Best Glamping near Grayling, MI

We had a chilly Memorial Day weekend but were very impressed with the campground. Great mix of activities for the kids. Big park but felt small, no problems with traffic and golf carts like we have experienced at other “resort” style campgrounds. All sites are full hookup and there are just enough cabins, cottages, and yurts for our non-camping family to tag along! Staff was very friendly.

This is a very busy and large campground that is typically full in the summertime. It’s great for elementary and middle grade kids, with a ton of activities available. They have a pool, small lake/beach, jumping pillow, bike trails, dodgeball, etc. it’s right next to a dirt bike/atv trail. They have tc and tent fires along with yurts and all kinds of cabins. There is a nice mix of about 1/3 seasonal, rest short term. Definitely not a natural/rustic experience, but fun for active families. Also, it’s a good base fir exploring the traverse city area.

If you are looking for a camping getaway, this may not be the place for you. It is always bustling with action, but can be lots of fun! I would definitely say this is geared more towards children and families than an escape into nature. There is a camp store, turbo bikes, a variety of family activities, a pool, playground, bike park, equipment and rentals, laundry facility, cabins, cottages, and yurts for rent. This is also a pet friendly campground, so there are many dogs. Probably one of my favorite parts was dodgeball... and the multiple bike trails that connect to the VASA trail system.

The campground is small, some in the pines and most sites are not. There are many walking trails and bike trails too. So much history to be shared and learned about through this area. The visitors building, and educational cabins are great to find out a lot about logging from so long ago. There are many more trails through the “logging area” within the park. Not too many large trees around here anymore but it is still an incredibly beautiful area. Everyone at camp was nice, especially the camp hosts. They kept us informed on activities around the campground and park. The town of Grayling is small and comfortable to visit. Many local artists, coffee, and a brewery. Plus a laundry mat that was easy to get to and average price.

This is a very large campground that is usually full during the summer. There is no shortage of activities here: a small pond/beach, pool, jumping pillow, dodgeball, bike trails, ATV trails, crafts, parades, etc.  It's great for the active family, particularly those with elementary & middle school age kids.  It can be rather loud at times.  There are some seasonal sites, a small "village" of tiny houses, yurts, and a lot of RV/tent sites.  The location is good, as it can be a good jumping off point to explore Traverse City and the surrounding area.  This definitely isn't a campground for people who like quiet and solitude, but if this is your style of camping, it's a great place.

Nice large sites. Some full hookups, unusual for Michigan state parks that I’ve seen.

One of my favorite parks in Michigan. Beautiful beaches and always a fun week during Harvest Fest!

Quiet, large sites, like new bath house, 7th nite free, rate$35, good location for northwestern Michigan sites Water on all outside sites. interior sites share water hookups

This here is one of my favorite campgrounds in Michigan. The facilities are clean and kept up. All access to trails, lakes and the river are close and easy to get to. Great location to bring family and pets.

This campground is in some lower ground, with a beautiful river running though it. It's fairly wide open, with trees around, but this was great as it made stargazing easy. We were here for a night as we were traveling on the Michigan Shore to Shore Trail, the overall experience was excellent!

This first come, first served rustic state campground is perfect for the nature enthusiast. Butting up to Tomahawk Lake and surrounded by the Atlanta State Forest Area, you are close to Oqueoc Falls, hiking trails, and other natural wonders northern Michigan has to offer. Chipmunks are fearless, so keep an eye on your food. Ticks are abundant so check yourself and your group frequently.

Love this campground for a good weekend stay. Small campground but there’s some nice wooded sites and some more open sites. Looks like there’s some full hook ups. A few trails walking distance from the campground.

The old growth trail is beautiful and really well maintained. The trees are crazy TALL. There’s a ton of history on the logging industry of Michigan. Also there’s a wee church in the middle of the woods which is pretty cool.

Our site in particular had a nice hill behind it with a trail where you could get a cool view of the campsite. Also a foot trail to the dumpsters / dump station.

I like the location; very secluded in the State Forest but only a half hour from downtown Traverse City. This facility meets the recreation need of a diverse cross section of Michigan residents. It’s a great home base or overnight camp for canoeists and kayakers (my particular interest). The camp is also used by mountain bikers & gravel riders, ATV riders, anglers, and equestrians (separate camp area). Large wooded sites. Primitive means vault toilets, no power and hand pump water. No reservations — FCFS.

