Best Cabin Camping near Afton, MI

Rustic cabin rentals near Afton, Michigan provide varying levels of comfort and amenities across several campgrounds. Wilderness State Park offers remote cabins positioned along Lake Michigan with minimal furnishings and no utilities, requiring visitors to bring all necessary supplies. Petoskey KOA features furnished cabin accommodations with electricity and basic amenities. A visitor commented that the "Standard KOA Kabin with no water just a room with beds. The space heater worked great when we stayed there."

Depending on the campground, cabin options range from basic rustic structures to more comfortable accommodations with modern conveniences. Onaway State Park Campground provides cabin rentals with electricity available at each site. Cheboygan State Park features cabins alongside its traditional camping areas, making it suitable for those seeking more shelter. Most locations require advance reservations, particularly during summer months when demand peaks. A recent review noted that "the park has lots of beach to enjoy" and there are "rental cabins, toilets with sinks in a shared bathroom" kept "very clean."

Most cabin accommodations include beds with mattresses but require guests to bring their own bedding, pillows, and towels. Cooking facilities vary significantly between locations, with some offering only outdoor fire pits while others provide indoor cooking options. Indian River RV Resort includes cabin rentals among its accommodations, with staff that provides "excellent service" according to reviews. Petoskey State Park and Aloha State Park both offer cabin options within easy access to beaches and recreational facilities, providing good bases for exploring the northern Michigan region.

Best Cabin Sites Near Afton, Michigan (34)

    1. Aloha State Park Campground

    15 Reviews
    Mullett Lake, MI
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 625-2522

    $30 - $34 / night

    "There’s LOTS of sites at this state park. There’s 3 different sections, the first 2 being older with mostly “no camping pad” electric sites, and the 3rd is newer with gravel full hookup sites."

    "Fully stocked camp store with pizza and ice cream. Fishing off the inlet and Jetties were good.

    Not all sites have full hookups"

    2. Petoskey State Park Campground

    28 Reviews
    Conway, MI
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 347-2311

    "We were here two days and fell in love with the town, the surrounding area, and never got tired of beautiful views of Lake Michigan. "

    "Be sure to check out sites before hand, some are far better than others. Well shaded. Stones get picked over early. $31-37/night. Vast bike trail. Bike rental available."

    3. Indian River RV Resort

    7 Reviews
    Indian River, MI
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 238-0035

    $50 - $95 / night

    "Location is central to several activities; Mackinac Island, Petosky, Burt Lake, Mullet Lake etc.. 55 gallon trash bins throughout campground so you don’t have to go all the way to front of campground for"

    "The vast majority of sites are full hook-ups, and WiFi is available throughout the resort. What is also amazing is how quiet the park is. Even with families and dogs it’s very peaceful and relaxing."

    4. Onaway State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Onaway, MI
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 733-8279

    "Onaway SP is a quiet little park with electric pedestal at each sight. Sanitation/dump station has water to fill your fresh water tank for your visit."

    "This park is older, but has a lot to offer. There are kayak rentals, a boat launch, and activities that the host organizes."

    5. Camp Petosega

    8 Reviews
    Alanson, MI
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 347-6536

    "This park is operated by Emmet County and offers a very remote feel yet it is only 15-20 minutes from Petoskey, Michigan. "

    "Pickerel lake views are the best. The houses and cabins have beach views. The campground is off the water a small walk but very nice sites with different hookup options."

    6. Michigan Oaks Camping Resort

    2 Reviews
    Afton, MI
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 238-8259

    "We had an electric only site along the back and the sites were huge and level with tons of trees. The lot butted up to state land."

    7. Petoskey KOA

    15 Reviews
    Conway, MI
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 347-0005

    "The KOA campground is close to Petoskey, but outside town enough to be a bit quiet.  A short drive to breweries, wineries, and dinner. "

    "We’ve chosen to rent a cabin. Simple yet clean. I’m a bit fussy about having a firm mattress; no problem, I brought a firm air mattress to put over their marine covered like mattress."

    8. Wilderness State Park Camping

    77 Reviews
    Cross Village, MI
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 436-5381

    "This lovely Michigan state park juts out on a small peninsula into the waters of north Lake Michigan within site of the Mackinaw bridge, connecting the lower and upper parts of the state."

    "Park is larger than you think, make sure to check out all of it. Stayed in the rustic cabins in the summer, which were way out on the western peninsula."

