Are you planning a camping trip to Marcellus with your dog? We've got you covered. The Dyrt can help you find the best campsites for you and your dog. Each pet-friendly campsite offers quick access to one or more of Marcellus's most popular destinations.
Fort Custer Campground at Fort Custer State Recreation Area is a 3,033-acre park located between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. The park features three lakes, the Kalamazoo River, a campground, a swimming beach, boat rentals, more than 25 miles of multi-use trails, paddling and fishing opportunities, second growth forests and remnant areas of prairie. The trail system is popular with mountain bikers, equestrians, hikers and dog sledders. Originally farmland, the area was acquired by the federal government to establish Camp Custer, an induction and military training center for the U.S. Army during WWII. The land was deeded to the State of Michigan under President Nixon's Legacy of Parks in 1971. No alcoholic beverages allowed in park April 1 through Labor Day.
In the southwestern-most corner of Michigan, about 100 miles from Grand Rapids, Warren Dunes State Park is home to 3 miles of sandy beaches and windswept dunes on the shore of Lake Michigan. There are 6 miles of short trails for exploring the area, but the main draws to Warren Dunes camping is soaking up rays on the beach and climbing the dunes. The tallest dune, Tower Hill, rises 260 feet above the lakeshore and offers a panoramic view over the surrounding area. Park guides offer a variety of seasonal nature programs that highlight the area’s flora, fauna and natural features. Alcohol is not permitted on the beach at Warren Dunes, and dogs must remain leashed, and are restricted to certain areas only.
The campground at Warren Dunes is located away from the beach, in a wooded area near the highway. On the upside, there’s plenty of shady trees to take cover under on the warmer, sunnier days; on the downside, there’s plenty of highway noise to distract from the peacefulness. The two camp areas—Modern and Semi-Modern—offer a total of 220 tent and RV sites that vary in size and seclusion. The larger Modern area has restrooms with showers, drinking water and playgrounds for the kids; limited hookup sites are available. This area also has three rustic mini-cabins for rent. The Semi-Modern area is more spartan, with just water and vault toilets. A dump station is located between the two areas. Campsite rates range from $25–$45/night; cabins are $52/night.
Situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, Van Buren Campground has one mile of sandy beach and high dune formations. It’s the perfect place to lounge on the beach, walk through woodland trails and enjoy a picnic lunch. Located three miles south of South Haven, the campground is only minutes away from local shops and restaurants.
Van Buren State Park is set along the Lake Michigan shoreline. The park is home to high dune formations, a modern campground, 1 mile of sandy beach, woodland trails and a day-use area.
The day-use area offers picnic tables and grills, a picnic shelter and two modern restroom buildings. Lake Michigan provides a great area for swimming and a beautiful beach for sunbathing.
From the park, visitors can access the Van Buren State Park Spur Trail, which offers a scenic, 4-mile paved route into the City of South Haven. Along the way, visitors can access Van Buren Trail State Park (gravel surface) near 16th Avenue and continue on an additional 12 miles (south) to the City of Hartford. The Kal-Haven Trail State Park connects in South Haven and provides 33.5 miles of additional trail.
The modern campground is divided into five loops. Most sites are generous in size with a mix of shaded and sunny sites. Campers can reach the day-use area, set along the Lake Michigan shoreline, via a walking path that’s centrally located in the campground. There are two modern restroom/shower buildings and a children’s play area.
Vacation close to the shore of the Great Lakes when you stay at our campground in Covert, Michigan. Make memories lounging on the sandy shores, exploring downtown attractions, touring lighthouses and splashing in the ocean waves. Covert / South Haven KOA Holiday is also near Silver Beach County Park, named one of the top 10 beaches in the United States.
Our RV Sites offer peaceful locations to gather for family activities around the campfire and enjoy a delicious BBQ and s'mores, take part in a card game or watch the activities on the lake. Traditional tent camping provides an outdoorsy experience with stargazing and falling asleep to the sound of nature. The luxury of Deluxe Cabins offers a glamping experience with cozy beds, air conditioning, restrooms and kitchen options. Our RV Sites, Tent Sites, Deluxe Cabins, Glamping Tents, and Camping Cabins also all include Wi-Fi access, so you can stay connected with faraway friends and share your fantastic trip photos with them. Tents are not allowed on RV sites, shade canopy is okay.
