1. Twelvemile Beach Campground

    1. Twelvemile Beach Campground

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    Grand Marais, MI

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    Twelvemile Beach Campground

    4.1 (7 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    Richard S.

    Against advice from other websites, my wife and I came here on an early-August morning in hopes of camping one night at Pictured Rocks at Twelvemile Beach. Despite its remoteness, the place was full. We circled around the small campground several times before a nice old couple flagged us down and said we could have their campsite since they moved to another site. They had a camper, and the site they gave me was for tents only, which was perfect for us. Otherwise, we wouldn't have gotten a site and been forced to leave. Our one night cost $14. The campground is probably 30 miles from the nearest market, and you will get absolutely no cell phone service, no electricity, no GPS signal, and no ability to be annoyed by Pokémon Go! It was great, because it provides an amazing experience. There is running water in the form of faucets near some of the vault toilets. The campsites are spaced apart well, and it is very peaceful and quiet in the evening. You could be naked all you want! Of course, that will lure in the hordes of black flies that seemed immune to simple bug spray. The beach and the water was amazing, and it was warm enough to swim. We did see a park ranger twice. In the morning, the annoyances began. I woke up at 6:30am and was immediately accosted by an old woman wanting my campsite. She was nice, and I told her to tag my campsite, and her family could have it when I left by noon. Within the next couple of hours, I had literally dozens of cars stopping, peering into, and even entering my campsite to see if I was leaving. There was no privacy in the morning, and it was very annoying. It made me appreciate more the fact that we even got a campsite in the first place.

    Wild blueberries up and down the trail in August

    The campground was extremely well maintained. The twelve mile trail went through the campground. The trail was well maintained. We had a cool breeze of the lake in late August with no bugs unless you hiked inland. Highly recommend. Not much elevation.

    The walk down to your own "private" beach area

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    Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Miner's Castle/Beach - Miner's Beach

    Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Miner's Castle/Beach

    4.8(34 reviews)
    18.2 mi

    Miner's Castle is a nice gentle hike for folks who aren't big hikers, with an upper viewing (in my…read moreopinion the better of the two), and a lower viewing point. Parking is limited, so we circled until someone left; bathrooms were more plentiful at the Miner's Castle than at National Lakeshore, but they did have some there as well. We loved the beach at the National Lakeshore; clean sand and the beautiful, Caribbean-like waters you expect from Lake Superior. Water is cold, but was so refreshing after a day of hiking and sun! Miner's Castle is a one and done spot for us, but we will definitely be back to the beach at the National Lakeshore!

    I didn't visit Miners Beach, but Miners Castle is a must-see! Finally, I got to see in person the…read moreview that the vast majority of Pictured Rocks photos are of and it definitely didn't disappoint! You can view Miners Castle from an upper viewing deck and a lower one. The upper deck is only 250 feet away from the parking lot, the lower deck is about 1000 feet further and all downhill, meaning a pretty extensive uphill trek on your way back up that definitely gets the heart pumping. Both are highly worth it since the lower deck gets you literally a few feet away (you could say...a *stone's* throw away...heh) from the Miners Castle rock formation, which is very cool, but the best view - the classic view - is from the upper deck. Loved it! Very cool-looking bathroom set of buildings as well in the parking lot, alas they were closed so I wasn't able to see how they were inside haha.

    Photos
    Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Miner's Castle/Beach - View of Pictured Rocks from nearing the end of hike from Miners Beach to Miners Castle

    View of Pictured Rocks from nearing the end of hike from Miners Beach to Miners Castle

    Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Miner's Castle/Beach - Pictured Rocks view from viewing decks at Miners Castle

    Pictured Rocks view from viewing decks at Miners Castle

    Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Miner's Castle/Beach - Scenic bridge crossing over river at beginning of hike from Miners Beach to Miners Castle

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    Scenic bridge crossing over river at beginning of hike from Miners Beach to Miners Castle

    Miners Falls - This is Miners Falls.

