Campsite #1 at Hardwood Campsite On Grand Island, MI
Tent Site #1
Walk-In | 6 people |
0 | fair |




Campsite Reviews (9)
5.0 out of 5
5 star | | 100% |
4 star | | 0% |
3 star | | 0% |
2 star | | 0% |
1 star | | 0% |
I put my Old Town Dirigio Kayak in the water behind the Ferry Office about 1pm on Friday, there were gentle winds and minimal wave action. Loaded up with just enough gear for one night/day, I paddled off toward Waterfall Beach, had a late lunch on the water. The views of the cliffs were phenomenal and I was taken with how similar the sandstone lake bottom was to the sandy shores of Lake Michigan further south, with the exception of being rock. I beached my kayak on the north end of Waterfall Beach, and made off for Hardwood Campsite. It's a delightful little spot, the first campsite heading north on the main trail from the beach after you pass the cabin trail. It boasts a food locker and bear pole so it's very convenient to store your items out of animal's reach (as is required by law on the island).
Back to the water for an evening paddle amidst the circling Island Tour boats and pontooning families. Unsurprisingly, the water was chilly - actually colder than when I swam the day before at Black River State Park further west. I would guess the breeze from the NW was pulling up cold water from the depths this time. Gorgeous sunset over one of the smaller islands. Luckily I had my phone and service to check the wave action (highly recommended if your kayaking) and saw that waves were growing past 3' by the following noon - that's a hefty swell for a recreational kayaker without a spray skirt (dry bags of course). So I packed up camp and hit the water around 7am and had a blast teaming up with the growing swells to race back to the Ferry Office. On the road by 9am. Just a brilliant roadtrip layover location.
I put my Old Town Dirigio Kayak in the water behind the Ferry Office about 1pm on Friday, there were gentle winds and minimal wave action. Loaded up with just enough gear for one night/day, I paddled off toward Waterfall Beach, had a late lunch on the water. The views of the cliffs were phenomenal and I was taken with how similar the sandstone lake bottom was to the sandy shores of Lake Michigan further south, with the exception of being rock. I beached my kayak on the north end of Waterfall Beach, and made off for Hardwood Campsite. It's a delightful little spot, the first campsite heading north on the main trail from the beach after you pass the cabin trail. It boasts a food locker and bear pole so it's very convenient to store your items out of animal's reach (as is required by law on the island).
Back to the water for an evening paddle amidst the circling Island Tour boats and pontooning families. Unsurprisingly, the water was chilly - actually colder than when I swam the day before at Black River State Park further west. I would guess the breeze from the NW was pulling up cold water from the depths this time. Gorgeous sunset over one of the smaller islands. Luckily I had my phone and service to check the wave action (highly recommended if your kayaking) and saw that waves were growing past 3' by the following noon - that's a hefty swell for a recreational kayaker without a spray skirt (dry bags of course). So I packed up camp and hit the water around 7am and had a blast teaming up with the growing swells to race back to the Ferry Office. On the road by 9am. Just a brilliant roadtrip layover location.