Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan

Recent Dog-Friendly Reviews near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

700 Reviews of 99 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Campgrounds

• 

  Judy B.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 21, 2016

  Traverse City State Park Campground

  Big Campground, Bigger Location

  This campground is huge! 300+ sites, pet friendly, sites for all shapes and sizes. Open year round, with heated cabins. It's a great location, just across from Traverse Bay with just across the road. With that being said, one downside is that road, a VERY busy main drag through Traverse City. Very loud. There is s bridge walk over said busy road to beach access. The campground was very busy and bustling with families. Only 30 minutes from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

• H

  Harry B.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 17, 2020

  Old US-131 State Forest Campground

  nice rustic campground with spacious sites

  we first passed by this campground on a canoe trip along the manistee river, and flagged it to return to stay another time. we finally went last fall with our pup and had a really nice, peaceful weekend trip. our site was spacious and wooded, gorgeous colors in the fall. there aren't very many sites and they are spaced out well. only two other sites occupied all weekend.

  it was cold and rainy so we passed on hiking. we decided instead to drive around and explore the traverse city area and some of the dog friendly parts of sleeping bear dunes national lakeshore. had a great time and would definitely recommend it

  we were hoping to come back this spring and backpack the fife lake loop, with one night camping here. seems like a great spot for that kind of trip. coronavirus got in the way, but we might try again in the fall.

• L

  Lana M.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 21, 2018

  Platte River Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

  Beautiful campground- part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

  This is a beautiful wooded campground. Spaces are large, clean, and spaced well apart. RV sites are paved and also have enormous level tent pads. There is a fire ring with a grate for cooking. There is ample woods from which you can gather kindling. Firewood must be certified and can be purchased in area. The bathrooms and shower were so clean and roomy. Plus there were outlets in bath, shower, and the camp sink area. There are electric and non electric sites available as well as group sites and walk in sites. You can make reservations six months out but be ready to click reserve at 8:00 am. sharp for the site you want. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore sits on Lake Michigan. The lake is beautiful and accessible in many places The dunes are a challenge to climb. Definitely do that. There are historical places of interest to visit, ferry rides to islands, rivers to tube, kayak or canoe. And there are Michigan cherries to pick if you are there in July! I’d give this campground a A+ rating.

• 

  Anna C.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 3, 2016

  North Manitou Island Backcountry Campsites

  North Manitou Island: Tropical Michigan

  This island is a hidden gem 12 miles off the coast of the Sleeping Bear Dunes national Lakeshore, accessible by ferry..

  I gave the island 4 stars because some of the rules are a little too stringent in my opinion. Fires are only permitted in the Village Campsite at the island's entrance & you cannot camp within 300 ft of the beach. But if you're willing to forego the pyro effects & sleeping a stones throw away from the shore, then you're in for a camping experience unlike any other in MI. In the summer months, the island feels unquestionably tropical. The sparkling blue waters and sandy beaches make it feel like you're on an island at the equator, not halfway to the North Pole. The island is also sprinkled with uninhabited cottages that vacationers left behind at the end of a summer and never returned to. You can expect your stay here to include exploring historical ruins, marveling at beaches strewn with Petosky stones & reminding yourself that you're in Manitou, not Martinique.

• 

  Dave V.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 27, 2016

  D.H. Day Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

  What a Day!

  D. H. Day Campground is a family favorite and looked forward to any opportunity to go! Located in Empire, Michigan and part of the National Park Service and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

  Located directly on Lake Michigan's shoreline and in close proximity to everything outdoors and cool...its the place to go! Sleeping Bear Dunes is a must see and experience...every aspect of the dunes! Climb the Dunes and make your way to the beach...on the Dunes Trail...its gotta be the longest mile you'll push through sand...but well worth the dip in Lake Michigan at its end.

  From atop the initial climb, turn back and behold the turquoise waters of the sandy bottomed Glen Lake...you'd swear you were in the tropics.

  On the north end of the Dunes, where the roadway deadends into the Lake, is the Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum (now that's a mouthful). The museum is interesting and full of history of the predecessors of the Coast Guard. Learn of the ships that had gone down in these tempestuous waters. Watch reenactments of bringing the cannon out that shot the rescue line across the sinking vessel. Great stuff!

