Baraga State Park is the gateway to the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is located right on US-41 overlooking Lake Superior’s Keweenaw Bay. The park serves as the perfect basecamp for those wishing to explore the western end of the Upper Peninsula.
While Baraga State Park isn’t very large, it does offer a number of activities and camping options. The state park is one of the oldest, opening in 1924. As such, it was pretty antiquated in terms of electricity and site accommodations. In 2019 the state undertook significant renovations to upgrade the campsites for more modern visitors.
Camping at Baraga State Park
Baraga State Park has roughly 95 campsites, one mini cabin and one teepee.
As part of the renovations, a few of the smaller campsites were combined to create larger pull-through sites to accommodate the much larger trailers and motorhomes that are popular these days.
Also, until recently, the entire campground was 20-amp only. Air conditioners, microwaves and other appliances were constantly overloading the circuits. Now, the sites have 20-, 30- and 50-amp service available to handle the heavy load from the larger rigs.
One unique amenity the renovations included are water and sewer hookups at a few of the individual campsites. This is not seen very often at Michigan state parks and is a major bonus for travelers desiring that feature. You will pay more for these amenities.
On weekend mornings, the camp hosts provide free coffee and doughnuts as a meet-and-greet opportunity. (NOTE: This activity may not be taking place in 2020 due to COVID-19. Check with the park ranger for details.)
The biggest downside to camping at Baraga State Park is a the road noise from US-41. Since the park is located on the main thoroughfare to the Keweenaw it does receive a fair amount of traffic. We noticed it did become white noise after a while, but it is something to take into consideration – especially if you want one of the sites that provide a beautiful view of the bay.
A train track runs directly behind the park, but it is no longer in service, so you don’t need to worry about being awoken in the middle of the night by the train.
Baraga State Park Day-Use Activities
Behind the campground is a short trail in the woods (less than a mile). It’s a good place to walk your dog or let your children burn off some energy.
Friends of Baraga State Park group donated a set of permanent ladder golf and beanbag toss games for the park. You can check out the beanbags and the ropes from the camp host site.
Across the street from the campground, directly on the Keweenaw Bay, is a tiny day-use area. It has a small grassy section, a couple of picnic tables and grills, a swing set, and a bench. If you’re looking for a beach or swimming there are other local parks nearby to check out. Fishing is allowed from the shore.
ORV and snowmobile vehicle and trailer parking is available near the park headquarters with access to local trails directly from the park. The park connects via an ORV route to Twin Lakes State Park.
Nearby attractions to visit
As mentioned above, Baraga State Park is the perfect base camp for many local attractions.
Right down the road in L’Anse is the Bishop Baraga Shrine – one of the area’s earliest pioneers.
Approximately 45 minutes to the southwest are Agate and Bond waterfalls.
An hour to the west is Porcupine Mountains State Park with the gorgeous Lake of the Clouds.
An hour and a half north is Fort Wilkins Historic State Park.
And of course, if you’re looking for a treat – be sure to check out Hilltop Family Restaurant 6 minutes down the road in L’Anse for the BEST and BIGGEST Cinnamon Sweet Rolls.
We have plenty more adventures to come, so subscribe to this blog and our YouTube channel. We have a video about Baraga State Park here. You can follow us on Instagram, our Facebook page, and Twitter. Plus, you can see each of the parks we visited on this interactive Google Map. You also can keep track of our activities on social media with the hashtags #hikecampgo and #mistateparks100.