Best Dispersed Camping near Kent City, MI

Several free dispersed camping options exist within the Huron-Manistee National Forest near Kent City, Michigan. Sand Road Primitive Rustic Camping requires all-wheel drive and good ground clearance to access, with multiple campers noting the sandy terrain can be challenging for vehicles. The area offers riverside camping and various site sizes. Fires are permitted, but no facilities are available. A camper noted, "There are fire pits and lots of wood to collect."

Sawkaw Lake, located near Bitely, provides lakefront dispersed camping with vault toilets. The sites are spacious but relatively close together. Recent reports indicate potential regulation changes, with one visitor mentioning "signs on the sites saying permit required, but no info for that purpose." Other options include Neil's Secret Spot and Spruce Road Pulloff, both offering free primitive camping with drive-in access. Coyote activity has been reported at some sites, so appropriate precautions are advised. According to a visitor, "When camping here you may be in coyote territory, and they don't seem to like it."

Best Dispersed Sites Near Kent City, Michigan (4)

    1. Sand Road Primitive Rustic Camping

    8 Reviews
    Whitehall, MI
    30 miles

    "Coordinates took me to a parking area that was blocked off and marked private property. I parked a ways down from this spot and just hiked in and camped."

    "There looks like there are trails off of the parking lot. No signs that say no overnight parking. I'm in a van and this worked great for me. Quiet area and right off the lake."

    2. Sawkaw Lake

    6 Reviews
    Bitely, MI
    38 miles
    Website

    "It was a great little dispersed camping spot. Brand new vaulted toilet, lake view and deep forest all around. Easy access to North Country Trail. Loved it!"

    "Found several spots around Sawkaw Lake, to include Little Half Moon Lake which is right next to it. Nice and quite."

    3. Neil's Secret Spot

    1 Review
    Baldwin, MI
    46 miles
    +1 (352) 480-8860

    "No outhouse yet but town is near. This is just down the road from Leverentz SpR."

    4. Spruce Road Pulloff Dispersed

    1 Review
    Baldwin, MI
    43 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 775-2421
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Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Kent City, MI

12 Photos of 4 Kent City Campgrounds


Dispersed Camping Reviews near Kent City, MI

15 Reviews of 4 Kent City Campgrounds


  • Degen G.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 13, 2025

    Sand Road Primitive Rustic Camping

    Great area to explore

    Coordinates took me to a parking area that was blocked off and marked private property. I parked a ways down from this spot and just hiked in and camped. Very good area for those interested in back country camping and primitive camping, lots of forest to explore. There are also quite a few drive in sites as well for car camping. There was running water in a creek south of Sand Road.

  • J
    Aug. 1, 2025

    Sand Road Primitive Rustic Camping

    Wrong Location

    The coordinates lead you to a state that park if it is off sand road or Russell road it’s 30 minutes out for where coordinates are. Struggled to find any primitive camping anywhere nearby.

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 23, 2021

    Sand Road Primitive Rustic Camping

    Nice spot for van camping

    The directions take you to a parking lot. There looks like there are trails off of the parking lot. No signs that say no overnight parking. I'm in a van and this worked great for me. Quiet area and right off the lake.

  • J
    May. 24, 2025

    Sand Road Primitive Rustic Camping

    Great Campsite, but couldn’t stay overnight.

    Arrived to the campsite around 5pm, everything was fantastic. Fire pit, and large open, wooded area all to ourselves. We loved it. However, once we got a fire lit, and the sunlight started to leave for the night we heard a pack of coyotes nearby. Deciding to press on, we shrugged it off hoping this was just a one off. 3 hours later, we hear them again. Only, this time we could tell they were even closer. We decided to head to the car and reevaluate our plan, but decided to stay a little longer before calling it quits. Not 30 mins later, the coyotes were back again, but even closer. They were less than 100 yards away from us, and we had no choice but to stay in our tent, and wait for them to pass while holding our protection in hand. We decided it was time to pack up and leave this time.

    Please be aware, when camping here you may be in coyote territory, and they don’t seem to like it. So, maybe not a great spot for kids, or smaller pets.

  • FThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2021

    Sawkaw Lake

    It's quite deep in the forest

    Was planning on staying at Highbank Campground but it was closed. Thankfully had the Dyrt App to see this spot.

    It was a great little dispersed camping spot. Brand new vaulted toilet, lake view and deep forest all around. Easy access to North Country Trail.

    Loved it!

  • L
    May. 26, 2025

    Sand Road Primitive Rustic Camping

    If you can get there, fantastic

    This spot is wonderful, but boy howdy does it live up to its name. If you do not have AWD and good ground clearance, don’t even try to get there.

