Looking for the best options for tent camping near Rapid River? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Rapid River campgrounds for you and your tent. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Rapid River campsites are perfect for tent campers.
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
$15 / night
Nestled among mature pines, this tipi feels like it's at the end of civilization Within 40 miles of Traverse city, Cadillac or Grayling, and closer to smaller towns, you have plenty of acces to all the fun things. Situated in the center of the north country, there are lakes and trails in every direction, waiting for you to come and explore. This is a totally rustic site, so you will need to be familiar with digging a cathole, at this time there is no toilet facilities. This is camping.
Your site here at the Prairie Tipi is about half way back to the edge of the property line, making you just about center of 40 acres. You will be in the pine forest, so be sure to bring bug spray, as the mosquitoes in particular have no respect for the fact that our guests would prefer to remain un-bitten. Otherwise, the wildlife here is pretty non-threatening. There are occasionally deer that share the pathways or bed down under the pines, now and then a fox or raccoon will come to check you out, but they will stay at a distance. In all, wild things are pretty shy, and if you get a glimpse of them you can consider yourself fortunate.
$20 - $40 / night
There are 10 campsites on Power/Bassett Island. These sites are not assigned, they are 1st come, 1st serve. Please use the fire pit area that is established on the site. Each site has it's own picnic table, cooking grill and campfire circle. There are maintained restrooms servicing the island.
Power Island - Bassett Island Fun Facts
Power Island is approximately 200 acres with over 3 miles of waterfront and over 5 miles of hiking trails
Bassett Island is connected to Power Island via isthmus.
Power Island has 5 rustic campsites.
Bassett Island is 1 acre in size with 5 rustic campsites.
It's a 6.5 mile boat ride from clinch Park Marina and 3.5 mile boat ride from Bower's Harbor Marina.
Power Island and Bassett Island are dedicated as quiet, nature preserves.
This rustic campground is nestled along the banks of Hopkins Creek surrounded by a tall evergreen forest. It is a favorite spot among trout anglers. The campground shares an access road with Hopkins Creek Equestrian State Forest Campground and Trail Camp; however, horses are not allowed to camp or be in the campground area. There are 7 sites for tent and small trailer use. One of the campsites is a walk-in site. Camping is limited to a 15-day maximum stay. Amenities include vault toilets and potable water from a hand-pump well. The campground is located 5.5 miles north of Arlene via M-42 and Lucas Road. Sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations.
$15 / 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/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
White Pines Campground is a backcountry campground, with a restroom and a fire ring. This 60 acre greenspace is mostly undeveloped, offering only parking at the main entrance and a single trail through the forest. When the original 20 acres of the park were acquired in 1927, they contained one of the few remaining pure stands of white pines in the county. The park has since been managed with the goal of preserving this stand and enhancing it with plantings of new white pine seedlings.
Wakeley Lake Campground is a part of the Wakeley Lake semi-primitive non-motorized area .__The campground is made up of 5 walk-in sites near the east shore of Wakeley Lake.__
Trail System: The trail system within the Wakeley Lake semi-primitive non-motorized area is 8.5 miles in total. Several loops provide hikers the ability to take a hike that suits their skill level. Trails are also open to bicycles. In the winter, the Wakeley Lake area is groomed for cross country skiing and snowshoing. Water Activities: Non-motorized boating is allowed, however, visitors must hike in with their equiptment. Wakeley Lake is also a peaceful location for other water activites such as swimming and fishing.__
Trail System: The trail system within the Wakeley Lake semi-primitive non-motorized area is 8.5 miles in total. Several loops provide hikers the ability to take a hike that suits their skill level. Trails are also open to bicycles. In the winter, the Wakeley Lake area is groomed for cross country skiing and snowshoing. Water Activities: Non-motorized boating is allowed, however, visitors must hike in with their equiptment. Wakeley Lake is also a peaceful location for other water activites such as swimming and fishing.__
Visitors to the area will be treated to a forested setting that varies from tag alder and conifer swamps to upland jack and white pine mixed with oak. Wakeley Lake Campground and the Lake itself are set relatively close to the parking location in the semi-primitive nonmotorized area. The lake tapers out into a swampy marsh area along the shoreline in some areas. The 2,100 acres area is habitat for loons and eagles and visitors may view loons nesting from March 1 to July 15. Please respect wildlife and view from a distance.
This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (989) 826-3252.
All reservation changes, cancellations, and refunds are managed through Recreation.gov.
$10 / night
Ranger
Tent camping on the water, it does not get any more beautiful than this!
Close to town Fire pits No hook up at the tent sites
Legend
Campground Review:
Nestled in a private spot on the Leelanau Peninsula on the 45th north parallel and just a couple miles from Lake Leelanau (west) and Suttons Bay (east) beach, marina, and village is this quiet RV and tent campground.