  The local towns are quaint and Glen Arbor is the draw. The lure of ice cream is always a plus...and the local pizza shop (Riverfront PIzza and Deli), where you can sit on the porch, perched on the hairpin of Crystal River. D.H. Day Campground too, is set on the shores of Lake Michigan...offering miles of beach to comb...and cool, clear water to relax in.

  Grand views of the North and South Manitou Island from the beach of D.H. Day invite you to take the ferry or paddle your way to isolated, primitive camping on North Manitou Island's Village Campground. Facilities are more than adequate, the 88 sites offer a measure of privacy, and its always been quiet. If you have kiddos, the rangers offer several programs to keep their interest.

  Bring your bikes, your boats and boards...and use them all. Several nice hiking trails exist inland as well...and are loaded with blackberries and huckleberries. Roads are traveled lightly enough where cycling is enjoyable.

  Sunsets are spectacular! Plan a visit...you will thank me!

  **Always check warnings and alerts on their website...they were closed for a spell after a horrendous storm whipped through and felled a lot of trees in the campground.

• 

  Nona A.

  Ranger

  

  May. 10, 2017

  South Manitou Island Group

  Awesome for those who love to camp and hike

  South Manitou island is part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake shore. The island does have drinking water but you have to hike from your sites ot get it our you can get water from Lake Michigan and make it drinkable. There is no electricity at any of the camp sites, there is a charger station at the docks you can use. There is a Ranger station and a small museum along with old houses that the staff use who stay on the island. The Island has a Light house that has daily tours, a ship wreck and old growth ceder trees you can hike to along with the dunes. There are three campgrounds on the island all sites are first come first pick. Bay Campground is located the closest to the docks about a 1/2 mile walk with your gear, we did not camp here during our trip but we did stop to check out the sites available. These's sites are located along the cove of the island so they are on soft sand felt good to site or lay on without mats. These sites have awesome views of the sun rise in the morning. Popple Campground is the furthest away from the dock, and has the more sever hiking terrain, but is well worth the 7.4 mile round trip hike to get to it. Very secluded, all sites are close to the water's edge. Our site had it's own access trail to the beach, some area's on this side are sandy beach and some is rocky. On the other side of the island and only a 2.7 mile round trip hike from the dock is Weather Station Campground which seems to be the most popular. It is on the South side of the island and has sites on the cliff side and other sites scattered into the forest in the Campground. We were lucky enough to get a site on the cliff over the water and we could watch the waves from inside our tent. Some water side sites have their own trail down to the beach below. There are other trails along the beaches that lead back up to the camp sites. The island has plenty of hiking trails and attractions to see. The only bathroom is located by the docs. Most hiking trails are full shade. There are lots of mosquitoes so be prepared. We can't wait for our next trip to the island.

• 

  Nancy W.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 27, 2017

  Wild Cherry RV Resort

  Nice Park, Lots to Do Nearby

  We visited Wild Cherry RV Resort on the recommendation of some friends and found the park to be nicely maintained, sites were well-spaced, and we LOVED the area. Our site was a pull-in that faced a large pond on a corner that overlooked a four-acre lake. We never had a neighbor on the site next to us during our stay and since we were on a large corner there was nobody on that side either so we never felt crowded. The park was very quiet and since our site was in the back of the park there was not much traffic.

  The park is called a “resort” which is a little misleading because there are very few amenities. There is no swimming pool, no tennis courts, no shuffleboard, no fitness center, no playground, in fact there were not even bathrooms/showers (except for porta john and tent shower in the rustic camping section).  There was a small club house and a driving range but that was pretty much it. You do get a free newspaper delivered to your site daily. It turned out that we didn’t care about the lack of amenities since we were so busy exploring and we don’t often use all the amenities that private parks offer anyway.  The park is a mix of seasonal and transient people. Most of the seasonal people went to work during the day which made the park even quieter. And while they do have a lot of seasonal campers none of the sites were junked up. Sites are gravel with paved patios with the average lot being 45x70 (according to their brochure). There are nice grassy areas between sites that is very well-maintained. All sites have picnic tables but not all have fire pits (if you have your own you are allowed to use it). 

  The roads are very wide and there are not too many trees so maneuvering big-rigs is not a problem. The water, sewer, and electric were all placed appropriately in the site so no extended hoses were needed. There was no cable but sites are very open allowing for good satellite reception and we were able to get over a dozen antenna channels. Sites are either pull-in (which we had) or back-in. There are no pull-thrus. Set back in a wooded area are a scattering of rustic tent sites, rental cabins and yurts with potable water, grills, fire pits, and picnic tables. These sites are so tucked in a wooded area that I never noticed them until the last day I was in the park.

