D.H. Day Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

DH Bear. Sept 2023 (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy. Overall Rating: 3.75 Price 2023: Usage during visit: Very full Site Privacy: Most sites are not real great.
Site Spacing: Close Site surface: Gravel Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Fine Road Noise: Bone Through Traffic in campground: No Electric Hookup: No. Platt River CG has electricity. Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Yes Generators: Be careful. Some sites do not allow generators. The more private sites are in the No-generator loop . Bathroom: Yes Showers: No Setting: Forest Weather: Very nice Bugs: Not bad Solar: Most sites do not offer enough sunlight .

I've been coming here for over a decade and I still love it. Quiet park, quiet beaches, beautiful views. Going into Glen Arbor is fun and checking out all the different parts of Sleeping Bear is a treat. The only thing I don't like are the pit toilets, but it's the tradeoff for no electricity or running water.

Went there in late October of 2022 and man was it a cold night to stay in a tent. We got there late, put tents up in the dark, ate dinner late from a local watering hole. But once we got situated, we went to the beach to skywatch and it was beautiful and worth every second.

Went at the end of August and lucked out to get one spot for a tent. The campground was full, so you could definitely see and hear your neighbours. There are a few spots that are more private, but you’ll likely have to book in advance. Great access to walking trails and the beach.

Nice wooded sites. Amazing beach access. Quiet.

Great rustic campground with a short boardwalk to the beach. The amphitheater with kid focused programs was a great bonus.

nice sites near a wonderful bike path and close to attractions.

Enjoyed the D H Day Campground. Really liked the elevated boxes for tent placement and the site was clean. Pretty close to your neighbors, but our site still had some good tree cover. Easy walk to Lake Michigan through the campground. Vaulted toilets, community water and trash. Make sure you have bug spray. Great proximity to Glen Arbor and Empire. Short drive to the dunes for hiking and cannot over recommend Empire Beach to watch a sunset.

This was one of the loveliest campgrounds I’ve been to. The little town around it is cute, and the campground makes the perfect central location to explore from. The sand dune climbs are amazing. Site 30 was close to the toilet, water fountain and firewood vending machine.

Overall the campground has a very pleasant and rustic charm. The foliage helps create privacy but the campsites are close in proximity overall. The one warning that should be more clearly indicated is that there is poison ivy surrounding every single site so please be aware if you have pets and small children. The fact that there was so much poison ivy is the only reason I gave it four stars. Lake Michigan is a short walk away and you are able to walk to sleeping bear dunes along the beach. For those who would like convenience Glen Arbor is only five minutes down the main road and has a ton of restaurants, parks and a nice grocery store.

Stayed October 4, 2021.

Plenty of room at campsites and sites were spaced out.  Vault toilet was clean.  Sites have table and fire ring.  Water and dump station available.  Easy walk on boardwalk through dunes to Lake Michigan.  Platte River campground has showers if you want to take the drive.  The large dune climb was close by.  Just up the road was Glen Haven with its historic village and a Coast Guard station museum, but all were closed when we were there.

Some sites would not be able to accommodate pull campers or large RVs.

Just wrote a long review and Dyrt app crashed. :( alright! In a nutshell!!! This was a wonderful spot. Direct walking access to Sleeping Bear Heritage trail and the beach! We camped with our 18’ Tab trailer-our site had plenty of sun for solar. Sites were well positioned. And well thought out in addition to room for our trailer car picnic table and fire pit there was also a tent pad that would have been fab if we had a bigger pack! There is a good deal of poison ivy around sites and pathways you need to be mindful of. We just had to limit Our two dogs sniffing routine and get them sorted before dark made it super manageable. Definitely will return ,absolutely loved this campgrounds. A quiet, serene, idyllic rustic camp option in a stunning National Park.

This was my first time camping (ever) and DH Day was beautiful, peaceful and nice.

We camped at the rustic sites, and they were absolutely wonderful. Sleeping Bear Dunes would be rivaling Wilderness State Park and/or Hiawatha NF on the Lake Michigan coast in the UP as my favorite, #1 spot I’ve ever camped/visited. Most of the state parks in Michigan along the Lake Michigan coast have cool sand dunes, and they’re all relatively similar in their spectacular beauty and overall area they cover. Sleeping Bear Dunes is on a completely different level. I’d say it’s area is about 10 times the square mileage as most other parks along the coast. It is massive, provides the ultimate dune hikers dream hike, and everyone loves the sand dune climb. We only spent 3 days there on our summer expedition, and I left feeling like I missed so much…this is a place where I’d want to go back and post up for a 1-2 week deal, and just be there. Sleeping Bear Dunes is truly a magical place, and it’s obvious now after visiting why it’s renowned in countless blogs, magazines, reviews, etc. as one of the most beautiful places on Earth, not just America. I absolutely cannot wait to go back. I think I might actually go up there this winter for an adventure and see what the winter life is all about up there. Also, the whole Leelanau area is rich in Native American history, which I would encourage anyone visiting the area to brush up on and research a little bit about for an optimal spiritual experience.

