Isle Royale
The least-visited national park in the contiguous U.S. is also the most re-visited. It may seem like a contradiction, but after you experience Michigan’s Isle Royale firsthand, you’ll understand. Getting there takes effort; you can only reach this remote island in Lake Superior by boat or plane. Once there, you’re surrounded by lush hardwood forest and a bevy of wildlife.
This is a park where it pays to be experienced and self-sufficient. The only way to traverse the island is via more than 160 miles of rugged backcountry hiking trails. You’re just as likely to see a moose on the trail as another hiker. With each step, it feels as if you’re walking further back into time. A small store near the visitor center sells a limited variety of food and drinks, so you should bring as many supplies as possible with you from the mainland. Most of the island has no cell service, and the deeper you go into the park, the less likely you are to see a ranger. You won’t have access to running water, so you’ll need to either filter or boil your drinking water.
Isle Royale offers 36 primitive campgrounds across the island, some with lake access. Campsites are first come, first served for individuals and groups of six or fewer, but you’ll need free permits, which you can obtain at the ranger stations. Many sites come with a picnic table, and several have wooden shelters to help protect you from the chilly Lake Superior winds.
800 E. Lakeshore Dr., Houghton, Michigan, 906-482-0984
Sleeping Bear Dunes
The perfect compromise for couples who can’t agree on heading to the woods or the beach for vacation, Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has some of the Midwest’s most amazing scenery, both on and off the water. It’s no wonder it was named the “Most Beautiful Place in America” by Good Morning America viewers in 2011.
Start your visit by driving the 7.4-mile Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Stop at one of many picturesque vistas to admire the scenery or as a jumping off point to hike the trails. Not too far away you’ll find the 460-foot Dune Climb. It may not look huge from the parking lot, but it can be difficult as you slide slightly backward with every step up. But keep at it, and the reward is a gorgeous view of Glen Lake, particularly at sunset. Another option is to head to the Empire Bluff trailhead, where a 1.5-mile hike takes you to an epic viewpoint of Lake Michigan and South Manitou Island.
Be sure to book a campsite well in advance. Both the Platte River and D.H. Day campgrounds are some of the most sought-after spots in Michigan. Located at the south end of the park, Platte River Campground has nearly 180 campsites, more than half of which offer electric hookups. It also has about 25 primitive hike-in sites. Although D.H. Day offers no electric hookups, it has easy access to both Lake Michigan and the dunes.
9922 Front St., Empire, Michigan, 231-326-4700
Warren Dunes
Hurry up and pop your tent in one of the two campgrounds located inside this slice of summer Americana just over the Michigan state line. You should waste no time making your way to the beach on the other side of the park—a spectacular expanse of sand that stretches along 3 miles of pristine Lake Michigan shoreline. It’s a quick car trip from campsite to beach chair, with a big payoff once you round tree-covered Mount Fuller and catch sight of the azure waters stretching to the horizon, evoking a coastal feel that is as unexpected as it is breathtaking. And the water is fine, reaching the mid-70s in the height of summer.
Once you’ve had your fill of sandcastle-building, stand-up paddleboarding, and frolicking on the connected dog beach, you can head back to civilization (or, at least, some semblance thereof). The park’s Mount Randall Modern Campground has 185 spots in both the shade and sun, with electrical outlets, restrooms, private showers, and plenty of room to spread out. You will likely find yourself in the shadow of a monstrous RV one slip over unless you score one of the campsite’s coveted secluded spots, such as the corner spaces 124 and 127. The dog-walkers say hello on their morning constitutionals. Kids cruise by on their scooters, maybe on their way to the camp store to buy ice cream. The more isolated northern Hilldebrandt Semi-Modern Campground is a loop of 37 smaller primitive spots ideal for rugged tent campers who simply want to empty the sand out of their shoes at the end of the day and relax beside a crackling campfire as the summer sun melts into the dunes.
12032 Red Arrow Highway, Sawyer, Michigan; 269-426-4013
