Looking for the best options for tent camping near Grayling? The Dyrt can help you find the best tent campsites for your next trip. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
White Pines Campground is a backcountry campground, with a restroom and a fire ring. This 60 acre greenspace is mostly undeveloped, offering only parking at the main entrance and a single trail through the forest. When the original 20 acres of the park were acquired in 1927, they contained one of the few remaining pure stands of white pines in the county. The park has since been managed with the goal of preserving this stand and enhancing it with plantings of new white pine seedlings.
Wakeley Lake Campground is a part of the Wakeley Lake semi-primitive non-motorized area .__The campground is made up of 5 walk-in sites near the east shore of Wakeley Lake.__
Trail System: The trail system within the Wakeley Lake semi-primitive non-motorized area is 8.5 miles in total. Several loops provide hikers the ability to take a hike that suits their skill level. Trails are also open to bicycles. In the winter, the Wakeley Lake area is groomed for cross country skiing and snowshoing. Water Activities: Non-motorized boating is allowed, however, visitors must hike in with their equiptment. Wakeley Lake is also a peaceful location for other water activites such as swimming and fishing.__
Trail System: The trail system within the Wakeley Lake semi-primitive non-motorized area is 8.5 miles in total. Several loops provide hikers the ability to take a hike that suits their skill level. Trails are also open to bicycles. In the winter, the Wakeley Lake area is groomed for cross country skiing and snowshoing. Water Activities: Non-motorized boating is allowed, however, visitors must hike in with their equiptment. Wakeley Lake is also a peaceful location for other water activites such as swimming and fishing.__
Visitors to the area will be treated to a forested setting that varies from tag alder and conifer swamps to upland jack and white pine mixed with oak. Wakeley Lake Campground and the Lake itself are set relatively close to the parking location in the semi-primitive nonmotorized area. The lake tapers out into a swampy marsh area along the shoreline in some areas. The 2,100 acres area is habitat for loons and eagles and visitors may view loons nesting from March 1 to July 15. Please respect wildlife and view from a distance.
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (989) 826-3252.
All reservation changes, cancellations, and refunds are managed through Recreation.gov.
$10 / night
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
This rustic campground sits along the picturesque shore of the Au Sable River. The campground offers excellent opportunities for trout fishing. Paddlers can easily access the river and use a group camping area. There are 7 sites for tent and small trailer use. Camping is limited to a 15-day maximum stay. Amenities include vault toilets and potable water from a hand-pump well. The campground is located 15 miles east of Grayling via M-72, McMasters Bridge and Conners Flat. Sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations.
Recreation areas near the Wakeley Lake Area. This is the section of the Huron National Forest furthest west, and most sites are located along or north of M-72.
Scout
They have a really nice area whether it’s fishing or swimming, playground or just plain camping, etc. the only negative thing is the tent camping spots DO NOT have PLUGS which was really irritating because tent camping you’re definitely gonna need an outlet.
Traveler
We enjoyed our tent camping 4-day experience at this wonderful, clean, & friendly place.
Scout
We’re tent camping this spot and it’s really nice, multiple trails and a private beach. I would advise to book a spot early because the bad spots are all in a line on an open lot which isn’t really ideal for my situation, but overall it’s a nice place.
Traveler
We visited this campsite for a long weekend in October, looking for that autumn experience. Our site was right on the lake, and had a great view of the river and the trees changing. Our site was very large, especially for tent camping, and that seemed to be the trend. Others were camping with campers and tents, but there was pretty of room to spread out in the late fall.
Ranger
Short backpacking walk to this no-reservations rustic campsite. You need a backcountry permit and there’s usually a small fee. Lovely forested secluded tent sites. There’s only one or two fire pits, but going there is a nice way to meet your neighbors (only 2 other groups when I was there in April). Sites aren’t too sandy and are pretty shady. Follow bear rules!!
TravelerHad a great time staying at this Campground! Well maintained/clean, 50 yards from the Lakeshore of Lake Michigan, and the staff are super friendly. The campground uses a service where you can digitally reserve your desired campground in real time! This can be found on the Campgrounds website and very intuitive to use. I was never planning to go to this Campground but after reading the reviews on the Dyrt App and realizing you can book digitally, it was a no brainer. The only downside of this campground is that it’s very expensive! I paid $36 a night to tent camp, and in my experienced opinion, that is absurd! Nevertheless had a great time here!
