Best Cabin Camping near Mancelona, MI

The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Mancelona. Mancelona is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

Best Cabin Sites Near Mancelona, Michigan (51)

    1. Otsego Lake State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Gaylord, MI
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 732-5485

    "Got into the park late (around 1030) but it was a great clear night. Spacious campsites with both a bench and picnic table. Bathroom with showers was clean."

    "One complaint we had was that most of the electrical outlets are shared between 2 or 3 sites."

    2. Traverse City State Park Campground

    51 Reviews
    Traverse City, MI
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 922-5270

    "While I typically prefer more rustic camping, this was a fantastic and easy way to enjoy Traverse City."

    "300+ sites, pet friendly, sites for all shapes and sizes. Open year round, with heated cabins. It's a great location, just across from Traverse Bay with just across the road."

    3. Hartwick Pines State Park Campground

    18 Reviews
    Frederic, MI
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 348-7068

    "Well maintained grounds, with a fire pit and picnic table. State park, so no WiFi. AT&T is 1 bar. Restroom and showers are updated and clean."

    "Large wooded campground with nice sized sites, picnic table, fire ring, electric hook up, flush toilets, and year round activities."

    4. Rapid River Campground

    2 Reviews
    Rapid River, MI
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 258-2042

    "Bathrooms were large and clean, water and electricity available. If you go by the bath house you can get Wifi. Little playground for my 4 yr old, not so much for 11 year old."

    "Showers were hot, but the wall heater was a little scary (propane). The owners were very nice. We came after dark and left early, so we didn’t see too much of the campground. Nice treed setting."

    5. Kalkaska RV Park & Campground

    5 Reviews
    Kalkaska, MI
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 258-9863

    "1/2 hr outside Traverse City. Nice away from the busy areas.
    The campground needs some attention which will be addressed by the new owners. Very dusty, loose sand uneven entrance."

    "They only have 15 full hookup sites and none were available for our time frame. They have several long term tenants. Roads are narrow but most sites are ample."

    6. Young State Park Campground

    19 Reviews
    Boyne City, MI
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 582-7523

    "Very friendly staff and clean park. Family friendly and pet friendly, beach was close by and clean. Reservations were very easy to make online and allows you to pick your site."

    "This campground has so much to offer, some of those things include a nice Beach, small store, fishing, paths, great location with a nice bike ride to downtown Boyne city."

    7. Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort

    21 Reviews
    Traverse City, MI
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 947-2770

    $60 - $260 / night

    "There is a camp store, turbo bikes, a variety of family activities, a pool, playground, bike park, equipment and rentals, laundry facility, cabins, cottages, and yurts for rent."

    "We were searching for a super last minute campground near Traverse City for Memorial Weekend and everything within a quick drive seemed booked."

    8. Gaylord KOA

    10 Reviews
    Gaylord, MI
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 939-8723

    $61 - $95 / night

    "While it was pricey at $65 night, we had a very spacious full hookup site within easy walking distance of pool. Shower house was very nice and modern, with 4 shower stalls."

    "Large sites, amazing hosts, does charge for a band for kids to do activities like jumping pad etc. this includes a bike rental and golf but was an added charge."

    9. Leelanau State Park Campground

    36 Reviews
    Northport, MI
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (231) 386-5422

    $20 / night

    "It is rustic, with no electricity or modern bathrooms (pit toilet). Most of the sites are wooded and some are a little smaller. Perfect for tent camping and smaller popups. "

    "Very quiet campground on the Shores of Lake Michigan. Sites are large and private with large fire rings and picnic tables. Vault toilets only but they are kept very clean."

    10. Gaylord South/Bradford Lake KOA

    4 Reviews
    Frederic, MI
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (989) 731-0459

    $64 - $94 / night

    "This is a privately owned campground tucked away not far from Gaylord, MI. There are no laundry facilities onsite but the bathhouse is well maintained."

    "Sits on the shores of Big Bradford Lake which appears to be an all sports lake. The beach is very clean! Close to the ORV trails for those that enjoy off-roading."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 51 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Cabin Reviews near Mancelona, MI

411 Reviews of 51 Mancelona Campgrounds


  • Amanda L.
    Jul. 29, 2018

    Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort

    Busy, fun-filled place

    If you are looking for a camping getaway, this may not be the place for you. It is always bustling with action, but can be lots of fun! I would definitely say this is geared more towards children and families than an escape into nature. There is a camp store, turbo bikes, a variety of family activities, a pool, playground, bike park, equipment and rentals, laundry facility, cabins, cottages, and yurts for rent. This is also a pet friendly campground, so there are many dogs. Probably one of my favorite parts was dodgeball... and the multiple bike trails that connect to the VASA trail system.

