Join the fun near Holton. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Holton is surrounded by family-friendly activities. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Michigan camping adventure.
$10 - $60 / night
"Has a path to the channel with a short walk to Lake Michigan beach. Electric hook up, no water hook up. Site 89 was large and wooded."
"The park/location is a 5. The beaches, the dunes the wildlife, the ice cream shop… but this is a campground review and I’d give that a 3. We had a blast tons of kids everywhere."
"We explored the area while camping at nearby Pines Point campground."
"The campground is clean, but very small spaces for each site. Water and electric are available. The grounds are very peaceful."
"Wonderful trails for hiking. Lots of activities. We will definitely come back. A little pricey."
"The Allendale KOA is a perfect spot for GR residents looking to have a nice camping getaway without having to drive out too far."
"The clean restrooms and full-service showers were a highlight, offering a comfortable and convenient experience after a long day of outdoor activities."
$15 / night
"We chose a site on the Big Lake. There are also a few sites on the Litte Lake.
The sites include a picnic table and fire ring. We had plenty of room between sites."
"the big lake unit has large sites with lake views and 2 vault toilets. the little lake unit has small sites, 1 vault toilet, some lake views, some views of nearby houses (more mosquitos at the time too"
$30 - $90 / night
"Tent camping only. Four family sites and two group sites. Hard to get a reservation on the weekends. Campground is at the end of a canoe/kayak company's trip. "
"All sites are "walk to" from the parking lot. Overlooks the Pere Marquette river and has a small sandy shore where you can get into the water to cool off or do some fishing."
RangerThere is something for everyone here. Tent, camper, or RV and fun for all ages with everything from 3 playgrounds, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and tennis courts, to a boat launch, fishing pier, and fish cleaning station. There is also a fairly large swimming area. The showers are actually nice and clean! The restrooms were surprisingly clean and modern as well. Firewood is available in bundles or loose and you stack it yourself. There are numerous picnic areas throughout the campground. There are picnic tables and fire rings at every site and hook up such as electric and water vary. Kids are riding their bikes all over, fishing, playing at playgrounds, the beach, everywhere. Everyone was very friendly. You probably don’t necessarily need a sleeping pad or air mat if you’re in a tent, but they’re always nice. The mosquitos weren’t bad at all! We stayed at site #226. You do need a county park pass, $6/day until 10pm or $25/year.
RangerGo to the beach for the day, but don't camp here. The sites were on top of each other and there was no privacy. There was only one bathroom for the entire campground meaning that only 3 stalls were offered for all of the women. Because there is only one bathroom and it isn't in the middle of the campground, it is a long walk for most of the campers. The showers were nice, but the bathroom could use an upgrade.
All of the sites were sandy with no shade. Traveling on bike meant having few comfort items. We really could have used a tree or some other shade after a long day of touring, but there was no shade at the site or anywhere nearby. Most folks had awnings on their campers. I could see how having a camper or RV (or even a car) would make the experience more enjoyable, but still I would not choose to return here.
It is not a tent friendly site because the tent gets blown off the sand. Sandy sites make it difficult to stake down a tent. We went on a particularly windy day and the gear we had was not enough to hold down the tent. I ended up going to bed at 7:30pm just to keep the tent from blowing away.
There was wifi, but it hardly worked at the site. The beach was decent, but nothing any more impressive than anywhere else on the lake. If you have the opportunity to stay somewhere other than here, go there instead. I was shocked that so many people would pay so much for such a pathetic campground. If you are paying to stay at a Michigan State Park, find yourself a better one!
I intended on taking pictures, but was so unimpressed I completely forgot.
GuideAn easy walk from the designated parking spots by the maintenance area, but I chose to bike. The road was sandy in spots but manageable. Sites contain a fire ring and picnic table. Two clean vault toilets. Signs said the well was closed; not sure if that was seasonal or permanent. Site F was good for hammocking. Walked to the lighthouse for sunset and was not disappointed. There’s a trail from the campground up over a dune to Lake Michigan.
RangerCAMPGROUND REVIEW
Ludington State Park has several spots to camp. The Cedars Campground was one of three open this time of year. There is a great tent only section of this campground and if you can't get into the hike in sites at the Jack Pine Campground, Cedars is your next best option.
Sites back up to the woods with large berms which is nice especially if you like to jump right in and explore and for privacy. There are about 12 tent sites at this lcoation. It also has a nice general store close by as well as a nice Bathroom area with large clean restrooms and showers.
It is also a centrally located spot with nice hikes to Lake Michiganto the west and an large network of trails around several lakes and an light house to the east and north. The campground also sits next to the river that connects Hamlin Lake and Lake Michigan. A great spot to fish or enjoy an evening hike.
