Platte River Campground, near Empire, Michigan, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of [Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore](https://thedyrt.com/camping/michigan/near/sleeping-bear-dunes-national-lakeshore). This campground offers a mix of tent and RV sites, with many nestled among tall trees, providing a sense of privacy and a true nature experience.

Campers rave about the clean facilities, including well-maintained bathrooms and showers, which make it easy to freshen up after a day of adventure. One visitor noted, “Ridiculously clean bathrooms!” and many appreciate the availability of picnic tables and fire rings for evening gatherings. The campground is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for the fun.

Outdoor activities abound here, with hiking trails leading to Lake Michigan just a short walk away. The Platte River is perfect for kayaking or tubing, and you might even spot some wildlife along the way. As one camper mentioned, “You can hear the coyotes howling at night,” adding to the campground's charm. Whether you're looking to relax by the campfire or explore the stunning landscapes, Platte River Campground has plenty to offer for a memorable getaway.

## Overview

 Platte River Campground is located in the southern district of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, on the lower peninsula of Michigan. This year-round facility is one of the most popular campgrounds in the park. It is within walking distance of the Platte River and a short walk or drive away from the Lake Michigan shore. Hikers can access many of the area's day use and backpacking trails just north of the campground.Summer temperatures range from the upper 70s to 90 degrees F (25 to 32 C) during the day, and from the 50s to 70 degrees F (10 to 25 C) at night. Winters are cold, with daytime highs from 20 to 30 F (-7 to -1 C) and lows in the 10s and 20s F (-12 to -7 C). Snow is usually on the ground from late November through March. 
## Recreation

 Campers can hike, canoe, kayak and fish on the river or the lake. There are canoe rentals at nearby Platte River Point, where the river meets the lake (the point also has beach access for those wishing to drive there). The Platte Plains trail system boasts more than 25 miles (40 km) of trails, some of which can be accessed a short walk away from the campground. Trails to the primitive White Pine backcountry campground are also close by. 
## Facilities

 This facility is well-maintained, well-organized and offers a wide variety of sites, including back-in and pull-through sites with electric hookups for RVs, non-electric sites, walk-to sites, group sites (hike-in, tent-only) and a nearby backcountry campground. Each site has a campfire ring and picnic table. Each loop has restrooms with flush toilets and sinks. Hot showers are also available. The group sites allow no more than 25 people per site; pets and RVs are not permitted in them.
## Natural Features

 The campground lies in a wooded area within walking distance of the Platte River and less than two miles (3.2 km) away from the beaches of Lake Michigan. Although the lakeshore is long and narrow, it has northern hardwood and conifer forests, abandoned farm meadows, wetlands, lakes, streams, bogs and splendid examples of a glacially formed landscape.The most prominent features in the park, and those for which it is named, are the perched sand dunes above Lake Michigan. The overlooks at Sleeping Bear, Empire and Pyramid Point bluffs are about 400 feet (122 m) above the lake. With 65 miles (105 km) of Lake Michigan shoreline and numerous inland lakes and streams, the park is wonderfully water-oriented. 
## Contact Info

 For local information, please call (231) 326-4700 or call (877) 444-6777 for general information.

Platte River Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Searching for the best camping near Beulah, MI? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that Michigan camping has to offer. Find the best campgrounds near Beulah, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

Beulah

The Best Camping Near Beulah, Michigan

Platte River Campground on the southern end of SBDNL is an awesome campground.  Sites are well spaced in a wooded area with paved parking at each site.  Most sites have tent pads which have been specifically leveled.  Bathrooms were well maintained.  This campground was well thought out ahead of time and is a great place to stay while visiting SBDNL.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Great access to the Platte River for canoeing and other water activities as well as the Dunes. 
Friend had to come here for work at the nearby Fish Hatchery so I joined him. You can visit the hatchery (self-guided free tours), which supplies fish for lots of the popular fishing sites here. Lots of different site options, some of the tent sites are really spread out and private. 

Lovely riverside camp site 

Semisecluded campground. Amazing view from larger dunes if you can make it to the top. Legends say a mother bear and her 2 cubs were escaping a forest fire and swam across the lake and were so tired they laid to rest on the shore and we now call them sleep bear dunes!

Beautiful view from upper dunes!

Very nice campground, great location to the Lakeshore and dunes.  Bathrooms are clean and the sites are not extremely on top of each other. 

