Fort Wilkins State Park hosts May campers, McLain sites still closed
If you visit McLain State Park, you must look for the lighthouse. It marks the entry to the west end of the Portage Canal. Photo courtesy of Visit Keweenaw.
Two beloved state parks in the Keweenaw are in two different spots of the 2023 camping season. Right now, Fort Wilkins State Park in Copper Harbor is open to camping, and Park Supervisor Bob Wild says people are “rolling in pretty steadily.”
The historic military fort was built in 1844 to keep “law and order” during the peak of the Copper Rush in the Keweenaw. Now, it’s a great place to camp, and you can bring as little as your tent or as much as your RV to stay. Enjoy Copper Harbor, Lake Superior and Lake Fanny Hooe during your visit.
Down at McLain State Park, the whole campground is closed until June 15. Though, you can still recreate at the park daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“We are still trying to wrap up construction,” said Louise Hunt, McLain State Park supervisor. “We had two new water wells put in and the health department has been taking their samples to make sure that the water is actually good. Once we know that it is, we can push the water through our system and get our own samples taken.”
Hunt says the campground is closed until June 15 as a “worst-case open date”. She hopes that with good results from the water testing, McLain may be able to open to campers by Memorial Day Weekend.
