Craig Lake State Park
Overview: Michigan’s Most Remote State Park
At 9,732 acres of roadless wilderness in the interior highlands of northern Baraga and Marquette Counties, Craig Lake State Park is officially and definitively the most remote state park in the Michigan system—a genuine backcountry preserve where the access road is a rough, unpaved track requiring high clearance and preferably four-wheel drive, where all campsites are reached by hiking or paddling, where motorized boats are prohibited on most lakes, where cell phone coverage does not exist, and where resident moose, black bears, loons, and beavers outnumber human visitors on most days.
The property was once the private wilderness retreat of Frederick Miller, president of the Miller Brewing Company, who named the lakes after his children—Craig, Teddy, and Claire. When the state acquired the land in the 1960s, they inherited not just the acreage but Miller’s vision of the property as a place where the wilderness should remain wild. The park has since expanded, including a significant addition of nearly 1,300 acres in 2022 from the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy.
Six Lakes, No Motors
Craig Lake State Park contains six primary lakes, most of which prohibit motorized boats—creating paddling conditions of absolute silence broken only by wind, loons, and the occasional beaver tail slap.
Craig Lake (374 Acres)
The centerpiece—374 acres with six islands, ringed by undeveloped forest and accessed by a portage from the trailhead. An 8-mile hiking loop circles the lake, providing backcountry camping access and views of one of the Upper Peninsula’s most pristine bodies of water.
Teddy Lake, Claire Lake, and Others
Smaller, more remote lakes reached by portage through the surrounding wilderness. Each offers its own character and fishing opportunities in settings where you are unlikely to see another person.
Backcountry Camping
All camping at Craig Lake is primitive and reached by hiking or paddling—there are no drive-in sites. The park offers:
- Backcountry Tent Sites: Primitive sites on the lakeshores, accessible by trail or canoe
- Yurts: Backcountry yurts providing shelter without the weight of carrying a tent
- Rustic Cabins: Simple structures in the backcountry for visitors who prefer walls and a roof
- Water: No running water anywhere in the park. All water must be filtered or boiled before consumption.
Wildlife: Moose and More
Craig Lake is one of the best places in Michigan to see moose—the state’s only resident moose population in the Upper Peninsula, reintroduced in the 1980s and slowly expanding. Dawn and dusk at lakeshores and wetland edges provide the best viewing opportunities. The park’s wildlife also includes:
- Black Bears: Proper food storage is essential—bear-proof containers or hanging required
- Loons: Nesting pairs on the undisturbed lakes, their calls echoing across the water at dusk
- Beavers: Active colonies visible throughout the park’s waterways
- Wolves: Present but rarely seen—tracks and sign more common than sightings
North Country Trail
A significant stretch of the North Country National Scenic Trail—the 4,600+-mile trail from Vermont to North Dakota—passes through Craig Lake State Park, connecting the park to the broader long-distance hiking network and providing multi-day backpacking opportunities through some of the wildest terrain in the eastern United States.
Practical Information
- Access: Rough unpaved roads. High clearance 4WD strongly recommended.
- Cell Service: None. Inform someone of your itinerary before entering.
- Water: All water must be treated—filtered or boiled. No potable water available.
- Reservations: Backcountry sites, yurts, and cabins require advance reservation.
- Season: Accessible approximately May–November depending on road conditions.
- Preparedness: This is genuine wilderness. Come prepared for self-sufficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this really the most remote state park in Michigan? Yes. No paved roads, no drive-in campsites, no running water, no cell service, no motorized boats on most lakes. This is genuine backcountry.
Can I see moose? Craig Lake is one of the best locations in Michigan for moose sightings. Dawn and dusk at lakeshores and wetland edges offer the best opportunities.
Who was Frederick Miller? President of the Miller Brewing Company, who owned the property as a private wilderness retreat and named the lakes after his children. The state acquired the land in the 1960s.