  • Jay D.
    Jun. 10, 2022

    Sawkaw Lake

    Little Half Moon Lake

    Found several spots around Sawkaw Lake, to include Little Half Moon Lake which is right next to it. Nice and quite. Depending on the spot, there could be some people around, but most the most part, it was pretty tranquil. There are even some hike paths around the area.

  • Ileene R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Sawkaw Lake

    Peaceful

    There are signs on the sites saying permit required, but no info for that purpose. No one else had them so I stayed. May be ramping up to making it a paid site, toilet is nice. Lake has boat access. There are fire rings and lots of wood to collect. Not tons of trash but I cleaned up some left in fire pit.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Sawkaw Lake

    Doesn't exist and says "no camping"

    We went down the path and it says to make it right when there's no road that goes to the right. We drove three and a half hours to get here and now we've got to figure out where we're going to stay for the night. And the only spot that looked like a campable spot says no camping. There's a stake in the ground that says it.


Guide to Kent City

Dispersed camping near Kent City, Michigan offers varied terrain from pine forest to lakeside settings within the Huron-Manistee National Forest. The forest spans nearly one million acres across Michigan's Lower Peninsula, with elevation changes minimal but terrain varying from sandy to densely wooded. Winter camping requires preparation as temperatures regularly drop below freezing from November through March.

What to do

Lakeside recreation: Campsites near Sawkaw Lake provide direct lake access. "There are even some hike paths around the area," notes a visitor to Sawkaw Lake.

Forest exploration: The national forest offers extensive hiking opportunities. "Very good area for those interested in back country camping and primitive camping, lots of forest to explore," reports a visitor to Sand Road Primitive Rustic Camping.

Wildlife viewing: Wildlife sightings are common throughout the forest, though some require caution. At Little Half Moon Lake near Sawkaw Lake, one camper mentioned, "Nice and quite. Depending on the spot, there could be some people around, but most the most part, it was pretty tranquil."

What campers like

Solitude options: Weekday camping provides more isolation at many dispersed sites. "On a Tuesday, not a person around. Might change by Friday," reports a Sawkaw Lake visitor about the lakeside camping experience.

Spacious campsites: Neil's Secret Spot offers a quiet location with more privacy. The site manager notes, "This is my spot. Tents are welcome if you're in a jam. No outhouse yet but town is near."

Water features: Many sites offer proximity to lakes or streams. At Sand Road, a camper mentioned, "There was running water in a creek south of Sand Road," providing a natural water feature for filtering or recreation.

What you should know

Vehicle requirements: Sandy terrain limits access to many sites. "If you do not have AWD and good ground clearance, don't even try to get there," warns a Sand Road camper about the challenging approach.

Facilities limitations: Most dispersed sites lack amenities. At Spruce Road Pulloff Dispersed, a visitor noted, "Access to meadow is blocked but enough room to pull safely off the road. No fire ring. Bullet casings present."

Regulation changes: Some areas may have changing permit requirements. At Sawkaw Lake, a recent visitor observed, "Not a lot of privacy between sites, but they are very large so you don't feel on top of another and having the lake right there was nice."

Tips for camping with families

Site selection: Choose larger sites for family camping. "Perfect for big families or even solo camp! Spots big and small plenty to choose from," reports a visitor about the varied camping options at Sand Road.

Navigation challenges: Verify coordinates before traveling with families. One visitor to Sawkaw Lake noted, "We went down the path and it says to make it right when there's no road that goes to the right. We drove three and a half hours to get here and now we've got to figure out where we're going to stay."

Seasonal planning: Summer offers most reliable family camping conditions. "Brand new vaulted toilet, lake view and deep forest all around. Easy access to North Country Trail," notes a Sawkaw Lake camper about the available facilities.

Tips from RVers

Site accessibility: RV access varies significantly between dispersed sites. "You can get RVs in there but will need 4x4. Hits the name. Sand Rd," explains a visitor to Sand Road about the challenging terrain.

Van camping options: Some areas work better for smaller recreational vehicles. "The directions take you to a parking lot. There looks like there are trails off of the parking lot. No signs that say no overnight parking. I'm in a van and this worked great for me," reports a camper at Sand Road about the parking situation.

Road conditions: Forest service roads deteriorate seasonally. Near Spruce Road Pulloff, "Road was very quiet midweek," notes a camper about the traffic conditions on forest roads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Kent City, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Kent City, MI is Sand Road Primitive Rustic Camping with a 3.9-star rating from 8 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Kent City, MI?

TheDyrt.com has all 4 dispersed camping locations near Kent City, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.