Campsites near Higgins Lake, Michigan sit at approximately 1,150 feet above sea level in the northern lower peninsula. The area features sandy soil with mixed pine and hardwood forests surrounding the 9,900-acre natural spring-fed lake. Fall temperatures average 45-65°F during the day, while summer temperatures range from 70-85°F with cooler evenings around 55-65°F.
What to do
Water activities: South Higgins Lake State Park Campground offers excellent swimming with a shallow, sandy-bottomed beach area. "Water is very beautiful! Gets very very crowded though. They have a really nice Halloween weekends," notes one camper at South Higgins Lake State Park Campground.
Fishing opportunities: Upper Manistee River provides riverside camping with easy fishing access. "Great place to stay. My dad and I stayed for a weekend to fish the Manistee River. The pit toilets were some of the cleanest I have ever experienced," reports one visitor at Upper Manistee River.
Hiking and biking: Hartwick Pines State Park Campground features well-maintained trails through old growth forests. "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," explains a reviewer.
Boat launch access: Lake Margrethe State Forest Campground provides direct lake access from most sites. "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."
What campers like
Crystal clear waters: Kneff Lake Campground offers pristine swimming conditions in a more secluded setting. "The beach is all sand, no seaweed in the water. It's a perfect swimming area," notes one visitor at Kneff Lake Campground.
Less crowded options: State forest campgrounds like Reedsburg Dam provide alternatives to busier state parks. "Quiet rustic campground. Most sites have waterfront with pretty views. The campsites are very large and clean," reports a camper at Reedsburg Dam State Forest Campground.
Well-maintained facilities: North Higgins Lake State Park Campground consistently receives praise for cleanliness. "We stayed in a travel trailer on site 73 the week before the 4th of July week. The park and bathrooms were always clean, showers were clean and had good water pressure."
Beach quality: Many campgrounds feature sandy beaches with gradual entry. "The beach was great, soft sand bottom, water was clear & cold!" comments one visitor about North Higgins Lake State Park.
What you should know
Seasonal considerations: While some campgrounds operate year-round, others have limited seasons. Higgins Lake-Roscommon KOA operates from May 1 to October 24, with one visitor noting, "Nice campground easy to navigate. Some family activities and trails. Surrounded by nice mature trees."
Noise levels: Some campgrounds experience traffic or military noise. "We were on sight 169 this whole side is next to a busy road cars and logging trucks all day and night way noisy," reports a camper about North Higgins Lake State Park.
Site conditions: Sandy soil affects site quality at several campgrounds. "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," advises a visitor at Lake Margrethe State Forest Campground.
Water quality alerts: Occasional water quality issues occur. "When we visited there was a warning about water quality for some reason so we never actually went swimming, i think it had something to do with bacteria or bugs," mentions one camper at North Higgins Lake State Park Campground.
Tips for camping with families
Halloween events: Multiple campgrounds host special Halloween weekends. "We stayed here last fall for a Halloween weekend. There were a lot of kids, it was pretty full. It was nice of the staff to take us to our site and ask if we needed anything," notes a visitor at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park & Resort at Grayling.
Kid-friendly amenities: Jellystone Park offers numerous activities for children. "This campground has very nice amenities for families. There is a pool, outdoor movies, horseshoes, inflatable blob (kids love the blob), putt putt, sand box, small bikes to rent and a nice store and lodge on site."
Water safety: Shallow entry points exist at several lakes. "The beaches were well maintained and plenty of space to moor boats overnight," reports one camper about South Higgins Lake State Park.
Biking opportunities: Many campgrounds have paved roads for cycling. "Paved roads good for bike riding. Nice and level site. Well maintained grounds, with a fire pit and picnic table," mentions a Hartwick Pines visitor.
Tips from RVers
Hookup locations: Consider hookup positioning when selecting sites. "One bath house the floors were filthy with mud, the other looked like it had just been cleaned. Also, most sites are bare dirt and our water hook up was on the opposite side of the site from the power and sewer hook up so we had to have a hose running across our site."
Full hookup availability: Limited full hookup sites exist at state parks. "There are a few sites with full hook-ups. Some of the sites are difficult to get into once you get up into the trees away from the water front," explains a camper at South Higgins Lake State Park Campground.
Site sizing: Campground maps don't always accurately represent actual site dimensions. "We stayed at the end of August in 2020. It was our first visit. Most of the time it was fine although nothing stands out to me. On our last night, we had trouble with very bad neighbors, and seemingly no one but myself could point it out to them at 1 am."
Power outages: Be prepared for occasional utility interruptions. "They did lose power in the whole park for about 3 hours due to a squirrel chewing through a wire somewhere."