TravelerI tent camped there July 2023 and the site was $20. The campground host was a very nice and helpful lady. There are electric at the sites and there were water supply spigots throughout the park. They do have free wifi, but it is very weak by the river sites. It is strongest near where the camp host is since the antenna is behind her camper. There was an old wifi access point plugged into my site's electrical outlet, but it was inoperative. Cell signal is good there though so it wasn't a big deal to me. Since I was tent camping I cannot attest to what size RVs and electrical amperage they have. The showers and rest rooms are locked at night. Just ask the campground host and she will lend you a key for the night. In addition to the main camping loop, there are about 12 river RV sites near the fairgrounds. It was fairly quiet being a week day. Just leave your trash in a bag near the lane and she will pick it up when she makes her rounds in her golf cart. A grocery store and a convenience store are across the road. You can book a site online via the village's website at https://marionmichigan.org/campground/ According to a google search the phone number is 231-667-0100. If that number is not valid the village office's phone number is 231-743-6801
Ranger
Location location location! If you're looking for a campground that's just across the street from the beach located on Traverse a City Bay, this is it! While campsites are somewhat cramped, showers and stalls are fairly clean and well kept, as are the sites in general. Very convenient to stores, restaurants and night life downtown. I've never been to a campground that felt like you were in the woods near the beach, was quiet, yet nearly in the middle of a bustling town! Sites for tent camping, partial and full hook up. Walking distance to restaurants and stores.
Guide
the sites are sandy and surrounded by tall pines and ferns. some biting flies, especially near river (late june). multiple vault toilets and one water pump. sites are spacious enough for small campers and walk/boat-in tent sites are great and have their own vault toilets and pump (though they are less shaded and a little more open than the forest sites). there's a river trail to walk and parking for the walk/boat-to sites. there's an ORV trail nearby and the road can get noisy from that. otherwise quiet and cozy.
GuideIt’s a well kept campground with plenty of sites. They are RV ready as well as tent camp ready. It may not be right on the water but across the street is close enough; there is a nice bridge to walk over the road so you don’t have to stop for traffic. The restrooms are clean and very capable for busy season. Behind the campground is a wonderful bike trail that goes all the way up the Lelenau Peninsula.
The only issue we had was when I had to get a jump for my car and the DNR staff there was not very helpful. Other than that, it is a wonderful location!
Guide
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.
Guide
First let me start with saying it was ok for what we needed the campground for. We stayed 4 days in total, 3 of the 4 days we were elsewhere. Site 25 was a large site that fit my 36’ TT and my brother-in-laws very large tent on with plenty of room (very deep site). Campground allows for multiple vehicles and multiple units on site (TT + tent). We had a total of 10 in our party plus 2 small toy dogs. Upon arriving, I did not realize the dump station was outside the campground as we came from the opposite direction and filled my water tank by the bathroom from the water faucet using my hose. The park does not have paved roads but is level and no pot-holes.
Upon arriving to my site, site was dirty, trash all over site and trash dumped in fire pit (old tire rim, above ground and moveable). After setting up and cleaning our site, kids took out our fishing magnet and found rusted nails (6 in total along with some unknown rusted metal shards) by where we parked our TT.
Playground is outdated but still functional, beach was somewhat clean (some trash here and there), pavilion at the beach had lost items placed in front of it, mostly sand inside of pavilion. The swimming area has a sign posted in front stating the water is not checked (for bacteria) so swim at your risk.
Just outside the park is 2 more pavilions that can be rented and looks like a wooden white movie screen so if you have a throw projector you can do a popup movie here. Also there is frisbee golf on the outskirts of the baseball diamond along with a bunch of hiking trails
Now my feelings and thoughts of our stay. We were parked next to some party people. We are a dry family and not condoning drinking but Friday and Saturday it was a large party place until almost 3am on Saturday. Neighbors had half the campground at their site (so it seemed to us) including the camp Manager but the loudness was very unappealing and disruptive to us especially my brother-in-law family who was camping in a tent and could not filter out the loud noise. Our site was very dirty, with trash and nails everywhere. The host was a nice person but if checkout is 11am and checkin is at 4pm, the host should have cleaned the sites from trash (we literally filled a meijers grocery bag with trash). I was upset about the nails but to be honest, he could of not known unless he ran a magnet through the site.
We are strong believers of leaving our site better then before we arrive.
Guide
The neat thing about Young State Park is its site on Lake Charlevoix. Three miles away is the lovely and cute town of Boyne City.
This is a typical state park campground designed to pack in the numbers. Sites are close to one another, no to little vegetation between the sites. Not much comfort for tent camping. The shower houses are not large for the number of campers and despite daily cleaning, there's a lot of use. By the end of the day, early evening, it's a bit dirty. There are lots of other things going for it that includes hiking trails, boating, beach area with concessions, picnic areas and playgrounds.
Location, location, location. In addition to easy access to Lake Charlevoix, there's traveling through the other quaint towns that include East Jordan (where the manhole covers were cast), Ironton (where you cross the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix on a ferry) and of course, Charlevoix.
