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Best Tent Camping near Rhodes, MI

303 Reviews

Forested areas surrounding Rhodes, Michigan offer several tent camping options within a short drive. House Lake State Campground in Gladwin provides tent-only sites with good tree coverage and spaced-out campsites. Spruce Rustic Campground in the Rifle River Recreation Area features two camping loops with sites separated by trees, making it ideal for tent campers seeking a more natural setting. Muskegon River Canoe Camp offers primitive tent camping with boat-in and walk-in access options for those seeking a more secluded experience.

Most tent campgrounds in the Rhodes area feature basic amenities suited for self-sufficient campers. House Lake State Campground provides vault toilets, water spigots, and self-serve firewood stations with picnic tables and fire pits at each site. Sites are typically set on natural surfaces with minimal grading, and some campgrounds like Sugar Springs have notably uneven terrain. Campers report that water access points are sometimes shared between multiple sites, requiring extra hose length for those needing to fill containers. Firewood policies vary by location, with some campgrounds prohibiting outside wood to prevent the spread of invasive pests and diseases.

Tent-only camping experiences near Rhodes offer distinct advantages over other accommodation types. According to reviews, House Lake State Campground has no cell service within 20 minutes of the area, creating a truly disconnected experience for those properly prepared. One camper noted that weekday visits to Spruce Rustic Campground often result in having the area nearly empty, with "super clean and large spots" available. Walk-in tent sites at Deerfield Nature Park require a one-mile hike or boat access, but reward campers with peaceful surroundings and only ten sites total. The primitive tent camping at Muskegon River Canoe Camp lacks facilities but provides true backcountry tent camping with minimal infrastructure, requiring campers to bring all necessary supplies including bug spray.

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Best Tent Sites Near Rhodes, Michigan (20)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Rhodes, MI

4 Photos of 20 Rhodes Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Rhodes, MI

303 Reviews of 20 Rhodes Campgrounds

  • J
    Jun. 9, 2019

    Mud Lake State Forest Campground

    Small campground, big ambiance

    This campground has the feel of a hike-in campground while being accessible by vehicle. It is located off the beaten path in the middle of nowhere, down a couple of well-marked dirt roads about 20 miles from the highway. There are only 8 sites, but each site is spacious. Sites are divided by small stands of trees providing some privacy from neighboring sites. 4 of the sites are facing the lake. Fire ring, picnic table, vault toilets and hand pump water. Surprisingly good cell reception. There is a dirt boat ramp, but only for trolling motor, canoes and kayaks. Very quiet campground.

  • Christopher P.
    Jul. 9, 2021

    Spring Lake State Forest Campground

    Nice, very rustic, campground

    Nice park with dispersed sites. Hand pump for potable water and out houses for bathrooms. On a cute little lake ideal for kayaking or small boats. Not really set up for large TT, but people brought one in anyway. Close to US 131 and you can hear the traffic.

    Sites have fire rings and picnic tables.

  • Natalie P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 10, 2021

    Spring Lake State Forest Campground

    Okay campsite

    My husband and I stayed here for what should have been the whole weekend. We ended up cutting our trip short.

    The campground itself seemed quite nice. Large, clean vault toilets. A water pump. No electric. Some of the sites seem more isolated than others. The sites were nice and big. The campground is right by the trailhead for some longer trails. There is a nice kayak/fishing lake surrounding the campground. We first set up camp at site #1, which is at the very beginning of the campground, and very close to the highway. It is separated from all the other camp sites, but next to the parking lot leading to the trailhead. We ended up moving to site #31, which was down a hill at the back of the campground. It is in front of a swamp that opens to the lake. This is a nice flat lot, with a lot of space. Quieter than the front of the park. Overall, the campground itself is pretty nice.

    The downsides: it's right next to the highway, so you hear traffic until around 1 or 2 am. There seemed to be some long-term residents who had a LOT of late night visitors who stayed for only 10 minutes or so. The last visitor came at 3 am. Seemed super sketchy. We did not stay the additional night due to the odd activity taking place at the other site near ours. I don't think I would stay here again, but this would be an enjoyable campground if the weird activity wasn't taking place.

