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Dog-Friendly Camping near Mancelona, MI

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    Starlight Campground and RV Park provides designated pet areas for dogs while maintaining clean grounds throughout the campground. Pets are allowed on all sites with standard leash rules enforced to ensure safety for all guests. Chain-O-Lakes Campground and Antrim Meadows Campground both welcome pets with similar policies, offering full hookup sites for RV camping with dogs. Campers report the grounds are exceptionally well-maintained with plenty of space for walking dogs along the property edges. Most campgrounds in the Mancelona area require pets to be supervised at all times and limit the number to two pets per site, though some may accommodate more upon request.

    Hiking trails surrounding Pickerel Lake State Forest Campground offer excellent opportunities for pet exercise with direct access to the North Country Trail. The camp host at Starlight maintains a bulletin board with maps of nearby dog-friendly walking paths. Summer temperatures in the region typically range from 70-85°F, making morning or evening walks more comfortable for dogs during peak season. Several campgrounds provide water stations near common areas, though campers should carry portable bowls when exploring trails. The nearby town of Bellaire, just 8 minutes from Chain-O-Lakes, offers a veterinary clinic for emergency services and a small pet supply section at the local market. Camping sites near water access points like Torch Lake provide cooling opportunities for dogs after hikes, particularly welcome during July and August visits.

    Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Mancelona (172)

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      1. Otsego Lake State Park Campground

      4.0(24)18mi from MancelonaRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "The location of the connection point for our site 75 is on the left side of site 77 and our cable could not reach. (See photo)."

      "Otsego Lake is a great campground. It's quiet for a state park, and the sites are roomy. The sites on the outer perimeter have large trees and some have water views."

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      2. Starlight Campground and RV Park

      5.0(4)2mi from Mancelona5 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Swing set, walking trail, ORV trail, pool, volleyball, pickle ball court and other games! This campground is extremely clean and has beautiful bathrooms/showers."

      "They made us feel like family the minute we walked through the door. We would defiantly visit again!"

      from $35 - $50 / night

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      3. Chain-O-Lakes Campground

      5.0(4)6mi from MancelonaRVs, Tents

      "Chain O'Lakes Park has it all: trails to hike, horses to ride, boats to row, and fish to catch! After an adventure- packed day, you can return to your nearby campsite for some rest and relaxation."

      "Rooms: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Location: 5/5 Nearby activities Super close to torch lake and lots of great small towns."

      from $29 - $44 / night

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      4. Traverse City State Park Campground

      4.0(51)26mi from MancelonaRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "Pets are allowed in the campground. The sites are a little tight, but if you are looking to hang out in Traverse City, this is a convenient location. Bathhouse was always well maintained."

      "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."

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      5. Upper Manistee River

      4.5(11)15mi from MancelonaRVs, Tents

      "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"

      "We love Michigan outdoors! We chose paddling and camping the Big Manistee River. As is the expectation when we camp…there will be rain…and this outing was no different."

      from $15 - $20 / night

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      6. Whitewater Township Park Campground

      4.3(12)17mi from MancelonaRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "This park is situated up on a hill on beautiful Elk Lake. Elk Lake can easily access Torch River and into Torch Lake. It has a fantastic boat launch which we have used."

      "The park itself is positioned on a hillside next to a lake. We had a site at the top of the hill which I recommend."

      from $45 - $60 / night

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      7. Antrim Meadows Campground

      5.0(2)1mi from MancelonaRVs, Tents

      "Traveling along the western border Michigan on our motorcycle over the 4th of July, we were in in the Traverse City area and finding a hard time finding an open campsite."

      from $25 / night

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      8. Pickerel Lake (Kalkaska) State Forest Campground

      3.3(4)7mi from MancelonaRVs, Tents

      "This campground is located on a small lake with beautiful scenery and is located across the road from an ATV trail. The North County Hiking Trail also runs through this camp."

      "Lake with boat ramp, fishing areas off the beach, lots of wildlife, north country trail and campground trail to hike on, and ORV trail across the road"

      from $13 - $15 / night

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      9. Barnes County Park Campground

      4.7(16)21mi from MancelonaRVs, Tents

      "Some of them are so close to Lake Michigan, you can just walk on a path through some trees right up to the water! There are restrooms here, and a general store nearby."