It won't be the most private spot you will ever camp but it is a great spot with lots of options.
PRODUCT REVIEW
As a Ranger for The Dyrt I get products to test and review. At Ludington State Park I tested Mountain House Meals.
The Mountain House Meals are a great and easy way to have a great dinner while camping or backpacking. Easy to make it is a meal that all you have to do is add boiling water to the freeze dried packet of food. I tried the lasagna with meat sauce and Chicken Fajita Bowl and they were both very tasty.
The one thing I would keep in mind is that you need to make sure you notice how many servings are listed on the outside of the bag. When it says 2 servngs feel free to share with a fellow camper. Even after a long day of hiking it was a little too much for one sitting.
It was easy to make!
They taste great!
Lots of different option for meals!
I will be revieiwng other flavors, as I go.
GuideThere are two campgrounds in the park - The Channel Campground & the Lake Michigan campground. We stayed at the Channel Campground two years ago. It's right on the channel from Muskegon Lake to Lake Michigan, so you have walking access to both lakes. The campsites were VERY close together. It was actually the first thing we noticed as soon as we pulled through the gate. Campsites have a paved parking pad, fire ring, electrical hookup, and picnic table. Restroom & shower facilities were relatively clean & well maintained. You'll probably have to wait for the showers, but that's pretty typical.
Overall, the campground was just average. If you don't like being close to your neighbors, I'd recommend staying at the Lake Michigan campground in the same park. Larger sites & tons of shade.
TravelerLudington State Park - Jack Pine camp had everything. A very pleasant drive into the state park - with many places to access the beach.
Check-in and parking for camping was easy and the price was reasonable. Easy hike to Jack Pine and it was easy to find my campsite.
Campsite has well designated corner marker boundaries with plenty of room to pitch a tent and several hammock options. Each site has a solid fire pit and picnic table. Plenty of tree cover for shade. Toilets are close and clean.
The hike to the lighthouse was easy and the lighthouse was picturesque. Great access to the beach and again toilets were close and clean.
LegendIf you like to camp in a parking lot, like Walmart or Cracker Barrel, you will love this lake side campground- it's a parking lot!
PROS
Toilet/shower facilities very clean
2 bars TMOBILE
Walking distance to Lake Michigan
Rangers strictly enforced beach closure each evening- lots of sirens.
CONS
Pricy state park camping at $53/night for full hook up
$8 Fee to make on-line reservations
Since out of state, we had to purchase a $39 Michigan State Park Permit in addition to paying for campsite
No senior or veteran discount
Campground is one big asphalt parking lot with painted lines to delineate each site. Absolutely no privacy from any other campsite.
Camping is slammed together as tow vehicles have to be parked next to camper/RV insufficient space to park in front of camper/RV
Must check-in before going to campground even with on-line reservation and payment in full
3pm check-in was strictly enforced--there was quite a line of RVs backed up at 230pm. Once registration opened it took us 20 minutes to register.
Needed plumbers tape to connect hose to site water faucet
Waist high weeds behind campsites
No shade and most of time too windy to deploy awning
No security gate closure overnight.
Anyone can drive through or walk in from the beach.
Lots of drive thrus by non campers
No campfire rings or lantern poles at campsites
Lots of campfire debris dumped behind campsites from those who bring their own fire pit and charcoal grills
Site 396 not level
No park WIFI
GuideClean, shady campground with easy access to Lake Michigan beach. We stayed at site 50A right across from the steps down to the beach. There was no privacy, but it was a large corner lot with both water and trash steps away. Bath house had nice, clean individual showers and seperate multi stall restrooms. We have t mobile and had cell service at our site, but there is no wifi.
GuideWe live in Kalamazoo and wanted a quick trip out in the tent for a long weekend. We chose the park for it's proximity to home and because of nearby kayak/canoe launches. We enjoy rustic camping and were a little let down with the lack of seclusion on each site (that's to be expected when car camping but the photos and website left us hopeful for more space than was offered). The sites are deep but many are close together. Ours had a little extra room but was next to the vault toilet. There are a few trails in the park that are pleasant and the views of the lake are nice. The staff at the time wasn't very helpful when we asked for nearby hikes. They only knew of a paved trail but on our way out of town we met a couple who told us of many river trails and other hikes nearby. Overall it's a decent place to stay. Personally, I don't find it worth it to have vault toilets and no shower if I'm still going to be in a fairly cramped campground. I'd prefer that they have hike-in sites or offer the amenities of car camping.
Tent camping near Holton, Michigan offers a variety of experiences, from serene natural settings to family-friendly amenities, making it a great choice for outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Holton, MI is South Channel Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 14 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 32 tent camping locations near Holton, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
