Looking for an adventure where you can explore Prescott and then fall asleep in your tent? Find the best tent camping sites near Prescott. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Prescott, Michigan's most popular destinations.
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
This property is nestled between West Branch and East Tawas with a 90-acre private lake! There are multiple tent sites as well as renovated cabins situated on or off the lake. Several amenities are included such as firepits and BBQ grills. The main lodge has a men's and women's restroom with showers. There is also a commercial kitchen available to cook your favorite meals. There are two docks for fishing as well as kayaks, row boats and a peddle boat to enjoy the beautiful lake.
$50 - $300 / night
Recreation areas located near Hoist and Reid Lakes, north of the Au Sable River in the northeast corner of the Huron National Forest.
This is a popular campground during fishing season. Recreation opportunities include hunting, picnicking, mushroom gathering and berry picking. The picnic shelter is a Civilian Conservation Corps construction from the mid 1940's.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YEAR ROUND
Sugar Springs offers visitors 35 camping sites in a rustic wooded setting. All sites are equipped with electricity and picnic tables.
The focal point of the campground is a chalet which includes a warming room, a fireplace, heated showers, and toilets. The chalet not only makes our visitors stay more enjoyable, but is also used year-round for outings by property owners. There are also Nature Trails adjacent to the Campground for all residents and visitors.
The Sugar Springs Campground Offers:
30 & 50 Amp Electrical Service at each site
Water Filling Station (one station shared by all sites)
Waste Water Dump Station
Heated Shower and Restroom Facilities
Enclosed Picnic Shelter
Fire Pits
Playground
Free WiFi
Ice Skating Pond
Sledding Hill
Nature Trails
$18 - $32 / night
Reid Lake The Reid Lake Area is a little over 3,000 acres in size. The forest in the area is primarily hardwoods and creates a small, remote, lake environment. The lake is a small, 13-acres, with a variety of fish. Twelve miles of gently rolling trail will lead you around Reid lake. The trails are open for back-country skiing in the winter, and are not groomed. Difficulty on the trails ranges from easy to more difficult. Flickr Photo Album
Au Sable National Scenic River The access road is gated to prohibit motorized access. Visitors to this campground are primarily river paddlers. To access the site from the road, visitors will need to walk .25 miles into the large, old-growth eastern white pine to find the campground. Trees offer a screen from the river, but still allow campers views of the river and wildlife. Brochure with map: This brochure is set to print on 11 x 17 paper, landscape (wide) orientation. To print on 8 1/2 x 11 paper set the print area to "shrink to printable area", this will make the text on the page smaller. Flickr Photo Album
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
$15 / night
Ranger
The lake has an island in the middle and is great to explore by boat. Not sure how much there is to do without watercraft, as there’s just a really short trail. A friend snowmobile camps here in winter, that’d be beautiful to try. Nice basic primitive state park tent camping. Clean and simple. Shady.
Traveler
We visited this campsite for a long weekend in October, looking for that autumn experience. Our site was right on the lake, and had a great view of the river and the trees changing. Our site was very large, especially for tent camping, and that seemed to be the trend. Others were camping with campers and tents, but there was pretty of room to spread out in the late fall.
Ranger
Short backpacking walk to this no-reservations rustic campsite. You need a backcountry permit and there’s usually a small fee. Lovely forested secluded tent sites. There’s only one or two fire pits, but going there is a nice way to meet your neighbors (only 2 other groups when I was there in April). Sites aren’t too sandy and are pretty shady. Follow bear rules!!
Guide
The campsites are purely for tent camping and are around 20'x40'. We went with a group and fit four tents on one site with a picnic table and fire pit for less than $10 each. There is a large bath house with showers, a pavilion/picnic area, where they sometimes have a DJ at night. And there's a really nice open area and playground for the kids. The front store /check-in desk has some supplies for while you're there, and they also offer canoe/tubing/kayak trips with transport, directly from the grounds. We had a great time and plan on going back again.
Guide
They charge per person, so I paid $75 for my boyfriend and I to tent camp on the river for the 2 night minimum required. They are money grubbers who charge per person then put multiple parties on one site. Firewood available on site is soaking wet so had a lot of issues getting a fire started. Not much to do at the campground unless you want to pay an arm and a leg to rent one of their watercraft. Staff is incredibly rude and unhelpful. Everything they offer is an extra charge. Will not be returning here ever again.
