Best Cabin Camping near Gowen, MI

Sadly, we just left the KOA Muskegon campground this morning after a relaxing and peaceful three-day stay. While travelling home, plans are already being made for another camping vacay at this KOA. The staff were all friendly and helpful, creating a family-like atmosphere. The cabins were clean, updated, and the beds were quite comfortable. Our deluxe cabin bathroom and kitchenette were also stocked with amenities, making the stay comfortable and effortless. Outside our temporary home was our own gas grill, patio table with seating, fire ring, and Adirondack chairs. How nice it was for meals on the deck and campfires in the evenings! Every morning we looked forward to the 3/4 mile hiking trail around the lake... which was gorgeous. Although, we personally don't fish, we enjoyed watching other guests fishing from the shore and various docks regularly. There is also a fun area of the campground that includes playground equipment, basketball, volleyball, a jumping pad that looks like a blast, and they were setting up some interesting looking mining activity. We did spend time on their community patio overlooking a fabulous greenspace, fire pit, swim beach, and the lake. I could've spent all day on the patio with the relaxing patio lights, flowering planters, and comfortable Adirondack chairs. The camp store is again clean, updated, and well-stocked, but I was also impressed that the prices were reasonable, which is not always the case in these type of"convenience" situations. Overall, cherished camping memories were made this past weekend, and we are anxious to return in the near future for more! Thank you KOA Muskegon staff!

Campground Review:

There was a big mixup on Friday night that caused us not to be able to check-into our cabins and we had to scramble to find a new place to stay because the office unexpectedly closed at 9:00 pm instead of at 10:30 pm (the time posted on their website). However, we were able to get a hold of the staff the next day, we were refunded for our first night, and had a great second night at Wabasis Lake staying in the camper cabins. Each cabin had a living room, two bedrooms, kitchen work counter, dining table, microwave, and a small fridge. One of the rooms contains a queen size bed, and the other bedroom contains two sets of bunk beds. There is also a large couch in the living room, where you could sleep another person (or two if you laid the couch cushion/futon mattress on the floor.

The cabins are located just across the road and slightly up the hill from Lake Wabasis, and facing almost due east, which leads to wonderful early morning sunrises over the lake from the front porch of the cabins. There are two sets of bathrooms at Wabasis Lake, one set (toilets only) at the boat house near the lake, and a second set that has newly renovated showers and toilets as well.

Despite the mix up at the front desk, and a pretty frustrating Friday night, I would be happy to head back to Wabasis Lake for future trips.

Product Review:

In addition to camping, I also had the opportunity to review the Renogy Solar Backpack. In addition to the write-up below, check out my product videos on this post.

Renogy Solar Backpack: The backpack has an integrated solar panel on the rear outside of the pack, which can also be flipped over for added protection when not charging. The backpack has several pockets on the outside, including expandable pockets on both sides of the unit. The side pockets are large enough for about a 20 oz. water bottle, but nothing larger. I wish I could fit a full size Nalgene bottle in there. The pack charges when in direct sunlight only, so if you have a device to charge, you need to make sure you stay in the sun. I would recommend connecting a small battery to the solar panel to charge all day while you’re out hiking (or detach the solar panel and leave it to charge back at camp while you go out and adventure) and then use that stored power from the battery pack later that day.

I would like the pack to be a little more rugged, something more akin to a daypack for hiking rather than a standard issue backpack, but it made up for deficiencies in this area with plenty of extra pockets, including a hip pocket and laptop sleeve.

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.

Nice and cozy little campground in the middle of beautiful rolling farmlands. First time passing through and found it conveniently located within 40 mins of Holland and Saugatuck without needing to get on the highway. The woman at check in was extremely courteous and helpful. We stayed 2 nights over the weekend. Most people here are seasonal, occupying almost all the lakefront sites. We may have seen one lakefront available for renters. Everyone was polite, friendly and quiet after quiet hours. The sites are very small, not much privacy, but well kept. There are more spacious sites available on the upper grassy loop. Well kept grounds throughout with beautiful flowers. The bathrooms were wonderful with great hot water and water pressure. Pretty lake with swimming beach and playground lovely for day use. We would stay again. We stayed with 34’ camper inner lakefront.  I did share a picture of waterfront sites, the one vacant spot is the only site available to rent right now.  The rest are seasonal.

Not a bad place. Pretty quiet, other than the usual occasional idiot. Decent sites. ADA sites concrete, regular sites grass, sandy, or a combo of both. Pretty average spacing for a state park, except when a doofus parks sideways in a back-in site. (Wish the MI DNR would put a stop to that ). Typical MI state park sites, electric, fire ring and a picnic table. Most sites shaded, completely to some. Will return.

Any grocery shopping you'd want is within 2 to 5 miles. (Aldi, Meijer, Kroger) Fast food too, if you need it.

Verizon and T-Mobile service sucks here. No park wifi.

Nice little county campground, under the canopy of trimmed pine trees. Lots were large, no issues with backing in our 36’ TT with 2 slides (make sure to clean your slides from the pine needles before you go). Fire pits were small And installed in ground, electrical was up to 30amp, and sites were all dirt for most part. They do have sites in front of the park (outside the loops) that is grass but in full sun. It is pet friendly. They have a few spots for fishing, but if you would Luke to swim, you will have to go across the street to the day use (still included with your stay) beach. Only real issues we had (just me) was starting around 9:30-10, the rangers would drive around the loops every 10-15 minutes until midnight (probably longer, but that’s when we turned in) and their lights from the pickup would blind us. In the back end of the park there was 4-5 loops and the loops are the size of a roundabout. So every time the truck would go into any of the loops it would constantly shine in your eyes when you are trying to enjoy the fire.