  There is a lot of activities within a short drive of this park and we wished we would have stayed longer. The park is in a perfect location to explore the towns of Leland (and Fishtown), Lake Leelanau, Northport, and Sutton’s Bay. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the town of Glen Arbor are a 20 minute drive and Traverse City is about 45 minutes. All these towns are quaint coastal towns with shopping, galleries, good restaurants. The park is on the Leelanau Peninsula which is one of Michigan’s most well-known and revered wine region and there are three wineries within a couple of miles (one is just across the street from the entrance). That being said, there are nearly some 20 wineries within 15 – 20 minutes of the park. There are a few state parks and county preserves nearby that have hiking, scenic views of Lake Michigan and picturesque lighthouses.

  All-in-all we really liked this park and would definitely come back. We took advantage of their “Big-Rig Special” which gave a 25% discount if you booked 4 nights. Otherwise, the price per night was $69 which we found to be expensive for what you get. The biggest dings we give this park are for the high nightly price and the lack of amenities that should come in a “resort” with that high a price. This area is one of our favorites in Michigan and we easily could have spent a couple of weeks here enjoying the area.

• 

  Nancy W.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 8, 2017

  Traverse City State Park Campground

  Great Proximity to Downtown, Beach, and Breweries.

  The location of this campground is great and it's best feature in my opinion! This park is just two miles to downtown Traverse City (one of Michigan’s most popular resort towns), a quarter mile from a pretty beach and the beautiful blue waters of Lake Michigan, and it sits along the TART Trail which is a 10.5-mile bicycle trail running through the city.

  While the park is small at just 47 acres, it holds pretty many campsites – approximately 350 (and two cabins). Campsites are set among tall pine trees so there is a bit of shade but that also means that they are sandy with little grass. Roads are paved and narrow if you are trying to maneuver with a large (40+ RV) and you may have difficulty backing into your site with the numerous trees lining the road. All sites are back-in with electric. Sites and patios are sandy with varying degrees of levelness. There is a dump station and water spigots are scattered throughout the campground. Picnic tables and fire pits are at each site. Sites are $31/night ($49/night for the cabins) and reserveable online.

  This park is right on US-31/M-72 which means there is easy access in and out but it can be noisy if your campsite is close to the road. Expect the campground to be very busy on weekends and in the summer and tightly packed.

  Amenities include: picnic area, beach, fishing, hiking/bicycling trail, three bathhouses, playground area, camp store, pet walk (no off-leash dog park).

  Outside of the park there is a lot to do in Traverse City. Early July is the ever-popular Cherry Festival which lasts for a week. But you better book your campsite early if you want to enjoy all the festivities (which happen to be close to the park). The summer farmers market is great and held every Wednesday and Saturday. Early in the season, asparagus is plentiful and locally-grown asparagus is the best you will ever have being super sweet, tender, and inexpensive. For beer drinkers, consider paddling the beer trail that takes you from Boardman Lake to Lake Michigan and past numerous breweries where you pull over for a pint. If it's ice cream you want, you have come to the right place. There are multiple creameries with Moomer's being our favorite and for some reason eating it right at the farm stand was the best.

• 

  Jill B.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 21, 2019

  Traverse Bay RV Resort

  Very high-end class A Resort

  We have spent six weeks at this park for the last 6 years. We attend a horse show circuit near by. It is the creme de la creme of RV parks. The sites are individually owned (and leased out) and many of the owners have made their lots very nice. The park is limited to Class A, Fifth Wheels and Class C only. This park is dominated by big, very nice class A's.

  We have a 5th wheel and have appreciated the amenities very much. Great wifi, curbside garbage pickup, trails, dog park, and many others. You are limited to 2 dogs, and they are very strict about leashes and picking up poop. But, that keeps the place looking nice.

  We enjoy it very much and it is so close to the horse show, it cannot be beat. Because they are such a popular place to stay during the show (July - mid August), they sites book up a year in advance.

• 

  Nancy W.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 1, 2017

  Wooden Shoe Campground

  Great place to relax and enjoy the water.

  Wooden Shoe Campground in Ellsworth, Michigan is a small campground set on a hill above Ellsworth Lake. This park is great if you want to sometime explore Michigan’s waterways. When we visited the park, it was about 25% full which made it very quiet and relaxing. There are some great sites that overlook the lake that are inviting for an evening fire and enjoying a pleasant view.