  • Kathie M.
    Jun. 20, 2020

    North Higgins Lake State Park Campground

    Overnite stay in cabin

    One nite stay in cabin. Cabin had electricity, mini fridge, electricity and bunk beds. Only complaint was cabin was close to fairly busy road.

  • S
    Jun. 14, 2020

    Rvino - Camp Cadillac, LLC

    Not fancy, but nice

    Really nice little campground. Not fancy, but clean and well kept. Pool and petting zoo for the kids. Small store with ice, few necessities and ice cream. Pond in the back on the small river for fishing. Quite a few seasonal campers. Anywhere from rustic to full hook up. Pet friendly. All gravel/dirt/grass sites. Most have trees. Fire pits quite small. Bathrooms very nice and updated.

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 8, 2017

    Traverse City State Park Campground

    Great Proximity to Downtown, Beach, and Breweries.

    The location of this campground is great and it's best feature in my opinion! This park is just two miles to downtown Traverse City (one of Michigan’s most popular resort towns), a quarter mile from a pretty beach and the beautiful blue waters of Lake Michigan, and it sits along the TART Trail which is a 10.5-mile bicycle trail running through the city.

    While the park is small at just 47 acres, it holds pretty many campsites – approximately 350 (and two cabins). Campsites are set among tall pine trees so there is a bit of shade but that also means that they are sandy with little grass. Roads are paved and narrow if you are trying to maneuver with a large (40+ RV) and you may have difficulty backing into your site with the numerous trees lining the road. All sites are back-in with electric. Sites and patios are sandy with varying degrees of levelness. There is a dump station and water spigots are scattered throughout the campground. Picnic tables and fire pits are at each site. Sites are $31/night ($49/night for the cabins) and reserveable online.

    This park is right on US-31/M-72 which means there is easy access in and out but it can be noisy if your campsite is close to the road. Expect the campground to be very busy on weekends and in the summer and tightly packed.

    Amenities include: picnic area, beach, fishing, hiking/bicycling trail, three bathhouses, playground area, camp store, pet walk (no off-leash dog park).

    Outside of the park there is a lot to do in Traverse City. Early July is the ever-popular Cherry Festival which lasts for a week. But you better book your campsite early if you want to enjoy all the festivities (which happen to be close to the park). The summer farmers market is great and held every Wednesday and Saturday. Early in the season, asparagus is plentiful and locally-grown asparagus is the best you will ever have being super sweet, tender, and inexpensive. For beer drinkers, consider paddling the beer trail that takes you from Boardman Lake to Lake Michigan and past numerous breweries where you pull over for a pint. If it's ice cream you want, you have come to the right place. There are multiple creameries with Moomer's being our favorite and for some reason eating it right at the farm stand was the best.

  • Allison H.
    Mar. 1, 2021

    Leelanau State Park Campground

    beautiful, small rustic campground.

    This is a smaller wooded campground at the very northern tip of Leelanau Peninsula.  It is rustic, with no electricity or modern bathrooms (pit toilet). Most of the sites are wooded and some are a little smaller. Perfect for tent camping and smaller popups.  Since it's at the end of the land mass, the waves are stronger and always in the back ground.  It's a wonderful way to fall asleep!  There is a lighthouse you can tour and a small maritime museum on the property.  The beach is a fair size but all rocks (no sand).  There are a couple small cabins with bunks, electricity and grills.

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 24, 2017

    Magnus Park Campground

    Great Location to Downtown and Lake Michigan

    This park has some strong positives that outweigh the negatives so depending on what really annoys you about a campground determines whether you may or may not like this place. The park is run by the City of Petoskey and sits on 21 acres in downtown Petoskey overlooking Lake Michigan.  Petoskey has a really cool downtown with great restaurants (we liked Beard’s Brewery, Palette Bistro, and Grand Traverse Pie Company), shopping, a free art center (Crooked Tree), parks, and a pretty marina with a scenic breakwater lighthouse. If you have never been to this part of Michigan, you should definitely come for a visit. 

    The campground is very popular because of the price and location with about 1/3 of the park occupied by seasonal or monthly rentals of people that have been coming for many years.  There are 71 sites which can be used for RVs or tents.  Roads are paved and sites are grass/sand. There are fire pits and picnic tables at each site and a nice large grassy area in the front of the park near Lake Michigan with multiple picnic tables in a common space. 

    There are many positive attributes of this park. The location of this park could not be better and the price of $30/night (water, sewer, 30 amp electric; $28 for electric and water only) is a great deal. (Especially because other private campgrounds in the area are easily $60+/night in the summer season.) They have free wifi that worked well and we were able to get over-the-air antenna television channels. You are really in a prime location with Lake Michigan in front of you. Many of the sites in this park have a great view of the lake (especially sites 1-16). Running through the park is the Little Traverse Wheelway which is a paved bike path spanning from the cute towns of Charlevoix to Harbor Springs. (If you don’t have a bike with you there are plenty of rental places nearby.)  

