Happy Campers at Hog Island Point

Don't get hung up on the name… Hog Island Point is a little-known but worthwhile RV destination in Michigan.

Like there’s more to a book than the cover, there’s more to a name than you might think. Such it is with the Hog Island Point State Forest Campground in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

We tried this ingloriously named little campground on a Fourth of July weekend when most campgrounds are filled to capacity. Not this charming but little-known hideaway campground.

Hog Island State Forest Campground

It is nestled into the cedars and hardwoods of a small peninsula that juts into a pretty little Lake Michigan bay just US-2, about 35 miles west of the Mackinac Bridge. There are 59 rustic sites and because of the name, perhaps, and the lack of hookups, we found almost 20 of them vacant.

The one we took, site 43, was right on the rocky shoreline and we slept with the sounds of gentle waves lapping out our back window.

Very Dog Friendly!

This was Tai’s first trip of the year and he was able to run free on the beach, plunging in and out of the water, taking huge gulps of it, rolling in the sand. I rubbed him down afterward and brushed his double coat. He slept hard and happy.

We haven’t brought him on our other trips this season because the places we went to were just not very dog friendly. The UP of Michigan, though, is laid back, less crowded, and pretty much pup paradise.

The Scenery and Amenities

The temperature below the bridge was 87 degrees. Up here on Hog Island Point, it’s 74. And there were no hogs. The little spit of an island that apparently gave the place its name is a couple of hundred yards off our campsite and covered with squawking seagulls.

At sunset, we walked the beach and enjoyed the bug-free air. All the rain we’ve had this summer has made for lots of mosquitos. There were a few at the campsite, but not many. On the beach, the breeze blew them into the woods.

There are vault toilets, hand pumps for fresh water, and surprisingly flat sites.  Seventeen sites are directly on the water.

On the weekend we visited, there were a few trailers and pop-ups, a small Class A that barely managed to squeeze into one of off the shoreline sites, and lots of tents. We were the only Class B but every site would work well for a B.

A small picnic area on the east end of the Hog Island peninsula is mostly rock-free and has a sandy bottom for swimming. The rest of the peninsula is rocky. You can walk around it and down the shoreline to the west for miles.

An Affordable Escape

The camping fee is on the low end, which makes it an even better escape. Speaking of escape… there is no cell service here. Zero bars.

To get here, just drive 35 miles west from St. Ignace and the Mackinac Bridge until you see the sign for the campground.

Mike and Jennifer's Great Lakes Shoreline Tour (U.S. Side)

Instead of the usual 7 Days that some of our other guides can be done in, with this one, we’re suggesting that you budget more time. This is why we are calling it a “Tour” instead of a 7-Day Guide! There are 86 pages in this new ebook.

In this new Great Lakes Shoreline Tour we cover in detail:

• Notable U.S. Cities/Towns along each Great Lake (US side) like Watertown, Grand Island, Geneva-on-the-Lake, Vermillion, Mackinaw City, and so many more!
• What to See/Do Around EACH Lake: Ocqueoc Falls Scenic Site, Les Cheneaux Islands, Antique Boat Museum, and many, many more places, including BONUS side trips!
• And good Campgrounds for each Lake (US side) – at least 4 or 5 for EACH Lake! With all the info you need to set up reservations.

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