The Jackson area offers numerous camping options within the 20,000-acre Waterloo Recreation Area and surrounding properties. Located in Michigan's glacial terrain, these campgrounds sit at elevations between 900-1,100 feet and experience average summer temperatures of 75-85°F. Winter camping is available at select locations with temperatures often dropping below freezing from December through February.
What to do
Mountain biking on dedicated trails: Pinckney Recreation Area offers excellent mountain biking opportunities close to the campground. "We loved the trails for Mountain Bikes that are close to the Campsite! They are super fun!!" shares one Bruin Lake Campground visitor.
Kayaking on Green Lake: The smaller lakes provide excellent paddling options for campers. At Green Lake Rustic Campground, a visitor notes, "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."
Disc golf at Portage Lake: The recreation area includes a disc golf course ideal for beginners and intermediate players. "Nice mix of camping & Disc golf. The course is mowed down and easy to navigate. Picnic tables, fire ring, primitive tent sites available!" according to one camper at Portage Lake.
What campers like
Beach access with amenities: Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern offers a well-maintained swimming area with additional facilities. A camper mentions, "The property is very well maintained with a nice park and clean bathrooms...It has a very nice play area for the children and clean bathrooms."
Spacious rustic camping: Holiday RV Campground provides larger sites and natural surroundings. "This campground is family owned and very nicely kept up. It is predominantly all season campers but there are plenty of other spots open for short visits. They have expanded sites recently, newer areas have no trees. Older sites have plenty of shade."
Wildlife viewing: The area's diverse habitats support various wildlife. A winter camper at Portage Lake noted, "There was some wildlife - we were greeted by a deer crossing our path. Cranes, Swans, Geese, and even a Bald Eagle soared by. I also noticed some coyote tracks in the snow as well."
What you should know
Site selection considerations: Site characteristics vary significantly, even within the same campground. At Waterloo Portage Lake Modern, a camper advises, "We stayed for the weekend tent camping, getting to the site was a little crowded (alot of kids on bikes) our site was pavement but had some space to set the tent on the grass. I seen alot of sites with trees for shade."
Lake conditions vary by location: Water quality and swimming conditions differ between lakes. One camper at Portage Lake notes, "The lake is clean enough to swim in," while another mentions, "The beach area is very mucky and dirty. Seaweed just flats around and gets tangled around your legs and arms all the time."
Seasonal differences in availability: Campgrounds can be either crowded or nearly empty depending on timing. "Nice campground with lots of sites, after the weekend we had half the place to our selfs," reports one Portage Lake camper.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Apple Creek Campground offers dedicated facilities for children. "This is a well kept campground that has lots of trees (shady sites) and some nice amenities for kids. There is a pool and a volleyball area as well as a playground."
Weekend activities: Many campgrounds schedule regular events for families. "We have been coming here for years. We like to stay in the north campground because most of the sites are black topped. Lake is down the hill from the campground. It has a nice beach! Our grandkids love the play area!" notes a Portage Lake visitor.
Bike-friendly loops: Several campgrounds have internal roads suitable for children's biking. At Waterloo Sugarloaf Modern, one camper observed, "They rode bikes around the loop and loved swimming and the playground. Facilities were nice and clean and many sites had trees to give shade at certain times of day."
Tips from RVers
Site spacing varies: Greenwood Acres Family Campground has different setups for different needs. "Sites are very close and stacked on top of each other," notes one camper, while at Hideaway RV Park, another mentions, "Spots had plenty of room, some had grass others had concrete."
Winter RV camping: For cold-weather camping, Portage Lake offers year-round access. A winter camper in an rPod notes, "The best part of this campsite was the fact that it was paved! It was so easy setting up and tearing down. No mud, muck, or dirt...We had a great view of Portage Lake from our rPod window."
Dump station availability: Not all campgrounds offer this amenity. At Ted Ranch Campground, a visitor points out, "There is a dump station for one at a time," while noting that some nearby campgrounds lack this feature entirely.
