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.

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,

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.

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!

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

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

Product Links: 

Explorer Dry Bag: http://www.seattlesportsco.com/blizz-explorer.html

E-Merse R/S Go Pack: http://www.seattlesportsco.com/emerse-rs-gopack.html

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.