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Best Tent Camping near Clare, MI

315 Reviews

State forest campgrounds and nature parks surrounding Clare, Michigan provide diverse tent camping options within a 30-mile radius. Deerfield Nature Park in Mount Pleasant offers hike-in tent-only sites accessible via a one-mile trail, with campers noting the peaceful atmosphere of its 10 primitive tent campsites. Tubbs Lake Island State Forest Campground features approximately 20 rustic tent sites on what's technically a peninsula, accessible by a narrow dirt road over a land bridge. The Muskegon River Canoe Camp provides walk-in tent sites for paddlers and dispersed camping enthusiasts seeking a more remote experience.

Most tent campgrounds in the Clare region feature basic amenities suited for self-sufficient campers. Vault toilets are common at established sites like House Lake State Campground and Haymarsh State Game Area, while drinking water availability varies significantly between locations. Many primitive tent camping areas operate on a first-come, first-served basis, particularly at state forest campgrounds. Campers should prepare for uneven terrain, as one visitor noted that Sugar Springs Campground sites are "horrifically not leveled." Fire rings and picnic tables are standard at most locations, though backcountry tent sites may have minimal infrastructure. Seasonal considerations include spring mud and summer mosquitoes, with insect repellent being essential equipment.

The tent-only camping experience near Clare offers notable seclusion compared to developed RV parks. According to reviews, House Lake State Campground provides sites "somewhat far apart" with "nice tree coverage" and abundant wildlife, including chipmunks. Tent campers at Deerfield Nature Park appreciate the quiet setting, with one visitor describing it as "very peaceful" with "only 10 sites and pit toilets." Haymarsh State Game Area receives praise for lakeside tent sites with "plenty of private space," with site #11 specifically recommended by frequent visitors. Most primitive tent campgrounds in the region lack cell service, creating a true disconnect from urban environments. Paddlers often combine tent camping with river trips, using the Muskegon River Canoe Camp as a convenient overnight stop.

Best Tent Sites Near Clare, Michigan (21)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Clare, MI

315 Reviews of 21 Clare Campgrounds

  • J
    Jun. 9, 2019

    Mud Lake State Forest Campground

    Small campground, big ambiance

    This campground has the feel of a hike-in campground while being accessible by vehicle. It is located off the beaten path in the middle of nowhere, down a couple of well-marked dirt roads about 20 miles from the highway. There are only 8 sites, but each site is spacious. Sites are divided by small stands of trees providing some privacy from neighboring sites. 4 of the sites are facing the lake. Fire ring, picnic table, vault toilets and hand pump water. Surprisingly good cell reception. There is a dirt boat ramp, but only for trolling motor, canoes and kayaks. Very quiet campground.

  • Amanda L.
    Aug. 9, 2018

    Brower Park Campground

    Large Family Fun Campground

    There is something for everyone here. Tent, camper, or RV and fun for all ages with everything from 3 playgrounds, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and tennis courts, to a boat launch, fishing pier, and fish cleaning station. There is also a fairly large swimming area. The showers are actually nice and clean! The restrooms were surprisingly clean and modern as well. Firewood is available in bundles or loose and you stack it yourself. There are numerous picnic areas throughout the campground. There are picnic tables and fire rings at every site and hook up such as electric and water vary. Kids are riding their bikes all over, fishing, playing at playgrounds, the beach, everywhere. Everyone was very friendly. You probably don’t necessarily need a sleeping pad or air mat if you’re in a tent, but they’re always nice. The mosquitos weren’t bad at all! We stayed at site #226. You do need a county park pass, $6/day until 10pm or $25/year.

  • Janessa L.
    Jun. 23, 2020

    River Country Campground and Livery

    Weekend Getaway

    A friend and I stayed two nights in a tent. The campground is on the smaller side. You mostly see campers and RVs, many who stay seasonally. It felt like a community where everyone knows each other well. The couple on the neighboring campsite were incredibly friendly, offering help with fire starters and a hammer to pound down the stakes on our tent.

    Our site had a fire pit, picnic table and electric hookup we used to charge cell phones. There wasn’t much shade but there are other shady sites in the campground.

    While the river site was scenic, mosquitoes were of course having a feast! There was a play area for the kids, volleyball net and horseshoe pit. The camp store had the basics with hard pack ice cream for sale. There’s also a game room off the camp store with pool, ping pong and laundry room for longer visits.

    You’re able to rent a tube, kayak or canoe to cruise down the Muskegon River. They were kind enough to shuttle us to the drop off point a couple of miles away.

    There is a restroom/shower building that’s kept quite clean. The ladies room had three separate showers and I never had to wait for a turn during my stay.

