Are you planning a tent camping trip to Huron-Manistee National Forests? We've got you covered. With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Huron-Manistee National Forests campgrounds for you and your tent. 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.
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/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html
$15 / night
The campground is under township management
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
$25 / night
Timber Creek Campground The campground is located near a small impoundment, however the impoundment is not a popular site for fishing. The busiest use is the North Country National Scenic Trail trailhead located in the campground. In the winter this site is plowed and provides access to the Ward Hills Snowmobile Trail. ORV use is prohibited in the campground.
$10 / night
This rustic campground is nestled along the banks of Hopkins Creek surrounded by a tall evergreen forest. It is a favorite spot among trout anglers. The campground shares an access road with Hopkins Creek Equestrian State Forest Campground and Trail Camp; however, horses are not allowed to camp or be in the campground area. There are 7 sites for tent and small trailer use. One of the campsites is a walk-in site. 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 5.5 miles north of Arlene via M-42 and Lucas Road. Sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations.
$15 / night
Gleasons Landing is a very popular campground on the banks of the Pere Marquette River. With a selection of shaded and secluded spots, the campground is perfect for peaceful nature immersion. The Pere Marquette River was designated a National Scenic River in 1978, the first in Michigan, and it regularly attracts many canoeing, kayaking and fishing enthusiasts. The 66-mile stretch of river begins east of Baldwin and empties into Lake Michigan at Ludington.
A major draw to the campground is world-class fishing. The free flowing river maintains large populations of resident brown trout, steelhead and salmon. Gleason Landing marks the start of a zone for fly fishing and catch and release only. Reel fishing is available upstream. A boat ramp is located within the campground. Canoeing and kayaking is very popular on the river, and boat rentals are available in Baldwin. A permit is required to float the river from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Trails along the river provide shore access for anglers and short, scenic nature walks for hikers.
The campground sits on a bluff overlooking the picturesque Pere Marquette River. It is surrounded by a mix of white pine and oak trees. The Huron-Manistee National Forests encompass a million acres throughout the northern portion of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. The forests provide recreation opportunities for visitors, habitat for fish and wildlife and resources for local industry.
A trailhead for the North Country National Scenic Trail is a short drive away. The trail extends from New York to North Dakota, spanning 4,600 miles.
$30 - $90 / night
Traveler
Rustic Federal campground on a 33 acre lake in the Huron Manistee National Forest. Perfect for taking out the kayaks for some fishing!
LegendIn the Huron-Manistee National Forest is this rustic campground. The sites are really big and spread out. They are split between 2 loops. The first loop was almost filled so we checked the second one and found a site away from others. It felt like we were alone until we took a walk around the campground. Picnic table, fire pit and lantern stand are standard. Paved spots for rv’s with plenty of room for tents. Vault toilets are spread throughout. There is even a parking area for visitors.
We walked down the short trail to see the lake. The trail goes partially along the lake but it’s not very long. We saw 2 piers- one had a jet ski tied to it. Camp was quiet enough to hear the tree fall just outside our campsite. Would it still make a noise if we weren’t here?
This is a peaceful discovery that is perfect for a getaway.
Legend
Campground Review:
Nestled in a private spot on the Leelanau Peninsula on the 45th north parallel and just a couple miles from Lake Leelanau (west) and Suttons Bay (east) beach, marina, and village is this quiet RV and tent campground.
While trees line the perimeter and are speckled throughout the campground, all of the RV sites are completely open to the sun, making it an RV parking lot with grass. Each RV site comes with water and electrical hook-ups and many with sewer hook-ups as well. While most RV campgrounds have centralized bathrooms with flush toilets, sinks, and showers, this one is lacking those amenities.
The tent camping area has 10 sites, is nestled in the trees, with a picnic table and fire ring at each site. In addition, there are 2 rustic cabins and 1 yurt nestled among the tent sites for those who aren’t interested in roughing it as much. There is a one pit toilet, a unique “tent shower,” and a central fresh water spigot for campers and those staying in the cabins.
There are 2 man-made ponds in the middle of the RV section of the campground, which sadly act more as mosquito breeding grounds than they do for water activities as they are quite small. There is also a new driving range above the campground for the golfers in the group.
The best part of this campground is its location. It is just a couple miles from either Suttons Bay and Lake Leelanau, and within walking/biking distance of 2 local wineries (Forty-Five North and Aurora), nice restaurants, and great backroads that are off the beaten path and away from nearly all traffic. The Forty-Five North Vineyard and Winery has a great walking/mountain biking trail in addition to a nice selection of very accessible wines, a great atmosphere, and super friendly staff! Hang out on their porch or play cornhole and bocce ball while you enjoy a glass of wine and a cheese plate.
Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I was able to test the Rapid & Backwoods sunglasses by Optic Nerve. After a day of cycling and wine tasting, we took our sea kayaks out to Suttons Bay and spent the day kayaking around the bay.
What I like most about these glasses:
· Lightweight (poly carbonate materials) but seem very durable.
· Great price for high quality glasses. I usually buy cheap glasses because I tend to lose them or break them, but these are well-worth the extra $10-15 for quality glasses.
· Polarized lenses with 100% UVA/UVB protection. Perfect for water sports such as sea kayaking, sailing, etc.
· Different shapes/lines work well for various sports or simply for everyday. I chose the Rapid sunglasses for use on the water and the Backwoods style for cycling/running.
· Lifetime warranty!
Some of the things I wish these glasses had:
· It would be great if these came with a protective case with the Optic Nerve logo.
Product Link:
https://www.opticnerve.com/collections/mens/products/rapid
https://www.opticnerve.com/collections/mens/products/backwoods
Product Video:
Legend
When you first enter the campground you pass by the Pere Marquette River which is a big draw because it is known for great salmon and trout fishing. The park is located in Scottville which is a tiny town but you are only 15 minutes from the Lake Michigan beach town of Ludington. The campground is fairly small (50 sites) but well laid out and will fit any camping unit from tents to large RVs. There are primitive sites and those with electric, water, cable, picnic tables & fire pits. There is a nice, new bathroom that was kept clean. The campground has a very open feel to it with trees on the outskirts. The openness and warm sunshine was appreciated when we were there in late October and experiencing cooler weather. Campsites are on grass and most were in pretty good shape and not too muddy even though we were there at the end of the camping season.
For a little park, this place has a lot of amenities including swimming pools, convenience store (with ice cream treats for $1), playground, basketball, volleyball, horseshoe pits, fishing, paddling, disc golf, shuffle board, laundry rooms, and clean restrooms. The best part for us was the access to the river for kayaking. There are many nearby rental and livery companies for those that do not have their own watercraft. If you are looking for good hiking trails check out Ludington State Park and the Huron-Manistee National Forest – both of which also have camping. Overall, we really liked this little park. There were just a handful of sites occupied during our stay which made it nice and quiet.
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.
ScoutCanoe in tent camping only. Nice spot to fish or take a cool dip.
Traveler
This campground had a beautiful white sand Lake Michigan beach with turquoise water and very few people swimming. They let you have fires on the beach as well, but they don’t sell firewood. The tent sites were all quite open, but under a nice canopy of shade. You can hear the lake but you can’t see it. The bathrooms were clean and the showers were 25 cents for 5 minutes.
The tent sites did not have electricity and had a soft dirt base that would have been trouble in rain. We didn’t get rain, we spent the majority of our time there at the beach and it’s a 90 minutes drive to Sleeping Bear Dunes which are spectacular.
Traveler
We enjoyed our tent camping 4-day experience at this wonderful, clean, & friendly place.
Guide
Ludington offers sand dunes and several miles of beaches along Lake Michigan with many trails and forested areas. Most camp lots are large and sandy with electric and water hookups. There are also mini cabins for rent if you are not into tent camping. Very well maintained park considering how popular it is.
Guide
Campground was privately owned and seemed to have a mix of weekend campers and full timers living in trailers. The only good part about this campground was how close it was to Ludington and Lake Michigan. Small tent site with water and electric was $35 a night. Small bath house with one shower per male/female.
Scout
We stayed here in June of 2020 and it was definitely my favorite campground, we will be returning in 2021. We tent camped and loved how our site was surrounded by trees. The owners were wonderful as well!
Ranger
Quiet campground with sites quite close to one another. This campground butts up to the heritage trail, which is 20 miles of hiking, biking, walking, or skiing fun. A short walk will get you to Lake Michigan and it’s sandy beach. Each site has a nice picnic table, a designated tent pad (if it’s a tent site) and a fire ring with a grill top. Firewood is available on site for $5/bundle, vault toilets are also available. No shower facilities. Lots and lots of poison ivy! Stay on the paths!! And tIcks! Stay in trails and out of tall grass or weeds. The tent pad is very compacted ground, definitely need a hammer or decent sized rock to pound in the tent stakes, and also definitely bring a sleeping pad or air mat. Tent sites are only $20/night, but you also need a National Park Pass, which is $20/1 week or $40/ 1 year, so be aware of that! Stayed at site 88, seemed to be a slightly more “roomy” site than others, as there were no neighbors behind us. PLUS thIs Is located very near to thw sleepIng bear dunes and natIonal lake shore!