Negatives: can be noisy at times with the ATVs and also large camping groups. But for the most part I’ve found ppl to be respectful. A couple of the sites flooded after an unusually heavy rain today, so I would avoid any site that looks low if rain is expected.

Site 16 is good. High and dry after the rain.

This is one of the worst campgrounds I have ever been to. The bathrooms and showers close at 10pm, and the restrooms themselves are nasty, the showers cost $2 (in quarters) for 6 minutes of lukewarm water, the locals are hostile to unfamiliar faces, and to top it off, the rental ATVs and dirt track to ride them on is o ly separated from the campsites by a board fence, so expect to hear all kinds of small engines zipping by at all hours. The RV trailers for rental are all used trailers circa 1995 and "refurbished", which entails a quick coat of interior paint and laminate flooring screwed to the floors with drywall screws. Guests who have rented the RV trailers are instructed to not use the showers in their trailers. Absolutely not worth the money, would rate 0 stars if I could. If you are looking for a camping experience that puts you in the heart of upper Michigan redneck territory, this is the place for you. If you want a good experience, look elsewhere.

This was a really awesome campground we found kind of last minute when things didn’t work out at the other place we were trying to camp, and we were not upset about it at all. We actually we’re happy our plans fell through, because the site was better than the one we were trying to get at another park. You can’t beat $15 a night, each rustic site is fairly secluded with privacy, and you’re right by Michigan’s only area to view free roaming wild elk! We went and tried, but unfortunately didn’t see any elk. I think it was mostly due to my 7 and 10 year old talking too much, and being too loud, but we’re just glad they enjoy the hike! We’d camp here again, and we recommend it to you, too! You’re also within striking distance of the Call of the Wild museum in Gaylord, which I high recommend, as well!

I was disappointed in the campground after having high expectations from previous reviews.  Sites were fine, good size and maybe could have been some planting between sites.  My concern was that there was only one bathroom, for the entire campground.  They were filthy, cleaned once daily which was considerably less than other campgrounds.  There was a sanitary pad discarded behind a toilet for over 24 hours. Possibly this is the norm, and guests were more disgusting than usual.  The scenic overlook deck was littered with toilet paper where someone had taken to using this area as their own restroom.  The grass and trails weren't mowed and the park attendant said they were changing mowing services, I understand that.  The water hose used to clean tanks had been cut off or fallen off, and when this was showed to a worker, they said they'd tell the manager.  What day, no one knows because he got in his car and left for the night.  The next day it was not fixed.

Which brings me to the point that while there were three people in the guard house, no one was really doing much.  No one drove around checking on things, no one walked a common path to see discarded trash, etc.  The on duty person left at 8PM.  This is all a management issue, not the campground itself. 

I have camped at local/municipally owned campgrounds in Michigan before and was very happy, and gladly went with this campground but was disappointed.

Hartwick Pines is a quiet campground in central Mi. It features old growth forest on the hiking trails, multiple ranger programs each week, hosts that give you coffe or hot chocolate in the morning, a beautiful visitor center and main trails, plus side trails that are less traveled so you rarely see anyone else! There is a small lake for fishing, an old logging community with some programming in busier months.

I have stayed in this park camping as an adult as well as a child. There was a store and a mini golf course as a child, not sure about now. The park also provides nature activities during the summer, along with some educational opportunities. There are rivers close by for canoeing, tubing and fishing.

Best State Park I have ever stayed at! Large sites, private,sits way back in the woods/pines! Showers and bathrooms are clean! Highly recommend!

Large wooded campground with nice sized sites, picnic table, fire ring, electric hook up, flush toilets, and year round activities. There are lots of trails for biking and hiking, a day use/ mucc logging museum that's kinda throughout this one area of woods. Beautiful new and old growth, a couple of nearby lakes, it was beautiful.

Nice private sites. Stupid campground layout. Good stargazing. Piney fresh smell. No cell service.

Nice large wooded sites Some very private. Clean bathrooms. Nice biking and hiking areas from campground.

Very nice and well maintained campground. Bath house facilities were very clean, and campsites were fairly spaced, giving decent privacy. There are some activities in the area related to the park. All in all a very nice State Park campground.

Nice and quiet campground. Unfortunately there isn't any swimming at the campground. Great overnight spot if you're headed further north.