Gowen is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Gowen, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Gowen. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
$50 - $70 / night
"Hidden Ridge is a modern RV resort within 8 minutes of Gun Lake and sandwiched between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. There is no tent camping available at this location."
"Spacing was generous between locations. We had a drive-in(forward) location(#10) overlooking the small lake. There was some interstate noise but it was more of a steady hum and not an issue at all."
$35 - $38 / night
"The campground offers an in ground swimming pool (non-heated), small store, a basic mini-golf course, horseshoe pits, docks, kayak rental, a pavilion, and a small arcade room. "
"I had a great spot overlooking the lake and next to the boat launch. Campsites are spacious, there are two vault toilets and a water pump."
"Our campsite was huge and mostly private. The vault toilets were as clean as one could be. I would love to camp here again."
"Playground and nice sandy swimming area. Only downfall is the proximity to the highway and lack of woodsy camping feeling. Restrooms are always immaculately clean. Close to Cedar Springs downtown."
"Nice fishing pond, the cleanest bathrooms I’ve ever seen at a campground and nice walking path."
"This is a nice private campground with a lot of activities for kids and families. There is a pool, bounce pillow and basketball court. There are seasonal sites and other full hook-up sites."
"Love this winter spot. Will definitely be returning in the future. Very friendly staff."
"This campground is a few miles from the casino, but offer free shuttles to the soaring eagle properties (including the water park)."
"Pretty basic campground with paved sites and a nice lake. Not much space, trees or privacy. Looked like most of the sites were longer term/workers. Clean restrooms, showers and laundry."
"It is close to a town to get take out food if it rains. There are some larger vacation lodges to rent that ars nestled away in the woods, and a bunkhouse with rentals."
$58 - $73 / night
"Definitely the best camp ground in West Michigan! Clean sites, friendly staff, and many amenities."
"They pick up your trash right from the front of your sight and deliver fire wood right to the fire pit. The pool and hot tub are always very clean. They have a lovely view here of the river."
"It is super dog friendly as well. This is our “go to” spot for sure. Love it here and the staff are great."
"This is a ver nice RV resort where you can be a transit RVer or be be a season RVer. Nice pool, clubhouse, bathrooms, laundry room, and all the other amenities."
"Very nice RV resort. Ice cream and general store with gas right on the docks!"
GuideGreat family campground - Paired with the area offers many options!
With mostly modern sites situated in hardwoods, pines, or a mixture, we stayed in the hardwoods area; however, my kids would have enjoyed the pines better for it appeared to have hammock hanging at almost every site. Well-maintained and clean restrooms had soda vending machines.
Children's play area with equipment and activity field, where several kites were hoisted high into the air, were great. Gillette Visitor Center in the State Park area about 1/4 mile away offers Explorer and interpretive programs Tuesday through Saturday, with topics ranging from nature history/preservation to information on wildlife. We enjoyed the spider and bear presentations most, but maybe that is because I have all boys! The campground beach, only a 5 - 10 minute walk from any site, was awesome! While there wasn't a lifeguard, I appreciated the "flag system" advising how safe the water is each day. Unfortunately, a red flag was flying on our visit, so we only waded at the water's edge- but - still cool to lay out on the sugar-like sand and walk its 3 mile length! I do regret not making it back to the beach for sunset as our camping neighbors RAVED about it the following morning!
My favorite part of this campground was the trails. In addition to several trails within the campground (the one along the creek was especially loved!), many more can be accessed in the state park, which contains over ten miles of trails in its 1,200 acres. Trails to dunes, beach, and other parks as well as dune preserve: all well-marked and vary in difficulty, weaving through pine and hardwood forests nestled among dunes. Plus, the adjoining North Ottawa Dune Preserve offers an additional ten miles of trails! OMG - what a phenomenal place for a walk in the woods or trail running! One of our walks was up a 5-story staircase near the nature center, leading to an observation platform with expansive views of majestic dunes and Lake Michigan. I was impressed that a portion was barrier-free.
