Searching for a place to camp with your dog near Baldwin? Find the best information on pet-friendly campsites and dispersed camping near Baldwin, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Each pet-friendly spot offers quick access to one or more of Baldwin's most popular destinations.
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
$25 - $65 / night
$14 - $27 / night
This site is primarily used by anglers, hunters and families for camping. There is a short, .25 mile walk from the campsites to the river, through federal and state land. The river access is operated by the MI-DNRE.
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html
Lake Michigan Campground is perched on the shores of Lake Michigan, 15 miles south of Manistee. The area creates an incredible setting with a scenic overlook of the lake and a sandy swimming beach. This family campground provides an array of hiking and biking trails, plus swimming, fishing and kayaking.
A hardwood forest gives way to a beautiful sandy beach at the shores of the lake with a playground for younger campers. Trout fishing in Lake Michigan is another big draw. Bird watchers delight in seeing unique species like the piping plover and prairie warbler. The Arrowhead Trail, a short loop trail created by Boy Scouts, forms a loop between the campground and the beach. A trailhead for the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area is also within the recreation area.
The recreation area sits on the eastern banks of Lake Michigan along Porter Creek, due north of Hamlin Lake. As the second largest of the five Great Lakes, Lake Michigan provides stunning views and limitless options for water recreation. It covers a whopping 22,400 square miles and ranks as the fifth largest lake in the world. The Huron-Manistee National Forests encompass nearly a million acres of public protected land. Nearly 6,000 acres is wetlands that extend over the northern portion of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
The nearby Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area has abundant trails for hiking and backpacking.
$27 - $32 / night
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html
$15 / night
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html
Sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations. 26 sites for tent and small trailer use located on the scenic Pine River. This campground offers opportunity for hiking and mountain biking on its Silver Creek Pathway. Nearby canoe landing provides access to the river. Rustic campground includes vault toilets and potable water from well hand pump.
Highbanks Lake Campground This campground is located on the 20-acre Highbank Lake, which is completely surrounded by National Forest System land. This is a popular campground for anglers and hikers. The beach is very swim friendly, shallow with a sandy bottom.
$24 / night
Scout
We stayed there 3 years ago and I wish I had seen this site sooner. The morning of July 4th we were woke up by people yelling at 7:15 am. Them at 8:15 someone in a riding lawn mower came within 2 ft of out pop up and woke us up again. Then a sprinkler was started and it was getting our canvas wet, so I turned it down a little. The guy on the mower yelled at me to keep my hands off of the sprinkler! My family were staying one more night so I left them our easy up. Later that evening we came back to watch the fireworks. Afterwards my husband, who is a disabled vet, could not out to our car due to neuropathy in both legs. I decided to go in to pick him up. I waited until v the gate opened and drove in. The speed limit is 10 miles per hour, which I did follow. Then a man come flying up the road and started yelling at my family! I tried to explain that my husband was having a hard time walking out to the parking lot. He cursed at us and then said we would not be allowed back to this campground. This had been the 4 th year we had stayed there over the July 4th holiday. Sad that he treated not only a disabled vet but also a 90 year old woman. Would recommend.
Scout
This campground is centrally located to everything that’s going on, on the west side of the state. Whether it’s trail riding, Traverse City Cherry festival or hanging in the town of Manton. There is always something going on. Spacious, super clean bath house and on Saturday nights listen to live music right at your campsite!
Traveler
Was a quiet. Simple.. Just with nature...Site was clean, across street you can buy firewood ...Was a pleasant 2 night's....From site to the nearest store 15-20 min away..If needed...Had no issues...Be back Thanksgiving 2024..
Traveler
Conveniently located but proximity to the road makes it noisy. Locals drag racing on the nearby road subsided around midnight. Campsites were clean and spacious. I stayed at one of the two sites down the road by the boat launch. I stopped here after my first campground stop was full. This site will definitely get the job done but don't make this a featured stop.
Guide
After a decent ruck in, you have some immediate camped spots and can travel further for even more. Summer time is busy so get there early for a spot. Have been multiple times with bigger groups and have always found a spot for tents and hammocks. Enjoy hikes down the best for a distance view of the dunes and enjoy fires with lake views at night.
Guide
Beach was big and beautiful but you had to drive to get to it unless you love walking with a bunch of beach stuff in a bathing suit. Hamlin lake is close by and is a good spot for fishing.
Traveler
Very cheap and exactly what we needed for a last minute campsite with a great view.
Guide
Great location away from everything. Spacious sites that are spread out. We stayed in the Oak Loop. Only 5 minute easy walk to beach. Quiet. Enough cell reception to send a text but that's it. Pit toilets only in Oak and Violet loops. Flush toilets in hemlock and orchid loop. No showers, but showers available at convenience store down the street during the summer.
