Camping cabins near Mackinac Island are the charming alternative to a tent or a yurt. Find the best information on cabin camping near Mackinac Island, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. You're sure to find the perfect cabin rental for your Michigan camping adventure.
Wilderness State Park, located just 11 miles west of Mackinaw City, is home to 26 miles of beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline, 20-plus miles of trails, a designated swimming and pet-friendly beach and unique camping opportunities. The park is also a designated dark sky preserve offering stellar views of the sky and is just 9 miles from Headlands Dark Sky Park (an Emmet County park).
Mackinac Island is the most spectacular destination in Michigan, and this KOA is a perfect location to stay. KOA offers great camping near Mackinac Island and Free shuttles to island ferries available. Mackinaw Campgrounds nature trail connects to a paved trail into Mackinaw City, where you can explore Colonial Michilimackinac and Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. Or continue on the North Western State Trail for miles of hiking/biking. Rent a bike from KOA or bring your own. Use this KOA as a base camp for an easy trip across the Mackinac Bridge to Tahquamenon Falls, Soo Locks and Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on Lake Superior. Take a scenic drive through Tunnel of Trees. You're less than 2 miles from a Lake Michigan beach. After sightseeing, head back to KOA to enjoy the heated pool and a campfire. There are sites for everyone: pull thrus/full hookups, pop-ups, tents and Cabins. Cable TV/Wi-Fi available at sites. Pool: Memorial Weekend - Labor Day Weekend. Max pull thru: 70 feet.
Petoskey State Park began its service as a public recreation area in 1934 as the Petosky Bathing Beach. Prior to that, the area was privately owned by a local tanning company. Located on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, Poetoskey camping is a 300-acre park is popular for its mile-long sand beach and forested campgrounds. Within the park are nearly 3.5 miles of walking, hiking, and biking trails that wander among the park’s wooded dunes. Summer months bring out scores of sunbathers, swimmers, paddlers, boaters and water skiers. The nearby towns of Petoskey and Harbor Springs offer a variety of local arts and crafts shops, cafes and charming Victorian architecture.
The two campgrounds at Petoskey State Park offer 180 tent and RV sites situated among shady woods near the lakeshore. The Dunes Campground, on the north end of the park, has 80 smaller sites suitable for tent campers, while the Tannery Creek Campground, on the south end of the park, has 100 larger sites ideal for RVs and trailers. Each site is equipped with picnic tables, fire pits and electrical hookups, and there are restrooms, showers and drinking water available in both campgrounds; a dump station is located near the park entrance. Other park amenities include a picnic area, beach house and concession stand. Dogs are permitted, but must remain leashed. Seasonal campsite rates range from $33–$37/night, plus park entrance fee.
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
$27 / 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
$30 - $34 / night
Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping features cabins and sites for all types of campers. From modest supersaver sites (for those on a budget) up to large RV sites (sewer, water & 50 amp electric), Mill Creek campground has it all. From beautiful basic cabins, up to 3-bedroom, 2-story loft cabins with bathrooms. Over 200 acres of woods and a mile of shoreline, viewing the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge. Voted one of Michigan's top family friendly destinations by the Detroit News. A favorite vacation spot for thousands of summer visitors to the Mackinaw area for over 50 years!
$16 - $50 / 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
This spectacular KOA is located in beautiful Northwest Michigan. The park is rated #1 in Michigan by Trailer Life and it is among the highest rated RV Parks in North America. Lake Michigan and sand dunes are just minutes away and the refreshing breezes rustle through the cedar, pine and maple trees at the resort. The romantic "million dollar" sunsets will give you goose bumps as you watch the sun sink into the lake. The unique park layout weaves sites into the natural landscape. Flowers and landscaping adorn every corner of the tranquil 30 acre setting. Each of our spacious 160 RV sites has a level paved parking area and large, clean concrete patio for relaxing with your family. The resort's cozy log Camping cabins are nestled among the trees. We also offer deluxe camping cottages, lodges and studios, which include bathroom and kitchen amenities. We offer a full slate of activities including educational nature events, movies, bingo and Saturday breakfast in our Cafe. Within minutes lie local golf, restaurants, beaches, bike trails and shopping. Easy day trips include the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Lighthouse Museum, Mackinac Island and many more nearby destinations. Our outstanding staff takes pride in offering service to our visitors that is second to none. The Rose Family invites you to visit the Petoskey KOA. "For a place you will always remember and a vacation you will never forget."