  The park has 45 RV sites with water, 30 amp electric, cable TV, and internet. There are seven designated tent sites in a heavily wooded area with some glimpses of the lake. Some sites have a nice amount of shade while those towards the front of the park are more open and have a better water view. Picnic tables and fire pits are at each site. The main road throughout the park is paved, in good condition, and easily navigable with even large RV. There is a dump station at the entrance of the park that is easy to get in and out of. A camp host is on site. The price per night to stay here is $25 and they offer a super inexpensive price of $125/week. Reservations can be made by emailing a reservation request or calling the city. 

  The town of Ellsworth is quite small with a couple of shops and restaurant or two. The quaint coastal town of Charlevoix is 10 minutes away where you will find plenty of shopping, restaurants, a pretty harbor, weekly live music (in the summer), a farmers market and really great library with a large room that has a great selection of books for sale for a few bucks. The towns of Boyne City and Boyne Falls are about 20 miles away and also worth visiting if you have the time. For dog owners, Boyne city has an off-leash dog park and Boyne Falls has a large ski resort that is perfect for walking dogs in the summer.  The larger town of Petoskey is about a 45 minute drive but well worth a visit. 

  If you want to “get away” and enjoy water activities this is a good place to come. There is a canoe/kayak boat launch just down the hill from the park that puts you in a narrow stretch of water that connects Lakes Ellsworth and Saint Clair. A short (approximately 1 mile) paddle into Lake Saint Claire lands you in a beautiful nature preserve administered by the Little Traverse Conservancy.  Be sure to visit Friske’s Orchard which has a fruit stand, bakery with pizza and sandwiches, general store and petting zoo and is only six miles away on Rt. 31.

  The good things about this park are the price, access to pretty water for kayaking/canoeing/fishing and the view from some of the sites. You are not too far from some of northern Michigan’s most popular towns yet only paying $25 night. The small size of this park gives it a quieter feel than some of the nearby state parks that have hundreds of sites. When we were there about half the campers appeared to be seasonal who come to enjoy the boating and fishing. Many of these people were not there during the week which made the park super quiet. 

  A couple dings for this park are that many of the sites are not level and even pitching a tent can be difficult. The bathroom/shower facilities are old and run down. The main bathhouse is located in the front of the park with port-a-potty’s scattered about. Some of the sites are close together and give a crowded feeling. 

  Overall, I would say this is an average park which is why it gets three stars.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vBh0Dej5Ro

• 

  Kristina M.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 14, 2021

  Log Lake Campground

  Would never visit again

  First off we couldn’t park our trailer until a boat trailer was moved from our site. Then there was glass, rusty nails, and trash all over the site so we had to do a quick clean up of site before unpacking. It only got worse as night time came as the campers next to us drank and partied all night with half the campground, every night for our entire four day stay. They even smashed into our vehicle as they wrestled and sprayed silly string on each other at 1 a.m. When we ran to town for a few items we came back to their kids playing near our camper. They seemed to personally know the care takers as they were partying with them, so nothing was done about any of it. The following day we again went to town and these people allowed their guest to park in front of our camper, next to the hitch. The beach area was un-swimmable and full of trash, cigarette butts, duck poop as well as dog poop because it was used as a dog park. There were also old clothes and shoes left all over the beach area. The bathrooms were dirty and left with no soap. The woman’s bathroom looked recently painted but the men’s bathroom was completely disgusting. The showers had old food in them and you had to pay for tokens to use them. The trails were ok, the frisbee golf area also looked good. But that’s about the only good thing about this park. We would never pay money to stay here again.

• 

  Amanda L.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 29, 2018

  Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort

  Busy, fun-filled place

  If you are looking for a camping getaway, this may not be the place for you. It is always bustling with action, but can be lots of fun! I would definitely say this is geared more towards children and families than an escape into nature. There is a camp store, turbo bikes, a variety of family activities, a pool, playground, bike park, equipment and rentals, laundry facility, cabins, cottages, and yurts for rent. This is also a pet friendly campground, so there are many dogs. Probably one of my favorite parts was dodgeball... and the multiple bike trails that connect to the VASA trail system.

• 

  Bryan R.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 14, 2018

  Traverse City State Park Campground

  Across the street from the lake, it's a city campground.

