Best Campgrounds near Farwell, MI

Campgrounds near Farwell, Michigan include a range of options from rustic state forest sites to developed family parks with amenities. Herrick Recreation Area provides spacious campsites under trimmed pine trees with electric hookups, while Mud Lake State Forest Campground offers a more primitive experience with only eight non-reservable sites. The area features several campgrounds accommodating tents, RVs, and cabins, with some locations like Wilson State Park and Countryside Campground offering cabin rentals. Most mixed-use campgrounds are located within 15-20 miles of Farwell, providing varied camping experiences from lakeside sites to wooded settings.

Most developed campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, typically from April or May through October, with limited winter camping options. Road access varies by location, with state forest campgrounds often requiring navigation on well-marked dirt roads. "This campground is small, 8 sites. Site number 6 is the best as it overlooks the lake and a path from your campsite leads down to the lake," notes one visitor about Mud Lake State Forest Campground. Weather considerations include mosquito activity in summer months and potential mud issues during rainy periods. Cell service is surprisingly good at many campgrounds, with visitors reporting excellent coverage for Verizon at more remote locations. Many campground options require advance planning during peak summer weekends, particularly for lakefront sites.

Campers report high satisfaction with sites near lakes that offer fishing and kayaking opportunities. The pine-covered sites at Herrick Recreation Area receive consistent praise for their spaciousness and shade. According to one visitor, "Large, clean vault toilets. A water pump. No electric. Some of the sites seem more isolated than others." Public land camping tends to offer more seclusion, while family-oriented campgrounds provide amenities like swimming pools, playgrounds, and organized activities. Several reviewers mentioned the cleanliness of facilities, with multiple daily bathroom cleanings at county parks. Highway noise can affect some campgrounds, particularly Spring Lake State Forest Campground which sits close to US 131. Visitors seeking quiet experiences typically prefer the more remote state forest campgrounds, while families with children gravitate toward campgrounds with recreational facilities.

Best Camping Sites Near Farwell, Michigan (172)

    1. Herrick Recreation Area

    6 Reviews
    Clare, MI
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 386-2010

    $15 - $25 / night

    "This is a really good family campground in the middle of Michigan. Campsites are spacious and wooded. There is a lake for swimming ability to fish and put in a kayak."

    "Near the cabins) The rest are in pine stands and really is a nice place to be. As per the normal, pines bring sap, so expect that.

    Day use is across the street. Playground, beach, etc."

    2. Mud Lake State Forest Campground

    8 Reviews
    Lake, MI
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 775-9727

    $20 / night

    "The sites have decent distance between them and vary from tucked into the trees (away from the lake) or more open (near the lake)."

    "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."

    3. Countryside Campground & Cabins

    6 Reviews
    Farwell, MI
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 539-5468

    $49 - $150 / night

    "Pretty nice RV park in the middle of Michigan."

    "Sites around#40 are spacious and shaded all day which was awesome. No mats allowed but it was great as the grass is green and lush. Store has apparel, camping tools, and ice cream."

    4. Pettit Park Campground

    2 Reviews
    Clare, MI
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 386-7541

    "Near downtown Clare, nice park with pavilions, no reservations needed. Sites are within the city’s park so there’s local traffic."

    5. Wilson State Park Campground

    6 Reviews
    Farwell, MI
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 539-3021

    $25 / night

    "Unfortunately, it's bordered on 2 sides by 2 major roads, Old 27 and Townline Lake Rd, and Harrison is loaded with people who think "no exhaust" equals "cool car", and are happy to show you just how big"

    "The campsites next to the road can be a little loud with road noise. The fairgrounds are across the street as well, so if there is an event going on, wear your ear plugs!"

    6. Isabella County Herrick Recreation Area

    1 Review
    Clare, MI
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 386-2010

    "They come around 3 or 4 times a day, if you need wood, just flag them down and they will deliver it ($5/bundle)."

    7. Hidden Hill Family Campground

    3 Reviews
    Farwell, MI
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 539-9372

    $30 - $55 / night

    9. Weidman KOA

    2 Reviews
    Remus, MI
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 506-8005

    "Nice peaceful drive there... pulled in to find they have recently just been acquired by KOA I believe as there was signage down with few KOA signs up."

    "Rather than clearing all the trees the sites were developed around many mature trees which makes for a much more attractive setting.  The bathrooms/showers were immaculate. "

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Recent Reviews near Farwell, MI

365 Reviews of 172 Farwell Campgrounds


  • thomas D.
    Oct. 8, 2025

    Great Circle Campground

    Do Not Recommend Camping Here

    The new management and owners are rude, non-friendly and have not kept up the campground. Not kept up and locked bathrooms. We have been camping here for almost 20 years and it was a home away from home. This is not a place I would bring a family. Do not recommend.

  • John H.
    Oct. 8, 2025

    Great Circle Campground

    Do not recommend

    Been camping here for years and new ownership has ruined the experience. Do not camp here.