    9. Elkwood Campground

    3 Reviews
    Wolverine, MI
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 445-0801

    $40 - $50 / night

    10. Cheboygan State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Cheboygan, MI
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 627-2811

    $27 / night

    "We have been going yearly to the cabins in Cheboygan State Park for many years and have stayed at each cabin they offer. "

    "The nice thing about Michigan State Parks is that you can make a reservation, which is nice reassurance if you’re traveling on a busy summer weekend."

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Cabin Reviews near Afton, MI

381 Reviews of 34 Afton Campgrounds


  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 24, 2017

    Magnus Park Campground

    Great Location to Downtown and Lake Michigan

    This park has some strong positives that outweigh the negatives so depending on what really annoys you about a campground determines whether you may or may not like this place. The park is run by the City of Petoskey and sits on 21 acres in downtown Petoskey overlooking Lake Michigan.  Petoskey has a really cool downtown with great restaurants (we liked Beard’s Brewery, Palette Bistro, and Grand Traverse Pie Company), shopping, a free art center (Crooked Tree), parks, and a pretty marina with a scenic breakwater lighthouse. If you have never been to this part of Michigan, you should definitely come for a visit. 

    The campground is very popular because of the price and location with about 1/3 of the park occupied by seasonal or monthly rentals of people that have been coming for many years.  There are 71 sites which can be used for RVs or tents.  Roads are paved and sites are grass/sand. There are fire pits and picnic tables at each site and a nice large grassy area in the front of the park near Lake Michigan with multiple picnic tables in a common space. 

    There are many positive attributes of this park. The location of this park could not be better and the price of $30/night (water, sewer, 30 amp electric; $28 for electric and water only) is a great deal. (Especially because other private campgrounds in the area are easily $60+/night in the summer season.) They have free wifi that worked well and we were able to get over-the-air antenna television channels. You are really in a prime location with Lake Michigan in front of you. Many of the sites in this park have a great view of the lake (especially sites 1-16). Running through the park is the Little Traverse Wheelway which is a paved bike path spanning from the cute towns of Charlevoix to Harbor Springs. (If you don’t have a bike with you there are plenty of rental places nearby.)  

    Now for the negatives. The bathroom/shower houses are old and tired but were clean. The park sits between a hospital and water treatment plant, one of which can be smelly on warm days the other of which has a very loud HVAC system generating lots of noise. The park is located close to the busy road M-31 so there is a bit of road noise. The sites are very close together so there is not much privacy. The park is open to day-use and has a heavily used bike path running right through it so there are lots of people coming and going.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 3, 2022

    Magnus Park Campground

    Convenient to Petoskey

    General: Nestled in between Lake Michigan, a waste-water treatment plant and a hospital is Magnus Park, a public city park and campground. 77 sites, 36 with full hookups, and the remainder with electric hookups. There is also one cabin. 

    Site Quality/Facilities: The campground is laid out in typical RV park fashion with zero privacy between sites. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Although some of the sites have somewhat of a gravel or dirt driveway, mostly it seems like areas where the grass has just worn away. IMO, if you are not able to get Sites 3-16 or Sites A-C which face Lake Michigan, then the best sites would be the ones that back up to the trees. When we reserved many months ago, we were lucky to get one of two available sites, and ours did back up to the trees. Be aware that sites 61-68 back up directly to the hospital. Other than it being imposing and detracting from the feeling of camping, the only thing I found objectionable was more frequent loud sirens of ambulances arriving. On the other end of the campground, there are nine lettered sites (A-I) that are larger but are on a grassy area with no driveways or defined separation. These sites (as well as 18,19, 20, 22) are close to the wastewater treatment plant. When I walked by, I did not notice any offending odor, but other reviewers have said they did. I did, however, hear a humming noise emanating from the plant. By luck of the draw, the site NEXT to ours (51) flooded significantly with heavy rains overnight. Ours did not puddle up too badly.

    Bathhouse: Was generally clean considering it is part of a public-use city park. Rarely did I see anyone in there as most of the campers were in RVs and on our second day, it rained so no one was at the beach. The showers were warm with somewhat wimpy but adequate water pressure. They were on the small side, however, and are only available to campers with a code to access (although there was one shower in the restroom that could be used by all). 

    Activities/Amenities: There is a centrally located playground. Easy access to the bike trail, however, it was closed just south of the campground due to erosion (north is not a problem and a short walk into the town of Petoskey). WiFi is available and you are given the access code upon check-in, although I did not use it so cannot comment on how reliable it was. 

