103 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Fort Custer Recreation Area accommodates pets at all campsites with spacious, shaded locations for tents, RVs, and cabins. Dogs must remain leashed throughout the park, with designated pet waste stations positioned near camping loops. Yankee Springs Recreation Area's Deep Lake Rustic Campground maintains pet-friendly policies across its sites, though visitors note the campground offers minimal privacy between camping spots. Most campgrounds in the Dowling region enforce standard leash requirements of six feet or less, with Michawana Campground providing excellent lake access where dogs can enjoy shoreline areas under supervision.
The North Country Trail runs through Yankee Springs Recreation Area, offering extensive hiking opportunities for dogs and their owners. Many campers report the trails provide good exercise options with minimal crowds during weekday visits. Gun Lake Campground features additional pet-friendly amenities with proximity to water recreation where dogs can cool off during summer months. Sharp Park Campground's 113 sites accommodate pets with easy access to nearby walking paths. During peak summer season, early morning and evening walks are recommended to avoid hot surfaces that can damage paw pads. Most campgrounds provide basic amenities including drinking water and trash disposal, essential for maintaining pet waste management during extended stays.
"Love going there to ride the trails or walk my dogs the lakes are awesome great beach Great fishing awesome picnic areas nice boat launch. Most campsites are big with trees in between."
"Fort Custer is a hidden gem in Michigan. Nobody thinks to go camping near Battle Creek, but they really should reconsider!"
"First time in central Michigan and it was absolutely beautiful. The campground has a great location and lots of mountain bike and hiking trails."
"This is a campground in Yankee Spring Recreational Area in Mid-Michigan. This is a nice rustic campground near the NCT(North Country Trail)."
"We put our tent up on the hill tucked back up in the woods. Shade from the start!"
"The lake nearby is clean and they have a swimming spot for kids and adults. Boats and kayaks are free to use if the lifeguard is on duty. There is also fishing rods to use for free."
from $32 - $80 / night
Check Availability"Stayed at 113 on the small lake. Narrow spot but behind is a fire pit and small dock to drop in a canoe/kayak. Bathrooms and shower was spotless."
"property, recently renovated. ( one still finishing renovations as of 4/16/22) Beach area for swimming
Two playgrounds
Field for play, basketball net, volleyball court, and state park trailers near by"
from $34 - $115 / night
Check Availability"This is also a short drive away from tons of beautiful walking paths."
"Dog friendly! I've been coming here since I was a kid. I recommend you stay at this place."
from $1600 / night
Check Availability"Dog friendly, kid friendly, quite relaxing fun tim.. cant wait to go back"
"Close to home but feels “up north”. They offer both rustic and water and electric sites. This is a family campground and my kids loved the playground!"
from $35 - $45 / night
Check Availability"It has mostly seasonal campers and is right on the lake with boat docks."
from $30 - $40 / night
Check Availability"Nice big lake with access to multiple docks. They hosted a bbq and fireworks while we were there."
from $20 / night
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ScoutClean and nice little park with a cool "trading post" with nice merchandise, snacks and food. They have a dog park and trails on the property with a longer bike trail that runs alongside the campground. They had a band one night and an ice cream truck come through the next. Would recommend!
GuideI grew up coming here and they had expanded a lot on it in the last few years. You will never be bored and it is a true resort feeling, you will forget your camping! They have themed weekends filled with activities for both adults and children and have a pool, pizza and ice cream, jumping pillow, clubhouse, fishing, playground, dog park, and so much more!
ScoutThe staff is very friendly and helpful. There are activities for young and old and everyone in between. The showers are clean and spacious. They have campsites to meet everyone's desires. Pets are welcome here with two fenced dog runs and trails to keep the owners exercised. I love this place and have made it a regular stop.
Guide29 campsites pretty close together with old growth trees interspersed around the campground. Fishing pier and boating, playground area, and beach. No longer has primitive camping. Some hiking trails...short. is next to a busy road, so traffic all night. Staff was great! Showers and bathrooms cleaned multiple times a day. Pet friendly. Would stay here again!
ScoutThis is always my go to campground! All natural camping with plenty of nice people! One word of advise is to bring your own tp though lol they seem to always run out on Sunday mornings lol but are back up and running by mid afternoon. No showers and just outhouses but that's REAL camping right!!!? No power motor lake but there is another lake close by that is. We take the canoe with a trolling motor and hit that as well. Pet friendly. They have horse campsites and trails. Walking trails around the lake that offer nature at it's purest! I have been coming to this lake to camp for over 40 years and I hope I have 40 more years left!!!
ScoutPet friendly. Great camp store. Clean campground. Nice beach. Beautiful!!
TravelerThis campground is great, it's only 25 minutes from Grand Haven beach. The sites are well treed and flat! Lots of the activities within the park, they have a small petting zoo, sky pad, playground. Several cottages in the park as well. Well be back.