While trees line the perimeter and are speckled throughout the campground, all of the RV sites are completely open to the sun, making it an RV parking lot with grass. Each RV site comes with water and electrical hook-ups and many with sewer hook-ups as well. While most RV campgrounds have centralized bathrooms with flush toilets, sinks, and showers, this one is lacking those amenities.
The tent camping area has 10 sites, is nestled in the trees, with a picnic table and fire ring at each site. In addition, there are 2 rustic cabins and 1 yurt nestled among the tent sites for those who aren’t interested in roughing it as much. There is a one pit toilet, a unique “tent shower,” and a central fresh water spigot for campers and those staying in the cabins.
There are 2 man-made ponds in the middle of the RV section of the campground, which sadly act more as mosquito breeding grounds than they do for water activities as they are quite small. There is also a new driving range above the campground for the golfers in the group.
The best part of this campground is its location. It is just a couple miles from either Suttons Bay and Lake Leelanau, and within walking/biking distance of 2 local wineries (Forty-Five North and Aurora), nice restaurants, and great backroads that are off the beaten path and away from nearly all traffic. The Forty-Five North Vineyard and Winery has a great walking/mountain biking trail in addition to a nice selection of very accessible wines, a great atmosphere, and super friendly staff! Hang out on their porch or play cornhole and bocce ball while you enjoy a glass of wine and a cheese plate.
Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I was able to test the Rapid & Backwoods sunglasses by Optic Nerve. After a day of cycling and wine tasting, we took our sea kayaks out to Suttons Bay and spent the day kayaking around the bay.
What I like most about these glasses:
· Lightweight (poly carbonate materials) but seem very durable.
· Great price for high quality glasses. I usually buy cheap glasses because I tend to lose them or break them, but these are well-worth the extra $10-15 for quality glasses.
· Polarized lenses with 100% UVA/UVB protection. Perfect for water sports such as sea kayaking, sailing, etc.
· Different shapes/lines work well for various sports or simply for everyday. I chose the Rapid sunglasses for use on the water and the Backwoods style for cycling/running.
· Lifetime warranty!
Some of the things I wish these glasses had:
· It would be great if these came with a protective case with the Optic Nerve logo.
Product Link:
https://www.opticnerve.com/collections/mens/products/rapid
https://www.opticnerve.com/collections/mens/products/backwoods
Product Video:
Scout
They have a really nice area whether it’s fishing or swimming, playground or just plain camping, etc. the only negative thing is the tent camping spots DO NOT have PLUGS which was really irritating because tent camping you’re definitely gonna need an outlet.
Traveler
We enjoyed our tent camping 4-day experience at this wonderful, clean, & friendly place.
Ranger
Quiet campground with sites quite close to one another. This campground butts up to the heritage trail, which is 20 miles of hiking, biking, walking, or skiing fun. A short walk will get you to Lake Michigan and it’s sandy beach. Each site has a nice picnic table, a designated tent pad (if it’s a tent site) and a fire ring with a grill top. Firewood is available on site for $5/bundle, vault toilets are also available. No shower facilities. Lots and lots of poison ivy! Stay on the paths!! And tIcks! Stay in trails and out of tall grass or weeds. The tent pad is very compacted ground, definitely need a hammer or decent sized rock to pound in the tent stakes, and also definitely bring a sleeping pad or air mat. Tent sites are only $20/night, but you also need a National Park Pass, which is $20/1 week or $40/ 1 year, so be aware of that! Stayed at site 88, seemed to be a slightly more “roomy” site than others, as there were no neighbors behind us. PLUS thIs Is located very near to thw sleepIng bear dunes and natIonal lake shore!
RangerGreat access to dunes, beautiful state and national park. Sites are leveled, cleared and overall very well kept. I liked the tent sites best. Wooded in between most sites.
Scout
We’re tent camping this spot and it’s really nice, multiple trails and a private beach. I would advise to book a spot early because the bad spots are all in a line on an open lot which isn’t really ideal for my situation, but overall it’s a nice place.
Scout
This is a good campground. To me, it didn’t stand out that much from others I have been to, but they have a bathhouse with showers and toilets, which is nice. It’s also right next to a nice lake with sand volleyball pits. Good area for hammocking and tent camping.
GuideGreat campsite with spacious sites not too close to each other. Sites are close to the beach (3-5 min walk). Vault toilets are to be expected. Quiet at night when I was there. Easy access to hiking trails and Glen Arbor. Would stay again! $20 for basic tent site (non-electric).
Scout
We have come to this campground every year since 2020 for a week with our travel trailer. We got lucky to find and opening at an electric site in their schedule and once you're in, you can reserve the same site on the same week the following year. We've had family members stay in tent sites nearby and they loved it.