Ranger
If you have a big Class A RV and need a full hook up and a pool, this place will work. We paid $165 a night and were surprised that it was just a gated community for RVs with a pool. Lots of the amenities were broken or not available (hot tub jets broken, no hot water for showers, movie room broken). Some of these may be due to covid or just like of upkeep. Our site had a nice paved pad, but it wasn’t level and the concrete was painted so we were slipping off the levelers. The coach house had very limited hot water. Gas fireplace and grill was provided. The vibe of this place was gated community and not camping- wry little trees in property. A fine location to access the Petosky are. Overall we found it overpriced and boring. We thought it would be luxury for the price, and it was “meh.”
Ranger
It is a municipal campground so we didn't expect much but the access to the Little Traverse Wheelway and views of Lake Michigan were awesome - and full hook ups for the price was great. It has a small bathhouse and the sites are pull-though with back to back setup (so utilities are at the same post as one of your neighbors) but we scored that the 2 sites in front of us cancelled (it was wet, cold, windy and in general miserable weather but we lucked out day 2 and got a bike ride in to Petoskey State Park and a stop at Burnt Marshmallow Brewing before rain rolled back in) so we had a big open space for the kids to bike around on and allowed a view of the lake.
link on The Dyrt doesn't work - try this:
https://www.petoskey.us/departments/parks\_and\_recreation/campground.php
PROS: was really quiet, our neighbor is a regular and was extremely friendly and helpful. The bike path to Petoskey State Park is right in front of the campground and takes you by the harbor and can branch off into town too. Really close to downtown (which we did not explore but looks really nice). We originally planned on staying at the state park but the campsite was half closed due to construction (so it will probably be really nice next year) but this worked out great. Full hook ups on long pull thru sites for the price was great. Firewood was available at the check-in kiosk and there is a playground on site. Bathhouse with showers. Less than 1 hour from Mackinac Island. I read mentions of the hospital noise and while trucks unloading during the day was noticeable during the day, we didn't hear anything from there at night - the camp ground did have a transformer that was loud the first night but it was fixed by the next night.
CONS: it is no-frills and could be packed in during summer, but that should be acceptable for the price if you are looking for an easy base camp with access to everything in Petoskey. The bathhouse was clean but dated. The campsites look like they did not get a lot of cleanup - I filled a grocery bag full of trash from our site and the 3 open ones next to us.
Ideal site would probably be as close to the lake as possible - the road in front is not travelled much since it dead ends at the campground. There was a city facility at the end but it was not open on the weekend and we were told is pretty quiet when it is open.
NOTE: This was our first MI campground as part of out trip from GA to MN via TN-KY-IN-MI-WI-northern MN before staying in MSP for a week, then return via MN-IA-MO-IL-KY-TN-Home.
Traveler
Close to Leggs restaurant. Mackinac Island. Tunnel of Trees. Upper peninsula Michigan. All this and a great campground.
Traveler
This camp ground is located right on Lake Michigan, and close to the bridge, and the dark sky park. We camped here for a night since camping is not allowed on Mackinac Island. It served our needs, but I felt that the campsites were really close together- I would have liked to have a bit more privacy from our neighbors. There are bathrooms and drinking water throughout, and each site had a power outlet to charge up.
Traveler
Excellent campground with even better service. Location is central to several activities; Mackinac Island, Petosky, Burt Lake, Mullet Lake etc.. 55 gallon trash bins throughout campground so you don’t have to go all the way to front of campground for dumpsters and they collect regularly. Staff escorts you to your site and lines you up with water/sewer. Will definitely return soon.
