Channel Marker Campsite
- from $10
- fee
- Friday before Memorial Day
- season
- May–Sep
- best months
- At 610 ft
- Hiawatha National Forest
Grand Island is a Congressionally designated National Recreation Area with fascinating history, beautiful overlooks, pristine sandy beaches, dense hardwood forest, serene inland lakes, and miles of hiking and biking trails. This is a unique destination to spend a day or more biking, hiking, exploring, or just hanging out and recharging. Visitors get to the island by passenger ferry from Munising or private watercraft. The dock at Williams Landing can be used for loading and unloading, but boats may not be left there. Jet skis/motorboats are prohibited from landing on shore. Murray Bay, Trout Bay and North Light Beach have sand beaches with little to no obstructions where a kayak or paddle boat can land. Most locations on the northwest and northeast sides are sheer cliffs. There are 21 designated campsites, including 2 group sites. Reservations are required Memorial Day through Columbus Day, except for Cobble Cove, Flat Rock, and Muskrat Point, which are first-come/first-served. All reservations must be made through Recreation.gov and can be made up to, and including, the day of arrival. Campsites provide picnic tables, campfire rings, benches and bear poles or lockers. Drinking water is available at Williams Landing, Juniper Flats, Farrell Cottage and Murray Bay. If traveling elsewhere on the island, bring water with you or filter/boil/treat surface water.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Channel Marker Campsite
Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
26° / 13°
20 wet
Feb
28° / 12°
16 wet
Mar
36° / 20°
13 wet
Apr
46° / 29°
11 wet
May
59° / 39°
12 wet
Jun
68° / 48°
12 wet
Jul
75° / 55°
11 wet
Aug
74° / 55°
10 wet
Sep
67° / 49°
12 wet
Oct
55° / 39°
17 wet
Nov
42° / 29°
18 wet
Dec
32° / 19°
19 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Munsing Lakeshore, MI, 3 mi away at 612 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more campsites worth the drive
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Bay Furnace Campground
~3 min drive
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Au Train Lake Campground
~15 min drive
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Island Lake
~22 min drive
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Munising Tourist Park Campground
~2 min drive
Munising Tourist Park Campground is a campground in Wisconsin at about 605 feet.
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Muskrat Point Campsite
~3 min drive
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Murray Bay Group Campsite
~3 min drive
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Loon Call Campsite
~3 min drive
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Bermuda Campsite
~3 min drive
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Pictured Rocks RV Park and Campground
~3 min drive
Pictured Rocks RV Park and Campground is a campground in Wisconsin at about 629 feet.
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Duck Lake Campsite
~4 min drive
Remote wilderness campsite on Grand Island accessible only by foot, bike, or boat near Duck Lake.