  Electric only sites. There is a fill and dump station on site. Pets are allowed in the campground. The sites are a little tight, but if you are looking to hang out in Traverse City, this is a convenient location. Bathhouse was always well maintained.

• 

  Jennifer G.

  Ranger

  

  May. 31, 2019

  D.H. Day Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

  Great campground, close to so much to do!

  We spent most of our time at the pet friendly beach. So many places to hike and so much fun to swim. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We hiked or swam, visited and attempted to climb the dunes lol, saw some shows at the amphitheater and saw a historic cabin on site. A firewood vending machine? Pretty basic camping but very nice.

• N

  Nicholas R.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 23, 2022

  D.H. Day Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

  D.H. Day Campground

  Overall the campground has a very pleasant and rustic charm. The foliage helps create privacy but the campsites are close in proximity overall. The one warning that should be more clearly indicated is that there is poison ivy surrounding every single site so please be aware if you have pets and small children. The fact that there was so much poison ivy is the only reason I gave it four stars. Lake Michigan is a short walk away and you are able to walk to sleeping bear dunes along the beach. For those who would like convenience Glen Arbor is only five minutes down the main road and has a ton of restaurants, parks and a nice grocery store.

• J

  Julia H.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 23, 2024

  Vista Green RV Resort

  Large, beautiful campground

  Our site was $65.63 a night. (This was the average after receiving one night free for staying a week).

  We were in Site# 4A (premium site). We had Full hook- up with a blacktop 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 limited trees. This was a smaller lot with our neighbors fairly close.

  The lot comes with a concrete patio with picnic table. There was not a fire ring since only propane fires are allowed.

  There is free WiFi. They do not offer Cable TV but there are many local channels.

  There is an adult pub-style game room with poker tables, a large tv, a table shuffle board, air hockey game, foosball table, and board games. There is a community catering kitchen located in their activities center.

  They do not provide garbage service at your site so you must walk to garbage dumpster. This can be a long distance for some.

  You are allowed to ride personal golf carts. They also allow you to rent golf carts. It is beneficial to have a golf cart to get around since it is a large campground. We have our own e-bikes which helped.

  They do have a large heated Swimming pool and an adults only hot tub. There is a fitness center.

  They have quite a few ponds throughout the campground.

  There is not a Playground. They offer pickleball courts.

  There is not a general store nor snack bar/restaurant on site.

  The streets are paved and good for riding bikes.

  This is solely an RV park. They do not have any cabins to rent or any tent areas.

  The showers are located in the activity center. These are 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. There are approximately 4 washers and 4 dryers. They allow you to use cash or an app. It is approximately $2.25 to wash and $2 to dry a load.

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

  Bugs/gnats were a small issue and bug spray was needed.

  There is supposedly a mowed trail to hike off of the campground (about 3 miles) but I was unable to locate it.

  Some fun things to do outside of the campground are the shops (Front Street) & water activities in Traverse City, the local wineries/vineyards, and the DNR Outdoor Shooting range (5 miles away & free to the public). We ate at Yankee Boy where all of the locals hangout. Excellent food (no alcohol served).

• C

  Chris R.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 14, 2020

  Traverse City KOA

  Great family campground!!

  This KOA is just south of Traverse City and very centrally located to all that makes this area so awesome! Wineries, Sleep Bear Dunes, golf courses, and of course downtown Traverse City. This campground is very well laid out and easy to maneuver any size rig. The front part of the campground is very well shaded, however, many sites are only a few feet away from M37, which can get noisy from the traffic. The back half of the campground is a little more open, but most sites are still partially shaded. The owners and staff are very friendly and accommodating. Fire wood and ice are available and they will deliver right to your site. As the caption says, great family campground. If you have kids, this is the place for you! With that being said, here is why I gave a four star rating.....we were asked promptly at 10pm to turn our music off, which wasn’t loud at all. Beyond our campsite it could not be heard at all. They have what they call a strict 10pm-8am quiet hours. At 7am there were at least 8-10 kids riding bikes and scooters all over the campground and nothing was said. I appreciate a them having policies and creating a place for families to make memories, but please enforce those policies for everyone. Oh, and one last thing....they are very pet friendly! I have never seen a campground with so many dogs! Ours had a blast!

