A
Anne D.
Scout
ScoutLake Leelanau RV Park
Beautiful campground
Would definitely stay here again. Our site is close to the beach. Clean and right on the lake.
Camping near Brethren, MI
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
The Manistee National Forest surrounds Brethren, Michigan, providing extensive camping opportunities along the Manistee River and nearby Lake Michigan shoreline. Tippy Dam State Recreation Area offers year-round camping within the village limits, while Government Landing Campground provides dispersed camping options with river access. The region includes both developed facilities with modern amenities and more rustic experiences with primitive tent sites, depending on visitor preferences. Many campgrounds accommodate both tent and RV camping, with some locations like Twin Oaks RV Campground and Cabins offering cabin rentals for those seeking additional comfort.
Access to camping areas varies seasonally, with many campgrounds operating from spring through fall. Northern Exposure Campground operates from May through November, while others like Tippy Dam remain open year-round. Winter camping requires additional preparation due to Michigan's snow and cold temperatures. Roads to dispersed sites may become difficult or impassable during wet weather or winter conditions. Most developed campgrounds provide toilets and drinking water, though shower facilities are limited to larger operations. Cell service can be spotty throughout the forested areas, particularly in river valleys. A review noted, "Campsites are very clean and big, with nice trails to explore. Just a heads up, the sites with 'lake access' don't actually have lake access - it's a steep drop to the water."
The Manistee River provides a focal point for many camping experiences in the area, with fishing opportunities consistently highlighted in visitor reviews. Several campgrounds offer direct river access for fishing, kayaking, or swimming. Dispersed camping along the Manistee River Trail attracts backpackers seeking more solitude and primitive experiences. Developed campgrounds typically provide fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets, while dispersed sites require self-sufficiency. The proximity to Lake Michigan beaches represents another significant draw, with many campers using Brethren as a base camp for day trips to the lakeshore. Families particularly appreciate the combination of forest camping with water recreation options. The region's mix of state recreation areas, national forest land, and private campgrounds provides options for every camping style and budget.
Best Campgrounds near Brethren (251)
1. Orchard Beach State Park Campground
"Pretty standard Michigan State Park campground. Nice staff. Park maintenance is currently building a wood fence to keep folks away from steep bluff edge. Views of Lake Michigan fairly limited."
"Clean park with beautiful views of Lake Michigan. Unfortunately no access to beach because of erosion. Typical site sizes for Michigan State Park. Walk across the road for a 2 mile hike in the woods."
from $36 - $120 / night
Check Availability2. Northern Exposure Campground & RV Park
"We asked to be away from the lake because of our young kids but the lake lots looked beautiful. We will be back."
"The campsite next to us was empty except for a pontoon boat and a float that were parked there."
from $30 - $45 / night
Check Availability3. Tippy Dam State Recreation Area
"Campsites are very clean and big, with nice trails to explore. Just a heads up, the sites with "lake access" don't actually have lake access - it's a steep drop to the water. Tumble at your own risk."
"Steps go right down to the river. Good fishing. When we were there the toilets were In need of a pump out desperately."
from $20 - $100 / night
Check Availability4. Twin Oaks RV Campground and Cabins
"Nice private campground with good access to ATV trails as well as good proximity to big M for mountain biking. Sites are nice and spaced out as well."
"And while I will say it's not very hidden away from the other sites it was still plenty relaxing and served the purpose of somewhere to hang my hat at the end of the day."
from $11 - $90 / night
Check Availability5. Seaton Creek Campground
"You are surrounded by beautiful pines. I wasn't able to explore as much as I liked to but hear there are great trails and you are in walking distance of water."
"It's right by the second largest suspension bridge in Michigan. Great please to stay before you canoe or kayak the Manistee river."
from $30 - $80 / night
Check Availability6. Sand Lake Campground — Manistee National Forest
"Sand Lake is a really nice, well kept campground. Beautiful area, nice beach on a clean lake, and spacious campsites."
"Site 19 has its own little path to the beach. So do several others on that side of the campground. Nice little lake and beach. Loons in the evening."
from $40 - $105 / night
Check Availability7. Government Landing Campground
"I hear it’s darn near impossible to find an open site During June-August. Sites are large with fantastic views. Walking trails, bike trails and ORV trails a d routes are in close proximity."
"Is a bathroom within walking distance of a few sites. No water fountain/pump that I was able to located but there were easy walkways down to pond."
8. Manistee River Trail Dispersed Camping
"Although this is listed as "dispersed" camping, the camping on the Manistee River Trail side of this loop is mostly at designated sites. Most sites seemed to be able to accommodate large groups."
"I've hiked and kayaked this trail on a few occasions and I can confidently say this is one of my favorite trails in all of Michigan."
9. Platte River Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
"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."
"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."
from $22 - $50 / night
Check Availability10. Manistee National Forest Marzinski Horse Trail Campground
"I wish we had a place to dump our grey water, but otherwise it was an easy drive in and had fresh water."
