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Maple Bay State Forest Campground offers several pet-friendly camping options within 10 minutes of Pellston, where leashed dogs are welcome throughout the 32-38 rustic campsites. Campers with dogs appreciate the peaceful shoreline along Burt Lake where pets can enjoy water access while remaining on leash. Tent and small RV sites accommodate camping with pets, though sites are relatively small for a State Forest campground. All pet-friendly campgrounds in the region maintain standard policies requiring pets to be supervised at all times, properly leashed when outside vehicles or tents, and waste properly disposed of in designated receptacles. Mosquitoes can be problematic for both humans and pets during summer months, particularly at dusk, so appropriate repellents are recommended. The campground's lakeside location provides excellent water access for dogs that enjoy swimming.
Nearby Indian River RV Resort provides a more developed alternative for RV campers with pets, featuring a large dedicated dog park where dogs can run off-leash within the resort boundaries. The resort's full hookup sites offer more amenities for pet owners than the rustic experience at Maple Bay. Trails surrounding Burt Lake and connecting to the larger Inland Waterway system provide excellent walking opportunities for dogs and their owners. Local regulations require all pets to be current on vaccinations when camping in Emmet County facilities. Campers should be prepared for nighttime wildlife encounters—raccoons and foxes frequent these campgrounds and can attract curious dogs. The nearby town of Petoskey, approximately 25 minutes from Pellston, provides emergency veterinary services and pet supply options for campers who need unexpected provisions during their stay.
"the potable water spigot near our campsite (just a short walk away) was still on!"
"Beaches are not dog-friendly (as is the case throughout Michigan, although dog beaches are starting to make headway). There is a dark sky park nearby - don't bother."
"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."
"We were here two days and fell in love with the town, the surrounding area, and never got tired of beautiful views of Lake Michigan. "
"We reserved site 83A for our family of 5. we were in close proximity to the newly constructed bathhouse complete with dish washing stations. it was a full campground on the Friday night that we were there"
"The Straits State Park in Michigan's Upper Penninsula sits on the North end of the Mackinaw Bridge in St. Ignace."
from $22 - $42 / night
Check Availability"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."
"Staff was helpful, neighbors were friendly, bathrooms were clean, and it's right on the lake! Very pet-friendly, very busy. Reserve in advance."
"This lot (a premium lot) comes with a concrete patio with a round table with four chairs, two Adirondack chairs and a fire pit and a charcoal box grill."
"The pool was great for swimming, and mackinaw city is a great place to walk around and explore!"
"There is an off-leash dog park but it was pretty small for our lab to get a good run in. The laundry was nice and clean but a bit expensive $2.25 per load. "
"Lake Michigan beach is about a 5 minutes drive."
"This is a great location to camp if you are looking for proximity to Mackinac Island. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. They have electric and water but no sewer."
"Small campground but right on Lake Huron. The campsites are close to each other so I would recommend one of the outer campsites that backs up to the woods."
from $34 - $52 / night
Check Availability"Pros: Location! 25 minutes from Mackinaw City, 10 Minutes from Pellston for supplies. Right on Burt Lake. Clean pit toilets. Generally not too crowded."
"Then, for $15 a night, we found this beauty along the northwest shore of Burt Lake, one of the larger inland lakes in northern Michigan. "
"A lot of geese tho, and my dog did get skunked. Also the spaces are Packed in pretty tight. Buts it a great location and it’s all about the water anyways!"
"Right on Mullett Lake, close to town for easy access to food, but really enjoyed kayaking lake"
from $30 - $34 / night
Check Availability"This park is operated by Emmet County and offers a very remote feel yet it is only 15-20 minutes from Petoskey, Michigan. "
"The best place to camp in northern Michigan. Should be more well known."
GuidePros: Location! 25 minutes from Mackinaw City, 10 Minutes from Pellston for supplies. Right on Burt Lake. Clean pit toilets. Generally not too crowded.
Cons: Small sites, especially for a Statr Forrest Campground. Can be pretty loud.
TravelerThe 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.
GuideLarge, 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.
ScoutWe 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.
LegendThis is a great campground if you like to bring your boat along too. We were able to tie our boat up and use it all weekend. The campground is beautiful with an awesome dog park as well.
LegendWooden 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
ScoutMake reservations early! This is a beautiful state park with the best of pure Michigan woods and Lake Huron sandy dunes and beaches . Very family and pet friendly but also quiet and peaceful for couples who just wanna get away . Only drawback is low signal cell service but hey getting off the grid is what’s its all about. Unplug and recharge yourself. Electric hook up availability 20/30 amp . Hiking and biking paths , a cute play ground , sandy beach with volleyball area all walking distance from campsites! Friendly staff , we love this park !
ScoutFriendly staff very accommodating. Pet friendly has small dog enclosure at front as well as mini golf and playgrounds. Lots of trees and wooded areas to feel more remote without the driving. Very peaceful.
