AuTrain Lake Campground

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Justina Rinesmith
7 months ago
The plots are very spacious, and have great distance/coverage from the "neighbors". Our plot (24) had a little path down to the water, which was kinda special. The canopy coverage was really nice for when it started raining. The fire pit has a flip up/down grill, making cooking fun and easy. The bathrooms are very well kept, seemed like the caretakers maintained it atleast twice a day. Minimal smell and very spacious if you need wheelchair accessibility. They have a nicely maintained nature/birdwatch trail on the east side of the property, and next to that is a beautiful lookout point across the entirety of the lake. Perfect for sunsets/sunrise, if you're brave enough to walk in the dark. The autrain falls are right up the road, great for a bike ride definitely worth the visit. The best places to get firewood is on the way back to the highway, local honor system boxes yield more firewood, that burns longer than the stuff you get at the gas stations, in either Marquette or Munising.This is by far the best campground I've ever stayed at in the Munising/Marquette area. Like a hidden gem, thanks for having us. We will definitely be returning.

  Dana VanKlompenberg
a year ago
We are just leaving our stay at the campground and sad to leave. The campsites near the lake are beautiful. The beach access and boat launch make it easy to get on the water. The beach access was seaweed free and very nice. The bathrooms were some of the cleanest outhouses I've been in. Toni and Brad were great hosts and very friendly. When she saw we were traveling with small kiddos she brought them some glowsticks and other stuff and they loved it!We will definitely be back!

  Chelsea Keria
a year ago
Husband and I just got back from stay here for two nights. We loved it and can t wait to return! The hosts were amazing and made us feel very welcome/cared for. The vault toilets were very clean and well maintained. No showers at this park but we had our own with us.Our campsite was very clean when we arrived to setup camp and the hosts make sure each site looks fabulous before new individuals arrive. Lots of chipmunks in camp that were super cute. Sites aren t to close to one another so you feel separate but together.There is a beach and boat launch near. We went there to chase the northern lights but missed it by a night. We kayaked Au Train River and stood in the Au Train falls. The bird watch site at camp was amazing as well. Don t skip out on Pictured Rocks either.Can t wait for next year so we can return!

  Sunshine
a year ago
The good: Spacious sites. Beautiful forest. Clean fire ring. Short distance to Lake Superior shoreline and Pictured Rocks. The downside: No firewood available despite reservation email requesting that wood be purchased at the campground. Had to turn around and return to AuTrain after a long/exhausting day with a tired and crabby kid. Also, quiet time was not enforced. Please make sure campers are quiet in the future. Really put a damper on our stay.

  Deb Deb K Kalnins
a year ago
This is a very cool & rustic campground. The bathrooms are always clean. The host Toni & Brad were great! The sites are large and not on top of each other. Very quiet & dark after 10 pm. Roads in to the campground are paved to the sites. We were on site 34 which is a reservable site.

  Jerry Wontorcik
a year ago
The campground is paved, and the drive into the campground is completely paved which is very nice. We met the hosts, Toni & Brad as we had a few questions and they were super nice people and very helpful. Many sites are FComeFS and a fair number are reservable. Many people camping with boats or kayaks will put them in at the boat launch and paddle them up and tie them up just adjacent to their campsites, if they have a water campsite. However it's quite shallow with many� reeds at the water's edge for those sites on the water. The sites all seem to be quite large and spacious with level hard packed soil. We tow a 30ft TT. The bathrooms located nearest to our site, number 22, look to be almost brand new and they seem to be some of the best I've been in. There are 2 bars of Verizon but no OTR TV. Potable water is available from the pumphouse near the Host's site. Great kayaking is available on the Au Train River at the north end of the lake but parking is very limited there for those who bring their own kayaks.