Nearby, Boyne City has developed nicely over the past few years. The town's supporters are doing a great job of sustaining this village. Seven years ago, it was a fine little town that seemed to "get along" with its harbor and a couple restaurants. Now, its center has many nice and newer restaurants and pubs, a great weekly farmers market and weekly summer events with a really nice, spacious town park on the lakeside. A grocery store is also located here, with a Starbucks inside for those who have to have it.
Legend
Wooden Shoe Campground in Ellsworth, Michigan is a small campground set on a hill above Ellsworth Lake. This park is great if you want to sometime explore Michigan’s waterways. When we visited the park, it was about 25% full which made it very quiet and relaxing. There are some great sites that overlook the lake that are inviting for an evening fire and enjoying a pleasant view.
The park has 45 RV sites with water, 30 amp electric, cable TV, and internet. There are seven designated tent sites in a heavily wooded area with some glimpses of the lake. Some sites have a nice amount of shade while those towards the front of the park are more open and have a better water view. Picnic tables and fire pits are at each site. The main road throughout the park is paved, in good condition, and easily navigable with even large RV. There is a dump station at the entrance of the park that is easy to get in and out of. A camp host is on site. The price per night to stay here is $25 and they offer a super inexpensive price of $125/week. Reservations can be made by emailing a reservation request or calling the city.
The town of Ellsworth is quite small with a couple of shops and restaurant or two. The quaint coastal town of Charlevoix is 10 minutes away where you will find plenty of shopping, restaurants, a pretty harbor, weekly live music (in the summer), a farmers market and really great library with a large room that has a great selection of books for sale for a few bucks. The towns of Boyne City and Boyne Falls are about 20 miles away and also worth visiting if you have the time. For dog owners, Boyne city has an off-leash dog park and Boyne Falls has a large ski resort that is perfect for walking dogs in the summer. The larger town of Petoskey is about a 45 minute drive but well worth a visit.
If you want to “get away” and enjoy water activities this is a good place to come. There is a canoe/kayak boat launch just down the hill from the park that puts you in a narrow stretch of water that connects Lakes Ellsworth and Saint Clair. A short (approximately 1 mile) paddle into Lake Saint Claire lands you in a beautiful nature preserve administered by the Little Traverse Conservancy. Be sure to visit Friske’s Orchard which has a fruit stand, bakery with pizza and sandwiches, general store and petting zoo and is only six miles away on Rt. 31.
The good things about this park are the price, access to pretty water for kayaking/canoeing/fishing and the view from some of the sites. You are not too far from some of northern Michigan’s most popular towns yet only paying $25 night. The small size of this park gives it a quieter feel than some of the nearby state parks that have hundreds of sites. When we were there about half the campers appeared to be seasonal who come to enjoy the boating and fishing. Many of these people were not there during the week which made the park super quiet.
A couple dings for this park are that many of the sites are not level and even pitching a tent can be difficult. The bathroom/shower facilities are old and run down. The main bathhouse is located in the front of the park with port-a-potty’s scattered about. Some of the sites are close together and give a crowded feeling.
Overall, I would say this is an average park which is why it gets three stars.
GuideThis is a family owned campground that is about half seasonal lots and half daily lots. The daily lots are large with room for a couple tents or even a travel trailer and tent. There are two bathroom buildings with showers, which were always clean. When we were there the campground was quiet and the owners were laid back and helpful.
There are ORV trails on the campground property, as well as a good sized playground. There are nearby lakes and drop-in points to the Au Sable River for kayaking and canoeing, and Hartwick Pines is down the road with hiking trails. Grayling and Gaylord are both within a convenient distance. I'd happily camp here again!
Scout
This campground is rustic and mid way between Grayling and Lucerne. The campground is generally quiet and practically deserted during the week.
Great spot to base a fishing trip with access to the South Branch of the AuSable.
ScoutYou get the best of both worlds here, camping on the river but close to Grayling. The campsites are fairly secluded and shaded. Perfect for trout fishing as there are three access spots to the river. Watch out for ticks in the spring.
Guide
Being right on the lake was wonderful. It’s close to town (we recommend Paddle Hard Brewing in Grayling) and we used it as a launching site to canoe the AuSable River with a helpful car spot from Birchers Livery.
The sites along the lake are gorgeous and have many little paths down to the water. That said, stay away from the interior sites (#24-28) because they are basically little islands in a marsh. It rained a couple days before we arrived and our site was a swamp.
LegendMost outdoor camping adventures are to capture memories and epic moments…this one was no different.
Ours is a very active family…we enjoy all things paddling, hiking, cycling, fishing. With a family spread out in age, we attempt to settle in on activities that will be somewhat of an equalizer of talent and ability…to maintain family harmony and interest. This is no easy task.
We love Michigan outdoors! We chose paddling and camping the Big Manistee River. As is the expectation when we camp…there will be rain…and this outing was no different.