Scout
Half of the camp ground was under water. We booked three sites together over the phone. When we got there we were not together. When we asked about it we were told that they had to move people around and this is the best they can do. The pool was green and not useable. They did offer a shuttle to the ferry’s to Mackinac island. So that was nice.
GuideWe stayed here on a trip up to visit the Mackinac Island. It was great for that as they offer a shuttle service to the ferries. Site was small and awkwardly set up. But a goo place for the home base of the day trips we took. We had fun playing the mini golf that was offered there. The staff I talked to was helpful with the questions I had.
RangerIt’s what I expect at a KOA. Nice level pull though spots, good amount of space between campsites, very clean facilities and plenty for kids to do(pool/mini golf). The only weird thing about the sites was the water hook ups were shared (which is tough for a pull through) so we needed three hoses to hook up. Not a huge deal just a tip. Super close to the docks for a trip to Mackinac Island which was great.
GuideThis is a nice family-friendly campground. We appreciated that they squeezed us in on a weekend, short notice! Although busy, it was very quiet at night and we slept well. The site was pretty level and no problem with full hookups. We used the campground showers and they were clean and well maintained. Hosts were friendly and the store was stocked with most things you might need. It was centrally located to Mackinac Island and Petoskey, etc. Great stay!
GuideOne of the best state campgrounds. This is a very large park and can be hard to get into. It has wonderful trails around it, good sized sites, an active ranger program for kids. There is the upper campground (Pines), which does not have direct views or water access, but is a great campground. The lower section is on the water. There is beach access for all campers along the water and gorgeous views of the Mackinaw Bridge. It's a great hub for all the activities in the area: the dark sky park, Mackinaw City, Mackinac Island, etc.
TravelerOur stay was enjoyable but think the campground would best be represented without the Holiday classification. Pros: staff friendly, informative and helpful. Gave us a loaner 20ft of sewer hose when our 20ft would not reach. Also accommodated us with a extra day without moving sites so we could visit the island( heavy rain) on the planned day. Location great for visiting Mackinac Island . Con: unlevel site front to back, too many trees (for us). Electrical , water, sewer laid out oddly. No concrete patio or paved roads. WiFi didn’t work. The park apologized for the inconveniences on the sewer and will be making corrections on that .
GuideSpent four nights here while we explored the surrounding area. Took two trips out to Mackinac Island - the ferry sompanies have free pick up at the KOA. The tour of Soo Locks is only an hour north, and was another great experience.
The campground had a nice pool and mini golf was well maintained. It rained most of one night which caused some muddy spots but not terrible.
Our party was in sites 28, 14, and 15. This gave us an almost private campfire area at site 15, shielded from all other campers. The bug open field behind 15 was a great place to exercise the dogs.
GuideOur family camped at this KOA in June 2018. They had a small playground for the kids. There was also a nice heated pool for them to swim in. Camping spots are shady. Most are pull through. This campground was easy to drive our camper through and easy to find. It’s in a great location and there is a shuttle that will pick you up if you want to go to Mackinac Island. The shuttle will take you directly to the ferry. The campground has laundry facilities that are clean. The employees are very friendly and helpful. We did not use bathhouses here as we had full hook ups.
Ranger
We liked this campground a lot. Our site was very shady and plenty big enough. The campground had a pool and laundry room. They were building another section that looked amazing! The campground is convenient to Petoskey, the Little Traverse Wheelway and the Northwestern State Trail. We enjoyed being able to access the bike trails from the campground. We also rode through the Tunnel of Trees, took the ferry with our bikes in tow to Mackinac Island, and browsed the shops in Petoskey. Also the Petoskey Brewery has excellent food and beer. It is located just off the Little Traverse Wheelway, not far from the campground.