    Our first thought upon arrival was “yikes, why in the world did we decide to stay here?!” but the proximity to the town of Petoskey (less than a mile walk), and views of Lake Michigan outweigh some of the negatives.

  • J
    Jul. 13, 2024

    Mackinaw City / Mackinac Island KOA

    Great park near Mackinac Island ferries

    Our site was $99.89 night.

    We were in Site# 98. We had Full hook- up with a gravel pull-through.
    We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site along with my jeep. The site was easy to level.

    Our site was not shaded with limited trees (many were shaded though). This was a smaller lot with our neighbors fairly close.

    This lot (a premium lot) comes with a concrete patio with a round table with four chairs, two Adirondack chairs and a fire pit and a charcoal box grill.

    It is an easy access to the campground from highway -(approximately 1 mile from highway).

    There is free WiFi. They offer Cable TV and there are many channels.

    There is not a community outdoor kitchen or community fire pit.
    They sell wood for $7 a bundle.

    They pickup your garbage at your site daily.

    You are allowed to ride personal golf carts. They also allow you to rent regular bicycles and e-bikes. They do not provide golf cart rentals. There is really not a need to have a Golf cart because it is a smaller campground.

    They do have a Swimming pool. There is a Playground. They also offer Gaga ball,horseshoe, and corn hole. There is a Reading lending library and board games to borrow.

    They have a great general store. There is an electric car charging station. They sell propane.

    There is not a snack bar/restaurant on site.

    The streets are gravel so not great for riding bikes.

    There are great places to ride bikes outside of campground. From the campground, there is a nature trail that you can take your bike that leads you to the. North Western State Trail.

    They have cabins for rent and tent areas.

    They have one shower house. The shower house has individual showers. Toilets with sinks are in a shared bathroom. These are kept very clean.

    There is a laundry facility. It is a cash only facility. There are approximately 5 washers and 5 dryers. It is approximately $2.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry a load.

    They have a fenced in dog park.

    Bugs (mosquitoes/flies)did not seem to be an issue.

    There were trails to hike off of the campground.

    Some fun things to do outside of the campground are go to the beach (1 mile away); visit Mackinac Island (both major ferries will transport you for free - this KOA provides you information for Shepler’s Ferry). Both ferries offer packages that include horse drawn carriage rides, Fort Mackinac admission, Island Hotel Admission, Butterfly House admission, Mystery Town admission, and Parking options). There is a Jack Pine Lumberjack show.

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 1, 2017

    Young State Park Campground

    Young State Park.

    Here’s what we really liked about this park … it sits on beautiful Lake Charlevoix, is just a few miles away from the super cute town of Boyne City, some campsites with access to water right out of their back door, and the park has lots of beach to enjoy. Young State Park has a typical rustic campground feel. The park covers 560 acres which encompasses a campground, hiking trails, a large beach area with concessions, boat launch (located in the Terrace Campground loop), picnic area, playground, baseball diamond, basketball courts, and fishing pier. 

    Reservations can be made on-line via the Michigan DNR site. The advantage of making reservations online is that you get a really good description of the site which includes length, width, hook-ups, amount of shade, length of site, distance to restrooms, and best of all - pictures.  We visited Young State Park in the summer but in talking to locals this place is wonderful in the winter and great for cross-country skiing with trails that wind through wooded areas. The price ranges from $20 to $33 per night depending on the season and electric hook-ups.  

    There are three camping loops – Terrace, Spruce, and Oak.  Campsites in the Spruce loop don’t have a designated “pad” so you can arrange your RV or tent any way you like. This was the case with groups of friends who had two or three sites and arranged them so they faced each other with a common area in the center. The Terrace and Oak loops have less sites and seem a little quieter. The other plus of these loops is the easy access to water (some of which have great water views). All campsites are a mix of 20/30/50 amp or 20/30 amp with water spigots scattered throughout the loop. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit (firewood is for sale in the campground on the honor system with the nice thing being that you have access any time of day to purchase it).

    The pros about this park are the easy access to Lake Charlevoix and being just a few miles from Boyne City (which has a great weekly farmers market, delicious food and beer at 7 Monks Tap Room, and a weekly Friday “Stroll the Streets” with live music). The park has a large beach area with a camp store/concession stand that has food and items for rent. It is really convenient that you can rent beach chairs/umbrellas/watercraft instead of having to bring them. Behind the concession stand is a fishing pier that was really popular with the kids. 