Rains bloated the Big Manistee, so the sleepy river was moving pretty swiftly. We contacted Chippewa Landing…and they met us at our put in (Grayling area)…and drove our vehicle to their livery for our take out.
Obviously, we camped at different spots along the river, but our first stop was the Upper Manistee State Forest Campground and Canoe Camp. Which was perfect for dragging the boats out and placing them near our tents.
Nothing inherently special about this campground other than its convenience. It was clean (as most Michigan campgrounds tend to be)…and being on a weekday…empty…totally. Even with the copious amounts of rain, the ground is fairly sandy and there was no mud or puddling to contend with. With the rain came cooler temperatures, which we were prepared for and enjoyed.
If you haven't floated or paddled the Big Manistee…you owe it to yourself and those you love. Its a beautiful river…and on a early week paddle…we had the river to ourselves…save one fly-fisherman at our halfway point. It is still fairly primitive with few built up areas, so you feel like you are "out there."
Sadly, the trip took us less time because of the increased waterflow…probably should've explored the river banks more…or dragged anchor to slow us down. But it was, indeed, a memorable trip!
However, having the extra time allowed us to go to one of our very favorite campgrounds, D.H. Day campground in Empire. Yes, the Empire strikes back!!
TravelerIf you're looking for a beautiful, quiet, secluded place to camp, this is most definitely not it. Lake Margrethe is a large lake full of power boaters, jet skiers, and folks on pontoon boats drinking heavily, and the campground is full of folks who bring enormous RV's (despite the sites only being appropriate for tents medium-sized rigs) and their loud music speakers. Maybe it was our mistake for visiting on a Friday night, but it was absolutely terrible. It felt like we were plopped down into folks' family reunion bbq's. The enormous group on one side was drinking until very late and the folks on the other side were getting stoned (which was fine except I had to explain the smell to my kid).
On top of that, nearby Camp Grayling provided almost constant noise from machine gun fire. The folks at the next campsite kept drunkenly yelling "Hold Your Fire!!!" and then laughing uproariously. It was hilarious, guys, thanks. To be fair, the artillery sounds ended around 8 PM and started up again at 9 AM (on a Saturday morning).
If you need another reason not to go, there is a health advisory about swallowing any of the foam in the water because of PFAS contamination. So, although the site was absolutely beautiful to look at, the rest of the surroundings made it a terrible location. We will never, ever be going back.
Guide
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.
Guide
We have been camping here for many years and love it every time. This is the first we'd camped in the fall and enjoyed the solitude. During the summer months it is very busy (especially on weekends) and difficult to get a site unless you reserve well in advance. The sites have been enlarged with plenty of space per site. Most of the sites overlook the lake. It appears the park is upgrading its restrooms with one new, one relatively new and one older one. We enjoy the central location to places we like to visit. We went to the Straits one day, picnicked in a state forest one day, shopped in both Gaylord and Grayling. It's also central to some of the best trout streams in the eastern U.S.
The downside is the sites are all sand. This is a problem when it rains. No matter how hard you try to clean your shoes, you end up tracking in wet, dirty sand.
TravelerA great campground about 20 min south of gaylord, on otsego lake, as with most michigan state parks they have nicely taken care of campsites and easy access to bathrooms, the beach from our site was a little bit of a hike but there was easy access to the lake via stairs, electrical is available and there was a good combination of rvs and tents so all are welcome, they offer actinities for kids on the weekends, and they usually have holiday happenings
Traveler
Needed a tent sight for 3 pup tents motorcycle camping. Nice quiet secluded campground in the woods. Nice clean baths and showers. $25 for tent $35 RVs pull threw.
GuideWhile I typically prefer more rustic camping, this was a fantastic and easy way to enjoy Traverse City. The campground was very family oriented and offered plenty of amenities - power outlets, bathrooms (including showers). The camp sites were large and spacious (we fit 3 tents on one) with a picnic table and fire pit. While we didn't have time, the campground is located directly across the street from Lake Michigan. There is a pedestrian bridge for easy crossing.
I'd highly suggesting bringing your bicycles. There is a paved path right from the campground into downtown TC (about 20-30 min ride). You avoid parking and have access to the fantastic food and breweries in town.
If you're looking to for more of a more rustic, nature-oriented camping experience this may not be the best option for you. You could hears the cars from the road and the airplanes started flying overhead at 7am sharp.
Traveler
We tented at this campground. Good location, decent bathrooms.
Legend
You can pick sites on the river or back by the woods. There are vault toilets and a well for water. The Shingle Mill Pathway runs through the campground. Each site comes with fire pit and picnic table. I've seen people tenting and I've seem people with large fifth wheels. Some sites are only big enough for tents but most sites can fit large rvs.
Grayling, Michigan, offers a fantastic selection of tent camping options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Grayling, MI is White Pine Canoe SF Campground with a 3.8-star rating from 4 reviews.
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