    It’s definitely a family campground so if you’re looking for a quiet camping trip, this place is perfect. It’s a bit far from the Detroit area for a weekend but I’d definitely return for a longer stay.

  • Christopher P.
    Jul. 9, 2021

    Spring Lake State Forest Campground

    Nice, very rustic, campground

    Nice park with dispersed sites. Hand pump for potable water and out houses for bathrooms. On a cute little lake ideal for kayaking or small boats. Not really set up for large TT, but people brought one in anyway. Close to US 131 and you can hear the traffic.

    Sites have fire rings and picnic tables.

  • R. B.
    Jun. 25, 2018

    Newaygo State Park Campground

    Nice views, somewhat rustic sites

    We live in Kalamazoo and wanted a quick trip out in the tent for a long weekend. We chose the park for it's proximity to home and because of nearby kayak/canoe launches. We enjoy rustic camping and were a little let down with the lack of seclusion on each site (that's to be expected when car camping but the photos and website left us hopeful for more space than was offered). The sites are deep but many are close together. Ours had a little extra room but was next to the vault toilet. There are a few trails in the park that are pleasant and the views of the lake are nice. The staff at the time wasn't very helpful when we asked for nearby hikes. They only knew of a paved trail but on our way out of town we met a couple who told us of many river trails and other hikes nearby. Overall it's a decent place to stay. Personally, I don't find it worth it to have vault toilets and no shower if I'm still going to be in a fairly cramped campground. I'd prefer that they have hike-in sites or offer the amenities of car camping.

  • Natalie P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 10, 2021

    Spring Lake State Forest Campground

    Okay campsite

    My husband and I stayed here for what should have been the whole weekend. We ended up cutting our trip short.

    The campground itself seemed quite nice. Large, clean vault toilets. A water pump. No electric. Some of the sites seem more isolated than others. The sites were nice and big. The campground is right by the trailhead for some longer trails. There is a nice kayak/fishing lake surrounding the campground. We first set up camp at site #1, which is at the very beginning of the campground, and very close to the highway. It is separated from all the other camp sites, but next to the parking lot leading to the trailhead. We ended up moving to site #31, which was down a hill at the back of the campground. It is in front of a swamp that opens to the lake. This is a nice flat lot, with a lot of space. Quieter than the front of the park. Overall, the campground itself is pretty nice.

    The downsides: it's right next to the highway, so you hear traffic until around 1 or 2 am. There seemed to be some long-term residents who had a LOT of late night visitors who stayed for only 10 minutes or so. The last visitor came at 3 am. Seemed super sketchy. We did not stay the additional night due to the odd activity taking place at the other site near ours. I don't think I would stay here again, but this would be an enjoyable campground if the weird activity wasn't taking place.

  • D G.
    Jul. 5, 2020

    Ambrose Lake State Forest Campground

    Hidden Inland Lake Gem

    Rustic first come first serve sites. Well water pump and vault toilets. No shower. We started on spot 8 but moved to 21 after one night - 8 was near the toilets and you get the occasion whiff of poop while 21 is on lake and more secluded. All the spots are very large with picnic table and fire pit. No grate for cooking so be sure to pack. The lake is small but good for kayak & paddle boarding. Areas of sand but fairly murky. We swam and floated for a few hours in tubes. My friend did catch a handful of bluegill.

  • B
    Sep. 23, 2020

    Sunrise Lake State Forest Campground

    Small park, large sites. But so noisy!

    My family and I ended up at Sunrise Lake after searching for a campground. This is a State Forest site so no reservations are available. First come, first served.

    The sites were all very big! We have a very large tent and it easily fit on the site along with our vehicle. All the sites are very well shaded. The vault toilets were clean and the water was very good with no odd smells or tastes.

    It's a little strange because Sunrise Lake is across the street, so it is a short walk down to the beach. Speaking of the beach, there isn't much of one but what was there was nice. It sloped gently out into the lake and my kids felt comfortable swimming there. We fished a little from shore. If you're just going for panfish, it's not bad. Just don't expect to catch dinner.

    A few bad things. First, the campground and half the sites back up against a road. You will hear every car or truck that drives by at night. We went in the summer with full foliage. The leaves and trees did nothing to absorb the sound. Second, being a small campground, you hear everyone who decides to party late into the night. No ranger means no enforcement of quiet hours. Third, it was hard finding firewood. The closest gas station sold pieces of lumber cut into 1"x1"x15" pieces. Because it was lumber and not logs, they burned so fast.

    Overall, it was nice for a weekend getaway, but this isn't a place I would choose to go back to. We will look for something else next time.