    The cons are that the roads in the campground are pretty narrow and when someone was backing into their site it caused a traffic jam.  Sites are close together and the park has a very crowded feel. The bath/showers are not large enough for the amount of campers in the park and despite being cleaned daily they got lots of use and were always busy and by the end of the day, they were pretty dirty.  

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-NzcOOzCSk

  • A
    Jun. 24, 2019

    Hoeft State Park Campground

    Clean ,breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful

    Make reservations early! This is a beautiful state park with the best of pure Michigan woods and Lake Huron sandy dunes and beaches . Very family and pet friendly but also quiet and peaceful for couples who just wanna get away . Only drawback is low signal cell service but hey getting off the grid is what’s its all about. Unplug and recharge yourself.  Electric hook up availability  20/30 amp . Hiking and biking paths , a cute play ground , sandy beach with volleyball area all walking distance from campsites!  Friendly staff , we love this park !

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 1, 2017

    Camp Petosega

    Great Find!

    This park is operated by Emmet County and offers a very remote feel yet it is only 15-20 minutes from Petoskey, Michigan. Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga sits on the 1,080 acre Pickerel Lake and has 90 campsites which offer electricity and water and five of which are pull-through sites with sewer hook-up. There are also rental cabins, playgrounds, a recreation hall and pavilion, a canoe/kayak launch, basketball court, hiking trails, beach area, restrooms/shower house, and it has various events like pancake breakfasts throughout the year.

    You really get a feel of remote peacefulness here but have the luxury of pretty modern facilities. As we drove to the park we got the feel that we were in the middle of nowhere but realized from downtown Petoskey it was only a 15-20 minute drive. The 300-acre park dates back to the 1930’s and started as a boys camp where young men learned various skills like archery, shooting, tennis, orienteering, camping, and aviation. Emmet County purchased the property in 1992 and added modern facilities and opened it to the public.

    The grounds and sites were very well maintained. We were thoroughly impressed with how clean and cared for everything was. Despite having lots of green space and open fields for lawn games it was all mowed and not overgrown. There was no trash at the sites and fire pits were clean and picnic tables were in great shape. The roads throughout the park are paved.  Sites were a mix of gravel and paved but all ADA accessible sites and pull through sites were paved. The restrooms were very clean and seemed large enough to handle the volume of campers. Showers are in individual rooms across from the restrooms and were also clean.

    You can reserve a site by filling out a reservation request online or calling. There is a two night minimum. The price was $22/night for Emmet County residents, $25/night for non-county residents, and $30/night for a full hook-up pull-thru. There is also a $10 reservation fee. Sites vary among 30 and 50 amp so be sure you reserve one that fits your needs. There are also some sections that are RV only. 

    The canoe/boat launch has a floating dock that extends into the lake that makes for easy access. Fishing is popular in the lake with game species like largemouth bass, walleye, pike and trout being favorite target species. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqbMWvL2GLw

  • Joe S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 16, 2025

    Hartwick Pines State Park Campground

    Very nice grounds and amenities

    Paved roads good for bike riding. Nice and level site. Well maintained grounds, with a fire pit and picnic table. State park, so no WiFi. AT&T is 1 bar. Restroom and showers are updated and clean.

  • Shari  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 28, 2017

    Wilderness State Park Camping

    Color Abounds from Sunsets to Autumn Leaves

    This lovely Michigan state park juts out on a small peninsula into the waters of north Lake Michigan within site of the Mackinaw bridge, connecting the lower and upper parts of the state. With over 26 miles of coastline there are no shortages of beaches to walk and find solitude.

    The campsite we stayed in offered more than expected: paved campsite, electricity, solid picnic table and the beefiest campfire pit ever to come standard in a state park – Michigan is serious about their campfire pits. There is a uniformity to the water-side sites that would please even a middle child --everyone gets the same share. So, searching out the “best site” isn’t necessary, though that won’t likely stop folks from trying.

    The bathrooms were clean and modern, though the pit toilets are typical Michigan State Park stinky. There is a small campground with RV full-hookups, water, electricity and sewer, in addition to a few rustic cabins which are all reserve-able on the MI DNR website, https://www.midnrreservations.com/.

    The park offers miles of hiking and skiing/snowshoe trails for year-round enjoyment. The string of small islands as well as the coast would make for interesting and scenic kayaking. The area is also a wonderful place to cycle, especially in the fall with the autumn colors in full bloom.

    Camp site fees vary, but keep in mind that non-residents pay an additional $9 per day for use of Michigan State Parks.