  Jack K
9 months ago
In September, 2017, while driving from Minneapolis to Toronto, we decided to spend one night at the Au Train Lake Campground. It had two loops, we drove around, trying to find a nice campsite and eventually picked campsite number 13, near the lake. Because of my friend s special pass, we only paid half of the regular price, $9.00. The park had a self-reservation system, so I picked an envelope, wrote information about us and our vehicle, put money in and was supposed to slide it into a special money collection slot, but as we were walking to the payment station, we started talking to the campground host. He told us that the Federal Government had run out of money and there was no water for the pump and no electricity. So we were glad we had plenty of water with us. I gave the envelope with the money to the host and bought some wood from him. He was a very outgoing man, who certainly enjoyed his semi-volunteering occupation very much.I also spent one night camping there in late September, 2019 (a few days later the campground was closing for the season). There were not too many people and the host had already packed up and gone. I took a short hike and went up the observation platform.August, 2022: Another stay at AuTrain CampgroundAfter doing some shopping in Munising, I drove to Au Train Lake Campground in the Hiawatha National Forest. Of course, I relied on my GPS to take me there, but when at one point it told me to turn into a very narrow, one-lane unpaved road in the middle of a very dense forest (County Road nr 531), I became extremely skeptical about its reliability. After driving for about 50 meters, I backed up to the main road, not wanting to get stuck, as this 'road' resembled a trail suitable for ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) or mountain bikes rather than cars! Fortunately, my GPS quickly found another road, this time paved, and in no time I arrived at Au Train Lake Campground.There was a board, listing available campsites and I was surprised that not too many were vacant. I picked campsite 26 [N46� 23.666' W86� 50.210'], close to the water, set up the tent, filled out the payment envelope and deposited it, along with $22, to the payment box. There was a short trail with a boardwalk to the observation platform, which offered a great view of the whole lake. Walking back to the campsite, I passed by the host's site: there was a bunch of sticks near a tree and a sign, Dog Library. Take a stick, leave a stick. This was my third visit to this campground my friend and I 'discovered' it in 2017, then I stayed for one night in September, 2019 and perhaps I will also camp in this park in the future.

  Jay Grossman
2 years ago
Great campground. Toilets were the cleanest vault types I've ever used. Firewood for sale in campground and free kindling. All sites are in forest and completely shaded, nice separation between them. Lake swimming area and wildlife viewing platform adjacent to campground. Camphosts are great and even rake the sites before you get there. I had no cell service but some do. 10 miles to Lake Superior and kayak rental on AuTrain river. Three miles to AuTrain Falls. Would definitely come back.

  Stacey Murphy
2 years ago
Beautiful, somewhat remote campground with large, forested sites. However there is zero enforcement of quiet hours. Several large groups up all night yelling, swearing, fighting, and playing music. Munising tourist park is quieter than this place. Could not rest between heavy days in the wilderness. Won t be back.

  Joanna Bogert
4 years ago
Stayed two nights in mid September. Camp sites are spacious and semi-secluded. Bathrooms were extremely clean. There s a small platform that offers a great view of the lake and a easy two mile trail that takes you through the forest. Very relaxing campground - would recommend!

  Arindam Fadikar
3 years ago
Absolutely beautiful location just miles away from lake superior. Campsites are huge, can accommodate upto 4 tents. Some campsites have lake access if someone wants to bring kayak. Sites are dispersed enough to have enough privacy. It is always advisable to arrive early to reserve first come first serve sites.

  Celeste Fisher-Dale
2 years ago
This is a beautiful campground that is tucked away down an emerald hallway of leaves, trees, and picture perfect ferns. This year they have a new campground host couple who, after I experienced some major RV troubles, were absolutely, fantasticly helpful and kind!Over a 5 night stay the campground was peaceful in the afternoon and evening with the sound of gentle lapping water serenading the day away. Most sites had good brush growth between them, creating a private feeling behind each gravel pull-in. There are no electric sites, most are reservable with a few available on a first-come basis. There's running water and clean outhouses. AuTrain Lake is cool and clear with a sand beach and boat dock. Noticed several kayakers, boaters, and beavers bobbing around on the calm waters. There is an observation deck and 2 mile trail system that will make you feel like you're in a bird sounds soundtrack, with educational markers identifying the different bird species present in the area. Reliable and long burning firewood was available and in abundance by the host site with reasonable prices.AuTrain township is approximately 5 miles north where there is a gorgeous Lake Superior sandy beach, convenience store, kayak rentals, and pizza place.This campground is definitely worth checking out if you're looking for something convenient, quiet, affordable ($22 a night, cash or check only) and an all around relaxing experience.

  Rachel Latham
5 years ago
We stayed at site 19 one night, directly across from the hosts. There's water access if you don't mind a little much, really pretty view from our tent. Hosts were nice, offered up kindling when they saw we were getting ready to cook dinner. The bird trail was really pretty. Vault toilets are in a shelter and were very clean. We only stayed one night as I'm looking for prime beach front, drink and float camping.

  Ayan Paul
a year ago
Nice and quiet campground next to the lake. No showers but it has toilets. There is a public shower in Munising you can use at the Munising Tourist Park Campground. The campsites are well maintained.

  Tony Andary
a year ago
We had never been to the AuTrain National Campground and thought we would stop in to check it out. We met the camp hosts Toni and Brad. They were very informative, helpful and have a lot of knowledge of the area. Thank you for all the helpful information. They are both extremely friendly and very nice people with two cute puppies.