  • Ken D.
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Great Circle Campground

    Best to look at other Higgins Lake camping options

    Not what your camping experience should be…the male owner is rude, disrespectful, and completely unbecoming of a campground host— showers…yep, but the he prefers to lock them, porta pots…yep, but locks them too…camp store…yep, good luck getting service, need ice? Ice machine never has bags of ice,  horrible customer service.   His wife openly condones his rude behavior and they both lack any skills required to serve the camping customers and their needs.  It is crystal clear this is how they choose to run the place.  Ya, look elsewhere.

    When you pull in, it looks like a junkyard…old construction equipment parked for years covered in blue shrink wrap is one of the first things you see upon arrival, overall its a dirty unkept park.  Why? They cant keep help because they are rude to staff as well.

    Your camping experience should be one of relaxation and having a pleasant, welcoming host.  Unfortunately, you will not find that at the great circle campground.

    Stay away and look elsewhere!

  • Linda C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 27, 2025

    Spruce Road Pulloff Dispersed

    Good night’s sleep

    Access to meadow is blocked but enough room to pull safely off the road. No fire ring. Bullet casings present. Road was very quiet midweek.

  • l
    Aug. 25, 2025

    Black Creek State Forest Campground

    Black Creek State Forest Campground

    Pull up, grab a registration envelope, look for a spot then part. Fill out the registration. Put one portion of it on the clip at the spot number market, keep another portion then return the completed envelope and $20 cash or check per night plus $19 for Michigan recreation passport (if you don’t already have one). They will mail you the passport, keep receipt for proof. Vault toilets available, some river spots, some secluded spots, clean. Saw DNR in the morning checking on everything.

  • Melissa H.
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Bay City State Park Campground

    Bustling, clean and friendly

    Easy friendly check-in. Firewood prices are cheaper than on roads in. Small and large bags of ice at a good price. Great for families. Clean facilities. They do spray for mosquitoes, so that wasn't too bad at all even in the heat of August. We stayed at 106, the description was on point, level and shaded. Campers were super friendly. We had no complaints about the campground itself but it would be nice if there was an RV lights out policy at night. It's really hard to sleep in a tent when your neighbors RV "porch" light is on literally all night shining in the tent while your neighbors are sound asleep in RV. We had to ask our neighbors politely to turn their outside LED light strips off the second night. They were great about it but, didn't seem to realize it would bother tent campers next to them.

  • Deb M.
    Aug. 16, 2025

    Bay City State Park Campground

    Crowded and inconvenient

    So, this campground looks nice at first, with lots of trees on the sites. However, once you really start looking at them, none have a camping pad, so it’s random parking on the grass. Lots of moving around to get your electric hooked up to the shared and oddly placed power poles. Make sure to come with an extension cord - one member of our party had their power halfway into their neighbor’s site through a bunch of bushes. The sites near the entrance are very crowded together and filled with large loud groups. (please don’t park any extra vehicles hanging out over the road…) And cleaning the bathrooms at 8:30 and 9:30 in the MORNING? Bummer for tenters. It’s ok for a quick stop, but wouldn’t want to stay here too long. I would expect better from a State Park.

  • Kristin Z.
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Paddle Brave Canoe Livery & Campground

    Clean, Friendly, and Perfect River Tubing Trip

    We stayed at PaddleBrave this past weekend and couldn’t be happier with our experience. We rented Cabin 1 and the campsite directly across from it, and from start to finish, everything was fantastic.

    The owner and staff were incredibly friendly, accommodating, and had excellent communication both during the reservation process and throughout our stay. The sites and camp bathrooms were the cleanest I’ve ever seen, and the staff went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable.

    The gift shop was a nice bonus, offering fresh coffee for just $1 every morning and stocking plenty of essentials in case you forgot something at home. Downtown Roscommon is only about 6 minutes away, making it easy to pop into town.

    We also did the 4-hour tubing trip and rented tubes from Paddlebrave—it couldn’t have gone better. The river was beautiful and the whole experience was smooth and well-organized.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 25, 2025

    River Ridge RV Resort

    Nobody could help us

    Fri night 6 pm the office was closed, guard shack was closed. The girl at the convenience store, said come back Monday, maybe they would be open


Guide to Farwell

Near Farwell, Michigan, camping options extend throughout the central region's mixed hardwood forests and small lakes at approximately 1,000 feet elevation. Summer temperatures typically range from 55-85°F with cooler nights, even during July and August. The region's glacial landscape creates numerous small fishing lakes with varying shoreline access restrictions.

What to Do

Kayaking on Mud Lake: At Mud Lake State Forest Campground, visitors enjoy calm waters ideal for beginners. "Big Mud Lake is a decent size and is nice and calm for kayaking, etc. There is a boat ramp near the campground, although Site #6 has a small path down to the lake with a shallow spot to use for putting a kayak or canoe in and out of the water," notes Ari A.