      "Beautiful park on the shore of Lake Michigan. Great for kids, as a sand bar goes out quite a **distance. **"

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      10. Hartwick Pines State Park Campground

      4.5(18)22mi from MancelonaRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "A few trails walking distance from the campground. The old growth trail is beautiful and really well maintained. The trees are crazy TALL."

      "Some full hookups, unusual for Michigan state parks that I’ve seen."

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    Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Mancelona, MI

    114 Photos of 172 Mancelona Campgrounds

    Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Mancelona, MI

    949 Reviews of 172 Mancelona Campgrounds

    • 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.

    • S
      Sep. 5, 2021

      Gaylord KOA

      Horrible

      The owners were constantly driving around and correcting people. Rules are okay but they were over the top. They would even stop and just stare at our site while we sat outside.. it was very odd. Also not kept up at all. The playground was old and my 30 lb dog slipped out from under the “dog park” fence because it was so high off the ground where they were allowed to be unleashed, luckily we got her and she’s ok.

    • C
      Sep. 27, 2022

      Burt Lake State Park Campground

      Beautiful Lake and Park

      Large, level electric sites. Very large campground in general. Since we were there in September and mid week, it was quiet. Bath house clean, but a bit outdated. Nice beach and swimming area. Dog park and beach area for dogs. Large, grassy recreation area and nice playground. Park hosts on site with daily activities for campers. Town is nearby with restaurants, shopping, etc. Burt Lake is stunning. Bring your kayaks, boats, and fishing gear.

    • A
      Aug. 29, 2017

      Petoskey State Park Campground

      Great camping with awesome beach

      We spent a 4th of July weekend up in Petosky with our family. It was a perfect mixture of rustic modern camping. The facilities are nice and clean and the campground is well kept. Even on a busy holiday weekend it was so enjoyable. The beach was convenient to walk to and we enjoyed the 3 amazing fire work shows you can see on the 4th of July from the beach. The only downside is that no dogs are allowed on the beach which is kind of a bummer. There is a great dog park however in Petosky nearby.

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

      Wooden Shoe Campground

      Great place to relax and enjoy the water.

      Wooden Shoe Campground in Ellsworth, Michigan is a small campground set on a hill above Ellsworth Lake. This park is great if you want to sometime explore Michigan’s waterways. When we visited the park, it was about 25% full which made it very quiet and relaxing. There are some great sites that overlook the lake that are inviting for an evening fire and enjoying a pleasant view.

      The park has 45 RV sites with water, 30 amp electric, cable TV, and internet. There are seven designated tent sites in a heavily wooded area with some glimpses of the lake. Some sites have a nice amount of shade while those towards the front of the park are more open and have a better water view. Picnic tables and fire pits are at each site. The main road throughout the park is paved, in good condition, and easily navigable with even large RV. There is a dump station at the entrance of the park that is easy to get in and out of. A camp host is on site. The price per night to stay here is $25 and they offer a super inexpensive price of $125/week. Reservations can be made by emailing a reservation request or calling the city. 

      The town of Ellsworth is quite small with a couple of shops and restaurant or two. The quaint coastal town of Charlevoix is 10 minutes away where you will find plenty of shopping, restaurants, a pretty harbor, weekly live music (in the summer), a farmers market and really great library with a large room that has a great selection of books for sale for a few bucks. The towns of Boyne City and Boyne Falls are about 20 miles away and also worth visiting if you have the time. For dog owners, Boyne city has an off-leash dog park and Boyne Falls has a large ski resort that is perfect for walking dogs in the summer.  The larger town of Petoskey is about a 45 minute drive but well worth a visit. 

      If you want to “get away” and enjoy water activities this is a good place to come. There is a canoe/kayak boat launch just down the hill from the park that puts you in a narrow stretch of water that connects Lakes Ellsworth and Saint Clair. A short (approximately 1 mile) paddle into Lake Saint Claire lands you in a beautiful nature preserve administered by the Little Traverse Conservancy.  Be sure to visit Friske’s Orchard which has a fruit stand, bakery with pizza and sandwiches, general store and petting zoo and is only six miles away on Rt. 31.

