Meet Kona Hills Campground
Located just a short drive from downtown Marquette and tucked deep into the woods lies a quaint and rustic campground with secluded campsites, hiking trails, and Lake Superior views.
Kona Hills Campground, state-licensed and privately owned and operated by Sara & Jeremy Johnson and Devin Mahoney, is a rustic, self-service campground rooted in the belief that conservation and growth can co-exist. Conveniently located right off US-41, you’d never know the backwoods, one-with-nature atmosphere you’d find by just turning off a busy highway.
Owners Sara, Jeremy, and Devin purchased the land in 2020 and set out to create the campground they’d always wished existed– rugged, secluded from the bustling noise modern campgrounds have to offer, and made for people who want to camp. They believe that economic development doesn’t have to come at the expense of a community’s character, making Kona Hills a long-term commitment to Marquette and the people that call it home.
Camping at Kona Hills
Campsites are generously spaced out and laid into rock cuts and hill sides, with varying access from hike-in campsites to campsites you can drive right up to. “Kona Hills is our way of being able to steward 80 acres of incredible land and keep it wild and aligned with the culture and traditions of the U.P., ” says Sara Johnson. “We have plans to strengthen and grow outdoor recreation and drive local economic development.”
The campground’s namesake is the land it lies upon– a geological marvel unique to not only the Upper Peninsula, but Marquette County itself. Kona Dolomite is a rare mineral found only in Marquette County, made of ancient limestone with deep reds and salmon pinks with swirls of quartz and black and grey banding. The campground sits atop a significant Kona Dolomite outcropping, thus bearing the name Kona Hills Campground.
“We believe great outdoor places should leave the land better than they found it,” says Sara. ”Kona Hills exists to thoughtfully develop unique landscapes into recreation experiences that connect people with nature, strengthen our local community, and inspire future generations to explore the outdoors.”
Help Along the Way
As Kona Hills entered its second official season in summer 2026, owners Sara, Jeremy, and Devin had some additional help. Innovate Marquette launched a pilot internship program for Upper Peninsula outdoor recreation companies to be matched with college students looking to build their skills outside of the classroom. The pilot program is made possible due to a United States Department of Agriculture (UDSA) Rural Development grant called the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) grant.
The program launched in summer 2026 and successfully matched eight students with summer internships across five Upper Peninsula companies– including Kona Hills. This summer, three Upper Peninsula college students have worked side-by-side with the Kona Hills team to do everything from physically building out new trail systems in the woods, cleaning and maintaining campsites, welcoming guests and giving directions, to content creation, marketing, and even construction work on new buildings.
As Kona Hills owners build the property slowly and intentionally, hosting interns has helped them check off projects one by one. Not only is Kona Hills privately owned, but it is owner-operated, making the tasks of running, building, and maintaining the campground and land a heavy lift for Sara, Jeremy, and Devin to do alone.
“Welcoming three interns has allowed us to accomplish more, and focus on important elements of the business that are easy to de-prioritize,” says Sara. “We also are at a point where we have basic systems in place and felt confident welcoming three interns into our culture and providing them with a positive, impactful experience. Giving back and having the opportunity to encourage the next generation–and learn from them!–is incredible.”
Abby Arciszewski– Social Media & Marketing
Northern Michigan University (NMU) student Abby Arciszewski is Kona Hills’ Social Media and Marketing intern. As a marketing major at NMU, Abby’s experience at Kona Hills has been a perfect mix of industry experience and personal interest. Between hiking, skiing, disc golfing, paddle boarding, and of course, camping, Abby says there’s a lot of things that get her outside.
Aside from being an outdoor enthusiast, Abby’s passion for photography shines through in her internship. Abby has experience photographing high school and senior graduates, couples, and families, now adding professional campground photography to her resume. As if being a photographer, student, campground marketer and content creator, and spending as much time outside as she can isn’t enough, Abby also runs a print club called Little Wonders, where members receive a new landscape photo taken by Abby every month.
“My ideal internship was a marketing-centered role with a company in the outdoor industry,” says Abby. “I had previously done a photo shoot at Kona Hills for the Northern UMC office and really fell in love with the campground at the time.”
Abby’s Role:
This summer, Abby has created a new rack card for Kona Hills that will be sent to all Michigan welcome centers for travelers to get to know the campground from afar. She also facilitates content days where she sets up camp for a weekend and documents the camping experience while building a catalog of photographs and marketing materials to promote Kona Hills through social media and digital marketing.
Abby’s not only honing her current skills, but learning new things to add to her portfolio. This summer she’s learned how to operate a drone and experiment with social media reels through A/B testing, a process where you compare two versions of a marketing asset to see which performs better.
“I have learned a lot about social media algorithms and tips and tricks for posting that only come through testing things out,” says Abby. “This internship has really solidified my career goal of working a marketing position in the outdoor industry.”
Alongside owners Sara and Jeremy, Abby has been taking the Modern Hospitality Accelerator, a 90-day marketing course that guides outdoor recreation companies through property positioning, revenue optimization, Instagram content, and more. Taking a hospitality course of this caliber as a summer intern is a unique benefit Abby will take with her as she enters the workforce upon graduation.