    Now for the negatives. The bathroom/shower houses are old and tired but were clean. The park sits between a hospital and water treatment plant, one of which can be smelly on warm days the other of which has a very loud HVAC system generating lots of noise. The park is located close to the busy road M-31 so there is a bit of road noise. The sites are very close together so there is not much privacy. The park is open to day-use and has a heavily used bike path running right through it so there are lots of people coming and going.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 3, 2022

    Magnus Park Campground

    Convenient to Petoskey

    General: Nestled in between Lake Michigan, a waste-water treatment plant and a hospital is Magnus Park, a public city park and campground. 77 sites, 36 with full hookups, and the remainder with electric hookups. There is also one cabin. 

    Site Quality/Facilities: The campground is laid out in typical RV park fashion with zero privacy between sites. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Although some of the sites have somewhat of a gravel or dirt driveway, mostly it seems like areas where the grass has just worn away. IMO, if you are not able to get Sites 3-16 or Sites A-C which face Lake Michigan, then the best sites would be the ones that back up to the trees. When we reserved many months ago, we were lucky to get one of two available sites, and ours did back up to the trees. Be aware that sites 61-68 back up directly to the hospital. Other than it being imposing and detracting from the feeling of camping, the only thing I found objectionable was more frequent loud sirens of ambulances arriving. On the other end of the campground, there are nine lettered sites (A-I) that are larger but are on a grassy area with no driveways or defined separation. These sites (as well as 18,19, 20, 22) are close to the wastewater treatment plant. When I walked by, I did not notice any offending odor, but other reviewers have said they did. I did, however, hear a humming noise emanating from the plant. By luck of the draw, the site NEXT to ours (51) flooded significantly with heavy rains overnight. Ours did not puddle up too badly.

    Bathhouse: Was generally clean considering it is part of a public-use city park. Rarely did I see anyone in there as most of the campers were in RVs and on our second day, it rained so no one was at the beach. The showers were warm with somewhat wimpy but adequate water pressure. They were on the small side, however, and are only available to campers with a code to access (although there was one shower in the restroom that could be used by all). 

    Activities/Amenities: There is a centrally located playground. Easy access to the bike trail, however, it was closed just south of the campground due to erosion (north is not a problem and a short walk into the town of Petoskey). WiFi is available and you are given the access code upon check-in, although I did not use it so cannot comment on how reliable it was. 

    Our first thought upon arrival was “yikes, why in the world did we decide to stay here?!” but the proximity to the town of Petoskey (less than a mile walk), and views of Lake Michigan outweigh some of the negatives.

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 1, 2017

    Young State Park Campground

    Young State Park.

    Here’s what we really liked about this park … it sits on beautiful Lake Charlevoix, is just a few miles away from the super cute town of Boyne City, some campsites with access to water right out of their back door, and the park has lots of beach to enjoy. Young State Park has a typical rustic campground feel. The park covers 560 acres which encompasses a campground, hiking trails, a large beach area with concessions, boat launch (located in the Terrace Campground loop), picnic area, playground, baseball diamond, basketball courts, and fishing pier. 

    Reservations can be made on-line via the Michigan DNR site. The advantage of making reservations online is that you get a really good description of the site which includes length, width, hook-ups, amount of shade, length of site, distance to restrooms, and best of all - pictures.  We visited Young State Park in the summer but in talking to locals this place is wonderful in the winter and great for cross-country skiing with trails that wind through wooded areas. The price ranges from $20 to $33 per night depending on the season and electric hook-ups.  

    There are three camping loops – Terrace, Spruce, and Oak.  Campsites in the Spruce loop don’t have a designated “pad” so you can arrange your RV or tent any way you like. This was the case with groups of friends who had two or three sites and arranged them so they faced each other with a common area in the center. The Terrace and Oak loops have less sites and seem a little quieter. The other plus of these loops is the easy access to water (some of which have great water views). All campsites are a mix of 20/30/50 amp or 20/30 amp with water spigots scattered throughout the loop. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit (firewood is for sale in the campground on the honor system with the nice thing being that you have access any time of day to purchase it).

    The pros about this park are the easy access to Lake Charlevoix and being just a few miles from Boyne City (which has a great weekly farmers market, delicious food and beer at 7 Monks Tap Room, and a weekly Friday “Stroll the Streets” with live music). The park has a large beach area with a camp store/concession stand that has food and items for rent. It is really convenient that you can rent beach chairs/umbrellas/watercraft instead of having to bring them. Behind the concession stand is a fishing pier that was really popular with the kids. 