Guide
If you are looking for decent modern campsite Harrisville offers that. There is a bike trail that goes into town. Friendly host that offer books. There is wood on site to purchase through a vending machine. Only takes exact amount. Sites are pretty close together which makes getting to know your neighbors from the get go. The bathroom was very nice. Extremely clean and well kept. Staff was there several times even this late in the season cleaning at 6:30 am. The view of the lake was lovely. I happened to have site 74 which has a great view of the lake. Though the traffic of bathroom goers is annoying. The bathroom offered such bright beam of light I never used any of my flashlights. Depends on how you feel about that. If you’re looking for nice weekend to sleep outside this is nice. If you’re looking to get away from it all and have peace and quite. This is not it. Even in September. Staff was super friendly. I originally booked 82 and it was extremely tiny for a tent site more suited for a RV. Be mindful when picking your site. Majority on the water side are tiny and are more suited for RV not a tent. I mean tiny!
Guide
This is one of the best campgrounds for kids that I've ever visited!!!
The campground itself is beautifully laid out and maintained. It features roughly a 150 some odd sites ranging from tent sites to RV and cabins. Each site has a cement fire ring and electric hookup. There are communal water spickets generously scattered around the grounds. The bathrooms and showers are very clean. They are closed an hour a day for thourgho cleaning and restocked and wiped down in the late evening. They have one large group camp area, but it is for organizational reservations only (as most of them are). Howeve, there is a cul-de-sac of 5 or 6 (I can't remember) sites off by itself. Those sites are very large (except the one on the end, which of course we had reserved for the weekend) and have huge space between them. There is also an additional parking pad there for overflow. Though they're not a sanctioned group site these would be perfect for it. We've already planned to reserve these sites next year for our large (35+people) family camp weekend. The drive around the campground is all paved and very long, so be sure to bring your bikes!!
Now for the amusements and conveniences. . . . . There is a small playground in the campground, but you have to cut through campsites to reach it. There are trails for hiking around the wider state park area as well as a few that lead across the street to the swim area and day park. Take a 2 min walk from the camp office across to the day park and you'll find the Spray by the Bay splash pad, a huge timber playground, beautiful sandy beach along Lake Huron, sandy swim area, geocaching, pavilions, well kept bathrooms and changing rooms. We spent all day at the park with 4 kids 6yrs and under and not a single on of them complained of being bored.
They have campground hosts that facilitate free activities organized by the park. We did a kids craft and enjoyed hot cocoa or coffee Saturday morning and then returned after dinner for Back-to-School bingo and popcorn. See pic of the August schedule for a better idea of what was offered.
They sold ice and wood at the camp office and there was an ice cream place next door to the park. It's a 5 min walk from the park office.
We didn't have to leave the park once all weekend. It was so relaxing to have everything we needed on hand and not have to run out for things.
One final note: there were quite a few May Flies. According to the park office they're pretty much there all summer. They weren't bad at the campground except at night around the bathrooms. We walked over to the day park before breakfast one morning and the playground was covered with them. As the day got hotter and the playground got busier there were hardly any, but that morning visit was rough. We actually abandoned the playground till later in the day.
Traveler
Location is excellent. This is a well maintained park, fantastic beaches and nice trails. I arrived on a Thursday and left Sunday. The sites are on the small side without any barriers, which was fine midweek. On the weekend, overcrowding was the norm. This was my first experience at a Michigan state park, and I do not know if others have designated spaces based on the size of the RV or tent. This would make a more pleasant experience for campers. My guess is the park was designed long before people hauled around a 30 foot camper. No park rangers facilitated parking that I could see, and clearly you should book your spot as early as possible.
Midweek 5 stars, Weekend 1
Guide
We got lucky for a spur of the moment weekend get away and scored the perfect site at a campground we had never been to before. It's a busy campground.. but this site made us feel like we were in our own little world. The lake was only a few yards from our tent. There is also a dark sky preserve there which worked out perfectly for the meteor shower that was going on that weekend. One of my favorite camping trips ever... it was just gorgeous. I booked online through the michigan parks website. There must have been a cancelation that I got lucky and grabbed. It really was the perfect camp site.
Traveler
Needed a tent sight for 3 pup tents motorcycle camping. Nice quiet secluded campground in the woods. Nice clean baths and showers. $25 for tent $35 RVs pull threw.
Scout
Pprivate. Modern and Rustic, so tents don't need to be in a Zoo of RVs. Tons of trails, great kayaking and canoeing
Traveler
We tented at this campground. Good location, decent bathrooms.
TravelerCampground was perfect for tenting. Right by bathrooms and they were very clean. Short walk to the beach!
