Best Glamping near Dowling, MI

A group of us bike from Kalamazoo to South Haven every year using the Kal-Haven trail. We usually tent camp but tried a cabin here this year. It was the perfect option as the campground is right off the trail. They provide linens and have basic supplies (including firewood that they will deliver to your cabin) right at the general store. We also met a group that had hiked in to the primative sites and were using the trail to train for the Appalachian Trail. Everything is well-made and maintained, and the staff is friendly and helpful (they even let us check-in early when we biked in ahead of schedule). Highly recommend for those looking for a place close to the trail and to South Haven. The cabins have three queen beds and a sofa sleeper so they can comfortably hold up to eight people (we had five in our group and I never felt crowded). There's a large table inside and two chairs on the porch. There's also a large picnic table outside, a fire pit, and a grill. They are hoping to expand and add cabins sized for couples in the near future.

We had a great time camping at Hidden Ridge. Amenities were great, everything well kept and clean. This park is very big. Seems to have a lot of seasonal campers there but still spots for the vacationers too. The pool was nice, and the playground very fun for kids. Sunday morning they have Cinnamon Roll delivery to your campsite! Only a couple of negatives to report there isn’t much close the the campground at all. Like the closest gas station is 15 miles. Not really any fast food restaurants either. Obviously not a deal breaker, but just something to be prepared for. And there is a snack bar at the campground, but for other things you’ll have to go further out. Second, I found it odd the there isn’t trash pickup at the site. And the only trash bin we could find was at the entrance of the grounds (which was quite a distance from 241 our site). Just seems places this big and at this price range offer trash pick up at the site. Again, not a deal breaker but just a nuisance I guess. Would definitely recommend and would return to stay if in the area.

Campground Review: 

After finding our original campground full, we were directed over to Fort Custer. We found a campsite that was large with vegetation separating us from neighbors. I didn't expect to find something this interesting as an alternate to original plans but it worked out nicely.

There are a couple hundred sites and most of them were full. Our site was on the far end of a loop. This meant a longer walk to the restrooms and showers. On the other hand, we were right across from an access trail to the blue hiking trail. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. It was overcast upon arrival only to have the sun shine down the next day. We soon found out that there was enough clearing in the treetops to give our camp full sun for most of the day. If you camp here, I suggest one of the other sites that would give you a break from the sunny heat.

We hiked on a multi-use trail that the ranger suggested. The blue trail goes around a couple lakes and was wonderful. We did miss a sign or two and ended up turning our 4 mile trip into a 6.5 mile one but there are plenty of spots to rest and enjoy the time. We passed other hikers and bikers and even some people trying their luck at fishing. There are quite a few mountain bike trails on the other side of the recreation area. A horse trail circles around the outside edge. 

Product Review: 

As a Dyrt Ranger I sometimes get products to evaluate. This trip I tested out the Midland X-Talker two way radio - T77VP5. The kit we used came bundled into a zippered case that is perfect for keeping everything organized. We charged it up before our trip and even tried it out in a school building. 

We read reviews that said it might not work well in buildings and thought we should see. I gave them to two high schoolers and asked them to run throughout the place testing them as they went. They came back happy and excited and wanted to keep using them.

The real test came out in the woods. The belt clip snaps on easily and this stayed connected to my pack strap for our entire hike. The X-Talker fits nicely in the hand and the buttons are perfectly placed. Another feature I wanted to try was the weather radio. It scans channels automatically to find a weather channel in range. You just need to listen to the report as it cycles through the days. We had some rain and storms moving in so this proved useful in helping us sneak out of camp really early to avoid the downpour that was looming.

The Midland X-Talker T77VP5 radios worked wonderfully and will certainly see more use on future adventures.

Ionia has so many great outdoor activities for almost anyone.  There is a disc golf course, mountain bike trail, equestrian trails, hiking trails, a beautiful no wake lake perfect for swimming, kayaking, or fishing.   The beach is fantastic especially for little kids who might not be the best swimmers ready for Lake Michigan or lakes with lots of boats and waves to deal with.  Nice and sandy and a nice store and ice cream shop at the beach. 

The campground itself is very nice, but you may find the activities are a short drive away from your site to get there.  The sites are all a little bit shallow especially if you have a larger travel trailer you may find it a bit tight.  There is a great variety of shaded and sunny sites.   There is only one bathroom for the campground so it can be a bit busy and it could probably use an update.