Once Abby graduates from NMU, she hopes to land a position in digital marketing, specifically in the outdoor recreation industry. Additionally, Abby plans to continue growing her photography business.
Jackson Holdwick– Trailbuilding & Land Stewardship
Jackson Holdwick’s role at Kona Hills this summer is trailbuilding and land stewardship– both initiatives he embodies in his everyday life as an Outdoor Recreation and Nature-Based Tourism major at NMU.
Jackson spends his summers paddling on Lake Superior, rock hunting, and taking road trips to National Parks & Forests, making him feel right at home at Kona Hills.
Jackon’s Role
This summer he’s designing and manipulating trails for mountain biking and hiking through the expansive hills of the campground, which will offer additional recreation experiences for campers looking to immerse themselves in the forests and near rocky shores of Lake Superior.
Alongside Kona Hills owner Devin, Jackson has been building bathhouses from the ground up– a new project for Kona Hills this summer. You can find Jackson nailing boards up one by one or deep in the muddy woods of the campground building trails from scratch.
“Trailbuilding has always been a passion of mine,” says Jackson. “Using your hands to craft a path in the Earth is an immersive experience.”
Jackson has been able to take ownership of his work on the trails, designing trails from his mind right into the thimbleberry-lined paths that sprawl the 80 acres of the campground.
“I’ve enjoyed developing switchbacks on the trail, giving it a bit of flare while on a ride or a pleasant hike,” says Jackson. “The main trail loop of this campground will potentially connect with the NTN south trails, giving campers a direct connection to Marquette’s Mountain Biking scene!”
Jackson’s learned that hands-on, physical projects are critical lessons to learn outside of the classroom, and working at Kona Hills has given him a visual demonstration of the progress he’s made.
After graduation, Jackson wants to continue his education at a PhD level. His summer at Kona Hills has taught him that outdoor recreation in the Upper Peninsula is a blooming industry, giving him insight into what he can accomplish in the future.
Tyler Retaskie– Camp Host
Tyler Retaskie is a Michigan Technological University (MTU) student majoring in Ecological Engineering. His role as Camp Host of Kona Hills has given him a front-row seat to what it takes to run a campground. From greeting guests and giving directions to stacking wood and maintaining campsites, Tyler has gotten a sense of what it takes to run a sustainable outdoor recreation company.
Growing up in Marquette, Tyler spent a lot of time outdoors learning to hunt and fish with his mom, making him a naturalist early on. He loves animals, but his true interest lies in entomology– the study of bugs! Tyler can be found riding his bike through the Kona Hills trails, admiring the vast species of bugs and insects the forest has to offer, or caring for his pet spider at home.
Tyler’s Role:
An internship at Kona Hills checked all the boxes for Tyler– spending his summer outdoors, camping, and working with like-minded people. As Camp Host, Tyler does daily rounds to clean up the campsites, ensuring nobody is staying where they shouldn’t and preparing for the next round of visitors, maintaining the grounds, and keeping things clean. Tyler also keeps the bathrooms and firewood stocked so campers have what they need at all times.
On the hospitality side of the business, Tyler manages the guest booking software to help guests with creating and editing their reservations, refunds, and answering any questions future campers may have. This summer Tyler’s added construction and ground maintenance to his resume, all while being outside surrounded with wildlife, and bugs, of course!
“One of my favorite parts is getting to hear about guest’s experiences at the campground and around the UP!” says Tyler. “One of the most rewarding projects so far has been helping build a deck and several accessories up at our host area.”
His time at Kona Hills has been so impactful that it inspired him to change his major from Civil Engineering to Ecological Engineering. “I absolutely love learning about the outdoors and how humans interact with nature, which is really cool to observe at the campground!” says Tyler.
After graduation, Tyler wants to go into a position where he can create new, and improve old, ways of helping the environment, including reducing the climate crisis and aiding wildlife.
What’s Next for Kona Hills
“Having the support of the interns has allowed us owners to focus on other aspects of the business besides being “in the weeds” with the daily tasks and needs,” Sara says. “This has allowed us to focus more on business development. With marketing, we’re able to focus much more on social and create more assets at a higher quality. And trailbuilding is something that would be stalled or moving much more slowly if we didn’t have the help.”
For three Upper Peninsula students, the Innovate Marquette summer internship pilot program has given them the opportunity to stay in Marquette for the summer. Working with the passionate owners of Kona Hills has given them real-world experience in the outdoor recreation hospitality industry, taking what they’ve learned in the classroom at NMU or MTU and applying them to real-world situations.
The Kona Hills team has completely immersed their students into the Kona Hills culture, showing them how to run day-to-day operations, involving them in long-term planning, and even introducing them to their network of local organizations and vendors.
In its second year of operation, Kona Hills has significantly increased its bookings, opened new campsites, and worked alongside three talented students that have done their part in creating a lasting impact for the hills, trails, rock cuts, and campsites that make up Kona Hills Campground.
“The campground is simply the beginning,” says Sara. It’s a platform that allows us to invest in thoughtful recreation projects, steward unique landscapes, and create experiences that inspire people to spend more time outside.”
Learn more about Kona Hills Campground and book your stay at https://campkonahills.com/.