GuideEdit: as of right now this listing is all jacked up. Coordinates are incorrect, "French Farm Lake Road" on Google Maps or 45.7621519, -84.7673995 will get you there. There is no water, trash services, or showers. Just 6 primitive sites with fire pits
We first came to French Farm Lake Rd to do a hike while staying with a local Boondockers Welcome host. We were excited to find our first real free camping in Michigan, and so close to Mackinaw City.
We showed up late Wednesday morning and just perfectly timed it when a couple had been packing up their camp, as there are only 6 or so sites and all were full. The sites back by the boat launch seem better for large groups.
We took site #1, which is one of the better sites IMO. Don't forget to grab a registration sheet on your way in (found near the camping sign before site #1). I had very little issue backing in our 24 ft class c with a utility trailer (37 ft total), though I had to maneuver the trailer into an opening off to the right of our driveway, as to find a more level spot. Only had to use one block under each front tire to level, with plenty of room to pull forward to unload my motorcycle. Plenty of wood around for a fire, though people had firewood for sale on the roadside when driving into the area.
Beware of sandy roads and make sure to scout before pulling in with your big rig. There is one opportunity to turn around via a parking lot of the right hand side when first entering French Lake Rd. The next spot would be what I think are sites 3 & 4, which is a big wide open lot also on the right, and also very sandy. The last would be the boat launch area at the end of the road, though that could prove impossible if there are a bunch of vehicles parked back there. So scout on foot first.
There are a few sites that would accommodate big rigs, the only way to know is to come check. It's kinda frustrating to be in states without dispersed camping, because there are a few spots that I would deem worthy, but alas you must stick to the designated sites. There are plenty of spots for a quick night's sleep in a van or smaller RV, just beware of the ranger. I've only seen them out here in the afternoon so far though.
My review is mostly based off of what we've been able to find in the area, this campground would not score as high if it were in WA or somewhere with endless options.
And as per usual in the Midwest, bring plenty of mosquito and fly products. They weren't horrible at our campsite, but evening walks are definitely not happening again.
The lake isn't anything special by my books so we skipped paddling here, though there appeared to be people fishing if that's your gig. Tons of trails suitable for hiking or biking, again, nothing too exciting on that front.
Come check it out!
Camping options near Pellston, Michigan range from rustic forest sites to waterfront locations with views of Lake Michigan and the Mackinac Bridge. The area sits at the northern tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula where inland lakes like Burt Lake and Mullett Lake connect through the Inland Waterway system. Winter temperatures average 14°F while summer highs reach 80°F with evening cooling that can require extra layers even in July.
Star gazing at dark sky locations: Wilderness State Park, located 25 minutes northwest of Pellston, offers exceptional night sky viewing opportunities. "Best star gazing in the LP," notes Ted B., while another visitor recommends "sleeping on the beach during meteor shows" for the full experience. The park was designated a dark sky park, making it ideal for astronomy enthusiasts.
Waterway exploration: The Inland Waterway system connects multiple lakes and rivers for extended boating adventures. At Aloha State Park Campground, 30 minutes east of Pellston, visitors praise the connected waterways. "Indian River is the best area to cruze on the water," reports Edmund P. The park provides direct access to Mullett Lake.
Beach combing for Petoskey stones: Search for Michigan's state stone at Petoskey State Park Campground. "We visited during summer, had a blast searching the shore for Petoskey Stones! The kids had a great time and we left with a good collection!" shares Becky P. The fossils are particularly visible after rainstorms when the stones are wet.
Lakeside camping with boat access: Maple Bay State Forest Campground, just 10 minutes from Pellston, offers affordable lakefront camping. "You can moor your boat right at the campground. The public launch was redone a few years ago and it's a great one," mentions Beth C. Sites directly overlooking Burt Lake provide water views and easy boat access.
Clean facilities despite rustic settings: Despite being rustic, many campgrounds maintain clean facilities. At Burt Lake State Park, "lots were easy to back into. Lot sizes are huge! Nearly every lot down the hill (west loop) has a nice view of the lake," reports Kerry P. Sites are consistently well-maintained even at more primitive locations.
Seasonal events and activities: Several campgrounds host special events throughout the camping season. "We went during the Halloween party. Had lots of fun," shares Jenafer P. about Wilderness State Park. The Mackinaw City area also features special events like the Labor Day Bridge Walk across the Mackinac Bridge.
Peak season crowds and reservation needs: Most campgrounds fill quickly during summer months. "Reserve in advance," advises Anna E. about Burt Lake. State parks typically open reservations six months in advance through the Michigan DNR website.
Bugs vary by season and location: Be prepared for insects during summer months. "Very buggy in June, come prepared," warns Brittany B. about Wilderness State Park. At Tee Pee Campground near Mackinaw City, lakeside breezes often reduce bug issues compared to inland sites.
Site characteristics vary widely: Research specific sites before booking. "Sites are close together. Very kid friendly, not a ton of hiking trails right off campground but clean restrooms and beautiful area to stay," reports Brittany B. about Wilderness State Park. Many campgrounds offer site maps online showing the size and location of each campsite.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Pellston, MI is Wilderness State Park Camping with a 4.5-star rating from 77 reviews.
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