      The good things about this park are the price, access to pretty water for kayaking/canoeing/fishing and the view from some of the sites. You are not too far from some of northern Michigan’s most popular towns yet only paying $25 night. The small size of this park gives it a quieter feel than some of the nearby state parks that have hundreds of sites. When we were there about half the campers appeared to be seasonal who come to enjoy the boating and fishing. Many of these people were not there during the week which made the park super quiet. 

      A couple dings for this park are that many of the sites are not level and even pitching a tent can be difficult. The bathroom/shower facilities are old and run down. The main bathhouse is located in the front of the park with port-a-potty’s scattered about. Some of the sites are close together and give a crowded feeling. 

      Overall, I would say this is an average park which is why it gets three stars.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vBh0Dej5Ro

    • Jill B.
      Apr. 21, 2019

      Traverse Bay RV Resort

      Very high-end class A Resort

      We have spent six weeks at this park for the last 6 years. We attend a horse show circuit near by. It is the creme de la creme of RV parks. The sites are individually owned (and leased out) and many of the owners have made their lots very nice. The park is limited to Class A, Fifth Wheels and Class C only. This park is dominated by big, very nice class A's.

      We have a 5th wheel and have appreciated the amenities very much. Great wifi, curbside garbage pickup, trails, dog park, and many others. You are limited to 2 dogs, and they are very strict about leashes and picking up poop. But, that keeps the place looking nice.

      We enjoy it very much and it is so close to the horse show, it cannot be beat. Because they are such a popular place to stay during the show (July - mid August), they sites book up a year in advance.

    • N
      Jun. 23, 2022

      D.H. Day Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

      D.H. Day Campground

      Overall the campground has a very pleasant and rustic charm. The foliage helps create privacy but the campsites are close in proximity overall. The one warning that should be more clearly indicated is that there is poison ivy surrounding every single site so please be aware if you have pets and small children. The fact that there was so much poison ivy is the only reason I gave it four stars. Lake Michigan is a short walk away and you are able to walk to sleeping bear dunes along the beach. For those who would like convenience Glen Arbor is only five minutes down the main road and has a ton of restaurants, parks and a nice grocery store.

    • Macy M.
      Jul. 5, 2020

      Rvino - Camp Cadillac, LLC

      Great private campground

      Great little campground just on the outskirts of Cadillac. Great rates especially for full hookups. This was our first time at this park, we originally had a site next to the pool, but quickly realized our TT would not fit due to the trees. The front desk quickly changed our site and we were good to go. All sites were well maintained, they had a petting zoo (goats) and a store with a little game room in it. I would definitely come back.

    • Kristina M.
      Jul. 14, 2021

      Log Lake Campground

      Would never visit again

      First off we couldn’t park our trailer until a boat trailer was moved from our site. Then there was glass, rusty nails, and trash all over the site so we had to do a quick clean up of site before unpacking. It only got worse as night time came as the campers next to us drank and partied all night with half the campground, every night for our entire four day stay. They even smashed into our vehicle as they wrestled and sprayed silly string on each other at 1 a.m. When we ran to town for a few items we came back to their kids playing near our camper. They seemed to personally know the care takers as they were partying with them, so nothing was done about any of it. The following day we again went to town and these people allowed their guest to park in front of our camper, next to the hitch. The beach area was un-swimmable and full of trash, cigarette butts, duck poop as well as dog poop because it was used as a dog park. There were also old clothes and shoes left all over the beach area. The bathrooms were dirty and left with no soap. The woman’s bathroom looked recently painted but the men’s bathroom was completely disgusting. The showers had old food in them and you had to pay for tokens to use them. The trails were ok, the frisbee golf area also looked good. But that’s about the only good thing about this park. We would never pay money to stay here again.

    Guide to Mancelona

    Mancelona, Michigan sits at the heart of Antrim County's woodland region with elevations averaging 1,200 feet. Temperatures during prime camping season typically range from 55-80°F with higher humidity levels in July and August. Camping options span from state forest sites with direct trail access to full-service RV parks with modern amenities within a 15-mile radius of town.

    What to do

    Hiking access: Pickerel Lake State Forest Campground offers excellent trail opportunities with the North Country Trail running directly through the campground. "The North Country Trail and campground trail provide hiking options, with loads of wildlife viewing opportunities right from camp," notes Nicole V., who visited in summer 2023.

