Dispersed camping sites near Bitely, Michigan offer tent and RV options with varying accessibility levels throughout the year. The area sits within the Manistee National Forest, where campers encounter mixed hardwood forests and small inland lakes at approximately 900 feet elevation. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing from November through March, while summer highs typically reach the 70s-80s°F.
What to do
Fishing access points: Benton Lake Campground provides excellent fishing spots with multiple docks. "Fishing was great, lots of blue gill and bass," notes a visitor at Benton Lake, where anglers can launch small boats or fish from two accessible piers.
Paddling opportunities: The Pere Marquette River near Bowman Bridge Campground offers canoeing and kayaking routes. "We highly recommend Baldwin Canoe Rental as they were able to pick us up at the campsite (on time too!) and take us straight to the canoe launch. We paddled for about 4 hours before beaching at the access at Bowman Bridge," explains one camper.
Trail connections: Several campgrounds connect to the North Country Trail system. At Sulak Campground, campers appreciate that "sites back up to the north country trail. Very spacious and more than 50 yards in between some of them." Hiking options include both short loops and access to longer trail segments.
What campers like
Lake views: Many sites offer direct views of small lakes. As one visitor to Leverentz Lake State Forest Campground describes, "the big lake unit has large sites with lake views and 2 vault toilets. The little lake unit has small sites, 1 vault toilet, some lake views, some views of nearby houses."
Privacy between sites: Site spacing varies between campgrounds. At Benton Lake Campground, "the sites are really big and spread out. They are split between 2 loops. The first loop was almost filled so we checked the second one and found a site away from others. It felt like we were alone."
Clean facilities: Despite being rustic, many campgrounds maintain good facilities. "The toilets are well maintained and the camp manager was super nice. We stayed Sunday-Tuesday both times and it wasn't busy and we felt alone in the forest which is perfect," reports a visitor to Benton Lake.
What you should know
Accessibility challenges: Some campgrounds have limited access for larger vehicles. At Shelley Lake Campground, "it's a narrow fit with few turn-outs- picture a classic, small 2-track trail. I would hesitate to take a larger camper here."
Water availability: Not all campgrounds offer drinking water. Those that do typically provide hand pumps. At Highbank Lake Campground, "the water source has its own building. The vault toilet has a ramp for accessibility."
Seasonal considerations: Many campgrounds operate from May through September. A camper at Leverentz Lake notes that "the campground was full on a late september weekend but still quiet and didn't feel crowded at all."
Tips for camping with families
Swimming options: Some lakes offer good swimming access for children. At Newaygo State Park Campground, "I bring the kids to this park every 4th of July weekend, we absolutely love it. I always reserve my site on the Poplar side, due to it having closer access to the lake to swim."
Guide