  • Nona A.
    Aug. 30, 2017

    Sleeper State Park Campground

    A nice campground for a weekend by the water

    Sleeper State Park Campground is located a few miles north of Caseville, MI. This is a modern campground, and has 226 camp sites, and 1 mini cabin. The campground sits right off of M25, so I recommend getting a site towards the back. We unfortunately were only able to get sites at the front and the road noise was obnoxious, 3 a.m. cars and trucks flying by. Campground, bathrooms, and showers were all kept very clean. Most sites are set up for trailers, and RV’s, and tents. There are a few sites that are tent only sites. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit and electric hook up. There is firewood available at the park office for $5 a bundle, they also rent kayaks $10 for 2 hours or $40 for the day. The campgrounds host site has coffee, tea, and hot chocolate available in the mornings. They also offer activities in the afternoon. Across M25 and part of Sleeper State Park is the beach, and picnic area. There is a walkway overpass that goes over M25 making for a safe walk from camp to the beach. The beach area has a bathroom and drinking water. There are charcoal grills, and picnic tables in the picnic area around the parking lot. The beach is a lovely stretch of shoreline along the Saginaw bay.

  • D G.
    Jul. 5, 2020

    Ambrose Lake State Forest Campground

    Hidden Inland Lake Gem

    Rustic first come first serve sites. Well water pump and vault toilets. No shower. We started on spot 8 but moved to 21 after one night - 8 was near the toilets and you get the occasion whiff of poop while 21 is on lake and more secluded. All the spots are very large with picnic table and fire pit. No grate for cooking so be sure to pack. The lake is small but good for kayak & paddle boarding. Areas of sand but fairly murky. We swam and floated for a few hours in tubes. My friend did catch a handful of bluegill.

  • J
    Jul. 29, 2024

    Frankenmuth Jellystone Park

    Fun RV park and very close to downtown

    Our site was averaged out to $82.71 a night with the weekly rate discount.

    We were in Site# 306 (a deluxe plus RV site - be aware that some of these are back-ins and not clearly labeled on the site map - we had to change sites to a pull-thru). We had Full hook- up with a gravel pull-through.
    We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site along with my jeep.
    The site was easy to level.

    Our site was not shaded with zero trees. We weren’t able to sit outside because of the direct sun until after 8:30pm.
    This was a smaller lot with our neighbors fairly close.

    The deluxe plus lot comes without a concrete patio but with a picnic table and fire ring. They do sell firewood and will deliver to your site.

    There is free WiFi. They do not offer Cable TV but there are quite a few channel options.

    There is not a community outdoor kitchen or community fire pit.

    They do not provide garbage service at your site so you must walk to garbage dumpster.

    You are allowed to ride personal golf carts. They also allow you to rent pedal bikes. They do not provide golf cart rentals.

    They do have a heated indoor and heated outdoor Swimming pool and one hot tub.

    There is a Playground. They also offer Gaga ball, basketball sport court, and volleyball courts. There is a Game room for kids. They have a Putt putt course and Jumping pad.

    They have a great general store. There is a separate Activity Center for kids.
    There are tons of scheduled activities for kids like wagon rides, arts & crafts, scavenger hunts, obstacle courses, etc. Activities are scheduled all day from 9am to 8pm.

    There is a snack bar on site from 4pm-9:30pm where you can get hot dogs, brats, pretzels, nachos, ice cream, etc.

    The streets are mostly paved and good for riding bikes.

    This is an RV park with cabins to rent also. Tent camping is also allowed.

    They have two shower houses. The shower house has the typical stalls. There is a great area to hang clothes and store your toiletries in the shower stall. These are kept very clean.

    There is a laundry facility. It is a cash only facility, but they have a change machine in the arcade room. There are approximately 4washers and 4 dryers. It is approximately $2.75 to wash and $0.75 to dry a load.

    They do not have a fenced in dog park. There are areas to walk dogs though.

    Flies were an issue and bug spray was needed.

    There were no trails to hike off of the campground.

    Some fun things to do outside of the campground are Frankenmuth FunShips (chocolate & wine tasting), the Golden Ticket Trolley, the Bavarian Belle (popcorn & sodas) River Place Shops, wineries, and Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland store. This RV park is less than a mile to downtown/River Place Shops where there is tons of shopping.

  • Kitty B.
    Aug. 7, 2019

    House Lake State Campground

    Secluded Get-Away

    There is no cell service within 20 minutes of the campground, and the closest restaurants are 30 minutes away, but if you prepare it is an excellent location! The camp sites were somewhat far apart, the tree coverage was nice, and they are overrun with chipmunks which was adorably magical! They have vault toilets available, a water spigot, and a self serve firewood station as well as a picnic table and fire pit at every site. All in all a very nice campground!