Drive Time
- 59 min from Traverse City, MI
- 1 hr 37 min from Muskegon, MI
- 1 hr 46 min from Grand Rapids, MI
- 3 hrs 51 min from Sheboygan, WI
Recent Camping Photos near Brethren, MI
460 Photos of 251 Brethren Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tippy Dam State Recreation Area
Matson's Big Manistee River Campground
Government Landing CampgroundB
Twin Oaks RV Campground and CabinsH
Manistee National Forest Marzinski Horse Trail Campground
Healy Lake State Forest Campground
Sand Lake Campground — Manistee National ForestP
Manistee River Trail Dispersed Camping
Seaton Creek CampgroundM
Peterson Bridge
Northern Exposure Campground & RV ParkA
Kestelwoods Campground
Recent Reviews near Brethren, MI
1130 Reviews of 251 Brethren Campgrounds
- GGayle B.
GuideTurtle Lake Campground
RV park not great for tent camping
Cute RV park, mostly people set up to stay the summer. Called ahead, was offered a “lake view” site for an extra $10. Arrived, site was at the very front, between two roads, like sleeping in a fishbowl. We were across a road and grassy patch and canoe storage from the lake. We could in fact see it, but lake view was really a stretch. Our site was at least two city blocks from a very small bath house. We camped on a site with no trees, no privacy and a hike to the shower room. Not recommended for tent camping.
- LLaura H.Scout
Scheck's Place State Forest Campground
Great Place to Relax
I had previously read reviews about the bathrooms being less than desirable. If you’re not downwind, it isn’t so bad. They are definitely not maintained as well as other state campgrounds we’ve been to in the past.
You are central to ORV trails, so at times you can hear those passing through, otherwise a few neighbors driving through here and there and quiet the rest of the time.
The dock is out of order, but there are other ways of reaching the river.
We came for fly fishing, and were told the fish are all stopped at a damn right now. That would have been nice to know before planning a fly fishing trip for that specific river. 😫
Still rating it a four, it would have been amazing if we could have fished.
- mmickScout
Pines Campground — Ludington State Park
Ludington State Park
Nice Park with a nice river and Lake Michigan nearby. Lovely sand dunes too. Family oriented with lots of kids having fun riding bikes etc. tents and rv’s welcome. The town of Ludington is a quintessential lake town with all the places to eat and shop you’d expect. Highly recommended.
Kristy W.GuideOrchard Beach State Park Campground
Lk Michigan sunsets included
Ideal location to explore Manistee county, just north of city. The trolley bus offers rides to town and back. New bath house, updated facilities and most sites include electric. Nice hiking trails across the road, the outer loop is a 2mile walk. Just north of here are the largest sequoia trees east of the Mississippi River. Park offers Hammocks for daytime use over looking the Lk Michigan bluffline. Pet friendly.
- Kristy W.Guide
Duck Lake Campground — Interlochen State Park
Michigan's 1st State Park
Interlochen SP is one of my favs. Very low key, quiet camping. The bath houses are clean and well kept, rangers are helpful and you're so close to Traverse City for day trips or seasonal outdoor concerts across the road at World Class Interlochen Center for the Arts. Great CG for fishing, swimming & boating on Duck Lake. I would have given them a 5 if there were someplace to fish from shore. enjoy
Mary Ann M.
TravelerHenry's Landing Campground
Fun and friendly campground
The staff is awesome and super friendly! Remember you from the time you set your reservation. Take care of all your needs and have awesome evening activities. It may be small but just right. Every site is on the water and no bad spots to fish.
Robert M.TravelerPlatte River State Forest
Beautiful Campground.
Though labeled on the Dyrt map as Platte River "State" Campground this is a federal campground in the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore and run by National Park Service. It is a beautiful campground with 4 loops and a walk-up camp area. There are handicap and group camp area.
Abundant large trees offer shady campsites. Sites are large with plenty of separation from you neighbors. A nice feature in addition to your paved RV space, that I've never seen at another campground- each site has a leveled dirt area for tent set-up. Each site offers a firepit and large metal picnic table.
Camp fees are reasonable, even more so if you have a Senior pass, (unfortunately I lost mine), but I still had a site with electric hookup for $31. Generator use is not allowed, but if you feel the need for electricity, a site with electric hookup is only $5.00 more.
Reservations available from May 1 through October 31st. I lucked out due to a cancellation.
There are 6 shower/restroom facilities in the main campground and even 1 serving the walk-In camp area. They are in good shaped and I saw them being cleaned every morning. Another offering in those facilities is a small room with a " camp sink" for washing dishes. Throughout the campground there are plenty of creature-proof trash receptacles, clean water sites and an RV dumpsite.
I have T-Mobile with the new satellite back up and had good service, but I noticed my hotspot worked better in loop 1 than in loop 2 where I camped the first night.
There is a Railroad Grade hiking trail that runs on the north end of the campground.