    The cons are that the roads in the campground are pretty narrow and when someone was backing into their site it caused a traffic jam.  Sites are close together and the park has a very crowded feel. The bath/showers are not large enough for the amount of campers in the park and despite being cleaned daily they got lots of use and were always busy and by the end of the day, they were pretty dirty.  

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-NzcOOzCSk

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 27, 2017

    Wild Cherry RV Resort

    Nice Park, Lots to Do Nearby

    We visited Wild Cherry RV Resort on the recommendation of some friends and found the park to be nicely maintained, sites were well-spaced, and we LOVED the area. Our site was a pull-in that faced a large pond on a corner that overlooked a four-acre lake. We never had a neighbor on the site next to us during our stay and since we were on a large corner there was nobody on that side either so we never felt crowded. The park was very quiet and since our site was in the back of the park there was not much traffic.

    The park is called a “resort” which is a little misleading because there are very few amenities. There is no swimming pool, no tennis courts, no shuffleboard, no fitness center, no playground, in fact there were not even bathrooms/showers (except for porta john and tent shower in the rustic camping section).  There was a small club house and a driving range but that was pretty much it. You do get a free newspaper delivered to your site daily. It turned out that we didn’t care about the lack of amenities since we were so busy exploring and we don’t often use all the amenities that private parks offer anyway.  The park is a mix of seasonal and transient people. Most of the seasonal people went to work during the day which made the park even quieter. And while they do have a lot of seasonal campers none of the sites were junked up. Sites are gravel with paved patios with the average lot being 45x70 (according to their brochure). There are nice grassy areas between sites that is very well-maintained. All sites have picnic tables but not all have fire pits (if you have your own you are allowed to use it). 

    The roads are very wide and there are not too many trees so maneuvering big-rigs is not a problem. The water, sewer, and electric were all placed appropriately in the site so no extended hoses were needed. There was no cable but sites are very open allowing for good satellite reception and we were able to get over a dozen antenna channels. Sites are either pull-in (which we had) or back-in. There are no pull-thrus. Set back in a wooded area are a scattering of rustic tent sites, rental cabins and yurts with potable water, grills, fire pits, and picnic tables. These sites are so tucked in a wooded area that I never noticed them until the last day I was in the park.

    There is a lot of activities within a short drive of this park and we wished we would have stayed longer. The park is in a perfect location to explore the towns of Leland (and Fishtown), Lake Leelanau, Northport, and Sutton’s Bay. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the town of Glen Arbor are a 20 minute drive and Traverse City is about 45 minutes. All these towns are quaint coastal towns with shopping, galleries, good restaurants. The park is on the Leelanau Peninsula which is one of Michigan’s most well-known and revered wine region and there are three wineries within a couple of miles (one is just across the street from the entrance). That being said, there are nearly some 20 wineries within 15 – 20 minutes of the park. There are a few state parks and county preserves nearby that have hiking, scenic views of Lake Michigan and picturesque lighthouses.

    All-in-all we really liked this park and would definitely come back. We took advantage of their “Big-Rig Special” which gave a 25% discount if you booked 4 nights. Otherwise, the price per night was $69 which we found to be expensive for what you get. The biggest dings we give this park are for the high nightly price and the lack of amenities that should come in a “resort” with that high a price. This area is one of our favorites in Michigan and we easily could have spent a couple of weeks here enjoying the area.


Guide to Mancelona

Cabin camping near Mancelona, Michigan, offers a perfect blend of nature and comfort, allowing you to enjoy the great outdoors without sacrificing the amenities of home.

Cabins are available at Otsego Lake State Park Campground

  • Enjoy spacious cabins at Otsego Lake State Park Campground, where you can relax by the lake and take in beautiful views.
  • The park features a sandy beach and a dog-friendly area, making it a great choice for families and pet owners alike.
  • With access to hiking trails and picnic areas, this campground provides a well-rounded outdoor experience.

Some prices for cabin camping range from $50 to $150

  • At Young State Park Campground, cabin prices are competitive, offering a range of options for different budgets.
  • The campground is known for its clean facilities and friendly staff, ensuring a pleasant stay for all visitors.
  • Located right on Lake Charlevoix, it provides ample opportunities for swimming, fishing, and enjoying water sports.

Explore the trails at Hartwick Pines State Park Campground

  • Hartwick Pines State Park Campground features numerous walking and biking trails, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts looking to explore the natural beauty of the area.
  • The campground is well-maintained, with spacious sites that offer a sense of privacy amidst the trees.
  • Visitors can learn about the park's rich history through educational programs and exhibits available on-site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Mancelona, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Mancelona, MI is Otsego Lake State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 24 reviews.

What is the best site to find cabin camping near Mancelona, MI?

TheDyrt.com has all 51 cabin camping locations near Mancelona, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.