RangerGreat access to dunes, beautiful state and national park. Sites are leveled, cleared and overall very well kept. I liked the tent sites best. Wooded in between most sites.
Scout
This is a good campground. To me, it didn’t stand out that much from others I have been to, but they have a bathhouse with showers and toilets, which is nice. It’s also right next to a nice lake with sand volleyball pits. Good area for hammocking and tent camping.
Traveler
Decent sized and private sites. Clean restrooms, cute camp store. Nice beach and boat ramp. We’ve stayed here several times(both with our 5th wheel and just tent camping) and enjoy it. Staff could use some improvements- can be rude, unprofessional. Nice dog run for my mutts and mini golf course(has basketball, baseball, volleyball courts too). Overall, beautiful park.
Guide
Nice quiet campground when I was there (week after labor day). $27 per tent site. Sites are nice and clean. Bathrooms were basic and clean enough. Short walk to a beautiful beach that you could walk on for miles. There is free, dispersed camping off of different roads around here.
Traveler
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. Can get loud during the day when the trips come in. Other than that.. very quiet. Vault toilet and pump water. Can buy firewood at Bowman's campground. Good amount of trees around to hang hammocks.
Ranger
This is a very well kept up, clean, family campground. It has cabins, RV sites, and tent sites. It’s right by the Pere Marquette River for great fishing, and the campground has a really nice pool if you’re not into swimming in the lakes or river. Very modern, good for parties, events, etc.
GuideGreat campsite with spacious sites not too close to each other. Sites are close to the beach (3-5 min walk). Vault toilets are to be expected. Quiet at night when I was there. Easy access to hiking trails and Glen Arbor. Would stay again! $20 for basic tent site (non-electric).
Scout
Tent sites are right on the river, they have a boat launch with rentals for boats, kayaks, and even a little fishing charter type deal if you'd like. Manistee river is very nice to kayak and go fishing. Great atmosphere, relaxed, everyone seemed to be on the same page while camping there. I look forward to going back here for sure!!!
Traveler
Nice campground with well maintained restroom/shower facilities. The owners were really great hosts! Some tent sites have electric hookups, which is always a must for us. There is a paved trail that runs by the campground, and it's less than a 3 mile walk/bike ride to downtown Frankfort and the lakeshore, which has a ton of things to do.
Scout
We have come to this campground every year since 2020 for a week with our travel trailer. We got lucky to find and opening at an electric site in their schedule and once you're in, you can reserve the same site on the same week the following year. We've had family members stay in tent sites nearby and they loved it.
Traveler
Great site for first time campers or when you want to just get away quickly without having to take lots of equipment and supplies. Nice little camp store and pizza restaurant on site. Great playground, evening activities. Nice mix of electric hook up, R.V. and tent sites. Boat rentals, etc. Great place for a group of families to come camp together. Staff at the campground are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.
Ranger
Great access to the Platte River for canoeing and other water activities as well as the Dunes. Friend had to come here for work at the nearby Fish Hatchery so I joined him. You can visit the hatchery (self-guided free tours), which supplies fish for lots of the popular fishing sites here. Lots of different site options, some of the tent sites are really spread out and private.
Guide
We stayed at the Peterson bridge as part of a kayak trip down the pine river. The tent sites near the river have pit toilets and a water pump available. Up near the camper sites there are flushing toilets and bathrooms with sinks but no showers. During our stay a bear wandered through the camp.
I can’t speak into much about the RV campsite but they looked nice; they had concrete slabs to park on.
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
Guide
We booked three neighboring sites on the interior of the loop for some group tent camping. The sites were generous, clean, grassy, with moderate tree cover. Theres an awesome grass avenue that runs down the middle of the sites in the inner loop, marked off so there are no tents in the area, but it gives you great removal from the campers behind you, and allows for all manner of games (KanJam, cornhole, ladders, etc).
The bathrooms are kept beautifully, there are great pavilions to gather under when it rains (which it did for an entire day of our trip), and the beach is stunning (small, but stunning).
Tent camping near Huron-Manistee National Forests in Michigan offers a blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, making it an ideal getaway for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Huron-Manistee National Forests?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Huron-Manistee National Forests is Leverentz Lake State Forest Campground with a 4.9-star rating from 7 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Huron-Manistee National Forests?
TheDyrt.com has all 47 tent camping locations near Huron-Manistee National Forests, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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