TravelerHad a great time staying at this Campground! Well maintained/clean, 50 yards from the Lakeshore of Lake Michigan, and the staff are super friendly. The campground uses a service where you can digitally reserve your desired campground in real time! This can be found on the Campgrounds website and very intuitive to use. I was never planning to go to this Campground but after reading the reviews on the Dyrt App and realizing you can book digitally, it was a no brainer. The only downside of this campground is that it’s very expensive! I paid $36 a night to tent camp, and in my experienced opinion, that is absurd! Nevertheless had a great time here!
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!!
RangerGreat park out on a peninsula with sunset views. Hiking on the sand and boardwalks, lighthouse tours, perfect weekend spot---though not particularly close to much. Pretty “rustic” cabins and tent sites near lighthouses and the water---great listening to the shore in our sleeping bags. Most of the sites are pretty private, wooded/shrubby, and large. There’s a gift shop but it doesn’t feel overly touristy. Recommended.
Traveler
Great site for first time campers or when you want to just get away quickly without having to take lots of equipment and supplies. Nice little camp store and pizza restaurant on site. Great playground, evening activities. Nice mix of electric hook up, R.V. and tent sites. Boat rentals, etc. Great place for a group of families to come camp together. Staff at the campground are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.
Ranger
Great access to the Platte River for canoeing and other water activities as well as the Dunes. Friend had to come here for work at the nearby Fish Hatchery so I joined him. You can visit the hatchery (self-guided free tours), which supplies fish for lots of the popular fishing sites here. Lots of different site options, some of the tent sites are really spread out and private.
Ranger
Location location location! If you're looking for a campground that's just across the street from the beach located on Traverse a City Bay, this is it! While campsites are somewhat cramped, showers and stalls are fairly clean and well kept, as are the sites in general. Very convenient to stores, restaurants and night life downtown. I've never been to a campground that felt like you were in the woods near the beach, was quiet, yet nearly in the middle of a bustling town! Sites for tent camping, partial and full hook up. Walking distance to restaurants and stores.
GuideOverall great campground! Beautiful scenery and well kept. Tent sites had plenty of room on them and lots of privacy. Small walk to your site from where you park but that makes it feel a lot more wild and secluded. They provide a lock box to store food in due to bears in the area. Restroom and shower facility by where you park and those are very nice and well kept to! Plenty outdoor activities to do in the surrounding areas.
Guide
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 and walk/boat-in tent sites are great and have their own vault toilets and pump (though they are less shaded and a little more open than the forest sites). there's a river trail to walk and parking for the walk/boat-to sites. there's an ORV trail nearby and the road can get noisy from that. otherwise quiet and cozy.
GuideThis is a smaller wooded campground at the very northern tip of Leelanau Peninsula. It is rustic, with no electricity or modern bathrooms (pit toilet). Most of the sites are wooded and some are a little smaller. Perfect for tent camping and smaller popups. Since it's at the end of the land mass, the waves are stronger and always in the back ground. It's a wonderful way to fall asleep! There is a lighthouse you can tour and a small maritime museum on the property. The beach is a fair size but all rocks (no sand). There are a couple small cabins with bunks, electricity and grills.
GuideIt’s a well kept campground with plenty of sites. They are RV ready as well as tent camp ready. It may not be right on the water but across the street is close enough; there is a nice bridge to walk over the road so you don’t have to stop for traffic. The restrooms are clean and very capable for busy season. Behind the campground is a wonderful bike trail that goes all the way up the Lelenau Peninsula.
The only issue we had was when I had to get a jump for my car and the DNR staff there was not very helpful. Other than that, it is a wonderful location!
Guide
Took our family of four for a long weekend of tent camping. We had scoped it out before, so we had a general idea what spot we wanted, and reserved it online. The spot (304) was nice and big, and we had plenty of room. The park just seems more suited to RVs instead of tents, as do most parks up here. The facilities were nice - super clean bathrooms, great beach for the kids, even a dog beach. (Dogs are supposed to remain on leash on the beach.) There wasn’t really much of a playground for the kids, so they rode their bikes a lot. It was better than some we have stayed at, but not the spot if you’re looking for a little more rustic/private. You will certainly have neighbors.
Guidelots of options here from full hookup to walk in tent sites. we prefer the non electric loop which tends to be much more quiet. took a star off for the reservation system which was put in place a few years ago. sites have to be reserved now, no showing up and being assigned a site. because of this people book them up “just incase” making it’s very hard to get a site and resulting in a lot of empty sites. it’s very frustrating. we used to stay here once a year but have since started staying at one of the state forest campgrounds nearby.
