Fort Custer Recreation Area

This was our second trip to this property (1st was Sept 2021), and it was really nice.  We went Aug 25 - 27th (Friday - Sunday).  The property has something like 219 campsites, and that weekend every single one of them was full.  Noisy during the day with a few large groups and a LOT of kids, but they were quiet at night and it was not a problem.  Some of the campsites are very close together and it's hard to determine that from the map or choosing ahead of time.  The showers and bathrooms are fine, and I think they're being upgraded this season so I expect them to be quite nice for 2024 and beyond.  We took full advantage of the mountain bike trails which are very easily accessed from the campground.  We also took a trip into Battle Creek for a quick stop by CVS, so it's close and convenient for lost or forgotten items.   No problems with bugs or mosquitos, other than the normal for being a forested property. 

On Saturday morning the camp host had coffee and donuts for a $1 donation.  And firewood was easily accessible on site. 

Would not hesitate to stay here again.

Huge beautiful campground. Lots of privacy. Needs extra access to the Kalamazoo River for kayakers. Make a campground near the beach. Gas is too expensive to be driving two and a quarter miles one way to the beach. The dump station needed a serious update.

Another great camping experience, site 210 has an amazing trail that leads directly to the showers at one end and at the other path went directly to running water, plus only a couple of yards from a great walking trail.

Nice sites, very well organized for privacy. Trees and shrubs dividing sites. The lake is a couple miles away from campground, only 20 miles per hour if I recall. No alcohol permitted

With plenty of space between each campsite, easy-to-locate bathrooms/water, and firewood available to purchase at the front office plus over 25 miles of hiking/mountain biking trails, plus more than one body of water to fish/swim in. It really is an ideal place to camp!!

We camp here several times a year. Love the staff, lakes, and trails!!!

Great campgrounds very friendly staff bathrooms are extremely clean great time nice beach

Great place to camp, our first trip there was the weekend after the 4th of July. Wish we would have came here yrs ago! Great sites, all divided by trees for some privacy. Will go back

I can see why this place is so popular with the camper crowd. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just cramped, a bit noisy, and there's alot of traffic. Alot.

I was only taking my son for a night to try his hand at tenting and some hiking. The hiking was nice but not as challenging as some of the other places I've been.

I prefer rustic, somewhat challenging, and a semblance of solitude. You won't get any of that here. But if you're a family, especially with younger kids or older folks, who want a safe place to get outdoors, this is the place. The restrooms, showers, playground, and easy groomed trails will be great for you.

If you're like me, you'll likely be looking north.

Just bought our first camper this past summer and decided to take it to Ft. Custer to try it out! We absolutely loved this place. There are plenty of hiking trails and the fishing was great. Will definitely be back again!!!

Boating, trails, camping, beach. Had a great time.

Sites are super secluded, a lot are deep with tons of open woods behind them which is beautiful. There’s a huge dog run area that we took advantage of.

The day use beach area was great, and you can swim and kayak in the water.

However there was a couple of issues. One was we had a good down pour for about half hour. That rain flooded a large amount of sites with a few inches of water which was honestly really bad. Another issue was the mosquitoes are real bad. They post signs about it. Last issue was the dump station. I think because of the flooding, the septic tank was almost full which made dumping a little bit of an issue but I could get it done.

Honestly the property is beautiful other than those few issues

We enjoyed camping here with the family. The sites are nicely wooded to give more privacy. There are convenient trails through the woods to get to the bathrooms but depending on your site it could be about a 10 min walk. The kids wished we had packed their bicycles to make trips to the bathrooms faster. Our site (34) was mostly sandy ground and there were a lot of berries dropping from the trees that my dogs were obsessed with eating. Overall we enjoyed the stay and would return

The sites are spacious with the right amount of seclusion from your neighbors! Paved roads good for bike riding and walking the dogs. The only thing missing is a camp store!

Bathhouses were clean and free of bugs. Roads are nicely paved. Campgrounds are nice. Good for multiple tents. Fire ring is good. Beach was amazing and so were the trails. The concessions at the park are sparse. Family dollar is right down the road though. Firewood sales at location. Very buggy but your in the woods so expected.

Ok, so I might be biased because this is where I spent my summers growing up. But I’ve never found another campground with such a great mix of secluded sites, but still opportunities to meet and party with fellow camper.

Endless hiking trails and two lakes where you can fish, swim, and boat.

If you’re in the area, this is highly recommended.

It is a state park. There are lakes to fish, boat, kayak. Sites have lots of growth.

Best trails in the area! Beautiful surroundings. Hidden gem

Playground was not suitable for toddlers (1-3 year olds). This park is best known for their hiking and biking trails which our kiddos are still a little young for. The sites are decently sized and secluded.