Beautiful 

We stayed at a walk-in site at the Platte River campground in June.  It was beautiful and very private.  The ranger station was nearby and the rangers are some of the nicest I've ever encountered.  The bathrooms were flush toilets with hot showers, and clean but not super nice. I kept my Sandles on.  Metal fire pits in the campsites. We enjoyed the park very much, including the historical tours, dune climbs and early morning trips to the beach. We made our reservation 6 months ahead as this campground is usually booked all Summer. 

Excellent Walk-in sites for tent camping

- Lots of space in between the sites with trees and such in between, so it has a great wooded feel with modern bathrooms/showers in each loop. Tent pads, picnic tables, and fire rings on each site are all a plus, though you can't move the tables as they're secured to the ground on the tent pad. 

- Great fishing, paddling, and tubing on the Platte River just across the street. You can rent tubes/canoes/kayaks from Riverside Canoe Rentals just across the bridge (~1/2 mile from the campground) - also a great place to get ice cream. 

- Plenty of Lake Michigan beaches to drive to. Whether right at the end of Lake  Michigan Rd. at Platte River Point, or a bit farther away, there are plenty of options. Can even have campfires on some of them - awesome way to see the stars and a good sunset. 

- Very difficult to get reservations, though. Online reservations open 6 months before the date you're trying to reserve so be on right at 10am or you'll have to try your luck with the walk-in sites. 

Great Modern Campground

Every year for Memorial Day weekend we travel to the Traverse City area for camping. This year we chose the Platte River Campground in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. The campground is huge and very spread out! There are trees on every campsite so you really have that camping feel. We arrived late so there was no one at the office; however, there was a note on the door to check in the next day before 10 am. The next morning, we woke up to a tag on our vehicle to be sure to register. We drove to the office on our way to explore the area and were able to check in. My uncle was with us and Joy at the front desk asked if he was over the age of 62, because he is, she told him about the senior lifetime pass. The national park pass is $15 for seven days or $30 for the year, but if you are over the age of 62, you can purchase a lifetime membership for only $10!!! She said the fee is going up to $80 so be sure to get your lifetime pass soon if you are considering a national park camping spot.

The campground has four loops and also a group camping part. The loops are big and some sites are close together. The pull through sites are a U-shaped paved driveway. Some pull through sites are VERY small so be careful when you book your reservation. There are to be no bikes on the trails, except for one trail that leads you to Peterson Road, which goes to Lake Michigan. We overheard our neighbors say that their son was warned NOT to ride on any other place except for the paved road in the park. He was riding on the gravel next to the road.

Some things I want to point out about this campground will come next. We never saw any park rangers, but we had a warning on our windshield because we did not put our registration tag on our pole. My uncle received a warning because his truck tire was two inches on the “vegetation”, which was really the gravel next to the paved pad. I will post a picture of the “warning”. Please note the other reasons for warnings. There is also a fine of $125 if you leave food out or your fire unattended. Be mindful of these strict rules. We did not see any park rangers throughout our stay, but they usually came around early in the morning. They are very strict about where you can put a tent, be sure to put them on the squared off level spot at each site. When you book, make sure you look at the pictures the website gives because some flat pads are a distance from the paved pad for your car/RV and some were up hill! The picnic tables are BOLTED to the a ground rope so you cannot move them. I would recommend bringing an awning type tent to put over the picnic table.

DO NOT LEAVE FOOD OUT!! There was a bear spotted in the group area during our stay. Bring bug spray! The ticks are bad this year and we heard several people in the park talking about having a tick on them.

If you like to hike, bring your hiking shoes and a walking stick! The trails are very nice. The trail from Loop 1 is 1.2 miles to Lake Michigan. If you like to walk, be sure to walk out there. The end is complete sand so be prepared to work hard!

The bathhouses were always clean and I only had to wait for a few minutes for a shower. The water was very hot and no complaints there. There is a room in the bathhouse that is for washing dishes. This made it very convenient and I was very impressed with that.

We will definitely be going back to this campground. It was awesome being in the woods and having the lake within a few miles of us. There is also a spot to launch your canoe/kayak right at the entrance of the park.

Reservations are extremely hard to get for this park. If you want a weekend campsite, you must book six months in advance! Ever since Good Morning America put the spotlight on Sleeping Bear Dunes, it has been extremely busy! I think that many people (including us) did not know that this campground has modern sites, therefore it wasn’t as busy in the past.

