Bay View Campground: Secluded Wilderness On Lake Superior

Biodiversity in a subalpine Eden

Michigan is known for its diversity of forest habitat. The vast stretches of coastline create unique biomes where vegetation from colder and warmer regions overlap. Bay View Campground lies in the midst of Michigan’s signature forests, boasting pines, hardwoods, and white birch, and sits along a major migratory bird corridor. The combination makes for a glut of natural beauty and wildlife.

Don’t miss the campground sign as you drive along W Lakeshore Drive; it’s tempting to get distracted by the forest rolling by, as Lake Superior every now and then peeks through the shady trees, its surface glittering in the sun.

A private setting, central to many of Michigan’s famous must-sees

When you pull in to the campground’s one-way paved drive, it becomes obvious that the campsites are very private. They’re large, widely spaced, with dense forest in-between. On the lakeshore side, sites are larger than most residential home lots, and each one has its own private beach access. For those camping on the south side, there are multiple paths that cut across, and lead to the lake.

This sumptuously wild and remote setting is close to many of Northern Michigan’s great attractions. Pendills Creek National Fish Hatchery, just down the road, offers tours for visitors. Sault Ste. Marie and the Soo Locks are a mere 30 miles to the east. To the north, Whitefish Point, with its lighthouse, museum, and bird observatory, is a 29 mile drive. The Tahquamenon Falls Visitor Center lies 40 miles east of Bay View Campground. The more recently opened Crisp Point Lighthouse is a 66 mile drive northeast of the campground, which takes a little over two hours because it’s a bit off the beaten paths. Bay View Campground’s central location makes it a convenient base-camp.

Amenities and access to supplies

Bay View is considered a rustic campground. There are no sewer or electrical hookups, no showers, and the clean, fresh water available must be hand-pumped (a rather nice nostalgic touch). But if real camping is what you want, without the hassles of going primitive, this place has everything.

Campground hosts live on-site. State-of-the-art vault toilets are clean, well-vented, and the hand-sanitizer and toilet paper are kept in ready supply. The old-fashioned water pumps are easy to work, so it’s common for families to assign children the task of water-fetching. The park is carefully maintained, each site furnished with a picnic table and concrete-lined fire pit with grill. Trash pick-up occurs regularly, and trucks with firewood for sale come through frequently.

For supplies, it’s an easy drive in to Brimley, 15 miles east, or to Paradise, 29 miles north. For a larger stock-up, Sault Ste Marie (mentioned above) is the closest large town. If you can’t go long without Internet access, Bay Mills Community College Library is just 12 miles from camp toward Brimley; they offer free Wi-Fi. Along the road, you’ll notice self-serve firewood stations here and there. Purchasing from these stands is inexpensive, and often the money helps scout and 4-H projects, so read the signs and leave a tip!

For a lakeside site, reserve in advance

Bay View Campground has become a well-known, coveted place. Fourteen of the 24 campsites have individual lake access, and only a handful of these are first-come, first serve. So if you want to be guaranteed access, it’s wise to book the site ahead. Camping is open from mid-May to mid-October, and bookings can be made as much as six months in advance on-line. The rate is 16 USD per night. A self-pay station stands near the entrance of the park.

Unparalleled beaches

The most coveted feature of Bay View Campground is its location along the shoreline of Whitefish Bay. This bay is sheltered from the brunt of Superior’s ocean-like waves, letting the water lap calmly at the sand. Yet even here, waves can crest playfully, and make for an invigorating swimming experience, if you can take the chill.

The beach is sandy. And clean. These are the white sands Michigan is known for. You can walk for miles in either direction, beach-combing for driftwood, shells, beach-glass, or other mysterious treasures thrown up from the deep. Seagulls are more skittish here than at more populous parks, but they’ll still keep an eye out for free handouts if you’ve got them.

Sometimes tree trunks are heaved up onto the beach, making excellent benches to sit on and watch the waves and the horizon, or the sun set into the water. Stay put as the sky slowly turns from blue, to pink, to purple, and finally black. To the east, the lights of freighters twinkle as they emerge from the Soo Locks. Above, the stars blink on one-by-one. Getting back to the campsite after dark is easy: the white sand on the path nearly glows in the moonlight.