Ready to plan your trip camping in South Haven, Michigan? Call 269-764-0818 or reserve your site online today! Your adventure awaits.
Nestled right along the Michigan and Indiana border, Elkhart RV Resort by R Journey is the perfect destination for your next excursion into the great outdoors. Located near the heart of Granger just off Adams Road on Princess Way, you’ll find that our premiere campgrounds make for a nearby getaway from those coming from the surrounding towns of Georgetown, Roseland, Notre Dame, South Bend, Edwardsburg, and Niles.
With Elkhart’s prime location in the beautiful Midwest near Lake Michigan, it’s no surprise that Elkhart RV Resort is a prime place to set up camp and reconnect with the natural world. From our well-maintained RV and tent campsites to our premium on-site amenities and activities, you won’t find a better camping experience anywhere else. Read on for more information on Elkhart RV Resort or give us a call to make your reservation now!
Scout
I’m very familiar with Warren Dunes but this was my first time camping here. Great walks and hikes and the short drive to the beach is a plus. The sites aren’t too private and can fill up quickly. The bathrooms were clean and stocked. I read lots of reviews about the noise from the road and nearby highway and I didn’t think it would bother me, but I was wrong. I wish I had some ear plugs because I had difficulty falling asleep. Overall great place, especially for beginner campers as there is a small onsite store for camp basics. Three stars due to noise and not much privacy.
Legend
You use Gate 2 to get to the registration office. Check-in was quick and we proceeded to back-in site 444 with FHUs. Our back-in should have been smooth but we were out of practice. The utilities are at the far end of the sites. In most areas, the sites back up to each other and share a utility post(separate outlets for each site) and share the water spigot. As we had come out of the Brinkley Service Center, we did not need to dump. If we had hooked up sewer, we would have needed about 25’ of hose to reach a hole in the ground(no screw in adapter). Water pressure was okay depending on if both rigs are pulling water. They have wifi(4H Public) that was pretty good but there were not many rigs in the fairgrounds. We have 4 bars on Verizon. If you are allergic to train noise, this is not your place as trains run all day, all night, at regular intervals, and the tracks are adjacent to the FHU campground(CG) areas. Sites are quite close together but far enough that you can get your awnings out. As this CG was near the Brinkley Service Center and they had to come back out to us to finish repairs, this place worked for us. We would stay here again if we come back for service center work. They are very flexible with cancellations/reservation changes as they realize the majority of people are here for RV service.
Scout
I lay here, in my hammock listening to the sounds of the evening putting me to sleep as I write this. What a wonderful little campground. Beautiful lake to fish, kayak or canoe. Spacious and shaded site to return to. What more could a dad ask for out of a weekend with their boy.
LegendElkhart County 4-h Fairgrounds: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(72 yr olds in 27’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: 4 for access to the area, very clean facilities, and not too many campers thus time of year.
Price 2024: $35 for water/electric only.
Security: No
Usage during visit: Very light
Visual Privacy Between Adjacent Sites: none
Site Spacing: very close
Pad surface: our area was grass
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: Quiet except for one day of motorcycle raises at the nearby track.
Outside Road Noise: Not most sites
Through Traffic in campground: Some for activities at the fairground
Electric Hookup: Yes
Sewer Hookup: some sites
Dump Station: yes
Potable Water Available: At sites
Bathroom: Very nice flush toilets
Showers: yes
Pull Throughs: Yes
Cell Service (AT&T): Varied throughout campground
Setting: open grass fields around very well manicured county fairground.
Recent Weather: 70s and rain.
Insects:None
Host: I am not sure.
Rig Size: Large
Sites: full hookups and water/electric only
Ranger
Nice and cozy little campground in the middle of beautiful rolling farmlands. First time passing through and found it conveniently located within 40 mins of Holland and Saugatuck without needing to get on the highway. The woman at check in was extremely courteous and helpful. We stayed 2 nights over the weekend. Most people here are seasonal, occupying almost all the lakefront sites. We may have seen one lakefront available for renters. Everyone was polite, friendly and quiet after quiet hours. The sites are very small, not much privacy, but well kept. There are more spacious sites available on the upper grassy loop. Well kept grounds throughout with beautiful flowers. The bathrooms were wonderful with great hot water and water pressure. Pretty lake with swimming beach and playground lovely for day use. We would stay again. We stayed with 34’ camper inner lakefront. I did share a picture of waterfront sites, the one vacant spot is the only site available to rent right now. The rest are seasonal.
