One of the most popular ways of experiencing the Lake Superior Circle Tour is by camping. It allows travelers to truly experience the lake and its surrounding wilderness and wonder. There’s nothing better than falling asleep to the sounds of the Lake Superior waves rolling in, crackling campfires and witnessing the sun drop beyond the horizon from the comfort of your own home away from home. Here are 11 of the many reasons to camp the Lake Superior Circle Tour.

Tons of Campgrounds

There is no shortage of Lake Superior Circle Tour campgrounds! From National Parks, State Parks, Provincial Parks, and Private Parks, there is something for everyone. Whether you are tenting, pulling a trailer, or driving an RV you can find a site that has everything you need. The Lake Superior Circle Tour Campground List contains information on each campground around the Lake including the services they offer, their operating dates, and their contact information.

Natural Wonders

There are several Lake Superior Natural Wonders along the tour and some of them are located right beside campgrounds! Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park is home to Kakabeka Falls one of the most popular attractions of the Circle Tour. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park has several trails allowing you to explore the Giant as well as other natural wonders like the Lake Superior Sea Lion! Not to mention the beautiful Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Campground, which is home to Miners Castle, and the Lakeshore is a natural wonder in itself.

Lakeside Campsites

Seeing as this is the Lake Superior Circle Tour it should come to no surprise that there are several lakeside campsites on Lake Superior and its surrounding water bodies!  There’s nothing better than looking out over the water with the flickering flames of your campfire reflecting back at you. Lakeside Campsites are extremely popular, especially on Lake Superior, so making early reservations is highly recommended!

Unique Accommodations

Even if your not a typical camper, or want to change up how you enjoy the great outdoors, you can still enjoy the benefits of camping from some unique accommodations! A great example of this is the OTENTiks, a cross between a rustic cabin and a tent, in Parks Canada’s Pukaskwa National Park. Another great option are the Yurts at Paddler’s Village in Munising, Michigan.

Backcountry Camping

Regular camping is great but if you really want to connect with nature you should consider backcountry camping. Some campgrounds offer backcountry camping packages and many hiking trails also allow for camping. A great example is the backcountry campsites available for use along the Casque Isles Hiking Trail which spans from Rossport to Terrace Bay in the Ontario’s Superior Country Region of the Circle Tour. For the truly adventurous you can book paddling excursions out onto Lake Superior from several different guides along the lake who can bring you to a remote island to sleep under the stars.

Endless Hiking Trails

Lake Superior is home to some of North America’s best hiking trails. Many of which are accessible from campgrounds or are close by! National, Provincial, and State Parks are often full of hiking trails that begin within walking distance from your campsite. Lake Superior Circle Tour trails offer a variety of terrain, levels of difficulty, scenic vistas of lookouts with ceaseless views or cascading waterfalls. Whether you’re looking for day hike or a leisurely stroll along the lakeshore, there is bound to be the ideal trail to explore during your camping trip.

Unparalleled Scenic Views

Lake Superior Circle Tour scenic views are plentiful. Many of the Provincial, State, and National Parks offer awe inspiring views from hiking trails. Roadside lookouts are also easy to find as you travel from one campground to the next and often have RV parking.

Family Friendly

Camping is one of the best ways to build lifelong family memories! Campgrounds along the Lake Superior Circle Tour know this to be true and offer all kinds of activities for your younger traveler companions, teens, and elders! Provincial, state, and national parks also tend to group educational and historical aspects into their experiences. The Circle Tour is also full of other Family Friendly activities like the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth and the Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay.

The Ultimate Trip Planner

A 1,300 mile (2,092km) camping trip might seem a tad daunting but with the proper tools it can be easy. LakeSuperiorCircleTour.info and the Lake Superior Circle Tour Mobile app have an excellent online trip planner that contains information on every campground around the lake. It also contains information on other attractions. If your hauling a camper or driving an RV you can filter locations on the trip planner by “RV Friendly” which will list all the attractions and experiences that offer RV parking. Don’t forget to check out the Lake Superior Circle Tour Campground List too!

Dark Skies

Campgrounds around Lake Superior are excellent places to witness vibrant sunsets and dark night skies chalk full of stars. These campgrounds are often at a distance from light pollution which allows campers to observe the stars much more clearly. Lake Superior Provincial Park has been officially recognized as a nationally certified Dark Sky Preserve by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. Another great place for dark sky gazing is at the end of the Gunflint Trail in Grand Marias, Minnesota, which is is ranked one on the Bortle scale – one being darkest on the scale. The more remote the better when it comes to dark sky camping. Though no matter where you decide to rest your head, be sure to keep your eyes to the skies. Pick out constellations, marvel at the milky way, make a wish on a shooting star, and if you’re lucky, watch the Northern Lights dance across the sky.

Travel Games

Try a Lake Superior Circle Tour travel game on your camping trip to help make it that much more fun! Lake Superior Circle Tour Bingo is a good way make the most out of your trip by trying to experience everything on the Bingo card. Collecting stamps from the official Lake Superior Circle Tour stamp locations gives you something to remember your camping trip around the lake with a certificate of completion. Submit a photo in our photo contest for a chance for your camping photos to be featured in the Lake Superior Circle Tour Adventure Guide. Also check out the Java Journey for some great coffee shops or the Ale Trail for some excellent breweries.

What more does one need to start planning a Lake Superior Circle Tour camping adventure? Go to the online trip planner and map to start building your trip today!