Looking for an adventure where you can explore Lake City and then fall asleep in your tent? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Lake City with tent camping. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
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
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
Nestled among mature pines, this tipi feels like it's at the end of civilization Within 40 miles of Traverse city, Cadillac or Grayling, and closer to smaller towns, you have plenty of acces to all the fun things. Situated in the center of the north country, there are lakes and trails in every direction, waiting for you to come and explore. This is a totally rustic site, so you will need to be familiar with digging a cathole, at this time there is no toilet facilities. This is camping.
Your site here at the Prairie Tipi is about half way back to the edge of the property line, making you just about center of 40 acres. You will be in the pine forest, so be sure to bring bug spray, as the mosquitoes in particular have no respect for the fact that our guests would prefer to remain un-bitten. Otherwise, the wildlife here is pretty non-threatening. There are occasionally deer that share the pathways or bed down under the pines, now and then a fox or raccoon will come to check you out, but they will stay at a distance. In all, wild things are pretty shy, and if you get a glimpse of them you can consider yourself fortunate.
$20 - $40 / night
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
Among private secluded 5 acres along the Clam river, we offer several tent sites for campers or travelers.
$30 - $40 / night
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
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.
Traveler
We enjoyed our tent camping 4-day experience at this wonderful, clean, & friendly place.
ScoutThis was a great place to camp! Spot was on the lake, had plenty of spots to park an RV or tent camp, and had a playground for kids. Would recommend!
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!
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.
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.
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!!!
Ranger
Short backpacking walk to this no-reservations rustic campsite. You need a backcountry permit and there’s usually a small fee. Lovely forested secluded tent sites. There’s only one or two fire pits, but going there is a nice way to meet your neighbors (only 2 other groups when I was there in April). Sites aren’t too sandy and are pretty shady. Follow bear rules!!
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.
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
Ranger
Location location location! If you're looking for a campground that's just across the street from the beach located on Traverse a City Bay, this is it! While campsites are somewhat cramped, showers and stalls are fairly clean and well kept, as are the sites in general. Very convenient to stores, restaurants and night life downtown. I've never been to a campground that felt like you were in the woods near the beach, was quiet, yet nearly in the middle of a bustling town! Sites for tent camping, partial and full hook up. Walking distance to restaurants and stores.
Guide
the sites are sandy and surrounded by tall pines and ferns. some biting flies, especially near river (late june). multiple vault toilets and one water pump. sites are spacious enough for small campers and walk/boat-in tent sites are great and have their own vault toilets and pump (though they are less shaded and a little more open than the forest sites). there's a river trail to walk and parking for the walk/boat-to sites. there's an ORV trail nearby and the road can get noisy from that. otherwise quiet and cozy.
GuideIt’s a well kept campground with plenty of sites. They are RV ready as well as tent camp ready. It may not be right on the water but across the street is close enough; there is a nice bridge to walk over the road so you don’t have to stop for traffic. The restrooms are clean and very capable for busy season. Behind the campground is a wonderful bike trail that goes all the way up the Lelenau Peninsula.
The only issue we had was when I had to get a jump for my car and the DNR staff there was not very helpful. Other than that, it is a wonderful location!
Guide
This is a very large campground that is usually full during the summer. There is no shortage of activities here: a small pond/beach, pool, jumping pillow, dodgeball, bike trails, ATV trails, crafts, parades, etc. It's great for the active family, particularly those with elementary & middle school age kids. It can be rather loud at times. There are some seasonal sites, a small "village" of tiny houses, yurts, and a lot of RV/tent sites. The location is good, as it can be a good jumping off point to explore Traverse City and the surrounding area. This definitely isn't a campground for people who like quiet and solitude, but if this is your style of camping, it's a great place.
Scout
We tent camped here for a week, we are people who love the quiet the rustic and the simple when it comes to camping and this place checked those boxes. centrally located for hiking in the national forest or fishing and not far for a beach day, the $24 a night felt well spent.
The little manistee river is down a small ridge along the backside of the campground, by the group site there is kayak and canoe launch. Vault toilets clean and serviced daily and seriously the silence at night when there was strangely no wind, no bugs, pure silence outside, was amazingly eerie. We also heard a wolf pack howling multiple nights.
Absolutely would stay again. If you want to throw down and be loud or need a lot of amenities this isnt for you
GuideWe came to this campground on a very busy weekend for camping and we made a reservation online just in case they were all full, but they do have a self-serve drop box if you don't have a reservation. The walk-in tent sites were gorgeous, very hidden away in the trees, and 2 sites are literally right next to the river. The drive-in sites are close together but surrounded by trees so it gives you some privacy. Host camp has flushing toilets next to it, ice/wood available, and can make change for you. Vault toilets are available every few sites. Over run with caterpillars, not sure what kind but they were everywhere. We went across the street to rent a Canoe and float the Pine River. Great location.
Guide
First let me start with saying it was ok for what we needed the campground for. We stayed 4 days in total, 3 of the 4 days we were elsewhere. Site 25 was a large site that fit my 36’ TT and my brother-in-laws very large tent on with plenty of room (very deep site). Campground allows for multiple vehicles and multiple units on site (TT + tent). We had a total of 10 in our party plus 2 small toy dogs. Upon arriving, I did not realize the dump station was outside the campground as we came from the opposite direction and filled my water tank by the bathroom from the water faucet using my hose. The park does not have paved roads but is level and no pot-holes.