Some family ventured into nearby towns of Muskegon, Spring Lake, and Grand Haven to experience what they had to offer: shops, museums, World War II boats, piers to walk, and several craft breweries - all 15 minutes away! Our dogs enjoyed the visit to the unleashed dog park at Coast Guard Park that is a ten-minute drive or a five-mile walk through the trails.
Logistics to note: Campground sells ice - $2/7# bag and wood/$5.50 a bundle. We quickly realized that residences outside the park sold it at $5 for larger bundles. Area grocery stores include a Meijer superstore and Leppinks grocery. We preferred Leppinks for the quick trip and Meijer for items beyond groceries, such as that forgotten bathing suit or a propane tank for the grill. While we don't have a big rig, I did notice the backup of campers at the two campground dump stations Sunday before 1pm checkout. Being a state park, Hoffmaster requires vehicles have a recreation passport to enter ($11/year -residents and $32/year -non-residents or a daily rate of $9). No alcoholic beverages between April 15 and Labor Day.
I talked to a ranger about coming back later this year, and he told me it is best to book months ahead for weekends because they fill up at the beginning of summer; however, cancellations are not uncommon, so watch the DNR site for openings. Weekdays usually have availability, especially the first half of the summer. He added that a great time to visit would be the weekend before Halloween as they encourage people to decorate their sites, wear costumes, and participate in trick or treating on Saturday night.
ScoutHad a great time. Ample camp space. Clean facilities. Only draw back was no real concessions at the beach. Had a broken vending machine. This was end of August.
GuideDrove in with our class A pulling a trailer and called ahead, friendly staff was able to accommodate us with a pull through spot that was easy access, a slip to pay via Dropbox in the morning, and the hookups we needed (50⚡️, 💩, 💧). Easy access to highway and not far from a cute little town (Hudsonville??) where we found a really good Mexican place and a Meijer’s. Would visit again when passing through.
ScoutHidden Ridge is a modern RV resort within 8 minutes of Gun Lake and sandwiched between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. There is no tent camping available at this location.
All sites include a concrete pad, fire ring and full hook-up. 120/150 amp
Lots of activities for the whole family. There is a pool, hot tub, bounce pillow, splash pad. Children’s activities are planned throughout the week and adult activities, as well.
Gun Lake is crystal clear meaning you can see the sand/pebble bottom. There is fun to be had on this nice-sized Lake.
Not far from Hidden Ridge is a race track that is busy each weekend with all manner of race cars.
TravelerRustic feel as all sites are electric but no water hook up. There are spigots in the center as well as a dump station and potable water fill. My family has camped here for years as it is close to home. They sell fire wood and the bath houses are cleaned multiple times as day and the showers are usually pretty warm as well. Great place to camp as a group. A few different play grounds and a full beach across the road.
TravelerGreat family owned for generations. Not many private campgrounds around anymore. Close to holland city activities. Sites are level with full hookups 50 amp. Owners are very accommodating to your needs. Bathrooms are old but very clean. Might be filled up during holidays. Easy access off highway.
LegendIn the Huron-Manistee National Forest is this rustic campground. The sites are really big and spread out. They are split between 2 loops. The first loop was almost filled so we checked the second one and found a site away from others. It felt like we were alone until we took a walk around the campground. Picnic table, fire pit and lantern stand are standard. Paved spots for rv’s with plenty of room for tents. Vault toilets are spread throughout. There is even a parking area for visitors.
We walked down the short trail to see the lake. The trail goes partially along the lake but it’s not very long. We saw 2 piers- one had a jet ski tied to it. Camp was quiet enough to hear the tree fall just outside our campsite. Would it still make a noise if we weren’t here?
This is a peaceful discovery that is perfect for a getaway.
TravelerIonia 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.
GuidePlaygrounds, Lake, dump station, well stocked store, some shaded sites, clean bathrooms by the store, pit toilets throughout the campground.
Explore the beauty of RV camping near Gowen, Michigan, where a variety of campgrounds offer excellent amenities and activities for all ages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular RV campsite near Gowen, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Gowen, MI is Hidden Ridge RV Resort, A Sun RV Resort with a 4.8-star rating from 10 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 129 RV camping locations near Gowen, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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