Grand Island National Recreation Area
Upper Peninsula, central · Hiawatha National Forest (USFS)
A Lake Superior island of cliffs and beaches where you reserve a numbered site and ferry over from town.
From above. USDA NAIP, public domain.The vibe
Works for hammock, tent. Measured dark skies, a real one for stargazing.
Hanging a hammock?
Hammocks are fine in Michigan state parks. There's no rule against them. The rule is about the tree: use wide, tree-friendly straps, no nails or wire, and don't tear the bark. The state sets no strap or tree-size requirement, so when in doubt, ask the park. We'll point you at sites that likely have trees worth hanging from, but we can't see the trunks, so eyeball it on arrival.
The rules
Nineteen designated campsites, reservation-only roughly late May to mid-October via Recreation.gov. Pitch within 15 ft of the site marker, fires only in the provided ring; off-site 'random' camping allowed only 100+ ft from water, trails, and other sites with no fires. Passenger ferry from Munising.
Ferry from Grand Island Landing on M-28, ~2.5 miles west of Munising.
Thicket is not the managing agency and not affiliated with it. The vibe read is our estimate from open data (OpenStreetMap, USGS elevation, NASA Black Marble nighttime light); the rules, permits, and access can change. Confirm with the agency before you go, and leave no trace.