Guide
This is a very large campground that is usually full during the summer. There is no shortage of activities here: a small pond/beach, pool, jumping pillow, dodgeball, bike trails, ATV trails, crafts, parades, etc. It's great for the active family, particularly those with elementary & middle school age kids. It can be rather loud at times. There are some seasonal sites, a small "village" of tiny houses, yurts, and a lot of RV/tent sites. The location is good, as it can be a good jumping off point to explore Traverse City and the surrounding area. This definitely isn't a campground for people who like quiet and solitude, but if this is your style of camping, it's a great place.
Scout
This campground has tiny campsites that are very uneven. We camp in a tent so that was not ideal. There are about 8 lake side sites which are right across the road from the lake. Those were the best sites for size and view. The lake is really large so it is great for boating. The boat launch is right in the campground and it has two launches so it makes for quick access. You can anchor your boat in the water if you choose. If you have a boat you can access the Indian River which takes you to Mullett lake. Also you can take the crooked river to crooked lake but you have to pay a $10 fee for the locks. The water has leeches which was a pain with my 2 year old. She got one every time she went in the water. The campground does not have a host and dnr only came in the morning to check tags. The week we were here we had fireworks and a lot of noisy campers well past midnight.
ScoutThis state park campground has, for the most part, primitive tent sites - many on the water or with views of the water. All are wooded. Many face north and the night skies are phenomenal. There is a state park beach down the road. It's worth the 15 minute hike to the lake - white sand beach, clear water and blue sky with seldom anyone else there. The folks who camp there have always been great - we've been going there for 20+ years and our sons and their friends come each year with us. There's a town six miles away - you can run or bike to it through the pines and cherry orchards. They take reservations six months out. There is a lighthouse and playground as well for families. It's wonderful!
Guide
First let me start with saying it was ok for what we needed the campground for. We stayed 4 days in total, 3 of the 4 days we were elsewhere. Site 25 was a large site that fit my 36’ TT and my brother-in-laws very large tent on with plenty of room (very deep site). Campground allows for multiple vehicles and multiple units on site (TT + tent). We had a total of 10 in our party plus 2 small toy dogs. Upon arriving, I did not realize the dump station was outside the campground as we came from the opposite direction and filled my water tank by the bathroom from the water faucet using my hose. The park does not have paved roads but is level and no pot-holes.
Upon arriving to my site, site was dirty, trash all over site and trash dumped in fire pit (old tire rim, above ground and moveable). After setting up and cleaning our site, kids took out our fishing magnet and found rusted nails (6 in total along with some unknown rusted metal shards) by where we parked our TT.
Playground is outdated but still functional, beach was somewhat clean (some trash here and there), pavilion at the beach had lost items placed in front of it, mostly sand inside of pavilion. The swimming area has a sign posted in front stating the water is not checked (for bacteria) so swim at your risk.
Just outside the park is 2 more pavilions that can be rented and looks like a wooden white movie screen so if you have a throw projector you can do a popup movie here. Also there is frisbee golf on the outskirts of the baseball diamond along with a bunch of hiking trails
Now my feelings and thoughts of our stay. We were parked next to some party people. We are a dry family and not condoning drinking but Friday and Saturday it was a large party place until almost 3am on Saturday. Neighbors had half the campground at their site (so it seemed to us) including the camp Manager but the loudness was very unappealing and disruptive to us especially my brother-in-law family who was camping in a tent and could not filter out the loud noise. Our site was very dirty, with trash and nails everywhere. The host was a nice person but if checkout is 11am and checkin is at 4pm, the host should have cleaned the sites from trash (we literally filled a meijers grocery bag with trash). I was upset about the nails but to be honest, he could of not known unless he ran a magnet through the site.
We are strong believers of leaving our site better then before we arrive.
Ranger
We had a nice tent site that the guy at the front help us pick out. The beach was nice and the sunset was very pretty. Squirrels took over our site in the morning, but not too buggy. The bathrooms were fine, but were constantly getting sandy and gross.
There were a number of hiking trails that take you into the woods and up the dunes. Some are more difficult than others, but nothing miserable. The campground also has a path that connects to the bike trail. If you catch the trail, you can bike on paved path all the way to Charlevoix. That was a nice ride and I recommend doing that.
The beach was beautiful and very wide. The water was calm and welcoming. There are lots of beautiful rocks along the shore (know any rules before you take them: it is illegal to take more 25Ibs of rocks from a Michigan State Park).
The campground is on the edge of town. There are lots of restaurants and even a grocery store nearby. Much of it is in biking and even walking distance.
It was a nice stay, but nothing about it blew me away.
Tent camping near Rapid River, Michigan, offers a blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, perfect for those looking to escape into the wilderness.
Frequently Asked Questions
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