  • Rodger M.
    Sep. 3, 2021

    Devoe Lake Rustic Campround — Rifle River Recreation Area

    Spacious, Quiet, Relaxing

    We were greeted at the gate by an extremely helpful and knowledgeable gentleman. He provided good directions, and helped us with our Rec Pass.

    The site was easy to find, spacious, and had adequate distancing from other campers. It included a fire pit and picnic table too.

    The lake was serene in the early mornings and evenings. Listen for the woeful call of the loons. What a treat!

    Word of caution, the raccoons start partying as soon as you bed down. Make sure your food and trash is adequately covered/contained.

    Campground has vault toilets. We never used them but good to know they have them.

  • C
    Aug. 2, 2022

    Houghton Lake State Forest Campground

    It did the trick

    Late nite…easy to find and had lots of availability, although it was a Monday night after a rain. Had a main bathroom with 4 individuals toilet and sink combos. There were vault toilets around the property as well. Pulled the car in and set up camp after submitting the self registration fee and form.

Guide to Rhodes

Tent campsites near Rhodes, Michigan are primarily located within state recreation areas and county parks. The area sits at approximately 700 feet above sea level in the eastern region of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Summer temperatures typically range from 55-85°F with high humidity, while spring and fall camping involves temperature fluctuations that can drop below freezing overnight.

What to do

Paddle the Muskegon River: Camp at Muskegon River Canoe Camp for convenient water access. "Only 20 minutes from town if you did [forget something]! Great two weeks here!" notes camper Just J.

Mountain biking and hiking: Arrowhead Lake Camp provides direct trail access. "We went kayaking, mountain biking, hiking and fishing. The wildlife is plentiful and the lake is full of fish," writes Lisa R.

Fishing for trout: Spruce Rustic Campground offers dedicated angler access points. "Ideal for trout anglers. There's an access point to Gamble Creek between sites 171 and 173," explains Jason N., who successfully navigated his 20-foot trailer to the site.

What campers like

River-based camping: Russell Canoe Livery & Campground appeals to paddlers. "Great place to pull off the river and camp. Everything you need for your river adventure. Rent or bring your own watercraft," says H E., who recommends visiting later in the season.

Secluded experiences: Campers appreciate disconnecting at remote tent sites. "The camp sites were somewhat far apart, the tree coverage was nice, and they are overrun with chipmunks which was adorably magical!" reports Kitty B.

Spacious sites with privacy: Spruce Rustic Campground features well-designed campsites. "Nice campground deep within the park. There are 2 loops in this campground with good sized sites that are separated by trees," notes RJ W.

What you should know

Limited facilities: Most tent campsites near Rhodes require self-sufficiency. "A great place for dispersed camping. Don't forget the bug spray!" warns Just J. about Muskegon River Canoe Camp.

Off-grid experience: Cell service is limited throughout the region, particularly at more remote campgrounds. Prepare for digital disconnection.

Water access planning: At Sugar Springs Campground, "Water is shared between 3-4 sites, so you better bring a hundred feet of hose to fill your tank," advises Michelle S., who also notes the "horrifically not leveled" terrain.

Seasonal crowds: Weekday camping offers more solitude. "I went up on a Thursday and the area was empty. It was super clean and the spots were large," reports D G. about Spruce Rustic Campground.

Tips for camping with families

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Arrowhead Lake Camp offers excellent wildlife encounters. "The wildlife is plentiful and the lake is full of fish. The staff are fantastic. If we needed anything, they were there in minutes," notes Lisa R.

Consider access difficulty: Some tent sites require significant effort to reach. At Deerfield Nature Park, "You can access by boat or it's a 1 mile hike... I do recommend going by boat as the hike with gear will wear you out," suggests David F.

Explore unique natural features: Deerfield Nature Park offers unusual discoveries for kids. "One of the coolest things... there is a bioluminescent fungus out there. At night we seen some blue chips glowing," shares David F.

Tips from RVers

Site leveling challenges: Bring substantial leveling blocks. "Downside: horrifically not leveled," reports Michelle S. about Sugar Springs Campground despite noting that "the sites are spacious and clean."

Limited hookup options: Most tent-focused campgrounds offer minimal RV amenities. At Russell Canoe Livery & Campground, electric hookups are available but without water or sewer connections.

Trailer access considerations: Some rustic campgrounds can accommodate smaller trailers. "I got my 20' trailer back there no problem," notes Jason N. about Spruce Rustic Campground, though access may be challenging for larger rigs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Rhodes, MI?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Rhodes, MI is Russell Canoe Livery & Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Rhodes, MI?

TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Rhodes, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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