Free Public Land Camping Trip: The UP's Hiawatha National Forest

Trip Report: Hiawatha National Forest Car Camping
Support Local Businesses Near Public Lands
Tips for Finding Free Public Camping Spots
Don’t Get Lost!
Don’t Get Stuck!
Leave No Trace & Recreate Responsibly
Day 3: Lake Superior, Marquette, and Wisconsin
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We made a quick road trip up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last weekend which was long overdue for some free public land camping. This time, instead of backpacking, we did some boondock car camping and hiking in the national forest and a day trip to see Lake Superior before heading home. It was mostly impromptu, but we were both pacing around the house and desperately in need of a break from the summer city noise and bustle. We had an opportunity between guests at home, so we packed up the car and got on the road! We’d go up there more often if the drive were shorter (but then, so would a lot of other folks, and the quiet is what we were after)… but any chance to go to the UP is a good one!

Trip Report: Hiawatha National Forest Car Camping

We camped in one of our favorite free public camping spots off a forest service road in Hiawatha national forest and found a new one (nope, not going to tell you where they are but there are plenty if you look), hiked and foraged a little, and ate tasty trail food. We grazed on some thimbleberries and blackberries, made venison chili and venison stroganoff and a big pot of tofu curry.

Car camping means you can bring home canned goods to add to the usual mountain house fare, so we added a jar of our homemade chili in the chili mac and a jar of venison and pork meatballs to the packet of stroganoff- YUM)… and saw a bear! Well, it was a dark shadow running away in the woods that we and the dog were pretty sure was a bear, which is close enough for me.

I found some shroomy friends (chicken fat suillius, boletes, and some inedible but beautiful curiosities), which helped scratch my mycology hyperfixation as I looked them up in the guides I packed and got to spot new (to me) species of fungi.

The dog and I dipped our toes in Lake Superior (I should have jumped in- it was warm- but also about to storm when we got there) and hiked along the sand dunes and the pine-scented shore near Marquette.

Then, kick back in a travel hammock with a good book. A great way to unplug from the distractions of the world and focus on slowing down, reading, and observing the world right in front of you is to simply go where you have no cell signal. It’s good medicine to disconnect if and when you can!

Support Local Businesses Near Public Lands

The advantage of free public land camping is also a disadvantage, especially in regions that rely on tourism income to support the local economy. Make sure you support their local businesses whenever you can while you’re passing through.

We bought some tasty snacks from local places (fancy coffees and a pup cup from Crusin Coffee in Marquette, and a traditional beef pasty and a bierock from a local spot in Irontown to eat on the long drive home). On previous car camping trips we’ve had brunch at local diners and shopped at small independent bait and tackle shops. These are also the best places to get advice on what’s biting, or where the good restaurants in town are!

If you are using our public lands to fish or hunt, make sure you have the proper permits and are following local regulations for what you can bring home with you and legal methods. Fishing permit and tag fees go to support access and conservation efforts to maintain the resources that we all get to enjoy. In some states, you need a parking pass to use certain access point parking lots (Wisconsin is one of these, I’m sure there are others) so make sure you have that or put money in the drop-box to buy a weekend pass so you don’t get a ticket!

Tips for Finding Free Public Camping Spots

Getting outside on our public lands is a good time, folks. It’s also a really affordable way to have a miniature outdoor adventure- all we paid for on this trip was gas and food. Of course, we also have made pretty big investments in camping gear over the years, but you don’t need the fanciest or high-end gear if you’re car camping. You also have to be ready to rough it, and to provide for all your own needs- there are no showers, pit toilets, or camp stores to walk to if you forgot something!

Don’t Get Lost!

Pick up paper maps from a ranger station, print them at home, or at least download them to your phone or GPS before you go- you probably won’t have cell service in a lot of the remote areas, so plan ahead! If you are ordering quad or other topo maps from the USGS (and this is a great idea if it’s an area you plan to visit often) give yourself a LOT of lead time before your trip… They’re really, really slow to ship orders, and it can take a month or more to arrive, especially if you ordered a bunch of maps and other pamphlets (what, we’re nerds, ok).

So get online (so you can get offline, yes, I realize the irony), remote scout some promising sites (Google Earth, GaiaGPS and OnX are a few of many great tools for this), make sure you are on public land that’s legal for dispersed camping (rules for this vary based on the type of land and where you’re at, and how long you plan to stay, so check before you go), and then drive until you get somewhere good!

Don’t Get Stuck!

Don’t go somewhere you’ll get stuck! Know the limits of your vehicle if you’re driving in on an unmaintained road, and have some self-rescue tools and common sense, as it could be days before someone finds your vehicle if you get stuck. Storms can blow down trees and block your exits- pack a handsaw or power tools and some sturdy rope, at least, if you have them, or be prepared to hike out to a cell signal.

We almost got stranded on a previous trip, when a big storm blew down small trees across either unmaintained access road out from where we had parked for the night (we got in too late to set up a tent, and slept in the car). Luckily, we were able to use another small log to lever and drag the smaller tree off the road, but since that trip, we’ve packed a folding limb saw and hatchet in the car just in case.

A lot of folks keep a small battery-powered or gas chainsaw in their truck for this exact reason (also, makes quick work of firewood). Don’t go out and buy one if you don’t already have it though- some smarts, simple tools, and a basic understanding of physics will get you out of most situations.

Leave No Trace & Recreate Responsibly

Remember to leave no trace (pack a trowel or small shovel for your business and pack out ALL your trash). You’re on your own when you’re roughing it, so be responsible and keep it nice for the next guy, eh? Remember that free camping on our public lands is a huge privilege, but also a responsibility to be a good steward for the next person who might hike by. Most people come to the woods for quiet, so maybe leave the loud speakers at home, yeah?

If you’re foraging, hunting, or fishing on public land, make sure you do so responsibly, in places where that’s allowed, and that you have any necessary permits if required. Be aware of hunting seasons and be respectful of other people using the trails and roads.

Wear blaze orange or blaze pink and other bright colors and be extra cautious if you’re out in hunting season, and respectful of hunters if you cross paths. We moved our first campsite after a day when we realized that it was uncomfortably near someone’s permitted bear bait setup. We were planning to move to a new spot anyway, but that sealed the deal, both for our safety and to not spook the wildlife near that spot!

Remember that these lands are wild, and in regions with bears, carry bear spray and store your food appropriately in bear-proof containers or with a proper hang. Cars are NOT bear-proof!

Recreate responsibly, share the trails and roads, leave it nice for the next folks (or the wildlife that live there). Most importantly, remember to have a nice time!