Do you enjoy camping but don't want to rough it? Glamping is a great option. The Dyrt lets you enjoy a unique, rustic Manchester experience while glamping. Glamping offers quick access to one or more of Manchester's most popular destinations.
From the website: The Blind Lake Rustic Campground is located about halfway along the 17-mile Potawatomi Trail in Pinckney Recreation Area. It's a looped trail so hikers can enjoy miles and miles of scenery (without an out-and-back). There are 10 campsites outfitted with a vault toilet, hand-pump water access and fire rings. Only dead and downed timber are to be used for firewood. You must check in at the park office on the day of your reservation. Camping is only allowed for one-night stays.
$17 / night
Pinckney Recreation Area is a paradise for backpackers, mountain bikers, anglers, and other recreation enthusiasts. Pinckney is known for its extensive trail system and chain of excellent fishing lakes. Over forty miles of multi-use trail with remote campsites afford a backcountry experience.
$27 - $46 / 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
$17 - $90 / 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
$20 - $35 / night
Campground closed for renovations starting Nov 2019
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
$36 - $45 / night
Traveler
There's so much to do at the village! What a wonderful place for history lovers and/or kids. In addition to the village, there is a splash pad, a pool (in the nearby inn), and a couple of hiking trails.
We stayed in Site 23. The sites are sizable, level, and well maintained. The shower house and restrooms were extremely clean.
The campground was peaceful. It was full during our stay, and the other campers were very courteous. Nobody was loud and obnoxious.
We were able to catch the Northern Lights!
Scout
This park will accommodate any size travel trailer? Fifth wheel camper of any kind, the pull throughs are huge. The park is enormous with lots of fishing activities. Great water, the only downfall is there's no shade. Showers and restrooms are updated and always clean.
Legend
Our first time at this park and got lucky with our site. The pad was a little unlevel but easy to fix. The fire ring was fantastic and had pea gravel around it so if it rained it wasn’t a muddy mess. Great site with grass for tents and no one behind us besides a cornfield. We had a sidewalk next to us to the bathroom but there were so many bathrooms we didn’t have very many people pass by. It had pretty decent shade but unfortunately a sweet gum tree nearby so watch out if you’re barefoot. The shower house was nice but no benches in the stall and only had curtains. They were very clean and the camp hosts were friendly. We are headed back in September!
GuideStayed 5 days. Had a FHU site, of which there's a lot here. That all worked fine. Almost no trees here. None of the usual painted lines on the pavement to indicate your site boundaries, which sucks. You have to guess, and hope your neighbor doesn't spread out.
Nothing seems enforced here, and I mean nothing. Rarely saw anyone patrolling the park, never saw any staff checking sites before the next camper came in. My site had dog droppings and cigarette butts in the firepit. Neighbors had FOUR vehicles on site, two more than the rules. Witnessed endless speeding and people going the wrong way on the roads. Without exaggerating, 80% of the cars were going too fast, 75% going the wrong way. No one seems to care or enforces anything. I think the supervisor here should be fired or retrained. I camp in 4 to 8 MI state parks per summer, this is the only one where it felt like no one cares.
They need some "wrong way" signs and "speed limit 10" signs. (15 is too high, cause 15 means 20 to people, 10 means 15... ). Then they need to care.
At least the bathrooms were clean.
You can get TV from Detroit or Toledo, and T-Mobile service was ok.
Groceries and many dining options not far off.
We're 50/50 on staying here ever again.
Scout
Great out of the way campground. It was nice and quiet. Bathrooms were clean and well kept. The gentleman that checked us in moved things around so we could all be together not on different sites well away frome each other. Would definitely go there again.
ScoutThe sites in the tent-only section were well sized and shady. We were on the lake side and were able to get some nice views of Harrison Lake. There were families on either side of us with little kids who were well behaved, albeit a little noisy (i.e a really young child was screaming for about 2 minutes straight non-stop at 9 am until finally the parents said something). Bathroom facilities (single occupancy with shower) were about a 3 minute walk and were clean. Good stay!
Guide
Camped here thru the 4th of July weekend. The staff kept noise and other stupidity tamped down. They say quiet time is all the time, and I love that.
Typical MI state park, sites are electric (30a and/or 50a) only.
No real beach, but there is a swimming area. Picked up Detroit TV stations easily, good for the rainy mornings we had.
With T-Mobile, Internet service was practically non-existent. Phone calls & texts worked. The camper across from us said it was the same for Verizon.
One section is mostly paved & ADA sites, the "upper" section is grassy and/or dirt. Both restroom/shower buildings were fine, I just wish they had posted times when they'll be closed for cleaning.
All in all, we'd have no problem returning here.
GuideWonderful views from site 117. We booked the last spot of the night. It was an easy pull through with water, electric, and sewer hookup. You are right across from some good walking trails and walking distance to the beach. Lots of electric scooters, dogs, and bikes around.
Guide
Well maintained and up kept with some neat features and trails.
Avoid the vending machines.
Ranger
My family only got to stay here for a night while traveling. But it was very nice, in a modern state campground kind of a way. The sites were spacious, flat, and fairly private. There was plenty of room for riding bikes around, including a paved path to the lake. One that I would go back to.
Ranger
This was a campground that we stayed at on our way to the northern part of the state. This for me, was a place that I would like to come back to for a longer stay. The camp sites were nice, there was a nice swimming area in crystal clear water and a beautiful bathhouse. It had a more modern layout that could accommodate many campers. My only complaint, and the reason that I'll have a hard time talking my wife into going back was the mosquitoes were pretty bad the evening that we were there. Other than that I liked it a lot.