Great campsite with spacious sites not too close to each other. Sites are close to the beach (3-5 min walk). Vault toilets are to be expected. Quiet at night when I was there. Easy access to hiking trails and Glen Arbor. Would stay again! $20 for basic tent site (non-electric).

I wish I lived closer so I could make this my new beach destination

Our family loved the location. There is so much to see and do in the surrounding area. We had a great time on the Dune Climb, checked out the beach, and hiked the Empire Bluffs. Sites are well maintained and staff are helpful and courteous.

Nice spot in the center of the park. Spots are small and close together. We travel with a rooftop tent and many were steep angles, something to keep in mind if you are a vehicle camper. Great access to trails and beach, perfect for biking and short nearby hikes. Vault toilets only, in decent condition. Lots of poison ivy around.

I wish we could have enjoyed this campground on a hot summer day. We stayed 2 nights and it rained the entire time. The sites have decen privacy and are spacious. The pit toilets are kept clean and are better than most because if the natural light. The beach is beautiful and easy to access from the campground. We'll have to go back and hope for better beach weather.

Went with some friends and the campground was very nice with available bathrooms but the sites were a little close so if that is a problem this might not be for u. Overall this was a great campsite right by sleeping bear and perfect for families too. :)

I was raised near here and the camping at DH Day is always great. Sites are compacted and sometimes you're in a puddle if it rains, but the Beach & view of the stars make up for anything that's lacking. Reserve 6 months in advance to get your site--the good ones are hard to get now that booking can be done online.

It's a short bike ride along the Heritage trail to Glen Haven historical area or Glen Arbor, which although busy in summer, has several great restaurants & lots of shops to buy anything you need. The Crystal River also runs through here & is great for kayaking, tubing, or canoeing.

Drive a few miles & you can climb Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes or head over to Empire Village Beach for a perfect sunset & place for kids to play.

Site 60 landed us right on the Heritage Trail. A private footpath over the dunes directly behind our campsite led to the gorgeous beach and a clear view of the night sky. A brief stroll takes you to historic Glen Harbor. A quick drive or bike ride will land you at the Dunes trail or Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. 2.5 miles by car or bike on the Heritage Trail leads to all the conveniences of Glen Arbor. Mid-October brought a crisp chill and some rain, but with warm sleeping bags and extra blankets, we were tent cozy. There was more than our two night stay allowed time to explore. We’ll be back!

Site 60 gave us direct beach access (short path over the dunes). The Heritage bike/hike trail (22 mi.) runs right through the campground. 17 nearby trails greet you along with the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. A few miles away, little town of Glen Arbor has a smattering of shops, restaurants, and a market and gas station. There’s so much to explore here, don’t expect to do it in one day. Now go search for Petoskey Stones!

DH Day campground is the perfect rustic camping spot in Northern Michigan. All campsites are within easy walking distance to a beautiful Lake Michigan beach. Be sure to pack water shoes as the beach is very rocky. DH Day is also located right along the (mostly) paved Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail making the campground a great starting point for bike trips through the National Lakeshore.

Camped here in late October. Small rustic campground right on shores of Lake Michigan in Sleeping Bear Dunes. So beautiful-quick walk to the most beautiful beach. Expected to see sunsets but surprised with awesome sunrises! Fall colors the best. Pit toilets but does have water filling station and dumping station! Most sites suitable for tents and small campers but there are a couple of sites where larger RVs can fit. Nearby Glen Arbor so quaint. Can see why Sleeping Bear Dunes voted most beautiful beach in America. Loved that they had separate sites for those using generators (I personally find the noise of those sooooo irritating!). Even in fall campground was mostly filled on weekend but very quiet.

Picked up the spot a couple of hours we pulled in pleasantly surprised when we got here spacious sites. But we got one right next to an out house and ranger talk site which had lots of foot traffic through our site.

We spent most of our time at the pet friendly beach. So many places to hike and so much fun to swim. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We hiked or swam, visited and attempted to climb the dunes lol, saw some shows at the amphitheater and saw a historic cabin on site. A firewood vending machine? Pretty basic camping but very nice.

So much fun! Easy to explore the Leelanau District of Sleeping Bear from here. Bike path runs through and easy boardwalk to a picture perfect Lake Michigan beach. All types of rustic spots. Clean bathrooms and friendly staff. Fire rings and picnic table at each.

One of my favorite parts of MI. 35 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. The campground is 4 miles from Glen Arbor and barely a mile walk to Glen Haven. The Heritage trail runs right through the campground. The sites are rustic and wooden and farther apart than normal sites. The campground is between Glen Lake and you can walk to the shore of Lake Michigan. Nearby the dune climb, Empire bluffs and North Bar Lake as well.

Connects to a walking and biking trail.