Hidden Gem!

**Campground Review:** Having been to over 45 national park campgrounds now, Platte River Campground is one of our new favorites! Wow, what a beauty!  This large and beautifully wooded campground has spacious sites, a paved road throughout the campground, extremely clean bathrooms and free showers, and multiple lakes and rivers which lead to the greater Lake Michigan. Most sites have electricity (which is quite rare for national park campgrounds), all have picnic tables and fire rings, and water spigots are scattered throughout the campground. It can accommodate everything from tents to very large RV’s. There is even a unique firewood vending truck which allows you to get wood whenever you want it!  There are multiple boat ramps/put-ins for canoes, tubes, kayaks, and small fishing boats all along the Platte River and a larger boat ramp at the river’s entrance to Lake Michigan. The gorgeous day use area (where the larger boat ramp is located) is filled with picnic tables, benches, BBQ grills, and a bathroom and changing area, as well as canoe rentals and a shuttle service. In addition to camping and paddling, there are nearby hiking trails, an excellent bike path, and the famous Sleeping Bear Dunes are a short drive away.

**Video:** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=infqnx2ju24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=infqnx2ju24)

**Product Review:** As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I was able to test the Explorer 10L Dry Bag and E-Merse R/S Go Pack from Seattle Sports while camping and paddling at the Platte River campground in Michigan. We used these dry bags while paddling on the Platte River and Lake Michigan. 

**_What I like most about these bags:_**

1\. The material is heavy and all seams are sealed, both bags should live up to their water-resistant claims.

2. Each bag has comfortable and convenient carrying straps, which accommodate many uses, probably the best use for each will be for stand-up paddle boarding.

3. The Go-Pack has a see -through vinyl window which helps identify what is where.

**_Some concerns about these bags:_**

1. Durability might be an issue with the Go-pack, it is just a tad less beefy, so I would not put keys or utensils inside.

2. The carrying straps could also become a hindrance when packing in a boat hatch or raft, which typically prefer dry-bags without excess straps.

﻿

**Product Video:** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj1NvDeLATU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj1NvDeLATU)

**Product Links:** 

Explorer Dry Bag: [http://www.seattlesportsco.com/blizz-explorer.html](http://www.seattlesportsco.com/blizz-explorer.html)

E-Merse R/S Go Pack: [http://www.seattlesportsco.com/emerse-rs-gopack.html](http://www.seattlesportsco.com/emerse-rs-gopack.html)

Ranger Review: Seattle Sports Explorer 10L Dry Bag & E-Merse R/S Go Pack at Platte River Campground

I stayed here two nights and loved it. The fee is $16 a night and the campsites are nice and spacious. This campground is only 20 min drive to the lakeshore and sits on the beautiful Platte River. There are a few trails along the river. I would for sure go back to this campground!

Beautiful campground! 

I had never been to Sleeping Bear Dunes before and I choose this campground based solely off of online choices. Also it was further south so I had less driving to catch the ferry back to WI the next morning.

I was very surprised at the well set up campsites and roads into the campground. Staff was very friendly, but this was also the beginning of the season, so the place wasn't busy either.

I was very surprised to find there are free showers available and they were actually warm! The site itself was moderately large. I could have fit 2 4 person tents comfortably or 3 smaller tents. Maybe more if you don't use the fire ring. The site was also fairly isolated from neighboring sites, I could hear other people but not see them for the most part.

There is also a trail that leads to Lake Michigan at one of the campground that was very nice.

Sleeping Bear Dunes campground

This campground has excellent, spacious sites. We were a mile walk to the lake and even less to the River where salmon were swimming upstream as we canoed. The location of the campground to the Dunes and small towns were easily navigated. This was a very special area and this campground was an excellent, private host for it all.

My favorite by far

I have been camping here since I was five! The campsites are well maintained and spacious so you are not right on top of your neighbor. The hiking trails are easily accessible and take you through some of the most gorgeous scenery you have ever seen. There is about a 20ish minute drive to the beach where you get to experience the best of both worlds where Platte river dumps you out into Lake Michigan. The river is always a bit warmer than the lake so even if your not ready to brave the cold you can still enjoy the water! The beach is great for rock hunters as well once I found a petoskey Stone the size of a grapefruit! Make sure you read the signs on the beach though because it is a nesting spot for piping plovers which are endangered so make sure you don’t go into the roped off areas. The campground offers all sorts of educational programs that will be enjoyed by all ages. The rangers are helpful and nice, they are always ready to answer any questions you may have. The facilities are clean and well maintained and the campground has a great layout. This is definitely my number one choice when in the area!