Upon arriving to my site, site was dirty, trash all over site and trash dumped in fire pit (old tire rim, above ground and moveable). After setting up and cleaning our site, kids took out our fishing magnet and found rusted nails (6 in total along with some unknown rusted metal shards) by where we parked our TT.
Playground is outdated but still functional, beach was somewhat clean (some trash here and there), pavilion at the beach had lost items placed in front of it, mostly sand inside of pavilion. The swimming area has a sign posted in front stating the water is not checked (for bacteria) so swim at your risk.
Just outside the park is 2 more pavilions that can be rented and looks like a wooden white movie screen so if you have a throw projector you can do a popup movie here. Also there is frisbee golf on the outskirts of the baseball diamond along with a bunch of hiking trails
Now my feelings and thoughts of our stay. We were parked next to some party people. We are a dry family and not condoning drinking but Friday and Saturday it was a large party place until almost 3am on Saturday. Neighbors had half the campground at their site (so it seemed to us) including the camp Manager but the loudness was very unappealing and disruptive to us especially my brother-in-law family who was camping in a tent and could not filter out the loud noise. Our site was very dirty, with trash and nails everywhere. The host was a nice person but if checkout is 11am and checkin is at 4pm, the host should have cleaned the sites from trash (we literally filled a meijers grocery bag with trash). I was upset about the nails but to be honest, he could of not known unless he ran a magnet through the site.
We are strong believers of leaving our site better then before we arrive.
Traveler
A great campground about 20 min south of gaylord, on otsego lake, as with most michigan state parks they have nicely taken care of campsites and easy access to bathrooms, the beach from our site was a little bit of a hike but there was easy access to the lake via stairs, electrical is available and there was a good combination of rvs and tents so all are welcome, they offer actinities for kids on the weekends, and they usually have holiday happenings
TravelerThis campground is located on a great access point for canoeing and kayaking.
It has pit toilets and really good tasting well water you have to pump yourself.
It was very quiet when i visited. The sites are on a bit of a hilly space that makes them feel more private
You can fit an rv in these spaces. Although it's well above water level my neighbor did have their tent flooded during rain. Maybe a better set up could work better though.
Lots of fire kindling and no worries on wild fire.. it's michigan dont cha know
GuideWhile I typically prefer more rustic camping, this was a fantastic and easy way to enjoy Traverse City. The campground was very family oriented and offered plenty of amenities - power outlets, bathrooms (including showers). The camp sites were large and spacious (we fit 3 tents on one) with a picnic table and fire pit. While we didn't have time, the campground is located directly across the street from Lake Michigan. There is a pedestrian bridge for easy crossing.
I'd highly suggesting bringing your bicycles. There is a paved path right from the campground into downtown TC (about 20-30 min ride). You avoid parking and have access to the fantastic food and breweries in town.
If you're looking to for more of a more rustic, nature-oriented camping experience this may not be the best option for you. You could hears the cars from the road and the airplanes started flying overhead at 7am sharp.
Traveler
Needed a tent sight for 3 pup tents motorcycle camping. Nice quiet secluded campground in the woods. Nice clean baths and showers. $25 for tent $35 RVs pull threw.
Traveler
We tented at this campground. Good location, decent bathrooms.
Ranger
My 1st experience with Tentrr convinced me that this is the way to have my own private oasis! Upon arrival at Pine Meadows, we followed the short red bark path through the trees to our cabin tent, which was next to a lovely meadow and near a small pond. Heidi, the property owner briefly stopped by to welcome us and assure us that she was available by text for any needs we might have- yet, Heidi said the property was ours for the duration, and we wouldn’t see her unless necessary. Wow! This was such a cool experience! We felt like we had our own personal pond, meadow, and cabin tent! The cabin tent comfortably sleeps three in regular mattresses. I believe there is a cot available. Nearby is a large tent that will sleep four more people. A picnic table and Adirondack chairs are next to the firepit. Heidi has many yard games available, such as cornhole and badminton, making this a great location for families. There is a spot among the pine trees with a large fairy display and little hide-aways for kids. Honesty, I can’t wait to bring my grandchildren to this! The nearby town, Interlochen, is minutes away and has a grocery store, a few restaurants, and a nationally famous music camp. Within driving distance is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which National Geographic rated as one of the best 21 beaches in the world. My hubby and I camp a lot, and in addition to the positives mentioned above, we truly LOVED NOT HAVING AN OVERLOADED CAR! We didn’t need to pack a tent, bedding(we paid the extra$10 for their bedding- totally worth it!); nor did we need a tent and chairs! We actually had room in the car this trip! Yes, Tentrr costs more than a regular campsite; however, you get the privacy and convenience of Glamping! Totally, worth it!
ScoutSite we were on was huge. We fit 2 campers and 2 tents comfortably. Quiet campground.
Nestled in the heart of Michigan, Lake City offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a serene escape. With beautiful landscapes and well-maintained facilities, these campgrounds provide the perfect backdrop for your next adventure.
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