Murray Lake Campground in Brighton Recreation Area features spacious and private wooded sites ideal for camping with dogs. This rustic campground has 25 sites with fire rings and picnic tables, offering a peaceful setting for pet owners. All campgrounds within the Brighton Recreation Area system permit pets on leash, including Appleton Lake Campground and Bishop Lake Campground. Leashed pets must be attended at all times and waste properly disposed of. Most sites provide ample space between neighbors, with natural barriers of greenery offering privacy for pets and their owners. The rustic campgrounds have vault toilets while Bishop Lake offers modern facilities including showers and electric hookups. Brighton Recreation Area campsites fill quickly during summer weekends when families bring their dogs to enjoy the natural surroundings. The sites at Murray Lake are only open on weekends throughout the summer season.
Hiking trails throughout the recreation area welcome leashed dogs, with mountain biking and hiking paths running directly through or near the campgrounds. Bishop Lake provides beach access, though pets must remain leashed and are typically not permitted in designated swimming areas. Pet owners camping at rustic Appleton or Murray Lake sites can access the modern amenities at nearby Bishop Lake Campground for showers and additional facilities. Campers should be prepared for wildlife encounters, as raccoons are frequently active after dark at Appleton Lake sites. The campgrounds provide access to lakes suitable for fishing and paddling with pets, though no official dog swimming areas exist. Visitors recommend bringing extra towels for muddy paws after rain. The interconnected trail system offers excellent opportunities for morning and evening dog walks. Brighton Recreation Area's campgrounds remain popular with local families who bring pets camping year after year, with some families reporting five generations of visits.
$17 - $90 / night
"Nice lakes for swimming and can take your pet as well! Big playground and nice bathrooms"
"Great family place with paved and dirt biking/hiking trails. Very nice beach with grass and sand. There are 2 areas of inflatables, one of them is for the little kids 48 in. and under."
$17 / night
"Nice place to camp right on the lake. It's a 7 mile hike in(can also be accessed via boat), part of the Potowatomi loop trail(~18 miles) located in Waterloo-Pinckney recreation area."
"Camp ground is located along the Potawatomi Trail in Pinckney Recreation area. Bikers head the opposite direction from hikers. The route I followed was about 8 miles in to Blind Lake."
$27 - $46 / night
"There is a new large playground structure and nice but short paved path for kids to bike or scooter around."
"On Crooked Lake, it has 25 sites, two of which are right on the water; #7 is full sun, larger, and 20 is sun/shade and tucked away in the back of the campground."
"Nice lake view across the road. This location has 4 lakes. There is plenty of nature. Lots of trees along a nature trail. Cranes and ducks in the water . The first night was super quiet!"
"I highly recommend Hass Lake campgrounds. It is a very clean, quite, Beautiful campgrounds."
$3 / night
"They offer campsites full hookups pet friendly They offer electric only no pets they offer campsites no pets.
They have a tent only section."
"Booked a two week stay at Pontiac Lake Rec. area in Whitelak, MI. Huge sites not stacked on top of one another. They have electric hookups, but only 30 amp."
"This was our first camping experience in Michigan, so we weren’t exactly prepared. My rating takes this into consideration."
"This often overlooked campground is part of Brighton Recreation area in lower Michigan. Only 25 sites, with no electricity and vault toilets. Pump water available."
"Close by but up north feel."
"Picnic table pit ring outside toilets best site was 24 17$ dollars a night 3 parks Brighton recreational is for Rv and electric sites indoor plumbing hot showers Murry is only for weekend visits Appleton"
$20 - $35 / night
"Direct connections to the Waterloo Pinckney trail system. Near Hell, Michigan and Chelsea, Michigan. Large pool in season. Priced reasonably."
"Wow.. what a nice little getaway in Hell, Michigan area! Camp host, “Lightening” is a friendly and helpful guy who NEVER stopped working (except to chat with campers here and there)."
"First time out with the camper and we wanted to stay close to home so we found a campground right outside the city. You couldn't tell how close we were because there were so many trees in the area."
"First, I'd like to say that I was born and raised in Northern Michigan. That's where I'm used to camping and hiking. I moved to the metro Detroit area a few years ago."
"The lack of cover between sites gave everyone a nice view of the lake from our tents on our inland sites, which was beautiful."
"I stayed at #6 and had a beautiful view of the lake. There is muddy lake access on that site and I paddled from there in my kayak. There is an official boat launch nearby."
GuideA mostly seasonal campground that can be had to find. Super amenities with huge pool and large field with dog park, baseball field, bags, basketball and sand volleyball. Many trails to walk.
ScoutWe really enjoyed our stay. The hosts were very welcoming and helpful. Delivered our firewood right to our site. Lots of shade trees, beautiful well groomed trails for walking. Even a dog park, which our Golden Retriever really enjoyed.
GuideVery private sites. I was surprised at how well each site was hidden from the others. Restrooms can be a bit far from some sites. Nice little dog park by the beach too.
GuideNice park for full timers. Large spots to accommodate big rigs and kids. Full hook ups. Cell service great with Verizon hotspot (22u, 20d, 38ms and AT&T cell(27d, 20u, 27ms). Playgrounds everywhere for the kids. Giant dog park and ponds. Pool was closed. Just needs more grass. Our spot was really patchy and resulted in a lot of mud.
Great campground with polite and helpful staff. Don’t pass this one up.
GuideNice Park Nice park for full timers. Large spots to accommodate big rigs and kids. Full hook ups. Cell service great with Verizon hotspot(22u, 20d, 38ms and AT&T cell(27d, 20u, 27ms). Playgrounds everywhere for the kids. Giant dog park and ponds. Pool was closed. Just needs more grass. Our spot was really patchy and resulted in a lot of mud. Great campground with polite and helpful staff. Don’t pass this one up.