Favorite place in the world. 

The campround is wonderful. Most sites are very large, shaded, private and have level areas for tents or campers. There is a (long) walking trail to the beach, and many areas to hike, fish or tube down a river nearby. My only “complaint” is that once we had children there wasn’t a playground for easy access to entertainment. We can’t wait to get back!

Beautiful area!

Nice campground, well shaded and decently spaced out sites. Not too full even on a holiday weekend! Likely due to the fact there is a beautiful large state park nearby if you need more amenities.

There's also a great little brewery only 2.5 miles away which has a food truck that serves some awesome meals. We made the trip into Traverse City for the Cherry Festival to see the Blue Angels and took Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive which is worth the fee.

Quiet, rustic campground on the river and near a great brewery.

This is a beautiful wooded campground. Spaces are large, clean, and spaced well apart. RV sites are paved and also have enormous level tent pads. There is a fire ring with a grate for cooking. There is ample woods from which you can gather kindling. Firewood must be certified and can be purchased in area. The bathrooms and shower were so clean and roomy. Plus there were outlets in bath, shower, and the camp sink area. There are electric and non electric sites available as well as group sites and walk in sites. You can make reservations six months out but be ready to click reserve at 8:00 am. sharp for the site you want. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore sits on Lake Michigan. The lake is beautiful and accessible in many places The dunes are a challenge to climb. Definitely do that. There are historical places of interest to visit, ferry rides to islands, rivers to tube, kayak or canoe. And there are Michigan cherries to pick if you are there in July! I’d give this campground a A+ rating.

Beautiful campground- part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Has a wonderful beach area on Lake Michigan as well as the Platte river.

Lots of campsites 30 to 50 feet away from the roadway offering appropriate privacy. Woods and bushes separating campsites. Shower houses in excellent condition and clean. Pads for tents in place. Plenty of trails and access to waterfront of Lake Michigan.

Take your time and enjoy the dunes.

Pretty isolated from any grocery and convenience stores, fuel. So, plan ahead your meals.

Great spaces for setting up away from the drive-by traffic

Loop 4 is no electric but modern bathrooms- keeps out most motor homes, mostly tents in this part. sleeping Bear Dunes lakeshore with tubing, kayaking on Olatte ending in lake MI

Can’t beat quiet wooded sites in loop 4, lake Mi and Sleeping Bear Dunes

Great showers. Family friendly. Great location and well maintained campsites.

Love 💕 

This is a great rustic state forest campground. It seems to be easier to get a site here when the neighboring sleeping bear dunes campgrounds are full.

It is first come first serve but we went on a beautiful summer weekend and could still get a site. We brought our kayaks and would recommend bringing two vehicles so you can put in higher up the river, if you try to kayak up the river from this campground to float back down you will feel like you are in an infinity pool, the flow is very strong in this part of the platte river.

If you stay it’s worth the drive 30 minutes north to visit Glen Arbor for the day!

pros

less crowded, sites have large spacing inbetween, great platte river viewing, feels like you are deep in the outdoors camping, $15 site fee is a great price, clean water pumps and vault toilets, 30 minutes from sleeping bear dunes and 15 minutes from the shores of Lake Michigan.

considerations

This campground is for tents and small trailers, it’s rustic so no electric hook up, no hand sanitizer in bathrooms,

Great location to enjoy Platte River and Sleeping Bear Dunes

This campground has great amenities without feeling like urban camping. The staff and park rangers are amazing. The sites in the three loops are nicely placed so that you have foliage and space between sites but also close enough for larger groups to spread out and still feel like they are camping in a group. Good hiking trails and lake MI access. Tent pads are large and thoughtfully placed on the sites.

Perfect for families.  Great mix of rustic and electric hook up options

Very clean with good size sites and good facilities, but the best draw is you're right in the middle of all the Sleeping Bear National Shoreline has to offer!