RangerI only wish I lived closer. We traveled all the way from NY to visit this campground and it has still been my favorite to date. We stayed in the loop with the full hook-ups and had a beach view. Every night we had a beautiful sunset to watch. When the water was still, it was crystal clear and beautiful. It reminded me of some place tropical. The kids enjoyed playing on the sandy beaches. While we were here, we also visited Mackinac Island. We rented some bikes and toured the island. Visited many attractions including a winery, ate some famous fudge and climbed up to an overlook of the lake. We had so much fun here and I hope to one day visit it again.
RangerOur site was $99.89 night.
We were in Site# 98. We had Full hook- up with a gravel pull-through.
We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site along with my jeep. The site was easy to level.
Our site was not shaded with limited trees (many were shaded though). This was a smaller lot with our neighbors fairly close.
This lot (a premium lot) comes with a concrete patio with a round table with four chairs, two Adirondack chairs and a fire pit and a charcoal box grill.
It is an easy access to the campground from highway -(approximately 1 mile from highway).
There is free WiFi. They offer Cable TV and there are many channels.
There is not a community outdoor kitchen or community fire pit.
They sell wood for $7 a bundle.
They pickup your garbage at your site daily.
You are allowed to ride personal golf carts. They also allow you to rent regular bicycles and e-bikes. They do not provide golf cart rentals. There is really not a need to have a Golf cart because it is a smaller campground.
They do have a Swimming pool. There is a Playground. They also offer Gaga ball,horseshoe, and corn hole. There is a Reading lending library and board games to borrow.
They have a great general store. There is an electric car charging station. They sell propane.
There is not a snack bar/restaurant on site.
The streets are gravel so not great for riding bikes.
There are great places to ride bikes outside of campground. From the campground, there is a nature trail that you can take your bike that leads you to the. North Western State Trail.
They have cabins for rent and tent areas.
They have one shower house. The shower house has individual showers. Toilets with sinks are in a shared bathroom. These are kept very clean.
There is a laundry facility. It is a cash only facility. There are approximately 5 washers and 5 dryers. It is approximately $2.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry a load.
They have a fenced in dog park.
Bugs (mosquitoes/flies)did not seem to be an issue.
There were trails to hike off of the campground.
Some fun things to do outside of the campground are go to the beach (1 mile away); visit Mackinac Island (both major ferries will transport you for free - this KOA provides you information for Shepler’s Ferry). Both ferries offer packages that include horse drawn carriage rides, Fort Mackinac admission, Island Hotel Admission, Butterfly House admission, Mystery Town admission, and Parking options). There is a Jack Pine Lumberjack show.
GuideThis was by far the nicest and most spacious KOA I've ever stayed at. There were a ton of trees and nicely wooded spots. We had site #16 right near the front, which meant we had some traffic noise and kids running to the adjacent playground, but the spacious lot size made up for it (and having 3 kids of our own, we didn't mind the playground being so close). Big towering pines and a soft bed of needles kept our site shady and cool with plenty of room to set up our camp chairs and hammock. Made for a relaxing place to read. The back campsites looked really nice and were much quieter.
The pool was a little on the older side, but was clean and warm. There was (free) mini golf for the kids - pretty basic and again, older, but the kids didn't care. A couple of old-school playgrounds as well. Laundry facilities were clean with 6 washers and 6 dryers. The "dog run" was pretty laughable, as I'm finding with all KOAs - it was at most 20' x 20' square, so not much room for bigger dogs to actually run around. Wifi provided an excellent signal. The staff was friendly, but not very informative about things to do on Mackinac Island or the surrounding area.
TravelerWilderness State Park is one of my favorite campgrounds in northern Michigan. They have true rustic sites, where you have to hike into, usually a little over a mile. If you want to get away into your own space, Wilderness has it. There are plenty of trails to explore and of course some Great Lakes State waters! They also have regular campsites and cabins. I haven't stayed in those areas, but have checked them out and they look great. My focus is always on the rustic!! Also, Wilderness opened a dark sky park this past year as well. If you want to explore some gorgeous dark night skies in Northern Michigan, I suggest checking it out!