Campground Review: 

After finding our original campground full, we were directed over to Fort Custer. We found a campsite that was large with vegetation separating us from neighbors. I didn't expect to find something this interesting as an alternate to original plans but it worked out nicely.

There are a couple hundred sites and most of them were full. Our site was on the far end of a loop. This meant a longer walk to the restrooms and showers. On the other hand, we were right across from an access trail to the blue hiking trail. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. It was overcast upon arrival only to have the sun shine down the next day. We soon found out that there was enough clearing in the treetops to give our camp full sun for most of the day. If you camp here, I suggest one of the other sites that would give you a break from the sunny heat.

We hiked on a multi-use trail that the ranger suggested. The blue trail goes around a couple lakes and was wonderful. We did miss a sign or two and ended up turning our 4 mile trip into a 6.5 mile one but there are plenty of spots to rest and enjoy the time. We passed other hikers and bikers and even some people trying their luck at fishing. There are quite a few mountain bike trails on the other side of the recreation area. A horse trail circles around the outside edge. 

Product Review: 

As a Dyrt Ranger I sometimes get products to evaluate. This trip I tested out the Midland X-Talker two way radio - T77VP5. The kit we used came bundled into a zippered case that is perfect for keeping everything organized. We charged it up before our trip and even tried it out in a school building. 

We read reviews that said it might not work well in buildings and thought we should see. I gave them to two high schoolers and asked them to run throughout the place testing them as they went. They came back happy and excited and wanted to keep using them.

The real test came out in the woods. The belt clip snaps on easily and this stayed connected to my pack strap for our entire hike. The X-Talker fits nicely in the hand and the buttons are perfectly placed. Another feature I wanted to try was the weather radio. It scans channels automatically to find a weather channel in range. You just need to listen to the report as it cycles through the days. We had some rain and storms moving in so this proved useful in helping us sneak out of camp really early to avoid the downpour that was looming.

The Midland X-Talker T77VP5 radios worked wonderfully and will certainly see more use on future adventures.

Sites have electrical service only. Must use the dump station.

Love going there to ride the trails or walk my dogs the lakes are awesome great beach Great fishing awesome picnic areas nice boat launch. Most campsites are big with trees in between. Miles of biking and hiking trails

We are in town for a softball tournament and decided to camp for the week. The mosquitos are awful. The site was a decent size and had a lot of shade, which was nice.

Fort Custer is a hidden gem in Michigan. Nobody thinks to go camping near Battle Creek, but they really should reconsider!

Never over-crowded, tons of trails, and very nice paddle board, kayak, and canoe rentals! The lake at the state park is outlined by trails and features a small island to paddle around!

Excellent Excellent place to camp

This was a pleasant surprise to have what felt like a semi private lot nestled in the woods. We had site 1 and felt we were close to a bathroom shower house as well as to the entrance. The restrooms were kept reasonably clean, and there's a nice playground by the bath house.

The negatives? It's a drive to the beach, which is rather crowded on nice Saturdays (to be expected)... there's no shortage of mosquitoes (but hey, you're in the woods, right? Bring a thermacell! )... and the midnight snack bandits we call raccoons are not going to hide from you. We had one traverse along our site while cooking dinner, but he left us alone and kept on his way. We saw several others during our stay... keep food and trash stored away!

In all we are very likely to return someday!

MMichigan State park with large sites and lots of privacy.  $25per night with electric.  Several no wake lakes for kayaking, canoeing and fishing. One lake with swimming beach. Lots of trails for hiking,  horses and mountain bikes. Roads quiet and could easily ride your road bike to nearby bike paths. I loved the lack of lights in the park at night making for a beautiful night sky.

I have stayed here quite often. The park is a typical state campground. The campsites have good space and isolation from other sites. The electrical was updated so alls it’s have their own hook up but some of the older boxes can have issues. The site I was on had the 30 amp plug that was not working.

There is a lot to do here; fishing, horseback riding. Mountain bike trails, lake with beach so if you get board it’s your fault. The mountain bike trails are challenging and will provide a good workout.

I will stay here again and again.

Wow! Three lakes, hiking, biking and horse trails, showers, camp host and super quiet this past week while there. Not many campers, but everyone there seemed pleasant and were quiet. Deep sites, electric if you so desire, firepit and tables. I use a tent. Driving from the west through Augusta is a treat...so pretty. Civilization not far at all. Fishing, beach, play areas and an amusement park for mountain bikers! No alcohol. Will return!

Our favorite state park to stay at. Large quiet sites and lots of seclusion.