A paved bike trail runs directly in front of Betsie River Campsite, connecting the grounds to the small lakeside town of Frankfort in under three miles by foot or wheel. The campground sits along the Betsie River in Frankfort, Michigan, open from April through October, with full hookups including electric, water, and sewer for RVs alongside tent sites, several rentable cabins, and a handful of vintage campers available for those who arrive without gear.
Sites are close together and, by multiple accounts, smaller than average. Shade varies across the property, with some reviewers noting fewer trees than they would have liked and others finding adequate cover. Boats and extra canopies on neighboring sites can make the campground feel tight during peak summer weekends, when it tends to fill quickly. Joie V. describes it as "super close to Lake Michigan and the river," which goes a long way toward explaining the consistent demand from anglers and boaters. A fish cleaning station is on-site, and kayak put-ins along the river are accessible from the area.
The campground keeps a small general store stocked with firewood and ice, and an on-site cafe serves breakfast each morning, a detail multiple reviewers single out as a genuine draw. John L. notes that "bathrooms are always clean as are the showers," a sentiment echoed across several independent reviews. Staff responsiveness has drawn mostly positive remarks, though at least one reviewer had a friction point with management during a busy arrival period.
Nightly rates run $33 to $85, with reservations available and recommended given how frequently the campground reaches capacity. Pets are allowed. Day trips to Sleeping Bear Dunes, roughly 20 minutes away, and Traverse City within 40 minutes give campers a workable base for exploring the northern Lake Michigan shoreline. Campers wanting more elbow room or a different setup along the same river corridor might consider Betsie River Campground or Frankfort Crystal Lake RV Resort as alternatives.
Description
Pop open your lawn chair and relax by the crackling fire. Most sites have room for 4 folks, a camper or tent, a boat, a dog or two and a few kiddos :D We have a tiny cafe, a small playground, a fish station, warm showers and bike/kayak rentals! Hop on the Betsie Valley trail for a 3 mile adventure to ice cream, beaches, shops...so much! We are not a big concrete pad RV park, we are a nice small family owned campsite. We try and keep it quiet and calm (but still fun!) If you are looking for the far North Electric Forest, this is not the place. What we are is a great base-camp for all your awesome Northern Michigan adventures!
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsBetsie River Campsite is located in Michigan near Elberta
Directions
1923 River Road, Frankfort, MI 49635
Address
1923 River Rd
Frankfort, MI 49635
Coordinates
44.61314972 N
86.20260097 W
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent Coverage
- Verizon5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 8/7/26
- AT&T5GExcellent Coverage
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent Coverage
- Verizon5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 2 usersLast on 8/7/26
- AT&T5GExcellent Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
- Group
- Cabins
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- Market
- ADA Access
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- WiFi
- Showers
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Sewer Hookups
- Water Hookups
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 45 min from Traverse City, MI
- 1 hr 57 min from Muskegon, MI
- 4 hrs 11 min from Sheboygan, WI
- 4 hrs 24 min from Green Bay, WI



