Traveler
Spaces were too tight , even with a small camper. Work People were parked half in the road , leaving us with no way to pull in or out of campsite
Legend
We took I-80 all the way to near Shipshewana where the roads took us about 7 miles into the campground (CG). Check-in was quick and easy because we had paid ahead online. We proceeded to pull through site 37 with FHUs. The utilities were in the center, which made it nice to dump our two black tanks in order to go to the Brinkley Service Center the next morning. Water pressure was good at about 50 psi. It was nice that the utilities were on the center of the pad. We got 4 bars on Verizon. If we wanted to put out satellite, we could have as there are not many trees in the central area to block the signal. We tried to sign into the free Wifi with no luck. The website wanted us to sign up for paid internet, which we did not do. The sites in the CG are for the most part very close together. We were here overnight to take our rig into Goshen for warranty work. Coming from the West, stay on I-80 to IN-13(exit 107) as it makes for an easier route than on the local roads versus following your GPS or Waze which may have you exit off in Elkhart. Check out the great selections at Yoder's Meat& Cheese just down the road. This CG was okay for an overnighter or short stay.
Traveler
Not much to do in surrounding area, but a local get away for us
Scout
I'm going soon I will update as I go.
Traveler
Been coming here since I was little, took a 25 year hiatus from camping. Went back there recently and loved it just like when I was a kid!
Traveler
We brought down 2 30’ campers and we had 4 adults 3 children and two dogs and stay right next to the craft barn. It is a really nice camp ground with lots and lots for the kids to do. My son had a blast and said this was the best campground he has ever been to. My only complaint is that it is quite costly to stay.
Guide
Great place for a few days, nice location and close to everything you'll need. Sites were shady, grass and gravel, level and plenty of space in between you and your neighbors. Lots to check out, historical area with lots to learn and see. Train rides on the weekends. Dog stations everywhere, super clean and well kept bathrooms and grounds. Great stay
Traveler
We just camped at the park this weekend, which was the opening weekend after the rebuild of the bath houses and some other improvements. First, we loved how wooded and beautiful the campground was. The spots were nice and secluded, and the whole place was very beautiful. There were a few things that we didn't enjoy. First, it was EXTREMELY buggy. If you weren't covered in Deep Woods bug spray the whole time, you were getting bit. Second, I don't feel that there were enough showers. There were 5 showers in each bathhouse, making 10 showers total for the entire campground. I found myself waiting in a line every time I wanted a shower. Lastly, I wish there was a walking trail that was more accessible from the campground itself.
TravelerStayed for 3 days/2 nights. Place was a little crowded, but once it got dark it was quiet and peaceful. Most spots were fairly out in the open, but we had a nice spot with a few trees hiding us on 3 sides and not too far from water or bathroom trail. Bathrooms were decent and we liked the private showers, warm water!
Overall, great walking paths, hiking and the beach was a great bonus after an afternoon climbing the dunes!
The only major downfall was the price of everything at the little store. $6 for an ice cream sandwich!?! No thanks! However, be sure to visit The Beach Bucket for your ice cream cravings on those hot days!! They also have firewood which burned so much better than what the camp store offered.
Guide
Visited here some years back. It was a great place for us with the family. The lake was wonderful. Meeting up with some friends was easy here. They have a nice park area to go with the lake and campground.
Traveler
The camp is under new management and they are friendly and welcoming. I had no issues during my 1 night stay. The camp store is well stocked, and has firewood at a good price.
TravelerSaw that prior new mgmt wasn’t great but I had never been here before and read reviews—-there is now new New mgmt in 2024 and I thought they were great hosts! I will be back for some beach yoga.
GuideStayed at site 201 at the Hildebrandt campground. Sites are smallish. Most sites have some shade, but little privacy in between. The scenery wasnt that great, mostly vine like trees you'd see in a flood plain. The water pump was out during our stay and needed to go to the station near the modern campground.
We were scheduled to stay for 3d/2n but plans changed due to weather from hurricane beryl. It started to rain in the first evening and we had a mini creek running through our site. With the amount of rain projected to be on its way we could only imagine it being completely flooded.
Mosquitoes were awful even before the rain. Vault toilets were well taken care of.
If you want quite or the sound of nature, this campground is not for you. You can hear road traffic and trains at all times, especially at night. The general store near the campground entrance is a nice convenience if you forgot something or need ice/fire wood.