Scout
I arrived for a 2 week stay in the area on 11/12. I discovered this campground was closed for the season.
TravelerThe campground was nice and the neighbors were quiet. The dump station is at the first buildings. So fill up before you head down to the campground.
Traveler
Stayed here for the DGLO Disc Golf tournament. Had a great time. Clean campground, and activities to do. Everyone was friendly as well. We’re from the metro Detroit area so it was nice to have a quick trip 30 minutes away
Guide
We stayed the weekend at greenlake rustic, the access road into the Campground is a nice 1/2 ish mile in. We were on sites 5 and 3. Both sites seemed larger then most suburban house lots. Site 5 had a decent view of the lake, Site 3 had odd fire pit placement under 2 trees. Even though the sites were large they didn't have much for privacy in between sites.
Overall, it was a quiet stay. The freeway is on the other side of the lake, but it didn't bother us. At night it was like white noise.
The Campground has a small boat dock, no swimming area. We checked out half moon lake, wasn't really impressed, was told sugarloaf but its only for sugarloaf campers. We were then directed to Portage lake beach, which was a larger beach but it was really silty.
Green lakes vault toilets had nice motion sensor lights in them. The hand pump took a long time to get going.
We went on both east and west sides of the waterloo-pickney trail, located off the Campground access road. I believe it was the west trail after Cassidy road we experienced some steep inclines.
We also were able to see some awesome stars at night
FYI sugarloaf and portage both have firewood for sale $6.
Traveler
We stayed at lot M18 of the rustic site, Murray Lake. The site was large and had a picnic table and fire pit. There are TONS of mosquitos.
Gas and convenience is not far away. I had spotty Verizon service but I did get all of my notifications. Internet use was slow.
ScoutNice campground. Sites are close together and sites 60-72 or so are really tent site, not level, and need extension cord for electric. No water hookups. No ATT service.
TravelerI had a fantastic and totally welcoming weekend at Maumee Bay State Park with my dog. First time taking him camping and I was so appreciative of the facilities at the campgrounds & the park - I was able to focus on making sure he was comfortable instead of worrying about anything else!
Campsite neighbors were very respectful - lots of RVers and large family groups. The park store was clean & efficient and the park itself offered coffee & donuts every morning for a dollar. Very sweet!
One item of note is that there are sooooo many mayflies around - flying, landing on you & your gear, and oftentimes covering the ground around the park. Totally fine if you’re not shy of bugs, but something to be mindful of.
TravelerFirst two nights were perfect but then the may flies hatched (in mid june) and covered everything
Good size sites, friendly staff, great beach and boat launch
GuideFirst time out with the camper and we wanted to stay close to home so we found a campground right outside the city. You couldn't tell how close we were because there were so many trees in the area. Looked like up north
While there are plenty of trees around the grounds and lake there are not too many trees between the camp sites so you do totally see your neighbor. Bathrooms were clean at all times. Showers available. I saw basketball and ladder ball. There is a big lake with a boat launch and swimming area. Pets are allowed (leashed) Fire pit and picnic table at camp site. It was a grass site and not paved, some definitely looked more even than others. I did see more activities but we did not check them out. We also didn't go hiking due to the air quality/Canadian fires.
We would go again for a quick get away!
RangerWe spent two nights here on our trip to Michigan. We were quite pleased with the campsites and how large they are. You don't feel like you are close to anyone because most sites are surrounded by trees and shrubs. If you are looking to stay more than two nights keep in mind that there are only electric hook ups, so you have to fill your fresh water tank before you set up. Water fill stations are conveniently located throughout the campsite. Don't forget your bikes for this campsite! There are miles of paved bike paths throughout the campsite and a short ride to the lake.
GuideI have not camped here but had a family member use the campground while visiting the area. They spoke very highly of it. They have a large camper and stayed for a few nights.
I've been here quite a few times to fish. Great fishing spot.
ScoutI would recommend getting a reservation before showing up. They have laminated signs posted on the campsites to let you know which ones are taken. When I showed up I found site 13 open for only one night. In the morning I was told by the DNR that most weekends are booked solid, but half the sites are empty and people don't cancel the reservation; so they can't legally rent them out. Many sites are large enough to pull a camper thru. No hookups but that wasn't an issue for me.
RangerNice park very clean. Nice bike trails and large campsites. First time at Lake Erie don’t know if I would swim in it… but there is a large beach as well.
Ranger
Trails are well maintained and offer varied terrain. The best site to get is site B3. It was perfect.
If you're wanting more camping, less hiking, there is a small dirt lot near the top of a hill on Goodband Road. Look for Blind Lake trailhead on Goodband Rd in Google maps.
*Some sites now have hammock posts
Scout
They say after hours is ok, unfortunately after confirming and paying in full for my site they forgot to post my site information which left me stranded in the pouring rain. They have a phone number that says leave a message and they will return it asap, but they don’t. After I left repeated m sages it was hours before someone contacted me
TravelerSites are very private with hedges and trees dividing each site. The campground and bathrooms were always very clean. Great biking, kayaking and fantastic pickleball courts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Manchester, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Manchester, MI is Blind Lake Rustic Campground — Pinckney Recreation Area with a 4.7-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Manchester, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 25 glamping camping locations near Manchester, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