    Miners Falls

    4.8(20 reviews)
    26.3 mi

    Miners Falls is another great, relatively easy hike that can be done by all skill levels and I…read morewould highly recommend it as well during your Pictured Rocks trip, either before or after you make a stop at Miners Castle as well. Clocking it at 1.2 miles, it takes about half an hour to complete out and back. Miners Falls is way bigger and grander than Munising Falls, so it's definitely impressive and worth the hike out. You aren't able to get as close to it as you do to Munising Falls, you view it from 2 different viewing platforms across a wide river, but it's still impressive just the same. The hike is more intensive. It's mostly shallow, sometimes steeper in areas decline through forest on the way there, but that just means that you know the way back is going to be a constant uphill, which is a bit killer. Total elevation gain here is about 150 feet. Great part about this hike is that the trail is so WIDE, tons of space to walk and be distant from other people, not that this trail was even all that heavily trafficked by any means. When you get to the falls, the first viewpoint you get to really doesn't give you a good view. For both viewpoints, you are already looking down at the falls, and the first viewpoint, which is much higher up, is blocked by trees and at too high of an angle for you to appreciate much of anything. So it's imperative that you head to viewpoint #2, which is down one final series of steep stairs. From this viewing platform, you get a great, impressive view of the falls, get a moment to take pictures, catch your breath, before you embark on the not-so-long-but-sort-of-feels-long-because-it's-all-uphill journey back up to the parking lot. I was definitely breathing hard by the time I got to the parking lot, but it was a great, short hike to do! It really didn't hurt either that there was gorgeous fall foliage all along the road leading into the Miners Falls parking lot and spots of color along the entire hike as well. Can't be anything but happy when looking at fall rolling in! :)

    Okay so here is another decent/worthwhile waterfall to visit within Pictured Rocks National…read moreLakeshore. This is Miners Falls. And...it's really easy to find and hike to. From the trailhead it's a 0.6 mile walk along a gravel path. And the 0.6-mile stroll to Miners Falls takes you throughout an incredibly pleasant and tranquil forest setting. Even before I arrived at the falls, I was grabbing pictures on the walk being immersed in lush green trees and vegetations of the woodsy outdoors. Miners Falls is about a 50-foot waterfall that's one of the more majestic flowing falls you'll find in the small town of Munising, Michigan...and Munising is sort of the host town of Pictured Rocks NL. In Munising, you'll discover a bunch of other scenic waterfalls like Alger Falls, Chapel Falls, Munising Falls, Mosquito Falls and Horseshoe Falls to name a few. You can plug all these waterfalls into Google Maps on your phone to specifically locate them. Cell phone reception in Munising works just fine. Now, one of my issues with this Miners Falls and I know I'm nitpicking...is that once walk the 0.6 mile...you can only view the falls from an observation deck. And...this overlook platform had guardrails installed as high up as your waste. So...when trying to take optimal photos of Miners Falls for yourself and or family...you're sort of held hostage to these guardrails. It's sort of like you're being photobombed by a stranger but instead it's really the tiny platform and guardrails that taint the experience. Most visitors here at the overlook were taking selfie pics, which for myself...isn't worth the time. So, I gladly took a picture or two of Miners Falls before returning back towards the trailhead. I guess just in the end I'm a narcissistic person and I want myself in every picture to officially claim that I've "been there, done that", lol. Oh well, this miniscule platform vista point and the guardrails were out of my control. Here was another frustrating aspect... I was visiting back at the end of May 2021 and the parking lot and hike to the falls were pretty busy. In fact, it was congested enough to the point that there was a crowded line of people just waiting to step onto the observation area. And because the platform barely allowed tourists to step foot on it together at one time, the wait was about 10 minutes to get that photographic memory. Wow I thought to myself...this is a popular part to the Pictured Rocks NL area. And just a side note...when I was here this past summer, it was free to explore and hike to all the waterfalls. But for the 2022 travel season, starting on March 1, there'll be a $10 fee for visitors which will eventually over time get raised to $25. So, yes...people are coming. National parks, monuments, lakeshores, state parks, hikes and trails are all getting busier each year. Be prepared for maybe eventually losing that true essence for being outside in the heart of nature. Tourists are coming in droves and it's not stopping anytime soon. Anyways...finally, I got my time at the overlook deck for a quick couple of photos before yielding to the people behind me. Miners Falls was pretty impressive when looking down upon it. I just wished that the hiking path continued down towards the base of the falls because in my opinion...there's nothing like looking up at a scenic waterfall as the prime attraction within a scenic backdrop. Welp...lol, sorry for all my venting. From here at Miners Falls, I continued onto Munising Falls, about a 9-mile drive away. And yeah...once again, Munising Falls was simply a 0.5 mile walk each way to and from an observation deck, but at least the platform there allowed more space to accommodate tourists. Lastly, although I never found true fulfillment from the viewing platform looking down at Miners Falls, I still enjoyed the hike through the forest and simply getting a chance to witness another waterfall here at Pictured Rocks Lakeshore in the UP - Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