  • jodi L.
    Jun. 8, 2021

    Young State Park Campground

    Young State Park

    Very friendly staff and clean park. Family friendly and pet friendly, beach was close by and clean. Reservations were very easy to make online and allows you to pick your site.


Guide to Afton

Cabin camping near Afton, Michigan offers access to expansive Lake Michigan shorelines and inland waterways. Northern Michigan's elevation changes create varied terrain around many campsites, with most cabins positioned at 600-800 feet above sea level. Winter cabin rentals typically require advance reservations 6 months ahead for prime locations, while shoulder seasons offer greater availability.

What to do

Water activities on Mullett Lake: Aloha State Park Campground provides direct lake access for boating enthusiasts. "Great Park, we always try to park in the boat bison. Indian River is the best area to cruze on the water," notes Edmund P. The park features easy water entry points for kayaks and paddleboards.

Hunting for Petoskey stones: Petoskey State Park Campground offers prime shoreline for fossil hunting. "The water is very clear and has lots of small colorful pebbles and Petoskey rocks. We enjoyed walking up and down the beach looking for these fossils," shares John K. The best hunting occurs after storms when waves uncover fresh specimens.

Star gazing opportunities: Wilderness State Park Camping provides exceptional night sky viewing. "Best star gazing in the LP," reports Ted B. Another visitor recommends: "Worth sleeping on the beach during meteor shows." The park's dark sky designation makes it optimal for astronomical observations.

What campers like

Spacious sites with natural settings: Camp Petosega offers well-maintained campsites with natural surroundings. "The sites are beautiful! The site we stayed at had a beautiful carpet of pine needles and leaves because they prefer to not blow those off. Keeps your feet and gear fairly clean that way," explains Samantha D.

Clean facilities and modern amenities: Indian River RV Resort prioritizes cleanliness and upkeep. "Excellent campground with even better service. 55 gallon trash bins throughout campground so you don't have to go all the way to front of campground for dumpsters and they collect regularly," states Steve W. The resort maintains bathroom facilities with daily cleaning.

Lakefront cabin options: Onaway State Park Campground features cabin accommodations close to Black Lake. "This park is older, but has a lot to offer. There are kayak rentals, a boat launch, and activities that the host organizes," notes Ann D. Many cabins have electrical outlets, unlike more primitive options elsewhere.

What you should know

Reservation timing matters: Michigan cabin rentals require advance planning, especially for summer weekends. Many parks enforce a two-night minimum stay policy, with holiday weekends booking 6-12 months in advance.

Bug preparedness essential: Cheboygan State Park Campground has seasonal insect challenges. "Great, quiet park away from any noise and traffic. Not a huge fan of the gravel road entry. Make sure you have plenty of bug spray!" advises Edmund P. Early summer typically brings higher mosquito populations.

Road conditions vary significantly: Cheboygan State Park Campground has access challenges. "Not a huge fan of the gravel road entry," states one reviewer, while another mentions "it was like driving over a washboard." Unpaved roads can become difficult during wet conditions.

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Aloha State Park Campground provides recreational facilities beyond swimming. "Bring the kids, bring the boat, bring the bikes. Everything you need in a Park," suggests Ruth S. The playground areas are concentrated near the main beach.

Halloween events: Several parks organize special Halloween weekends. One visitor to Wilderness State Park Camping notes: "We went during the Halloween party. Had lots of fun." These events typically include campsite decorating contests and organized trick-or-treating.

Beach quality considerations: Beach conditions vary between parks. At Onaway State Park Campground, a reviewer observed: "Nice hiking trails. If staying on the water, there are vault toilets only and the sites are small. Seemed best for really small campers or tents." Some beaches have rocky sections unsuitable for young children.

Tips from RVers

Electric hookup details: Petoskey KOA provides full service sites with specific placement considerations. "Be sure when you book that you put down the correct size of your rig as they have site management down to a science," advises Chris R. Many sites require longer power cords to reach outlets.

Sewage disposal logistics: Indian River RV Resort features convenient full hookup options. "Staff escorts you to your site and lines you up with water/sewer," notes Steve W. The resort provides both back-in and pull-through sites for different RV configurations.

Site leveling requirements: Onaway State Park requires preparation for uneven terrain. "The site was pretty level and no problem with full hookups," shares a visitor about a different nearby park, highlighting the contrast with Onaway where most sites require leveling blocks or jacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Afton, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Afton, MI is Aloha State Park Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 15 reviews.

What is the best site to find cabin camping near Afton, MI?

TheDyrt.com has all 34 cabin camping locations near Afton, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.