Well maintained Campground

Stopped for a night on a road trip around Lake Michigan. Campgrounds was clean, and so were the toilets/showers. There were hiking trails close by, but wish they were clearly marked. Was told a black bear visits the campgrounds at least once a week, but is not much a nuisance as long as campers store their food in the car. Easy access to Platte River - kayaked the North branch, which was winding and fast moving. Go when they release the salmon from the hatchery - you feel all the salmon brush against your kayak as they swim upstream!

Large campgrounds close to lots of water

We loved camping here! We were so excited to explore the sleeping bear area and this is on the southern end and 40 minutes from Traverse City. You are near the Platte River which is perfect for kayaking and tubing! The campgrounds were clean and we were near a bath house that was nicely updated. There is a RR grade trail that leads to the beach but I recommend dribing up. Even after apply a ton of bug spray we felt like we were getting eaten alive on the trail.

Near Platte River tubing and Sleeping Bear Dunes!

We do a lot of camping all throughout Michigan. We are from Traverse city and this is our go-to campground. We camp on full moon nights and hit the river for night kayaking. We have our favorite site too! 

Always go a few times a year! 

Walk in sites were awesome! Short walk, but definitely felt isolated from civilization. Could see neighbors tents, but no one was on top of each other. Bear vaults shared between 2 spots, which was nice not to have to walk back to the car a million times. Bathrooms were clean, did not use shower but heard good things about it. Little store and burger stand just outside the campground too! Walk to beach was quick and easy and although it was Memorial Day weekend we had the beach to ourselves! 

Walk-in sites

One of my Favorite places in Michigan to camp. Out of the way without being out of the way. The walk in sites are a very short walk and well away from the other sites. The drive in sites are the same. Very nice maintained sites throughout the park. Showers and running toilets when you need to feel civilized again. Nice hike Lake Michigan. Short distance and great paddle down platte river. Lot's of stuff to do in the area including Sleeping Bear Dunes, Glenn Arbor, and my favorite, the Cherry Bowl Drive In. Perfect for the Novice Camper to the most experienced bushcraft camper.

The Best Michigan Has to offer

NOTE: The GPS location in this app is incorrect, the actual location is 5685 Lake Michigan Rd, Honor MI.

This is a very nice wooded campground in within the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore Park. The sites are wooded and pretty private and provide tree coverage. Bathrooms are nice, but you must pay to use the showers. Campsite isn’t directly on Lake Michigan, but there is a hiking path to the lake.

The real draw of this campsite (which fills up extremely fast, so reserve early) is the Sleeping Bear sand dunes and surrounding areas. When you are consider doing any of the following:
Tubing the Platte River
Hiking The Empire Bluffs Trail
Visiting the Dune Climb
Driving the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
Swimming at any of the beaches in the Empire area

Platte River Campground

This is hands down my absolute favorite spot in Michigan (so far). They have primitive campsites too, if you choose to go that route like we do. Right on Lake Michigan, and you can even see the sleeping bear dunes about 10 miles north of the beach. If you go at the right tone in the fall, you will even see salmon jumping out of Platte River which is really cool! 

Most beautiful park in Michigan

This review describes loop 3 only. 

This camp is beautiful with old growth trees and plenty of privacy. Electric sites are paved and clean with a nice fire pit and picnic table. Firewood available at the entrance to the loop (we drove - too far to walk while carrying a bundle of wood)  for $5/bundle from a vending machine that only takes cash - $1 and $5 bills specifically. Nearby Riverside Canoe Rental also has firewood available, but theirs was $6.50/bundle and not completely dry; we much preferred the vending machine wood. 

Reviews we read mentioned that no bicycles are allowed, which we took to mean not allowed on the grounds. This was not the case - plenty of campers were riding bikes; however, there were signs on the hiking trails banning bicycles. 

The hiking trail to Lake Michigan was a disappointment for our family. The trail gives way to sand about halfway in, so it’s a pretty difficult hike to a lackluster beach that isn’t well-maintained. There was a lot of litter and other refuse washed on shore. It was very secluded, which was nice. Next time, we’ll drive to a beach instead. 

The bathroom and showers were very nice and clean, and there were a lot of little trails through the woods, shortcuts to access the bathroom without having to walk the paved loop. The girls’ bathroom had three stalls and the boys’ had two stalls and two urinals. Two private showers were on the opposite side of the building, along with a nice deep sink for washing dishes. BYO dish soap and rag. 

The company was quite pleasant. Quiet hours started at 10:00 p.m., when the camp became noticeably silent.

