Best Campgrounds near St. Johns, MI
Camping in the St. Johns, Michigan area includes a mix of state parks, family campgrounds, and recreation areas within driving distance of town. Sleepy Hollow State Park Campground, located near Laingsburg, offers electric sites for tents, RVs, and cabins with access to Lake Ovid for fishing and swimming. Other nearby options include Maple River Campground in Pewamo and Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, which caters particularly to families with younger children. Most campgrounds in the region provide water and electric hookups, with several offering full sewer connections for RVs. The camping landscape around St. Johns features primarily established campgrounds rather than dispersed camping, with many sites suitable for both tent and RV camping.
The camping season in the St. Johns area typically runs from May through October, with some parks like Sleepy Hollow remaining open year-round. Many campgrounds require reservations, which become especially important during summer weekends and holiday periods. Walnut Hills Family Campground operates from May 1 to October 1, while Just-In-Time Campground in Ithaca has a similar seasonal window. Cell service can be spotty in some areas, particularly at Sleepy Hollow where visitors report that "Verizon service was basically non-existent other than at the beach." Access to most campgrounds involves paved roads, making them suitable for standard vehicles, though some of the larger RV sites accommodate big rigs with appropriate hookups.
Campground amenities vary significantly across the region. The more developed sites offer showers, flush toilets, and electrical hookups, while some provide additional recreational facilities. Sleepy Hollow State Park features hiking trails, a disc golf course, and beach access, though visitors note the distance from camping areas to the water. According to one visitor, "It was a little bit of a walk to the lake and disc golf area but not too bad. There is also a parking lot at the lake so you can always drive there as well." Family-oriented campgrounds like Jellystone Park provide additional amenities such as swimming pools, playgrounds, and organized activities. Campers consistently mention site privacy as a factor in their experience, with Sleepy Hollow receiving praise for its "private sites with trees on three sides of the campsite" while other locations offer less separation between neighbors.
