Perkins Park and Campground
Located on the shores of Lake Independence in the unincorporated community of Big Bay north of Marquette, Perkins Park & Campground is a slice of heaven for peace seekers and adventurers alike. Complete with over 70 campsites, a boat launch, a fishing pier, a sandy beach, picnic tables, hiking trails, a rentable pavilion, and a small creek; there’s something here for everyone.
The Brunswick Lumber Company built a sawmill in Big Bay just after the turn of the century to process the timber they harvested from the depths of the woods in the Upper Peninsula. At some point, they purchased the land where Perkins Park & Campground would eventually reside. They closed their mill in 1932, and 6.11 acres of land were sold to Powell Township on January 3, 1936, for just a dollar. There was a stipulation in the sale that the land needed to be used as a public park and that if it weren’t, the lumber company would retain ownership. The Supervisor at the time was Supervisor Perkins, whom the park would later be renamed to honor. For more information about Big Bay and the formation of Perkins Park, check out our Historical Guide to Big Bay.
Within a year of running a park on the property, Powell Township was in over its head. Even when the lumbering camps were at their peak population, there most likely wasn’t enough funding from the township to run the park at the capacity they desired. Township officials approached the Marquette County Board of Supervisors to see whether the county could take it over as a park. At the time, the park was named Big Bay Tourist Park, and Marquette County agreed to take over the park, so the deed was quitclaimed.
Initially, the park only consisted of a block of land between Lake Independence and the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad line that has since been removed and turned into a walking trail. The LSI Railroad ran from Big Bay to Marquette and past Munising with several offshoots. The County purchased an additional 65 acres of land, including frontage on County Road 550 and more frontage on Lake Independence.
Around this time, the Works Progress Administration, or WPA, made improvements and build new structures on the property to get locals working during the Great Depression. In the 1970s, Perkins Park received grants to rehabilitate and expand these facilities. More improvements were completed in the 1990s, and the park continues to examine ways to ensure that the land can be a friendly place for locals and tourists alike.
Today, Perkins Park & Campground is one of the nicest camping facilities in Marquette County. It has a perfect blend of full hook-up sites, hybrid sites, and rustic sites. Walking through the campground is a treat, and there’s a playground for kids to enjoy. The bathrooms aren’t modern, but they’re well-maintained, and the shower water is hot. The employees were helpful, and the campground host was extraordinarily friendly.
While camping here on Labor Day Weekend 2022, we were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights three nights in a row. The displays weren’t the most triumphant we’ve seen, but being able to see the aurora flying over the Brunswick Lumber Company Sawmill every night was something out of a dream.
Two trails run through the park—both of which start from the water fill-up stations and split off at a fork. To the right is a wetland platform that goes over a swampy area, and to the left is the lakeshore trail that runs parallel to Lake Independence along the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad Line. At certain parts of the trail, you can see the old rail ties, which is a neat reminder of the lumbering history that this part of Michigan holds deep within its roots and forests.
Plenty of folks had brought their boats camping with them—another perk of Perkins Park & Campground. There were a few pontoon boats docked near the fishing pier, and many campers had their flatbottom, fishing, and bass boats on their sites with them. If you woke up early enough in the morning, you could see them depart for the boat launch; however, if you sleep in, you’ll only see them return.
Lake Independence has been known as a great fishing lake for decades. The lake is fed by numerous rivers and streams, namely the Yellow Dog River and Alder Creek, and is dammed in the northeast corner. In 1947 a local bus driver and janitor named George Slutter caught a 21-inch Yellow Perch from the lake, a record that still holds to this date. Doug Seibert of Gladwin is responsible for uncovering that it was actually Slutter that caught the fish, not Eugene Jezinski as was previously recorded by the DNR. He took things even further—creating a replica of the fish to display its ridiculous size. The last piece of information I was able to find online suggested that the replica is on display at the Conference Center in Roscommon.
Given the length of this piece, it’s safe to say that we have thoroughly enjoyed the time we’ve been able to spend at Perkins Park & Campground in Big Bay. Located just a half-hour north of Marquette, it’s a great jumping-off point for your Marquette County adventures and a great place to relax after a long day of waterfalling. While you’re here, you’d be remiss not to visit Alder Falls down CR 550, Yellow Dog River Falls up CR 510, Burns Landing Historical Park on the other side of town, and everything that the historic town of Big Bay has to offer.