The one feature this campground lacks is a playground, which will probably deter us from camping here again with our kids. 

Also noteworthy is the Riverside Canoe Rental nearby where you can rent tubes, kayaks, and canoes, as well as stock up on fuel, groceries, beer and wine, souvenirs, and anything else you could probably want. They even have a cute ice cream shop. 

Camping with kids, Loop 3

Way more rustic than some of the other social campgrounds but I really loved how we felt like we were out in the woods and not crowded. We didn’t spend a bunch of time at the site as we spent our days kayak the river and hanging out where the river feeds into the lake. We made some great memories while camping here and eagerly await the chance to return. 

We had a blast!

We arrived at this campground at about 5 pm on a Friday afternoon in August.  There were several of the 25 or so sites still available.  A quiet place to spend the weekend and great access to the middle stretch of Platte River.

  

This is NOT the NPS campground associated with Sleeping Bear Dunes NP, but rather a State Forest Campground operated by the Michigan DNR.

Great, secluded sites in a quite setting

One of the best campgrounds in Sleeping Bear Dunes area.

A walk away from Lake Michigan 

Overall great campground! Beautiful scenery and well kept. Tent sites had plenty of room on them and lots of privacy. Small walk to your site from where you park but that makes it feel a lot more wild and secluded. They provide a lock box to store food in due to bears in the area. Restroom and shower facility by where you park and those are very nice and well kept to! Plenty outdoor activities to do in the surrounding areas. 

One of my favorites

We were able to score a last minute site here on an early October weekend. You must make reservations at recreation.gov. They do not accept walk-ins. The trees were a magnificent display of color. Considerable tree cover (no stargazing from the campsite. Very nice bathrooms. Quiet.

Close to River, Lake, and Trails

We loved staying here b/c you are near all these cute towns, yet in a remote wilderness spot (Platte River Campground).

  

We were able to take a trail from the campground and go on the trail for the dunes.  Challenging walk!

  

We took a river trip with our own boats, and enjoyed the spectacular surroundings.  The water is crystal clear and you end at the lake.  Epic ending and very picturesque.

  

Crystal clear, beautiful water.  Nice!  The campground itself had some wonderful trails and was great.

Great place to stay near the dunes with water access!  Near cute towns.

Although it's been a couple of years, I've lost track of how many times we visited the National Lake Shore and camped at Platte River. It has been a family favorite because the campground is good and being near the lake and the Platte River makes summer visits great. We have always found the campground to be well-maintained, clean, and available to many kinds of campers. There are rustic sites, pull-through sites, and walk-in sites. We really love kayaking or tubing on the river and icecream cones are only a short drive or bike ride away at the livery. The area is very popular for good reason so expect steep competition for camping and parking during the summer.

Repeat Customers

Super clean. Asphalt as far as the I can see LOL. It’s a National Park so what do you expect. ￼Great for the family and great for those who want to rough it but not too rough Oh!!! And early May is too early if you’re in a tent and don’t mind below 30 at night. Bathroom and showers are very clean.

Clean and almost doesn’t feel like camping 

Review for Loop 1, Site 102. We tent camped in the electric area due to cooler temps and wanting to have a space heater. It worked out lovely. Our neighbors were quiet and friendly. We were directly across from a water source and the recycling(!!!) and trash bins. They're designed for bears and critters to not be able to get in, which means less stinky. The bathrooms were just a quick walk away. I will say that they were always so nice and empty. 

  

They do have walk-in sites as well as non-electric sites too. They were all sold out when we were there, so prepare accordingly! 

  

One thing we loved about this place: the close access to the beach! There was literally no one out on the beach minus us, so be sure to hike into the beach area from the campground area. It took us an hour or so and that included shell hunting. 

  

The overall location of this campground wasn't the best as you do have to drive quite a bit to get into the heart of the National Lakeshore area, but it wasn't too horrible.

  

Special note for this site: it's right across from the camp hosts, but they were lovely!

Great campground, but not best location

I went camping here with some friends over a weekend and it was absolutely great! The sites were pretty spread and it had an amazing trail to Lake Michigan! Overall super good and would recommend coming here :)

Great campsite for all

This campground is situated in a national park so you have all of the park ranger activities and resources. You will need to purchase a National park pass for a day, week, or a year. The sites are spaced very far apart and are nestled under mature trees. bathrooms are pristine and you have a dish washing station, recycling bin and trash bins. There are many touristy site seeing options In the area, and there is a boat launch and beautiful beach area just a couple of miles away. The Platte River is great for tubing, kayaking, and fishing down. The campground has cement pads which makes it nice and clean. 

