there is a private park, Penmarallter which is nice and not too expensive. We always stay there on the way back from Thunder Bay Ontario. We have also stayed at Nemadji RV park just south of Superior WI to be able to visit Duluth. You can google these to see them on the web
Bayfield WI has several good parks and for me it is a must see and a jump off point for the Apostle Islands if you like that sort of outing. We always stay on Number 2 Hwy to get to Bayfield as the lake shore route #13 is long and not very interesting. Pick up #13 as it comes back to Number 2 and it is a short run north.
We have never stayed at Munising, but it is right on the water. Marquette MI has a municipal site that is not expensive, but a bit hard to get to, and not near the water. We always seem to need to ask for directions!

Maybe you'll like the Superior south shore enough to try our Superior North Shore. Provincial campsites are really nice and a bit more expensive, but you get a 33% discount with your US dollar if you use your credit card to pay. Spectacular views and really hilly country! You need a few days to get from Duluth, north to Thunder Bay then West on #17 to Sault Ste. Marie and come back into the US via the border crossing to I75
JCW

[cando]

Some other great parks in Michigan are the county park in the city of Marqutte, county and Bewabic State Park in Crystal Falls, Michigan. If you get up into the kewininaw (sp) peninsula of Michigan, be sure to stop in Calumet at the national park exibit of the history of the people who used to mine in the area. Calumet has intersting old buildings, especially the Opera House. Calumet is not far from Mclain State park that someone else mentioned. We often stay in the county park in Handcock, a few miles south of Mclain State Park. There is somuch to see and do I could list so much more, especially if you are bikers or kayakers. A couple of my favorite things that are interesting to get to get a feel for the areas are the 1955 movie, Anatomy of a Murder, filmed in Big Bay and Marquette, and a book titled Red Jacket, loosly related to the early mining days around Calumet, that was at the time its name was Red Jacket and because of its large population was rumored to be considered for the capitalof Michigan. There is so much to see and do there, but I would also suggest you look at late July or August less you run into horse flies or the rumored state bird of the Upper Peninsula, the mosquito! Actually, the most beautiful time for us is September and early October. A couple of other things to be aware of are the Intermational Airstream Rally is going scheduled for 2017 in Escanaba, Mi if you're into that and also the Pictured Rock shorline out of Munising is cool though beautiful by either kayak or boat tour. You could easily spend your whole alloted time in Yooper Land, Michigans Upper Peninsula,

[tvketchum]

A hidden gem we found this past Summer was L'Anse Township Park, just outside of the town of L'Anse, MI. Nice sites, electric and water, overlooking the bay. Nearby is Pequamming, MI. Not much there today but some homes, both year around and summer, and a few remnants of Henry Ford's company town, sawmill for the cars of the still using wood (like the 46 Woody Wagon), power plant, school, and Henry's getaway house.


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Tom
TVKetchum

[joqin]

if you come across N.D. on 94, the straightest line runs thru hiways 10, 34, 200 and 2 to Duluth, a good start on your south shore trip. You will pass by Itasca state forest(headwaters of the Miss.) 4 state forest areas and many lakes. All will have campgrounds that can handle your trailer. Just don't drive this in Jan. joe q in minnesnowda

[TouringDan]

Some great info in this thread about some places I still need to see.

The comment on the mosquitos is very accurate. We were there in early July 2014 and were miserable until we camped at the Munising City Park where there was a nice breeze off the lake and no mosquitos. We were there last year in late July and mosquitos were not a problem.

- Get a reservation a the Munising City Park. They stay booked up.
-See the Pictured Rocks in late afternoon.
-Lots of waterfalls in the Munising area.
-For lots of info on the Eastern UP go to Upper Peninsula Travel Packages, Vacations, Camping, Trails, Tourism | Northern Michigan - Great Waters of Michigan
-The US Forest Service campgrounds are nice, large sites but no hookups. We could not get into the Munising City Park so we camped at Petes Lake about 12 miles south of Munising.
- Our favorite campground is Grand Marais City Park. They don't take reservations. This is actually good. Get there in the morning Mon, Tues or Wed and you should be able to get a site. If they are full, they have overfill sites right in front of the church. These overfill sites have power and water.
- See Tahquamenon falls and eat at Browns fish market and restaurant in Paradise.
-Take the Lake Superior Trail from Whitefish Point to the Point Iroquois Light House.
- I could easily spend the whole summer in the UP!
- Visit Mackinac Island
- If you have the time take either the east or west side lake drives south.

Pm me if you would like more info or would like to talk.

Have fun, Dan

[eponacelt]

Thanks everyone! Lots of good suggestions here, and I appreciate them all!

[Lily&Me]

There is a spectacular, no hook-ups campground at Pictured Rocks, too....Twelvemile Beach.

Another of those that is always full.... you have to get in early, find someone who is leaving, pay up and put your tag under theirs.

It is worth it, tho....a beautiful campground on a bluff overlooking the beach.


Maggie

[OTRA15]

Here is the link to TRNP

https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm

Not sure if it appears in earlier posts.