Rail Trail access: Several campgrounds provide convenient access to regional trails. "There is the Pier-Marquette Rail trail about 1.5 miles from the campground, great for biking, running etc," reports Jennifer H. about Herrick Recreation Area.

Hiking nearby networks: The Green Pine Lake Pathway connects multiple recreation areas. "There is a 2.5-mile-long connector from this campground to the Green Pine Lake Pathway -- it's a total of about 9 miles of trails that connects you to three different lakes," explains one Mud Lake visitor.

What Campers Like

Pine-shaded sites: Campers consistently praise the tall pine areas at several campgrounds. "We stayed in the 'pines' part of the park, it was nice and shady. The sites closer to the lake were more full sun," reports Doug about Herrick Recreation Area.

Seclusion at rustic sites: Spring Lake State Forest Campground offers dispersed camping with more privacy. "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," shares Christopher P.

Family-friendly activities: Family campgrounds provide organized recreation options. "There are activities for the kids, a playground, heated pool, hiking/bike trail, and even a baseball field," notes Megan W. about Countryside Campground & Cabins.

What You Should Know

Traffic noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience highway noise disruption. "It's right next to the highway, so you hear traffic until around 1 or 2 am," warns Natalie P. about Spring Lake State Forest Campground.

Site selection strategy: At Wilson State Park Campground, site conditions vary significantly. "Many sites are rather large, like 97, but severely sloped, also like 97... Others are flat, small, and your camper is right near the road," advises Dj W., adding that "very low sites on the West edge, side nearest Old 27, far South end it is higher, sloped, can be cramped to get into for newbs."

Tick awareness: During warm months, ticks become a concern in wooded areas. "I did notice lots of ticks. Our dogs all had at least one on them and all of us campers had a few," reports Zara W. about Mud Lake State Forest Campground.

Tips for Camping with Families

Foam parties and hayrides: Scheduled activities enhance family trips. "Offered hay rides Saturday evening. Had a foam party (my 5 year old loved this)," shares Emily W. about Countryside Campground & Cabins.

Beach access considerations: Different swimming areas have varying rules. "Beach is across the road from the park and no pets/dogs allowed in that side of the park," notes Jennifer H. about Harrison RV Family Campground.

Playground proximity: When selecting a site, consider proximity to play areas. "Wish we had a canoe or kayaks to fart around on the ponds. In lieu of that, we fed the fish some bread. Not exciting, but relaxing," shares a Herrick visitor who adds, "Maybe put a bigger playground near the camping sites, so your kids can play and be within eyesight."

Tips from RVers

Self-contained camping: Limited hookups at state forest campgrounds mean preparation is essential. "This campground is 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," reports Jacki F. about Mud Lake.

Leveling challenges: Bring adequate leveling blocks for certain campgrounds. "We stayed on site 78. It's slightly sloped but leveling is easy. Biiiig sites here," notes Dj W. about Isabella County Herrick Recreation Area, adding that "site 73 should be avoided if rain is forecasted for your time there. 73 sits at the low side of that pod, and gets washed out."

Overnight convenience: For travelers passing through, Pettit Park offers accessible options. "This is a first come, self serve City Park. There is a very nice pavilion and park. It is only .5 miles from downtown Clare. They have fire rings and electric hook up," shares Jennifer H.

Frequently Asked Questions

What activities and attractions are available near Farwell, MI for campers?

The Farwell area offers abundant outdoor recreation opportunities for campers. Water activities are particularly popular at locations like Mitchell State Park Campground, situated between Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell, where you can enjoy swimming, fishing, and boating. The canal connecting the lakes adds to the recreational options. Hiking enthusiasts will appreciate the natural beauty at Goose Lake State Forest Campground, known for its scenic surroundings. The region also features excellent fishing opportunities at various lakes, biking trails, wildlife viewing, and photography opportunities. During winter months, activities shift to snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing. The nearby towns offer quaint shopping districts, local restaurants, and seasonal festivals that provide additional entertainment options for campers.

What are the best campgrounds near Farwell, Michigan?

Several excellent campgrounds are located near Farwell, Michigan. Mud Lake State Forest Campground offers a rustic experience with only 8 non-reservable sites providing decent privacy. Some sites feature lake views or direct access to the water. For those seeking more amenities, Isabella County Herrick Recreation Area provides spacious, wooded campsites with electric hookups and shared water. The area features a lake for swimming, fishing, and kayaking. Other notable options include Leverentz Lake State Forest Campground with its lake views, and Merrill-Gorrel Park Campground with clean bathrooms and beach access. Many of these campgrounds fill up quickly during summer weekends, so arriving early for non-reservable sites is recommended.

What camping is available near Farwell, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, Farwell, MI offers a wide range of camping options, with 172 campgrounds and RV parks near Farwell, MI and 3 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Farwell, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Farwell, MI is Herrick Recreation Area with a 4.2-star rating from 6 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Farwell, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Farwell, MI.