For those who want to experience North Branch, but still want the creature comforts of home, consider glamping for your trip. The Dyrt can help find the best glamping in and around North Branch, MI. The Dyrt's camping photos, reviews, and tips are an easy way to find the right Michigan glamping spot for you.
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
$27 - $30 / 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
Oakland County Parks require a daily/annual vehicle use permit.
$28 - $48 / night
Scout
Been using this campground for at least 12 years. Bathrooms are always fairly clean and there is plenty of shade. Nice ponds to view as well.
GuideIt's a very nice campground with lots of trees and the sites are spaced out nicely in the Trillium loop. I've wouldn't pick site 93 however as the pavement is sloped and the whole site is sloped quite steeple. Also, it shares an electrical box with 95 and my camper cord was about 30 ft short.
Traveler
Beach, trails and children's solace pad, just an easy walk across the road. Newer bathhouse. Shady sandy campsite. Be sure and visit downtown Bay City, lots of great restaurants, a Riverwalk on both sides of the river, concerts in the park. Great atmosphere.
GuideA short trip from home, this was a great weekend getaway! The camp site was spacious but tucked back in a bit (we tent camped on an RV site). The campground was quiet as well.
We did a 7 mile loop hike and then went to Battle Alley Brewing in Holly (10 min away).
No grate on the firepit so be aware of that.
Would definitely come back - it’s like being up north but you’re under an hour from home.
GuideMost sites are good, though some have slopes to them. Choose carefully. Great newer playscape and splash pad (!) for the kids, across State Park Rd from the main campground. Nice newly opened visitor/nature center. Campground usually clean and patrolled. Showers/restrooms are good, cleaned twice a day. Friendly staff.
Some of the best campground hosts are here.
Groceries, restaurants & laundromats are a short drive away.
TV reception was ok, and T-Mobile worked well enough.
TravelerI love to come here when I want a quick get away from home because it is only 30min away.
The campsites are big,secluded, wooded, and clean. The people in the check in stand are nice, friendly, and helpful as well.
I do wish there was more public bathrooms, it’s a long walk or a quick drive to the only flushable toilets in the campground.
Raccoons run this place! Don’t leave any food or garbage out ever or you will be robbed by a gang of raccoons who are not afraid of people.
Guide
This is the second time staying in these campgrounds in two weeks. Both times stayed in the more wilderness area D with lots of trees and sites for tents or back-in trailers. The grounds are huge with bike/hike trails, a lake and a disc golf course. Mountain biking seems to be very popular there are dirt trails off the paved hiking loop. Sites have electricity and water and are well spaced out.
Guide
This park and campgrounds are very manicured with tons of RV, trailer and tent sites. The lake has a small shallow swimming area and beach that gets very busy during the day but less traffic right before sunset. There are lots of family activities like mini golf, kids bike courses and playgrounds. It’s a very large open family camping area. The staff are very nice and very busy making sure the grounds are perfectly maintained. I camped in the area F on the outer perimeter just down way of the beach area. I had plenty of room for my tent, awning and to park my SUV. The was electrical and water (non potable) at the site. During the weekdays I only had a few neighbors further down in tents or travel trailers. On Thursday almost all sites filled up with travel trailers. A park employee told me they would be fully booked for the next two weeks. Very nice camping, quiet. Holly Oaks Offroad park is across the street and Holly Recreation area is adjacent. Lots of great towns nearby like Fenton.
GuideThe spaces are nice and open. The playgrounds are new. There’s and arcade and beach. The downfall is that ots open to the public. This is our 4th year coming here and its now a common occurrence for stranger danger. If you’re an adult with no kids, you’ll have a great time!
Scout
Very loud, lots of children, kids will be kids, but the loud music until very late and the dogs barking all hours not necessary! At least I know most of Tom Pettys songs now from listening to them all night!
Guide
We had a large group of families with varying ages and abilities. We used multiple different styles of cabins and a few RV sites, as well as various buildings for activities. All in all, it was an incredible time and I highly recommend it. Staff was helpful with activities such as archery but, seldom seen if not directly helping with things. It was nice to feel like we had the run of the place but, still know that help was available if we needed it. The location is pretty great, off the beaten path but, within 30 minutes of major stores and conveniences.
Laundry facilities would have been awesome since we were staying a full week but, there was a laundromat only about 15 minutes away.
The food selection was about what you'd expect in a public school cafeteria and resulted in health-minded guests needing to make their own meals in the cabins and meals were VERY rushed, only allowing 30 minutes for our large group to get their food, eat and be out of the building.
The grounds were well maintained for a rustic campground but, bathrooms and meeting buildings were adequately upgraded and offered pleasant amenities, such as a game room, large gym and decent air conditioning.
We had a great time here and look forward to returning one day!