The Platte River is close and "River Rentals" where they have Canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, tubes and an assortment of other inflatables to rent, is less than a half mile away. They also offer a shuttle service for those with their own boats which I took advantage of. They have a store with ample souvenir offerings
This campground was a great find for me, and you can bet I will return. The campground is open year around.
- YYvonne P.Scout
Platte River Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Very clean
Level camp pads, easy to back into.
Guide to Brethren
Camping near Brethren, Michigan offers varied terrain throughout the Manistee National Forest, with elevations ranging from 580 to 920 feet above sea level. The region experiences four distinct seasons with average summer temperatures of 75-80°F and winter lows frequently dropping below freezing. Sandy soil conditions in many camping areas allow for good drainage during rainfall but can make tent stake placement challenging.
What to do
Kayaking the Manistee River: Access river paddling directly from Northern Exposure Campground & RV Park which offers waterfront sites. "Great sites right on the water! The campground offers clean facilities, general store, rentals for the lake, and camp events like movie night. With sites right on the water remember to bring your kayak!" notes Dalton B.
Hiking forest trails: The trails around Seaton Creek Campground provide access to the Manistee River Trail system. Jonathan W. explains, "I love the trails hugging the river and Creek and pond, the host Frank has been so nice, and he told us about a rope swing across the river if you take a particular path."
Salmon fishing: Seasonal salmon runs create prime fishing opportunities. "Go when they release the salmon from the hatchery - you feel all the salmon brush against your kayak as they swim upstream!" advises Joyce B. about river activities near Platte River. September through October offers peak salmon viewing and fishing conditions.
What campers like
Spacious campsites: Many campgrounds feature larger-than-average sites. At Seaton Creek Campground, a camper notes: "The sites are large and well maintained. You are surrounded by beautiful pines." Sites at this location can accommodate multiple tents with room to spare.
Clean facilities: Twin Oaks RV Campground and Cabins receives consistently positive reviews for upkeep. One camper remarked, "Camp store was a very nice commodity and the camp ground staff were VERY helpful and friendly. Campsite was well tended and fit my needs."
Fishing access: Direct river access for fishing ranks high in camper satisfaction. A visitor to Tippy Dam Recreation Area noted, "Steps go right down to the river. Good fishing. The 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."
What you should know
Water access limitations: Despite proximity to water, not all "waterfront" sites have easy water access. A camper at Tippy Dam State Recreation Area cautions: "Campsites along the lake are high overlook campsites with narrow trails down to the water. Minimal swimming area but ours had a small sand bottom."
Seasonal availability: Operating seasons vary significantly across campgrounds. Northern Exposure Campground operates May 1 to November 30, while Seaton Creek Campground has a shorter season from May 15 to September 14. Winter camping options are limited to Tippy Dam and select dispersed sites.
Reservation requirements: Manistee River Trail Dispersed Camping doesn't require permits but gets crowded on weekends. "Great dispersed camping area to getaway! Can sometimes get busy on the weekends, but nothing like a normal campsite," reports Josh D. For holiday weekends, book established campgrounds 3-6 months in advance.
Tips for camping with families
Family-friendly activities: Northern Exposure Campground offers organized events for children. One reviewer notes: "Nice little camp store and pizza restaurant on site. Great playground, evening activities. Nice mix of electric hook up, R.V. and tent sites. Boat rentals, etc. Great place for a group of families to come camp together."
Swimming options: Sand Lake Campground provides a supervised swimming area. "Sand Lake is a quiet wooded campground... The lake is clean and quiet for the most part, although there are usually a couple of motorized boats out on weekends," says John W.
Bear awareness: Secure food storage is essential with confirmed bear activity. At Government Landing Campground, campsites are directly on backwaters with no barriers between camp and forest. One camper notes the area is "beautiful and peaceful" but recommends storing all food securely.
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Choose sites carefully based on rig size. At Twin Oaks Campground, "Nice spot near the Pine River" is available but Mark K. notes "Was a little dusty," suggesting gravel or dirt access roads that may be challenging for larger rigs during dry conditions.
Hookup availability: Northern Exposure Campground offers full hookup options. A camper shares: "I think they have a few full hookup sites but all sites have electric and water. We stayed at the the north end of the campground in back which was very quiet during the weekday."
Road conditions: Access roads to campgrounds like Marzinski Horse Trail Campground can be navigated by larger rigs but require caution. "We stayed here in our van and it was just what we needed. I wish we had a place to dump our grey water, but otherwise it was an easy drive in and had fresh water," notes Tobi W.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Brethren, MI?
What camping is available near Brethren, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, Brethren, MI offers a wide range of camping options, with 251 campgrounds and RV parks near Brethren, MI and 12 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Brethren, MI?
Which is the most popular campground near Brethren, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Brethren, MI is Orchard Beach State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 32 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Brethren, MI?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Brethren, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 free dispersed camping spots near Brethren, MI.
What parks are near Brethren, MI?
What parks are near Brethren, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 parks near Brethren, MI that allow camping, notably Huron-Manistee National Forests and Sleeping Bear Dunes.
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