  Mochap 70
3 years ago
We stayed one night here at the site. We enjoyed our stay. The campground was very clean and very easy to find. The park was extremely lovely. The only thing I would say as to why I did not rate 5 stars were they did not have bath houses.Also; the bathrooms could have had some kind of lighting. It was hard to go to bathroom in the dark. Other than that; I highly recommend this campground.

  Kevin Lucas
3 years ago
Large, comfortable, relatively private campsites. The host had firewood for sale on site which was great. I was at site #1 and the other sites looked comparable. There was only one short hike and a wildlife viewing platform at the campground but it wasn't too far a drive to get to activities in the area.

  Stacy M
5 years ago
A lovely quiet campground with very nice sights. There is a water spicket at the campground, but no plumbing. So it's good to know and expect that. There are nice, well kept outhouses. We enjoyed the boat launch to Autrain Lake, the quiet atmosphere, the beautiful trees that shade the entire campground, and that it was a reasonable distance from pictured rocks.

  Tina Foote
5 years ago
When we checked in, we were given a campsite other than the one I had reserved. After several minutes of disagreeing and showing the confirmation, they admitted that they renumbered the sites since my reservation. We were given a different campsite. We did not know until we checked in that you are not allowed to take your vehicle to your campsite. Small garden carts are provided for you to lug all your camping gear to your campsite from the parking lot. It took us 5 trips on uneven terrain that was wood chips and some of it was pure sand. The temperature was 91 degrees and it was very muggy. This was not pleasant at all. They had gator tractors that young men were running around with but do you think they offered even once to help to our stuff to the campsite? Nope! I suggested that they put this information on their website so people aren't surprised and what about people with disabilities that wouldn't be able to lug their stuff to their campsite? They just shrugged and had no response. Also, the map on their website is not accurate. Campsites are much closer than they appear. In the tent section, it looks like a tent city with tents just an arms reach away from each other. There was trash left on our campsite, the place for the tent was not even, and the charcoal grill on our site was only about 6 inches off the ground. I was very disappointed and we ended up leaving that same night. This is not a campground that I would go back to nor would I recommend.

  Betty Boop
2 years ago
Beautiful and clean camp sites. Very helpful hosts.Amazing trails and a great swim area. We stayed 10 days didnt want to leave. Out of the way but so worth the drive.

  Luke Reinke
8 months ago
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  Dan Southworth
3 years ago
Like most national forrest service campgrounds the sites and generous and well spaced. Enforcing dog leash rules and clean up of dog waste at the swimming beach would have raised the rating to a 5 star. Pictures are of site #25.

  W
a year ago
Nice campground further out, rustic sites and space between them makes for good camping. Great location and close to many waterfalls

  Steven Lorenz
6 years ago
The host (Brenda) was very friendly and called us over to a recently departed site to give us some firewood they left over. Sites were very secluded and well kept. Outhouses were in better shape than most are, which is always appreciated.

  Kari Noel
5 years ago
Would not recommend. Hosts were RUDE. Came up to our site screaming, yes, literally yelling at us like a psycho because the wood was long in our fire pit. Fine, it's a rule we didn't know about and it wasn't really a big deal to get rid of, no argument here. She just kept going on and on when we asked her to calm down after taking the offending wood out of our pit. Even threatened to call the police on us....said we were loud and she received 3 complaints on us that day when we weren't even at our site from 11:30 am til 6:30 pm. Do not stay here.

  Sean Metz
a year ago
Absolutely a beautiful place, everything is was very well kept, some of the cleanest bathroom I've ever seen at a campground! 10/10 would recommend!!!

  Delainy
4 years ago
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  A X
7 years ago
Camped over 4th of July weekend, reserved ahead of time. Friday July 1st - last first come - first serve website was taken around 2-3pm.AuTrain Lake small Beach is nearby, campsites 28,29,30,31 will be the shortest walk. Toilet facilities were super clean. Getting water requires walking to the campground entrance. Our campsite was by the lake but it wastoo muddy entrance to the lake so we didn't use it, walked to the fishing pier instead (few steps away). Campsite is about 30 minutes to Munising and 5-10 minutes to AuTrain Canoe and to Lake Superior Beach. Wagner Cafe is cute new german eatery in AuTrain, a block from Lake Superior beach.

  Douglas Hankins
8 months ago
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  Aaron Shanahan
3 years ago
Great campground, plenty of trails to walk, boat launch for the lake and a little swimming hole. Standard campground type toilets. Actual plots are spaced out well so your not too close to your neighbor.