Traveler
We love this campground. It’s quiet and well maintained. The owners are friendly and willing to help. Wood bundles are available for purchase and they deliver to your site. No tents allowed but pop-up are welcome. The bathrooms are key for me and are very clean. There shower are private and are quarter operated. This is our go-to when in the area.
Guide
I have stayed here over 100 times in past thirty years. Front camp sites are better than back. Staff are friendly. The only rude person here is the camp store owner. Fishing is great, boat, kayaks, trails for everyone. If it rains everything is mud if your in the back camp section.
GuideIt's always great to spend time at Holly. The only downfall is the public bathroom. Camp sites are pretty big. Tent camping is also A bad place to hang out as nothing is level for tents.
ScoutWe camped here in our Coleman Lantern over Labor Day Weekend 2023. It was busy but everyone was respectful of one another. The community restrooms, dump station, and dumpsters were well maintained throughout the weekend. The camping store was well stocked for all of the things we forgot to pack but was expensive. The park is extremely sandy so be prepared. Overall it was a quiet, peaceful weekend in a great location. We will definitely be back!
TravelerNice campground. A lot of woods. Any site above 80ish is very hilly and may be difficult to level an RV. The beach is nice even though it's about a mile away.
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
Traveler
Horrible management here. You need to wear a wristband everywhere and at all times. Dumb gate that needs to be scanned to let you in. They guide you into your site which is extremely annoying and freak out if you go the wrong way on the one ways. Just way over controlling on you and you can’t enjoy camping.
Scout
Since 1966 I visit, often just back packing. Clean enough & refreshing enough & still something pre-historic, particularly the beach, & the roads to it.
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!
GuideWe thought we'd give Holly Recreation Area a try. Campground is in "loops", each fairly apart from each other. The closest "lake" was mostly lillypads and scum. No swimming there, but the lake with the beach (and overpriced lake inflatables, $20 for 60 minutes use!) was a drive (or looong walk) from my site. (We're in the Oak Loop).
Playground equipment leaves much to be desired. Old swings and slide here, down a ways it's a climbing dome and some other metal thing. I don't know what genius thought putting a basketball court right next to a camping area was a good idea, but the constant "blap blap blap" sound got tedious real quick. Speed limit is 10mph, people seem to add 10 to that, so watch the kiddos. I even saw an official State van zip by my site at at least 15 to 20mph. Not great.
Every site is paved, which is nice, but I've never seen SO many unlevel sites. Some slope back, some forward, or to the side. I mean virtually every site in this loop is unlevel. I'm not exaggerating in the least. Hard to believe they thought this was OK. I drove each loop, noting the level ones, which was only a handful total.
We're close enough that we should get all the Detroit TV stations, yet I can get none. T-Mobile only gets LTE, which is slow.
Vault toilets in the loops, modern restrooms/shower out on the main park road. Unless you like long walks, expect to bike or drive to them. The modern facility near me was ok, showers ok, but there were lots of spiders in the stall I used. What's a lot? I counted 15 on the walls. It IS camping though, so kind of expected.
It is pretty though, very wooded, but sites clear & well spaced. (though, again, mostly all unlevel to some degree.) Road and site pavement is in good condition, and sites clearly marked.
I doubt we'll return here.
GuideMassive campground with multiple off shoots; Halloween is a must do here! Large and pretty private lots.
TravelerCampground was perfect for tenting. Right by bathrooms and they were very clean. Short walk to the beach!
Traveler
If you're looking for a peaceful state park near the beach, this is NOT IT.
This is a noisy, crowded, smokey RV park with no privacy. It would probably be fun if you were 10 years old, running wild with all the other kids and hanging out on the beach. The other campers are in large noisy groups that arrive after 11:30 pm to noisily set up their RVs or party until midnight. Not our thing!
The beach is nice (no dogs on beach) and bathrooms were fine.
TravelerNice pull through sites, some are tight, but none are impossible. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. There’s private land on either side and a dirt bike track that the neighbor owns on the north end, so if you’ve got a light afternoon napper, stay away from that end. Clean facilities, close to attractions and highway. Overall a good spot to stay
GuideFirst time here, our site is huge. Lot of people on Friday and Saturday so extra caution when driving through the park. The Tobico Marsh trails and observation towers wee great for watching birds. Lots of trails. TheDay use area has lots of beach, as well as picnic areas, pavilions, a fishing pond, more trails. As this is less than an hour from home, this will become a regular just get away for a weekend campground for us.
Legend
Large campground. Level sites with room between them. Lots for kids to do. Pools, basketball etc….
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near North Branch, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near North Branch, MI is McGinnis Lake Modern Campground — Holly Recreation Area with a 4.4-star rating from 30 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near North Branch, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 20 glamping camping locations near North Branch, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