  • K
    Aug. 3, 2021

    Newaygo State Park Campground

    Good summer weekend destination

    If you have any watercraft, this is a good weekender spot. The hike trails are easily traversed and if you ask the camp ranger at reception, you can also rent single or tandem kayaks for *quite a reasonable price in varying time blocks if you don't have any watercraft of your own - you just tell them what time that you want to start and they will bring the kayak to the boat launch for you, which is great. Trash dumpsters and firewood are available at the campground entrance (if wood for some reason is unavailable, there's a BP gas station nearby that also sells it for $1 cheaper a bundle). The designated swimming area for the site is not the best unless you have small children, but if you like towed tubing, there's plenty of that happening mid-lake, outside of the other pontoons and boats. Also, despite the features listed here, there are no shower facilities available at this site, so bring bath wipes if you want to stay fresh! The water pump was also inoperable during my stay, but came prepared with plenty of bottled water anyway. The campfire pits also do not have grates for grilling/cooking any hot food, but if you have any cast iron cookware, you can get around this by placing your fire pit logs as evenly as possible so you can set your cookware direct on the flame (or just bring a mini grill if you prefer). Also close enough to Grand Haven so you can spend a few hours there as part of a mini get-away and still get to your site within about an hour or so.

Guide to Clare

Tent campers in the Clare, Michigan region enjoy diverse camping experiences within Michigan's densely forested north-central region. The area contains several state forest campgrounds and county parks nestled among lakes and rivers at elevations between 800-1,000 feet. Summer temperatures typically range from 55-85°F, with spring and fall bringing cooler conditions and occasional frost.

What to do

Kayaking access points: Deerfield Nature Park offers convenient riverside campsites where paddlers can directly access the water. "You can access by boat or it's a 1 mile hike... we did 2 kayak trips while we stayed and was great to have landing so near sites," notes one camper at Deerfield Nature Park.

Fishing opportunities: Haymarsh State Game Area provides direct lakefront access for anglers. A visitor shared, "This is a hidden gem in northern Michigan, our campsite was right on the lake where we were able to pull our boat right up to, plenty of private space, and so fun to fish."

Nature observation: The region's forests support diverse wildlife and plant species. At Tubbs Lake Island State Forest Campground, campers report seeing "lots of colorful fungas" with one visitor even discovering "a bioluminescent fungas... at night we seen some blue chips glowing, upon unvetigatio it was from wood we had chopped."

What campers like

Complete disconnection: The remote setting of many Clare area campgrounds creates a true wilderness experience. At House Lake State Campground, visitors appreciate that "there is no cell service within 20 minutes of the campground, and the closest restaurants are 30 minutes away, but if you prepare it is an excellent location!"

Wildlife encounters: The natural surroundings support abundant wildlife viewing opportunities. House Lake campers mention "they are overrun with chipmunks which was adorably magical!"

Community atmosphere: The smaller, more intimate campgrounds foster connections between visitors. At Deerfield Nature Park, campers report that "other campers mingled with us as a great time was had by all. We are making this a yearly trip as it was such a good time."

What you should know

Water and electric access: Some campgrounds have complicated utility setups requiring extra equipment. At Merrill-Gorrel Campground, campers are advised to "make sure to bring extra hose and extension cord as the water and electric can be a ways away from some sites."

Site leveling issues: Prepare for uneven terrain at certain locations. Sugar Springs Campground sites are described as having good amenities but being "horrifically not leveled."

Remote location logistics: Tent camping near Clare requires self-sufficiency. At Muskegon River Canoe Camp, visitors note it's "a great place for dispersed camping. Don't forget the bug spray! Only 20 minutes from town if you did!"

Tips for camping with families

Beach access: Several area campgrounds provide water recreation options suitable for children. One visitor to Merrill-Gorrel Campground reports it's "great with kids, 2 beaches. Quiet at night. Kids biked around all day and everyone drives slow!"

Camping preparation: When bringing children to the more remote tent sites, be prepared with all necessary supplies. House Lake State Campground offers basic amenities like "vault toilets available, a water spigot, and a self serve firewood station as well as a picnic table and fire pit at every site."

Site selection: For families camping at Haymarsh State Game Area, site #11 is specifically recommended by visitors as "the best spot" and described as "very quiet and secluded, nice get away."

Tips from RVers

Water access challenges: RV campers face specific water supply logistics. At Sugar Springs Campground, "the sites have electric only. Water is shared between 3-4 sites, so you better bring a hundred feet of hose to fill your tank."

Spacious sites: Despite some challenges, RVers appreciate the room to spread out. Sugar Springs provides "sites are spacious and clean" with "most sites are wooded and grass covered."

Limited services: RV campers should arrive with tanks full and supplies stocked. Even at developed sites like Merrill-Gorrel, services are basic but well-maintained with "clean bathrooms, easy access to lake, nice beach."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Clare, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Clare, MI is Deerfield Nature Park with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Clare, MI?

TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Clare, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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