TravelerA small gem of a place. Park and pay to be in the National Forest...or disperse camping on Green Rd. We parked and hiked the mile and a half in to the Dunes. Take all your gear that you need if you don't want to trek back. Can not ride bike in or have anything with wheels on the trail. At the end of the Beautiful hike you come to the Dunes. Go to the right and you will see some spots to put a tent up(do not camp on Dunes or beach). To the right is easy walk and find. If you head to the left you will have to walk over some Dunes for a bit but this is where we went and found a perfect spot right where the forest and Dunes meet. Very short walk to the beach and it's AMAZING! We had it all to ourselves for hours. It's like looking at the ocean. Beautiful views, sunsets, night sky's. The water was warm and you could walk out a ways before it got deep. Great for swimming. It was perfect. One of my favorite spots away from the busy crowds. So worth the hike. Make sure you get wood and might have to hike it in. There is little to NO wood out there laying around. If you are willing to put the work in to hike out there then I promise it's worth it.
Traveler
Peggy are host was awesome . It's really clean and a beautiful place and close to the Dunes .
Guide
It’s a little cramped making it a bit overwhelming but the sites are nice and kept.
Traveler
Super close to manistee beach, came in on the weekend mid September, almost all the camp spots were taken. Forest was super eerie but beautiful.
Guide
Camp staff very friendly and park is well maintained. Nice hiking trails nearby and a 20 minute drive to a whole lot of entertainment!
Guide
Our site was great, easily fit a 17 foot trailer and a tent. Trails down to the water were appreciated by our kids. Neighbors are pretty close all around but that didn't matter until our last night. Several new campers rolled in at 10pm and proceeded to throw an absolute rager of a party until 4am - on Labor Day weekend. So overall a great campground but I wish there had been enforcement of quiet time or some kind of consequence for such horrible camping manners.
Traveler
Most sites have direct river access. All sites are walk-in, but not far from the parking area. There are two pit toilets for six sites and both were clean. They sites are large, but fairly open, not much between the sites.
Traveler
Stayed here to get off the road on the cheap after a long drive. It was Friday but it was quiet nothing out of the ordinary. The girls at the registration helped me find a quiet spot.
Traveler
Small campsites, but nice bathrooms and showers, close to Baldwin
Traveler
Went there to use dump station after camping at the local veterans retreat, nice facilities and staff. 15$ fee to use dump station
Scout
I can't say enough about this place. They where so nice, polite and friendly. We had some R.V. Issues and they where there to help. The camp site was very nice. There bathroom and shower were so clean. We will stay there again.
Traveler
No running water.
No electricity.
No flush toilets.
No internet.
No phone signal.
Pure heaven.
Rustic campsites. 50-100 yards from the river. Great water from the pump. Nice clean vault toilet. Very quiet at night. Peaceful and beautiful. We've gone ever year for the last 5 years. Going again next year.
Highly recommend a satellite-based GPS unit like Garmin or TomTom in your car. I was serious when I said no phone signal so Google Maps ain't gonna' get you there.
Scout
Very small campground with a quiet time at 10:00 am. The host and staff were beyond helpful and friendly. Only complaint - bathrooms were a good hike away from the tent/RV spots
ScoutThe campground is a small, family friendly campground that has a lot of activities for both adults and kids. It is clean, has level sites and well maintained facilities.
TravelerThe campsites are spacious and feature trails that lead directly to the Tippy Dam Backwater. There’s also convenient access for launching a boat on either the Manistee River or the backwaters side of the dam
TravelerI’ve read lots of reviews that were lukewarm about Newaygo, but we enjoyed our 3 day getaway. Ample activities in the area (hiking, disc golf, biking, swimming, kayaking, fishing, tubing and stargazing). And shopping and nice brewery in Newaygo. Most sites are large and separated from the next. The noise levels really dropped off in the evening. Will be back!!
Scout
I wanted to give this place a 5 star rating but unfortunately I’ve had a bad experience at this one. my first time camping with a group of friends at this campground we reserved 3 spots all close together to accommodate such a huge group having camped there for a little over 24hours was told by the park ranger to move my tent over to my side of the plot since my tent was crossing my groups plot boarder by a little bit in the middle of rain with 2 kids(under 5)in the tent to keep dry from the rain. park ranger couldn’t be lenient enough to wait for the rain to subside.knowing the park ranger usually make frequent rounds around the park they could have told me sooner if it was problem but they waited until it started to rain to tell me to move.
ScoutI had a deeply disappointing experience at this campground. Despite driving six hours to get there and booking three sites, which were more than enough space for sharing, my friend and his family were forced to move their tent because it was slightly over the boundary—just a foot inside our site. This happened in the middle of the rain, with kids inside the tent, and despite our explanations, a ranger and three staff members insisted they move. Meanwhile, a nearby camper was allowed to stay despite having two tents and one camper on one site, which is against the rules. This discrepancy made us feel racially targeted and left a sour taste in our mouths. To top it off, the bathroom facilities were dirty, which only added to the negative experience. The lack of empathy and fairness was truly disheartening.
ScoutTerrible staff and communication.! Worse part is a power hungry ranger telling us to move our tent 2 inches away from our PAID campsite. What was worse is he told us when it was pouring outside while his kids was inside. Will not come to this campsite because of the ranger! Edit: we later found out that there was another campsite down the road that had 2 tents and 1 camper on 1 plot and they said nothing
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Baldwin, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Baldwin, MI is Cedar Campground — Ludington State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 40 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Baldwin, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 208 dog-friendly camping locations near Baldwin, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
