Searching for the best camping near Rapid River, MI? Rapid River is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Rapid River camping trip.
"Located on busy US-31, but with pedestrian bridge over 4 lanes to beach. TART (Traverse Area Recreation Trail) access from campground. Easy biking to Traverse City or Acme."
"Bathrooms were clean, sites were average size for Michigan state parks. Close to the bike trail, though a little noisy from the nearby airport and roads."
$45 - $60 / night
"This park is situated up on a hill on beautiful Elk Lake. Elk Lake can easily access Torch River and into Torch Lake. It has a fantastic boat launch which we have used."
"The park itself is positioned on a hillside next to a lake. We had a site at the top of the hill which I recommend."
$35 - $50 / night
"Swing set, walking trail, ORV trail, pool, volleyball, pickle ball court and other games! This campground is extremely clean and has beautiful bathrooms/showers."
"They made us feel like family the minute we walked through the door. We would defiantly visit again!"
$15 - $20 / night
"the sites are sandy and surrounded by tall pines and ferns. some biting flies, especially near river (late june). multiple vault toilets and one water pump. sites are spacious enough for small campers"
"We love Michigan outdoors! We chose paddling and camping the Big Manistee River. As is the expectation when we camp…there will be rain…and this outing was no different."
$29 - $44 / night
"Chain O'Lakes Park has it all: trails to hike, horses to ride, boats to row, and fish to catch! After an adventure- packed day, you can return to your nearby campsite for some rest and relaxation."
"Rooms: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Location: 5/5
Nearby activities Super close to torch lake and lots of great small towns."
"1/2 hr outside Traverse City. Nice away from the busy areas.
The campground needs some attention which will be addressed by the new owners. Very dusty, loose sand uneven entrance.""Nice beautiful campground situated in a nice woods setting. Sprayed for bugs so the bugs were not much of a nuisance. The camp sites are a nice firm gravel and pretty level."
$60 - $260 / night
"We stayed here in our little offroad teardrop camper which looked like David & Goliath when contrasted against the massive 5th wheels surrounding us."
"There is a pool, jump pad, miles and miles of mountain biking trails and hiking trails, a man made lake which has some inflatable water toys."
"We didn't know too much about Sands Lake when we arrived, so we just drove in a few minutes and found a beautiful lake with a prime campsite next to it."
"Amazing fishing and spacious campsites fire away from everybody."
"A great campground about 20 min south of gaylord, on otsego lake, as with most michigan state parks they have nicely taken care of campsites and easy access to bathrooms, the beach from our site was a"
"Otsego Lake provides a needed escape from the city while still being close enough to a happening town that one can camp and get into town for a nice dinner. The lake and campsite are clean."
$25 / night
"Traveling along the western border Michigan on our motorcycle over the 4th of July, we were in in the Traverse City area and finding a hard time finding an open campsite."
ScoutThis campground lacks full hookup. We like it fine it is just the inconvenience of only a dump station. It is a small city owned campground. Sites are gravel. Has a shower house. Most sites have a great Michigan views. Only 30 amp and water hookup.
TravelerMy wife and I pulled into this campground on July 3rd at 10:30am and had 8 sites (out of 26) to choose from. By the end of the day and for the next 3 it was packed, but I was shocked to get a site for the 4th of July in this area. Our neighbors were far away and very quiet and. Pit toilets were cleaned more than once a day during our stay. Can't recommend this place more.
ScoutI scouted this campground over a holiday weekend and found all the sites that could accomodate RVs were occupied, while all the tent sites were available. Returning on the Monday after the holiday with my tent, I was the only camper on site for all three nights I was there.
I camped in Site 2, as it was close to the lake and fishing was my purpose in being there. The campground is small (15 sites) and the cost is $20/night. The vault toilets (2) were clean and well supplied with toilet paper. The hand pump well takes a bit of priming to get going, but don't give up. You will get water. There is a small beach area next to a well maintained boat dock and concrete boat launch. Everything at my site, fire ring and picnic table was in good condition. As others have mentioned, this campground is right on a paved road. For some reason, this road is popular with noisy motorcycles and pickup trucks. Fortunately, the traffic almost completely stops by 9PM.
The fishing was just ok. Although rumor has it the lake is stocked with Walleye, my take was limited to abundant Bluegills, Pumpkinseeds, and Largemouth bass, many of which were on the larger size. Waterskiing and jetskiing is prohibited on the lake before 11AM, but they come out in numbers after that time.
All in all, being the sole camper at the site made for a pleasant stay. I would not venture to stay there on a weekend or holiday.
ScoutGranted, we chose here to stay on 4th of July weekend. It was loud, understandably, any Campground on this exact weekend wouldn't be ideal. So, realistically,
Lake is clean, clear, other than a few areas with lily pads and what looked like a Loon nesting area that had some low lying aquatic plants.
Nice for kayaking.
Please note, the lake is a decent small/medium siz3 and you will be seeing about 4 or 5 pontoons and handful of Jet skis
ScoutI've hiked and kayaked this trail on a few occasions and I can confidently say this is one of my favorite trails in all of Michigan. You have the option to do the loop, they allow dispersed camping, and there is plenty to see and do. Waterfalls, river bends, wildlife, this trail has it all. Best thing to do is camp for 2 nights and take your time. Loved it.
ScoutNice, convenient, lightly used.
ScoutSite 69 was large enough for our class C 31ft motorhome, didn't take much to level. It did rain pretty hard plus wind and with lots of trees many branches and such on top of our rig afterwards. That doesn't bother me but if it bothers you , you may want another place being this has lots of trees.
ScoutTypical rustic camper, so camping close to others is not my typical cup of tea, but I messed up my rustic campsite reservation by week and managed to get the last open spot for the weekend in the main campground. First up - Park Staff at check-in. 6/5. Incredibly helpful. Let me do a drive by of the site to check if I would fit, and stalled someone on the phone who called about that last site while I checked it out. Campsites- be prepared to deal with sloping ground. Bathrooms - clean, Camp store - kind of sparse. Campfire Wood - the stuff they sell works for a quick fire but not long lasting. Buy some larger logs from in town.
ScoutSo close to the beach! Large, well kept sites. Campground will close Labor Day for a year to up grade sewer. No city water or sewer hook ups. 30 amp or 20 amp electric.
Camping near Rapid River, Michigan, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to relax or a place to explore, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Rapid River, Michigan, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Rapid River, MI offers a wide range of camping options, with 217 campgrounds and RV parks near Rapid River, MI and 7 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Rapid River, MI is Traverse City State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 51 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 7 free dispersed camping spots near Rapid River, MI.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 parks near Rapid River, MI that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
Keep Exploring