LegendVery nice family campground with a lot of things for kids to do. Fishing pond has a lot of bass. My son has caught one every time we’ve been here. Catch and release only. They also have a pool, jump pad, playground, climbing wall, mini golf and petting zoo. We stayed on their Halloween weekend and it was packed full of activities for the kids. Many people in the campground decorated their sites Halloween themed. Very cool. We will be back.
LegendThey were very organized at this campground. Every weekend they have a theme. We stayed when they had the country western weekend. They had all kinds of stuff going on for kids. Pony rides, wagon rides, petting zoo, games and activities. They also had a country music concert in the park one evening. The pool was very nice, but we found at times it was extremely busy. It would of been nice if they had a swimming area on the lake but they didn’t. This is a Christian campground so they are very strict on alcohol consumption. On your site only, but not allowed anywhere else in the park. Overall we had an enjoyable stay.
Fort Custer Recreation Area and Yankee Springs Recreation Area offer seasonal camping options within 15 miles of Dowling, Michigan. The area contains several lakes with varying shoreline access and water recreation opportunities. Summer temperatures typically range from 65-85°F, making early morning and evening the most comfortable times for outdoor activities during peak season.
Trail hiking: Explore the extensive trails at Fort Custer Recreation Area where campers can access multiple interconnected paths. "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," notes Art S.
Mountain biking: Access dedicated cycling trails throughout the recreation areas. "There are quite a few mountain bike trails on the other side of the recreation area. A horse trail circles around the outside edge," mentions a Fort Custer visitor who enjoyed the multi-use trail system.
Kayaking and fishing: Rent equipment at Sharp Park Campground where watercraft rentals are readily available. "Sharp Park offers canoe, kayak, fishing boat, and paddleboat rentals as well as fishing pole rentals with night crawlers available for purchase in the store," explains Teresa V. The small lakes throughout the region offer good fishing opportunities.
Lake swimming: Multiple swimming areas for cooling off during summer months. "The beach area is large and sandy but where you access the lake is kind of small. Quite a bit of watercraft on the lake but only heard 1 or 2 boats from our site," reports Mike P. about Gun Lake Campground.
Secluded campsites: Look for sites with more privacy away from busier areas. "We've stayed at both sites listed. 161 you do have neighbors pretty close, but we just stayed at 51 and it is extremely secluded! We had an amazing time tent camping it was so quiet!" shares Hannah about Fort Custer Recreation Area.
Family activities: Organized events and amenities keep children entertained. "This campsite is perfect for children! The workers are the nicest people I have encountered at a campsite. They have a lake/beach for swimming, kayaks, paddle boards, and canoes to use at the lake. They also have a massive slip 'n slide, zip lining, and a rock climbing wall," reports Bailey C. about Michawana Campground.
Site selection matters: Research specific site characteristics before booking. "Just wish there was access to a site map while making reservations. Ours was site 22. Sadly had no trees that would work for our hammocks," reports Joshua M. about Deep Lake at Yankee Springs.
Limited hookups: Many sites offer electric only so plan accordingly for water needs. "Sites have electrical service only. Must use the dump station," notes VB S. about Fort Custer Recreation Area.
Shower facilities: Quality varies significantly between campgrounds. "The bath houses are huge and well taken care of," says one camper about Michawana, while another notes about Welcome Woods Family Campground: "The bathroom and showers are a pretty far walk so plan on driving or riding bikes."
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds offer dedicated play areas for children. "The park is safe enough for kids to bike around. The beach is clean and fun," mentions Korrie H. about Gun Lake Campground at Yankee Springs.
Budget-friendly rentals: Free equipment at some locations makes family activities affordable. "Boats and kayaks are free to use if the lifeguard is on duty. There is also fishing rods to use for free," shares a camper about Michawana Campground.
Weekend activities: Check for scheduled events that provide entertainment. "There are events most weekends and several trails nearby for hiking," notes Teresa V. about Sharp Park Campground, while another camper mentions Welcome Woods has "a family campground and my kids loved the playground!"
Dump station timing: Plan for potential wait times during peak checkout periods. "Since there are no water or sewer hook ups, lines at the dump/fill station can get long," advises Bob B. about Fort Custer Recreation Area, while another camper reports: "We were in line for about an hour before we dumped and we pulled off our site at 1."
Site access considerations: Some areas have narrow roads that can be challenging. "Sites are easy to get in and out of with RV/TT," says a Fort Custer camper, while at Welcome Woods Family Campground, one visitor notes: "Roads on property are very narrow and was hard to maneuvered the camper on the turns to get to our spot we had reserved."
Full hookup availability: Limited at most public campgrounds in the area. "Camp Thornapple sites were great as it had a cement patio, sewer and water hook up," notes Trevor C., offering an alternative to the state park options for those seeking more amenities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Dowling, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Dowling, MI is Fort Custer Recreation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 44 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Dowling, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 103 dog-friendly camping locations near Dowling, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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