GuideNarrow and tight, lots of tents, pop ups and sand. Nicely treed area though and of course next to the lake
Traveler
We tented here. Our location was right behind the general store so at night the lights were very bright. This KOA has so many activities for kids and we enjoyed ourselves here!
TravelerWe tented at this campground and enjoyed it so much! Loved being right by the water, and bathrooms were so clean. Would go back!
ScoutNot a great place to tent. Great place to stay with a small camper or RV if passing through Bay City or going to an event. Beach is not the most sanitary.
Scout
This campground has sites for RV’s and tents. Vault toilets that are cleaned daily. Small lake with a beachfront. No motor boats allowed. We come every year!
Scout
This place was so cute and the owners were very friendly. I tented with my 2 kids here for the weekend and will be going back for sure 😁
GuideNice open area big enough to put our 8 person tent. Picnic table and power! The Lake Huron is a stones throw to the East. Great place, we will be back soon!!
ScoutMostly shade but not dark like other sites. Large area so room for camper and tents. Fire ring located near back corner... away from your awning. Path behind site makes for short walk to the beach.
RangerWe absolutely love camping here weather it’s in a tent, hammock or RV we have always loved camping here.
Night sounds are so relaxing.
We typically do the sites closer to Mio sites 1-6
Plenty of trails and fishing.
No water No electric No sewer
Scout
Pure Michigan
RangerThis has been an annual destination for my family. We would camp here 2 weeks every summer with all of our relatives and basically turn this little place into home. There are nice clean sites, facilities, and easy access to town (Pt. Austin) if you want to go explore. I highly recommend Grindstone's Ice Cream place in Grindstone City. During summer months, it books up 6 months in advance. So learn their online reservation system and be quick at it if you have a specific site in mind. The sites on the front row by the water are the best in my opinion. Amazing sunset views and quick access to the beach. When storms come it, make sure you have everything put away and your tent staked down reeeeeal good, cause I've definitely seen 60mph+ winds and tents end up in the trees.
Traveler
Loved camping on this lake. We hauled our canoe loaded with our tent and amenities on a dolly the half mile or so back to the camp sites. Some of the best catch and release artificial lure only fishing. Loved watching the loons on the lake.
GuideWe loved this campground. The proximity to the beach was phenomenal. Our site, 95A was along the old river channel which made for nice views of water fowl. I will say though, the Canada Geese were extremely active…even at late hours of the night and early morning (expected). Lake Huron did not disappoint. We enjoyed some sunsets, weathered driftwood, more geese, sea gulls, and sand pipers.
The weather started out decent and very fall like, but come late Friday night, sustained 20 mph winds and unrelenting downpours ensued. Did I mention we were in a tent?! Fortunately, I truly did “batten down the hatches” so to speak. This is not a tent review, but the Sam’s Club 9’ x 14’ tent never leaked, never ripped, and held its own!
Flies out did mosquitoes, and bees were in full pollination mode. We did fog our site and used Thermacells which helped within Mosquitoes. Chipmunks ruled the campground. They were busy everywhere. Also a local woodpecker was going to town at a site next to us. We didn’t see any raccoons or deer…did I mention geese?!?
Site had 120v and 30 amp service, a picnic table, and fire ring. It was directly across the street from the restrooms and showers.
Site Size was approx 33’ x 50’
Shower facilities were a bit dated but functional. Restrooms were clean with nice hot water and high powered hand driers.
We’re planning another trip and hoping to make it to the sites closer to the lake.
Guide
Stayed here before the 4th of July for the weekend and was really impressed with the facilities and size of spaces at the campground. For being such a busy campground (since there is a boat launch) the sites are still quite large! We were able to fit 2 large tents, a small tent, 2 cars, 1 boat trailer and a sun shade for our gear with plenty of room to spare.
The restrooms (which I am told were recently renovated) were very clean.
The beaches were well maintained and plenty of space to moor boats overnight.
In addition to the boat launch there is also a camp store down the road with tons of snacks, camping gear/utensils, and Higgins lake souvenirs.
I will definitely return again! Be sure to catch a sunset from the campground beaches, you won’t regret it!
If you aren't familiar with this lake it is extremely clear (see video) and very large, there are 2 sandbar areas which are very popular providing 3-4 feet water to hangout in.
Nestled in the heart of Michigan, Prescott offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a serene escape. With beautiful landscapes and well-equipped campgrounds, it's an ideal spot for your next adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Prescott, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Prescott, MI is Spruce Rustic Campground — Rifle River Recreation Area with a 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 35 tent camping locations near Prescott, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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