It is wonderful though how close the Campground are to Lake Michigan/warren dunes, which is why we stayed.
ScoutNobody complaining it's big enough if you want to be loud late you can the people that have a rv all year round are all nice and cool I ran in to just about every one all nice I recommend Ruperts resort in Indiana Plymouth 😉 they have showers and restrooms too if it's raining they have huge spots to go out of the rain you can bring corn hole or any game you like to bring plus more than I can say 4th July was grrreeat!
GuideWent with my in laws who have a camper (I typically camp rustic). The site we were at was smaller and narrow. There was also a lot of noise from the I-94 freeway nearby while trying to sleep.
While the hiking was good and the beach beautiful, they don’t allow alcohol which is my favorite post hike/beach activity.
Overall I’d do a day trip for the hiking and beach, but stay elsewhere.
ScoutThis was my husbands, and my 2 small babies first camping trip. We chose Jellystone in Fremont Indiana because it was only an hour from our home and has so many fun family activities. We wanted to do something close by in case things went awry, I am Glad we did that. We got to the site and we had booked primitive camping. From the map online you could not tell it was directly next to an extremely busy highway. So instead of the sound of nature we heard blaring 16 wheelers for hours on end. Our campsite was not labeled with our site number so we had to guess what site we had booked. The camp sites were on a slight hill and my youngest isn’t even 2 and is accident prone. This was dangerous given the fact that the picnic table was sloped right by the fire ring for a dangerous combination. Our chairs were unsteady and sitting around the fire in general was dangerous. We couldn’t relax at all and had to continuously be cautious of my 1.5 year old falling into the fire! It is currently June and the temps are high which we expected but the heat combined with the highway traffic at night led to no sleep for our children or us. Not to mention at 10:30 construction vehicles pulled up right next to the campsite and began their work. By 11:15 we had had enough. We decided to go home. It was the worst 7 hour experience of our vacation history. We called the next day and relayed our experience to the registration cabin and paid to have a cabin. The point of this thread is, I personally Feel like I paid to be homeless next to a highway for the week. I am Angry, camping should not be next to a busy highway. The entrance needs to be relocated to where the primitive camping is and the camping needs to be in a more secluded area. People are paying for this experience and it was the most chaotic/ anxious trip I have ever been on. We have not experiencedthe fun activities yet because we have had such a horrible time at the actual campsite we drove home and are coming back the next day so we could actually get some sleep. When we paid for a cabin and relaid our experience the woman working registration did not even apologize for our bad experience. We were not met with any form of compassion or understanding for the chaos we paid for. If you are going to keep booking primitive camping next to a busy highway, inform your guests! Be aware of construction schedules! Know what is happening in your area for the sake of your guests and their quality experience! Do not let your park become a thing of the past because you are neglecting to remember our experiences keep us coming back!
GuideWhile, this state park seems relatively small. The spaces are very big. They have a great little general store. The beach is just down the drive. Mood is mellow and relaxing place. Small con-a little bit of flooding. Despite other reviews online no radiation from the nuclear power plant.
Guide
The sites are randomly laid out and on top of each other. The bathhouse looked bad. You could hike the wooden walkway trails over the dunes easily. Pay to park public beach was very close.the beach area was very nice. Campground was not.
GuideThis campground is a place to stay while you visit the huge dunes. Developed sites are very small and close together. Sand/grass pads that are not defined. Undeveloped or tent area was almost empty and bigger but no electric. Cabin area has best sites. Cabins are small. Limited toilets. Public beach was nice...quite a few people. Separate area for dogs to play on the beach. Hike the dunes for a great workout
Scout
We rented site 95 in the “skybox” it’s on the backside of the property. Super clean campground with friendly workers and seasonal residents were so friendly. Enjoyed the pool, pickleball and walking the trails. Has a 9hole disc golf. Very cool place and Angola has a lot to offer.
ScoutThe place is very good. But the entertainment is fulfil when you play your favourite game. My favourite is Super 9 Game which I played in this game. The game is very unique and full of enjoy. Download it enjoy yourself. The game will refresh you. So, Try it now.
Scout
They have good hiking trails, nice refreshing waters, good food options at certain places
Discover the best spots for pets-allowed camping near Marcellus, Michigan, where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Marcellus, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Marcellus, MI is Fort Custer Recreation Area with a 4.3-star rating from 41 reviews.
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