Amazing 

I'll be honest that I only scratched the surface of Sleeping Bear Dunes. 

I had planned on doing much more paddling and hiking there, but had a tent shock cord blowout the morning before heading there. 

So I spent that morning tracking down a repair kit and then 3 hours repairing my tent once I arrived. 

Still the beach that was a 1.1 mile walk from the Campground was beautiful and practically empty. 

I also check out Esch Beach on my way, which was also gorgeous. 

Only rule I thought was interesting was not being allowed to was dishes at your site. 

But they did provide a camp sink by the restrooms for communal use!

Overnight Stop For Gear Repair!

We went here with a somewhat large group of people, and reserved about 5 campsites together in anticipation of a trip tubing down the Platte River.   We were applying sunscreen when another member of our group showed up.   We set the closed bottle of sunscreen on the table next to our camper and went to great them 2 sites away.  We were gone from our site about 10 minutes and when we returned, we had a "warning" notice that we couldn't leave sunscreen outside for fear of attracting bears.   It seemed like overkill, since the park ranger waved as she drove past us at our friends site...  why couldn't she have just mentioned something versus leaving a written ticket?  Over the course of the weekend, our group got multiple "warnings" for equally ridiculous things (like the tire a truck that was partially on a paved part of our booked ADA campsite, not at all part of the public area, completely on the site, yet it was an offense to be parked on the "sidewalk") and felt like we had to tiptoe the whole weekend.   It made it less than enjoyable.

The saving grace of this place was the location.   I don't know how anybody would enjoy an experience with the way the rangers hovered.  We have since found a campground nearby that we prefer.  


Hovering rangers... saved by the location

I was able to stay at a walk on site, which had a trail attached to it that led directly to the lake. Absolutely incredible being able to watch the sunset while being completely alone on the beach. 

The park is beautiful, with lots of scenic trails. The scenic drive is a must!

Incredible 

Sites are well spaced. Hot shower and you don’t have to feed it quarters! Campground host was nice enough to lend me a power cord b/c mine wouldn’t reach the tent pad. 

Nice campground! 

We had a site with electric.  The park has potable water available and a dump station.  The wifi at the Ranger's station was out of order at the time we were there.  Our site was nice and level.  We were close to the bathrooms/showers which was real nice.  The showers were clean with good pressure and hot water.  Luckily the mosquitoes were not bad at all inside the campground.  They were awful near the lake unless  there was a breeze than they were fine.  We had no problems at all with any of the rangers or camp host.  The campground is in a great location to explore nearby towns and sites.  I would camp here again.

Very nice campground.  Great location.

Had a great stay at Platte River Campground. Sites are spacious and wooded. 30 and 50 amp service, but no water. Hiking to Lake Michigan, bike trails, Sleeping Bear Dunes just a short drive away. For those with dogs, Esch Beach, at the end of Esch Road, is about 10 minutes by car and dog friendly. The beach where the Platte River met Lake Michigan was a favorite of our kids.

Great Location

Pros: Designated dish-washing sink, as well as shower/bathroom building for walk-in sites specifically. Short 0.8 mile hike from camp to Lake Michigan. Bear boxes are shared between only two adjacent campsites, and are large. 

  

Cons: Walk-in sites have essentially no privacy and are much less secluded than other walk-in sites where I have stayed at other parks. I was at site A003, which abutted adjacent A-loop sites as well as B-loop sites. The other sites were visible, and folks at a neighboring site were playing music late into the night.

Walk-in sites practically on top of each other

Stayed at Platte River the first weekend in June and it was lovely. Not overly busy for weekend. Very quiet at all times of the day. Some of the cleanest bathrooms I have seen in a campground! 10/10 would recommend. We will be back! 

Clean and Quiet

My review is limited since I only stopped in for a night to sleep as I was driving cross country via the nearby I-80. The staff is the "Gold Standard" when it comes to working with campers and knowing what they need. I only had a roof top tent on my truck and they catered to my request for quiet and put me back in the corner away from any noises or generators since most of the campers are fifth wheels and tow-behinds.

