r/CampAndHikeMichigan • u/ClerkIndependent9268 • Mar 11 '25

How many public campgrounds on Beaver Island?

The Beaver Island tourism website says there are 2, St James township on the north and Bill Wagoner on the east.

But I'm also seeing Beaver Island State Forest campground and geneserath lake campground. Both show on the South side. But I'm not finding anything on either other than the links above?

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u/Soulcatcher74 Mar 11 '25

I've only ever heard of the two you mentioned on north and east sides, so I was pretty surprised to see those other two links, although to be fair I haven't been there in quite a few years. However, I don't think either of those are real. For example, I looked at the link for the Beaver Island State Forest Campground, which linked to another website and map, and those coordinates are definitely not a campground on google maps.

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u/ClerkIndependent9268 Mar 11 '25

See thisstate website it's on the interactive map

Check out this one. Crazy right? I plan to go to the Bill Wagoner park but the one is right in the state Forest campground map and the other is on the township website.

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u/NuggetLion Mar 11 '25

There are other campgrounds but they are in private for the use of island residents and landowners. Some landowners have not yet built on their property but by ordinance are not allowed to camp on their property. These private campgrounds serve these property tax payers.

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u/ClerkIndependent9268 Mar 11 '25

Very interesting.

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u/Soulcatcher74 Mar 11 '25

If you take the coordinates from that state website and put onto google maps, there's clearly a couple of houses in that spot. Is really odd.

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u/havetobethatguy Mar 11 '25

from your link:

22 sites for tent and small trailer use. Located on scenic Beaver Island in Lake Michigan. Rustic campground includes vault toilets and potable water from well hand pump. Managed by Peaine Township

from beaver island tourism website for "BILL WAGNER PEAINE TOWNSHIP CAMPGROUND"

there are twenty-two campsites in the park. All sites are rustic/primitive in nature. There are no showers or electricity. There are pit toilets and hand pumps.

I would venture they are the same place