    Photos
    Miners Falls
    Miners Falls - Miners Fall

    Miners Fall

    Miners Falls

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    Indian Lake State Park - Kitch-iti-kipi

    Indian Lake State Park

    4.5(15 reviews)
    48.0 mi

    Camped at Indian Lake State Park at the start of July and had a great time! This campground is…read morelovely and our specific campsite was incredible! We had our picnic table and fire pit up on the hill at the back half of our site, overlooking the water, and flat ground at the front where we could set up our tent. Absolutely loved it and would definitely book this same exact site probably again if I could in the future. There are a ton with a view overlooking the lake as well, but regardless of which campsite you get, you'll need to take the public access stairs down to the lake, stationed every few campsites throughout the campground. Great entry points for swimming, but not much of any beach space at these spots. The proximity of Indian Lake to Palms Book State Park was also a big reason why we reserved a campground here. Indian Lake SP is on the south side of the lake, while Palms Book SP is on the west side. Palms Book SP also is where Kitch-iti-kipi is, which is a Michigan gem that I have never visited...until now! The two state parks are under 15 minutes away from one another! Indian Lake SP also has a ton of access to the shoreline. The days we were camping didn't have the best weather, but there is plenty of access to the water to swim. There is not a lot of beach area, most areas we saw that were within the state park were 2-3 feet of beach max, so it isn't ideal for laying out. Plenty of boat launch sites as well! Other things to note: - The speed limit within the campground is 5 mph and strictly enforced. - Nearby town of Manistique for restaurants/stores/downtown shopping. - Also nearby, but more of a 30-45 minute drive is Fayette Historic State Park, which is a very unique state park to check out if your schedule allows. I wasn't able to make it out there, but it came highly recommended by a lot of UP friends!

    This is one of my most favorite campgrounds. The view of Indian lake is quite beautiful. The water…read moreis amazingly clean, clear, and beautiful. The park is super clean, and it is very close to Kitch-iti-kipi, which is an amazing thing to check out. Very close to Lake Michigan as well if you want to jog over there. Love it!!!

    Photos
    Indian Lake State Park - Campfire at the campground @ Indian Lake State Park

    Campfire at the campground @ Indian Lake State Park

    Indian Lake State Park
    Indian Lake State Park - Sunset over Indian Lake @ Indian Lake State Park

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    Sunset over Indian Lake @ Indian Lake State Park

    Grand Island - Ferry dock

    Grand Island

    4.6(8 reviews)
    25.4 mi

    Grand Island offers a bus tour! For those of us long past strenuous hiking or mountain biking but…read morestill wanting to explore Grand Island, there's a bus tour for day trippers! Experience and explore the highlights of Grand Island without worrying about mobility. The bus has a lift for mobility aides. Most walkways are plank board or firm gravel. Viewing area have plenty of room. The driver adjusts to the needs of the group. You get all the best of " pure Michigan " and then some. Yes, I'm talking about flies, mosquitoes, and no-see-in's. Dress accordingly and bring bug spray. Learn a bit of the fascinating history of Grand Island without over exerting yourself. Some of the nicest people you'll ever meet are in the main office. Surprise! They're also your ferry captain and 1st mate. Rich, the bus guide, is a lifelong local who loves the area and especially Grand Island. Ask him anything. He tells great stories. You'll see some fauna and a lot of flora. Overall, a most enjoyable excursion in Munising.

