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Established Camping

Ely Lake Campground

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Ely Lake Campground, near Allegan, Michigan, is a rustic retreat that offers a true escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. With its unpaved sites and natural surroundings, it’s perfect for those who want to disconnect and enjoy some good old-fashioned camping.

This campground features picnic tables and fire pits at each site, making it easy to gather around the fire and share stories. Visitors have noted the beauty of the area, with opportunities for kayaking and canoeing on the non-motorized lake, as well as miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding. One camper shared, “The lake is great for kayaking. Miles of trails to wander and discover.”

Ely Lake Campground is pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for the adventure. While the amenities are basic—think vault toilets and hand pumps for water—many campers appreciate the simplicity and the chance to experience nature in its purest form. As one long-time visitor put it, “Nothing changed, just good ole wilderness camping!”

If you’re looking for a peaceful getaway, this campground is a solid choice. Just be prepared for a more rustic experience, and remember to bring your own drinking water and toilet paper. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, Ely Lake Campground offers a chance to unwind and enjoy the great outdoors.

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Location

Ely Lake Campground is located in Michigan

Detail location of campground

Address

5020 116th Ave
Allegan, MI 49408

Coordinates

42.534619016918484 N
86.03500752181135 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Good
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Fair
  • T-Mobile
    Fair

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group
  • Equestrian

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Pull-Through Sites

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

10 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 29, 2024

Hidden gem

Been coming here since I was little, took a 25 year hiatus from camping. Went back there recently and loved it just like when I was a kid!

Site24
Month of VisitJune
Reviewed Jun. 4, 2024

Good Place If you play Super 9 game

The place is very good. But the entertainment is fulfil when you play your favourite game. My favourite is Super 9 Game which I played in this game. The game is very unique and full of enjoy. Download it enjoy yourself. The game will refresh you. So, Try it now.

Reviewed Jul. 9, 2023

Hidden gem

Been coming here since 1969 when I was 4 yrs. old. Nothing changed, just good ole wilderness camping! Try to up there a couple times a year. Love it.

Site64
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Ely Lake Campground by James C., July 9, 2023
Reviewed Jul. 6, 2023

Off the grid camping

Drive to a place where you are truly, disconnected from society. No cell phone service, no internet, no electricity, and no showers. But who needs any of that when you're camping.

Site33
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Ely Lake Campground by Cory W., July 6, 2023
Reviewed Apr. 15, 2021

Keyword: RUSTIC

This is our "home base" campground. It's familiar. We've been coming here for decades. Comfortable, and quiet(for the most part).

Caveat: no electric, no running water, no sewer/septic, no dump, no fill... Can run your generator(inverter type is best). Solar is a negative due to tree cover.

Vault toilets only, and pitcher pumps for water. There is a dumpster available in the busier parts of the season but this campground is open year round.

No playground. Just the beach and the trails.

Sites range from small tent sites to fairly large, but the "roads" inside the campground are tight so think twice before bringing the longer 5th wheels.

In short, if you want a quiet getaway from your usual then this is a great place to go. If you're expecting a pool, arcade, and dining hall... Look elsewhere.

Site37
Month of VisitApril
Reviewed Oct. 22, 2020

Words Can't Describe

This is always my go to campground! All natural camping with plenty of nice people! One word of advise is to bring your own tp though lol they seem to always run out on Sunday mornings lol but are back up and running by mid afternoon. No showers and just outhouses but that's REAL camping right!!!? No power motor lake but there is another lake close by that is. We take the canoe with a trolling motor and hit that as well. Pet friendly. They have horse campsites and trails. Walking trails around the lake that offer nature at it's purest! I have been coming to this lake to camp for over 40 years and I hope I have 40 more years left!!!

Reviewed Sep. 26, 2020

Love it here

Perfect u plugged campground with no electric, vault toilets. Beach front and small boat launch - no motors. We love it in the spring and fall. Bugs can be bad in busy season

Reviewed Sep. 11, 2020

Beautiful rustic sites with loud parties at night

Ely Lake Campground is a County campground in Allegan Michigan. All of the sites are rustic. Here are the bullet points:

  • There are no bathrooms, just pit toilets. 
  • There is no electricity. 
  • There is a hand pump for water, although I would recommend bringing your own drinking water because the water from the hand pump is very discolored.
  • Each site has a fire pit and a picnic table.
  • They don't sell firewood, but you can by some in town on your way in.
  • There is a beach.
  • You can make reservations online ahead of time, or show up and find an empty site (but bring cash or check to pay because its a drop box).
  • They have equestrian trails and sites.

First the positives: It is a beautiful rustic campground. We stayed on the side with sites 49-73 (specifically site 50) which has larger more secluded sites than the other side of the Lake. The Lake is for non-motorized recreational use so it is mostly used for kayaking and canoeing and fishing. There is about a 1 mile trail that you can walk around the exterior of the Lake, however it is ill defined in some places so just keep your eyes peeled for yellow markers on the trees (which are everywhere so you wont get lost).

This place also attracts a lot of equestrian campers and they have trails specifically for horseback riding. So if you have kids that love horses, you may see some on the weekends. 

The negatives: It is a wonderful experience until about 10:30 PM on Friday and Saturday night. This place attracts a rowdy crowd and in the evenings (apparently there is no where else for the locals to have a rager). There is loud music , people yelling, fireworks going off and… not very much sleep. And I am not just talking about a few people with their music on -- it was someone blasting their sub-woofer with electronic dance music until 4:45 AM. It was really disappointing because otherwise the experience was positive. Luckily my kids are all deep sleepers so I was the only one who had to sit up all night.

They clean the bathrooms daily from what I can tell, but otherwise the campground is not maintained. There was trash around our site, and when you walk the trail about the lake you will see cigarette packets and beer bottles occasionally. Also along the trail were two massive hornet nests that really should have been removed by park management - but it's clear they don't ever maintain the trail. 

If you're willing to overlook some garbage, and if the party people stay away you could have a wonderful camping trip. Allegan County has a beautiful natural resource here, but sadly it seems like it is being squandered, and wont last.

Site50
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Ely Lake Campground by James K., September 11, 2020
  • Review photo of Ely Lake Campground by James K., September 11, 2020
  • Review photo of Ely Lake Campground by James K., September 11, 2020
  • (7) View All
Reviewed May. 17, 2018

very noisy not restful at all

I went here one holiday weekend, that was my 1st mistake,,,I ended up being kept awake by the drunks screaming at their kids. Never again,,,I left after one night and I paid for two that was my other mistake!

Month of VisitMay
Reviewed Apr. 19, 2018

Great Rustic Campground

I have been camping here a couple years. It is open year round. All rustic sites, horses welcomed, vault toilets, and water pumps. Pay for site by money drop in tube so bring your check book. The lake is great for kayaking. Miles of trails to wander and discover.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are fires allowed at Ely Lake Campground?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Ely Lake Campground, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Ely Lake Campground?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is unknown, AT&T is fair, and T-Mobile is fair.