ScoutWe had a great time here. We rented a cabin for the whole family. The cabin was clean a very cozy.
ScoutMy wife and I spent the first day and night of Memorial Day weekend at one of the cabins here and absolutely loved it. Private and peaceful with unmatched views of the night sky over the lake. The cabins are simple but perfect for the basics of what you need for a great time outdoors.
Scout
They gave us a bogus charge of 50$ several days after we left, for smoking in a cabin. Myself, my wife and our 4 year old son do not smoke. Never have never will. The bogus charge is being disputed but that’s not the point. Warning to others to find somewhere else to camp, at least if you’re renting a cabin. What a scam operation.
Legend
Lime Island Recreation Area is located in the St. Mary’s River at the very east end of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It sits in the middle of the river with Canada on one side and Michigan on the other. Raber, Michigan is the nearest shore town, 2 miles across the river. The only way to reach the park is by boat but there are no designated ferries, so the only way to reach it is by using your own boat or finding someone in the area with a boat willing to charter you and your gear. Non-motorized boats are not recommended due to the many freighters and choppy water conditions.
Overnight accommodations include six cabins that can sleep between four and seven guests each, as well as 10 tent sites on wooden platforms that look out over the river. The park is a favorite among fishermen, couples, and large families who like to rent out all the cabins for annual reunions.
A boat slip comes with your reservation. The island has limited electricity (solar-powered only) and no running water. Portable toilets are provided and there is a pump for a potable-water well. Cabin guests need to provide all their own gear, including sleeping and cooking supplies and equipment.
Approximately 7 miles of hiking trails traverse the island, providing guests the chance to wander, explore and possibly encounter wildlife. With so little human activity you never know what you’ll find.
One of the favorite pastimes of guests is sitting and watching the large Great Lakes freighters pass by at all hours of the day. They pass so close to the island you feel you could almost touch them. It’s quite a sight!
There's a ton of history on the island, some of which is still visible. According to the Michigan DNR, “Lime Island provides a significant representation of early 20th-century industrial and maritime history. The coal dock, fuel storage tanks, Quonset hut with bunker, fuel heating and pumping equipment, other supporting buildings, and scattered industrial equipment, provide a complete picture of the island’s use as a ship refueling depot. The schoolhouse, superintendent’s house (that was brought to the island by dragging it across the frozen river), cottages, and fruit trees remind visitors of island life for the workers that supported the depot.”
It's not an easy state park to reach, but if you can find a way to get there, the seclusion should make for some great camping on the tent platforms (or hanging out in the cabins if you're into that sort of thing.)
Guide
We have been going yearly to the cabins in Cheboygan State Park for many years and have stayed at each cabin they offer. All of them are great, vault toilet and hand pump for water, drive up (although the road in can be a little rough). Some have better beach access then others, 2 of them have firepits on the beach to enjoy the amazing sunsets. Excellent view of the bridge and many large boats going by, perfect photo opportunity!
GuideClean restrooms and showers, cozy little cabins of all different sizes. Would go there again.
Legend
My only major ‘complaint’ with this campground is that there is only 1 mini cabin. It was awesome! Very clean and well maintained. Many RV’s in the park, so we were happy to not be in a tent. The camping sites were not large and not secluded, so keep that in mind when choosing a campsite. The park offers a nice sandy beach, but we mainly used it as a ‘home base’ for checking out other upper Michigan attractions.
TravelerNice quiet park, cute cabins, nice spots throughout the park. Short walk to a clean beach. Ranger programs for kids, nice playground.
ScoutGreat park have camped there multiple times in the cabins and in a tent. Right on the water with great trails for hiking and walking a dog.
Cabin camping near Mackinac Island, Michigan offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, making it an ideal getaway for families and nature enthusiasts alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Mackinac Island, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Mackinac Island, MI is Wilderness State Park Camping with a 4.5-star rating from 72 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Mackinac Island, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 26 cabin camping locations near Mackinac Island, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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