    Based on other reviews we got lucky when it came to bugs...I do't recall even using our bug spray…read moreand we didn't have any issues. We visited the first week of September, so maybe we just got lucky. My husband talked me into biking the west rim, then cutting down the middle of the island back to the ferry. Around 20 miles. Our rental bikes were a bit tough to use with not much padding on the seat and gears that were difficult to use. My husband's chain came off at one point. The good news is that we made it in just over four hours - I was so worried about missing the last ferry at 6pm, but we actually caught the 5pm ferry. I would love to visit the island again and stay over night so we don't have to race a clock. The bike trails are tough! I'm a decent bike rider, but trail riding is tough for me. I actually was okay for the first 12 miles, but my legs and rear became sore, making the last eight miles tough. I'm super glad that I was able to complete the ride, and once again had we gotten an earlier start and didn't have to worry about catching the ferry back I think I could have relaxed and not been as worried about having to push my bike up and down some tough and washed out trails. The views on the west rim were amazing! I actually wish we would have just turned around and retraced our steps instead of going down the middle of the island to get back, which is mainly a dirt road for atvs. We will be back to explore some more and work on our bike skills!

    Photos
    Grand Island - The friendly crew of the Grand Island ferry service and bus tour

    The friendly crew of the Grand Island ferry service and bus tour

    Grand Island - Rich, Grand Island's newest and best bus guide

    Rich, Grand Island's newest and best bus guide

    Grand Island

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    Woodland Park Campground

    Woodland Park Campground

    2.7(7 reviews)
    11.2 mi

    This place is a garbage dump. I highly recommend finding another campground to camp in the UP, out…read moreof all the places I went camping in the UP. This place is the worst. So where do I begin, first off Its overcrowded, I mean, the campground owners must be desperate for money because they have this place packed, you can pretty much smell your neighbors farts your so close to the next camper, They pack them in here like sardines thats for sure. And garbage all over the place, the beaches I am sure at one time were pristine, but this place contributes to the trash on the beach and blowing all over the place, most the trash cans were full and the facilities are disgusting. Flies all over, worst I have seen then anywhere else in the UP. I went to go use the showers and they both sucked, the small one, was filthy, I don't think they clean them on the weekends, and the showers don't have any curtains, in any of them, so going to shower with grand kids is difficult at best, and the roof of the inside of the building is covered with dead flies and moths and spiders crawling all over the place, and it looks like they painted over them in an attempt to make it look nice. Made me want to vomit. My grand kids could not be convinced to use this one more then once and I will never come back to this campground again with them, and on that note the other shower building looks nice, but its a joke, whoever spent the money to build this thing got took, when you walk up at night the lights are literally shorting out making a buzz noise like the whole building might catch on fire, then when you go inside it looks really nice and new, but that is deceiving! The shower is ridiculous, its big enough to wash an elephant, and the water pressure is a joke, you got room in the shower to have a party with a full on DJ but there is no water pressure, I feel like this may be a gay bath house of some sort, based on some of the drunken riff raff we saw in this place. Why so much room for activities??? Worst part the drain was plugged or slow and the water pooled in half of them, so you literally standing in some one else waste water while it feels like you're getting pissed on and again did I mention that there is no water pressure. The only plus side of this whole place was the view, it's pretty nice when you dont have a million people right in front of you. So much traffic, I thought I saw a sign that said no ORV's but thats all I saw was people with loud smelly exhausts on off road vehicles cruising thru at all hours of the night and day. Terrible. Do not recommend.

    Terrible campground. Rude Camp-host. Sites are way to close together. Showers broken. Find a better…read moreone if your going to travel the distance!

    Photos
    Woodland Park Campground - Beach in front of campground

    Beach in front of campground

    Woodland Park Campground - Sunset from the campground beach. April 2016.

    Sunset from the campground beach. April 2016.

    Woodland Park Campground - Tremendous beach at campground

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    Tremendous beach at campground

    Twelvemile Beach Campground - hiking - Updated July 2026

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