Silver Bay Trailhead and Black Beach Campground

The Silver Bay area is a hotspot for tourists traveling and enjoying the North Shore of Lake Superior. The high demand for camping sites and event space led the City of Silver Bay to proceed with two municipal campground sites—Black Beach Campground and the Silver Bay Multimodal Trailhead.

Bolton & Menk assisted the city with the Black Beach Campground from concept development through construction. The campground opened in May 2020. The 49-site campground is located on the northeastern edge of Silver Bay, situated between Highway 61 and Black Beach Park on Lake Superior. The campground features a mix of tent, camper, and RV sites with vault toilets, picnic shelter, playground, main building containing lavatories and bathing units, and direct access to state trail systems and Lake Superior’s unique Black Beach Park. The campground contains ADA-compliant campsites with access to electrical power.

We also collaborated on a multimodal trailhead facility and campground concept within the city, adjacent to the state trail system. The Silver Bay Multimodal Trailhead master plan was developed to accommodate two main user groups—outdoor recreationalists looking for tent and camper sites and a gathering and special event venue for the local community. The two-level trailhead building will provide for both user groups. Along with the large trailhead building, the plan also includes 25 tent sites, 58 camper trailer stalls, parking lot, plaza, playground, picnic shelters, open space, BMP improvements, multi-use trails, and informational kiosks.