  

Unfortunately that is all I can say since I was in late and out early.

Wonderful Staff & Clean

lots of options here from full hookup to walk in tent sites. we prefer the non electric loop which tends to be much more quiet. took a star off for the reservation system which was put in place a few years ago. sites have to be reserved now, no showing up and being assigned a site. because of this people book them up “just incase” making it’s very hard to get a site and resulting in a lot of empty sites. it’s very frustrating. we used to stay here once a year but have since started staying at one of the state forest campgrounds nearby.

large campground 

We stayed in Platte River Campground the first night and it was great! We had a beautiful spot. Then we opted to backpack into the white pines backpack camp- BEST DECISION EVER. We spent uninterrupted beach time, were awaken by how bright the stars were and when we left the calm still silence of the pines- we realized how much we longed to turn right around and go back. 

White Pines Backpacking

The group hike-to site was phenomenal. Enough of a walk so you feel like you’re in nature but not too far. Every G site has a bear box and you can hear the coyotes howling at night. The bathrooms are extremely clean and modern. Individual showers and there’s a plug in the bathroom for hair dryers. It’s close to a beach and the river is fun to kayak down. My only gripe is that I got stranded needing a jump and rangers wouldn’t jump it… so I need get one of those jump battery packs :-) there’s not much around but there is a bit of Verizon service. 

Hike-to camping is a must 

Very nice campground on southern end of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Sites very large and spaced so there is privacy. Wooded with trees so beautiful in fall. Very nice bathrooms and private showers with hot water year round! Great hiking trails. Near Lake Michigan-approx 1.2 mile walk to huge beach. Very quiet although could hear some road noise from loop 1. Fire pits have cooking rack. Highly recommend!!




 Wonderful campground in Sleeping Bear Dunes 

When I went it was first come first serve, it was about 2pm on a Monday and I had no problem finding a spot, but there are a couple dozen other campers here. There was still plenty of room to space out, I didn't have neighbors. Even so, there were lots of trees and the sites are fairly spaced out so I felt I had plenty of privacy. Bathrooms were very clean. There's also a trail that connects the campground to lake Michigan, about a 1.2 mile hike which was a nice little hike even in the rain. Site was $31/night but it has electric, water, flush bathrooms, a utility sink, and showers. I'm already looking forward to going back.

Great Campground

Really nice campground. Clean facilities with flushing toilets and showers. Sites had good fire rings and picnic tables. Some sites were nice and secluded from others but some you could see right into their camp but that’s most campgrounds. 

Great campground 

Immaculate modern campground. Clean and spacious facilities, helpful staff.

Modern Bliss

Platt River CG:    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:  3.5
Price 2023: $18 w senior discount 
Usage during visit: VERY full
Site Privacy:  Most sites do not have lateral privacy 
Site Spacing:  Sites are close 
Site surface:  Blacktop
Reservations:   Yes
Campground Noise:   Not bad
Road Noise:  None 
Through Traffic in campground:    No
Electric Hookup:  Yes
Sewer Hookup:  No
Dump Station:  Yes
Potable Water Available: Yes
Bathroom:  Clean 
Showers:  Yes
Setting:  Adjacent to a deciduous forest. 
Weather:  Hot 
Bugs:   Not bad.  However, biting flies near the sand on Pyramid Tr
Rig size:  There are some large rigs
Sites:   Some of the better ones are represented in pictures provided. 

Some Private sites 

Beautiful campground with large well treed cites for around $24 with no power.  Free showers and dish washing facilities.  Amazing rangers with tons of info!  Also worth checking out the fish hatchery on the platte.

Beautiful spot, excellent facilities and staff.

The camping area is amazing. My group camped in the non electric section. Each area was set back from the road. Flat gravel pad. Small paved driveway for your car. It was peaceful. And absolutely dark at night. Perfect for star gazing. The comfort station was a short walk away. Clean bathrooms, shower areas, and a small room to wash dishes. You cannot wash dishes at your site. You must take precautions against bears. So food had to be locked in cars. We didn’t encounter bears. At the entrance is a canoe/tube business. You can float down the river to Lake Michigan. 

Loved this campground!  Really nice paved camping sites with fire pits and tables.  Sites not too close to each other.  Bathroom facilities were excellent and clean.  Firewood is available to purchase in the campground.

Photos of Platte River Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Real photos from real campers