• 

  Megan C.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 9, 2018

  Empire Township Campground

  Quiet and affordable

  This place was alright, they let us stay in an emergency site when they were full until we could get a site the next night. The site wouldn’t be ready until after 11 the next day and they made us move all of our stuff out of the emergency site so it could sit empty, and wait until 11. We wanted to go get breakfast and come back at 11 but we would have had to pack everything up and unpack again two hours later. That was the only inconvenience. Hey had some cats that were really cool. Not too loud, some sites are pretty close together.

• 

  CHris B.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 17, 2022

  Platte River Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

  Great Location

  Had a great stay at Platte River Campground. Sites are spacious and wooded. 30 and 50 amp service, but no water. Hiking to Lake Michigan, bike trails, Sleeping Bear Dunes just a short drive away. For those with dogs, Esch Beach, at the end of Esch Road, is about 10 minutes by car and dog friendly. The beach where the Platte River met Lake Michigan was a favorite of our kids.

• R

  RA S.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 30, 2018

  Orchard Beach State Park Campground

  no beach access

  Pretty standard Michigan State Park campground. Nice staff. Park maintenance is currently building a wood fence to keep folks away from steep bluff edge. Views of Lake Michigan fairly limited. If these were improved, this would be a much more popular park. I was very disappointed that their stairs to beach had been eroded near its base so you could no longer access beach but had to drive to one of two local beaches. I stayed one night and unfortunately had to camp next to a group who had a very barky, anxious large dog. Some folks need to leave their poorly trained dogs at home.

• E

  Erin

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 1, 2021

  Barnes County Park Campground

  Great place with roomy spots

  Super quiet, right on the beach with a path beside our site . Dogs welcome here but the bummer was that they aren’t allowed on their beach at all. Would def come back!!

• s

  steve L.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 18, 2021

  Pats RV Park

  Par’s park

  We opted for a spot with electric only. The amenities we took advantage of were great! There are some trails to walk the dogs, lake access, and plenty of spots to enjoy your he views!! Simple and quiet spot!!

• 

  Josh D.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 22, 2020

  Manistee River Trail Dispersed Camping

  Great trail

  Great dispersed camping area to getaway! Can sometimes get busy on the weekends, but nothing like a normal campsite. Think it’s just this summer but I did pull 2 ticks off the dogs after this hike.

  Make sure to pack bug spray and be sure to check out the mini-waterfall near mile marker 3!

• L

  Lindsey G.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 15, 2020

  Turtle Lake Campground

  Relaxing, current and fun

  I haven’t been camping in years and was very apprehensive about this. This place was absolutely the best place and probably has ruined me for camping life. The shower stalls were individual and clean, the area was filled with campers and RV’s and everyone was SO friendly and the place was full of dog lovers. I would highly recommend this place to check out and know I’ll be back again!

• D

  Drew J.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 5, 2021

  Fisherman's Island State Park Campground

  Amazing trip

  We went there tenting as two couples and there was more than enough room for our tents and dogs. With plenty of hiking trails and only a small walk to the beach, we had plenty to do. The vault toilets were not the most well kept, but that was the only downfall to an amazing camping trip right on the lake.

• 

  Michael N.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 19, 2021

  Orchard Beach State Park Campground

  Excellent sunsets!

  Beautiful clean camping area. Lots of shade trees. The bathhouse was tidy, hot showers. Plenty of room for our big tent, supplies, and two cars. Even our dog had a tent. The area was busy, but not annoying. By 10pm, it was quiet. Unfortunately the stairway to the beach was closed due to high lake levels. I enjoyed my stay.

• K

  Katie H.

  Traveler

  

  May. 3, 2020

  Fisherman's Island State Park Campground

  Private rustic sites

  We were luck enough to snag the last waterfront site one weekend in August 2019 and oh my goodness what a wonderful experience. This is a relatively small camp ground where the sites are not right on top of one another and there is enough tree/brush growth that you have a decent amount of privacy. The lake shore sites are right on lake Michigan and you basically have your own private lake access. It is a more rocky area of shore but great for looking for Petoskey stones. Each site has a fire ring, there is a water pump up front as well as vault toilets throughout. We didn't explore the trails too much but we did drive back to the main sandy beach area and that was also lovely. Dogs are allowed on the beach and there was a little peninsula you could walk out to when the tide wasn't too high. We were planning to go back this year but our plans were cancelled because of COVID19. I am really hoping we can make it up there again this season although you need to book early if you want a beach site. I am hoping the South end of the park with the large beach didn't get totally washed out by the rising lake levels.