    Water sports on multiple lakes: Chain-O-Lakes Campground provides access to both Elk Lake and nearby Torch Lake. "Super close to Torch Lake and lots of great small towns. Only an hour away from Sleeping Bear Dunes and like 30 minutes from Traverse City," shares Hailey C., highlighting the strategic location for water-based activities.

    Old-growth forest exploration: Hartwick Pines State Park Campground features ancient pines and educational exhibits about the logging history of Michigan. "There are lots of trails for biking and hiking, a day use/mucc logging museum that's kinda throughout this one area of woods. Beautiful new and old growth, a couple of nearby lakes," shares Rachel K.

    What campers like

    Clean, modern facilities: Starlight Campground and RV Park receives consistent praise for their upkeep. "This campground is extremely clean and has beautiful bathrooms/showers. Park is all shorter pines so if your looking for a wooded/forest feel this might not be your park," explains Jaime, who visited with family.

    Well-spaced sites: Whitewater Township Park offers privacy not always found at busier campgrounds. "If you are looking for a no-frills secluded campground with spaced out campsites and beautiful views this is the place for you. It does not have a lot of extras but for a peaceful camping trip it has everything you need," says Cheyanne P.

    Dog-friendly beaches and trails: Several dog-friendly campgrounds near Mancelona offer water access. Barnes County Park Campground has beach paths connecting directly to campsites. "Super quiet, right on the beach with a path beside our site. Dogs welcome here but the bummer was that they aren't allowed on their beach at all," notes Erin, highlighting the partial pet restrictions.

    What you should know

    Off-road vehicle activity: Many campgrounds in the Mancelona area connect to ORV trails which affects noise levels. At Pickerel Lake, "This campground is located on a small lake with beautiful scenery and is located across the road from an ATV trail... Noisy and quite busy on weekends with all the off road vehicles coming in," reports Becky K.

    Site leveling challenges: Some campgrounds require preparation for uneven terrain. At Otsego Lake State Park Campground, "Site 52 and sites in immediate area was over 12" out of level from front to back. Looked like our camper was doing a wheelie... Never had a camp site so out of level," warns Patrick.

    Variable cell coverage: Reception varies significantly between pet-friendly campgrounds around Mancelona. At Hartwick Pines, recent visitors report "State park, so no WiFi. AT&T is 1 bar," while Starlight Campground notes "Cellphone service with Verizon was great and WiFi was available at the campground."

    Tips for camping with families

    Playground access: Upper Manistee River provides a more rustic experience for families wanting to disconnect. "The sites are sandy and surrounded by tall pines and ferns. Some biting flies, especially near river (late June)," warns R.B., suggesting bug protection for young campers.

    Recreation variety: Pet-friendly camping options with diverse activities keep children engaged. "They have an app you can download and do everything from ordering firewood and ice to seeing what's going on during their theme weekends. They kept my kids busy while still allowing for relaxing time," shares Victoria S. about Starlight Campground.

    Biking opportunities: Otsego Lake State Park offers safe cycling for children. "Nice paved path through the campground, great for kids riding bikes around camp. They also have a playground with a cool old fashion slide," reports Amy K., highlighting family-friendly amenities.

    Tips from RVers

    Full hookup availability: Antrim Meadows Campground provides full-service sites near Mancelona. "Traveling along the western border Michigan on our motorcycle over the 4th of July, we were in the Traverse City area and finding a hard time finding an open campsite... From the minute we pulled in, we were welcomed by the owner and the other campers," reports Uncle D.

    Trailer size limitations: When seeking dog-friendly campgrounds near Mancelona, consider size restrictions. At Pickerel Lake, "Trailers much larger than 20' have camped here successfully," notes Becky K., though the official designation is for smaller units.

    Dump station access: Most campgrounds in the region offer sanitary stations, but availability varies. Barnes County Park provides complete services that RVers appreciate: "Just steps to the lake from any campsite, this campground is wonderful! Our site was easy access in and out. Clean bathrooms super close," shares Meara H.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Mancelona, MI?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly 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 dog-friendly camping near Mancelona, MI?

    TheDyrt.com has all 172 dog-friendly camping locations near Mancelona, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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