TravelerGreat opportunities for winter sports. Pools, lakes, mini golf. Designed for young families. Pet friendly but has restrictions on the type of dog.
ScoutThis is a quiet, friendly and family campground. The staff is very willing to help any way they can. The sites are level and spacious.
A great place for the kids! With a beach, playground and paved roads is nice but the frosting in this cake is the petting zoo. Animals from bunnies, peacocks & cats to horses, goats and of course Milton the burro, get it? Milton Burro, LOL
The store has stuff for the kids at very reasonable prices and the ice cream shop across the street is a nice walk after dinner. There's a light there for safe crossing, too.
Try this place, you'll add this to your good memories.
No credit or debit cards. Cash and checks only.
RangerThey offer campsites full hookups pet friendly
They offer electric only no pets they offer campsites no pets.
They have a tent only section.
They have a beach, tennis courts, children's playground,rustic cabins, they have a recreation field Kids Activities arts and crafts!!! They have 16 resort cabins, this place is HUGH
Bathrooms were dated and we arrived Monday after Labor Day so I can't judge them. They had a FULL HOUSE on Labor Day per the front gate. I was very impressed there was no garbage at campsites and picked up very well.
GREAT biking trails you can catch on premise and bike over to Kensington and to the charming town of Milford
RangerA fun little campground with a nice bunch of petting zoo type animals! The beach is clean and the lake is warm! Very nice layout with walking trail around the lake. The only complaint was not nearly enough trash cans around (like, none easy to find) and the bathrooms were nasty for our 2 day visit. Price per night for full hook up was $40 :-)
Brighton Recreation Area offers woodland camping near Hamburg, Michigan with multiple campground options. Located in southeast Michigan about 15 minutes from Hamburg, the recreation area spans over 4,900 acres with a mix of mature forest and wetlands. The area's terrain features gentle hills with elevations between 850-950 feet, creating natural barriers between many campsites.
Lake activities: Brighton Recreation Area has several connected lakes popular for paddling and fishing. As one visitor notes, "The lake was amazing to swim at night..must to it" at Blind Lake Rustic Campground. The campground sits directly on the lake with easy water access.
Mountain biking: Explore extensive trails that wind through the recreation area. "The trails available here are where I learned to mountain bike, they're not the easiest but they are not so challenging that you won't have fun," says a camper at Proud Lake Recreation Area, which connects to multiple trail networks.
Day excursions: Visit Hell, Michigan for a unique side trip. The small town is about 15 minutes from many local campgrounds and offers quirky photo opportunities. "Near Hell, Michigan and Chelsea, Michigan," notes a visitor about Hell Creek Ranch Campground, mentioning its "direct connections to the Waterloo Pinckney trail system."
Secluded sites: Privacy between campsites is available at several rustic campgrounds. One camper described Green Lake Rustic Campground as having "generously sized" sites, adding that "The sites are generally sized, with room to stretch out. There isn't much privacy between sites, with a few exceptions, but this campsite is so quiet and well-behaved that it didn't end up mattering much."
Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathrooms are frequently mentioned in reviews. At Camp Dearborn, a visitor praised "the sites were very nice, and so were the bathrooms" and noted the "well maintained campgrounds" despite being a large facility.
Water views: Sites overlooking lakes are particularly popular. "I ended up at #6 and had a beautiful view of the lake. There is muddy lake access on that site and I paddled from there in my kayak," commented a camper about Green Lake Rustic Campground, highlighting the direct water access available at some sites.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds fill quickly during summer weekends. A visitor to Green Lake Rustic Campground advised, "I would recommend getting a reservation before showing up. They have laminated signs posted on the campsites to let you know which ones are taken."
Wildlife encounters: Be prepared for local wildlife at night. One camper at Appleton Lake Campground warned, "The camp site itself was nice, but once it got dark, we were fighting off about 10 raccoons all night. Definitely went somewhere else the next night."
Noise levels: Sites near roads or recreation areas may experience noise. A reviewer mentioned that at Green Lake Rustic Campground, "A major roadway passes along the other side of the lake making lake front sites noise until about 12am and rear sites sit near a wetland aka the boarder of the mosquito kingdom."
Water recreation: Check which lakes allow swimming before planning your trip. At Haas Lake Park RV Campground, visitors enjoy "Big playground and nice bathrooms" along with "Nice lakes for swimming and can take your pet as well!" making it suitable for families with both children and pets.
Structured activities: Look for campgrounds with planned events during summer weekends. "Lots of beach area and water to fish or swim. Activities almost every night. Paddle boats, mini golf, golf, and more," noted a family that visited Camp Dearborn.
Site selection: Request sites away from high-traffic areas for a quieter experience with children. At Bishop Lake Campground, a visitor recommended seeking "good spots have some shade to stay out of the sun" and mentioned that "The beach is pretty good for swimming."
Hookup options: Electric service varies by campground in the Hamburg area. A review of Bishop Lake Campground noted it "is a larger state park with full size sites for RVs. There is electric on each site along with fire rings and picnic tables."
Site leveling: Check site descriptions for terrain information as some campgrounds have sloping sites. One visitor cautioned that at Proud Lake Recreation Area, "there's a severe hill from the back part of the loop towards the lake - at one point I was worried an improperly locked down camper would roll straight through our tents!"
Dump station access: Plan your water usage according to available facilities. An RVer at Camp Dearborn appreciated that "There is a dump station on site" making it convenient for longer stays without leaving the campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Hamburg, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Hamburg, MI is Bishop Lake Campground — Brighton Recreation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 30 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Hamburg, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 84 dog-friendly camping locations near Hamburg, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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