3 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Cabins at recreation areas surrounding Sterling Heights provide alternatives to tent camping with varying degrees of amenities. Bald Mountain Recreation Area offers two rustic cabins available year-round, primarily utilized by hunters and scout troops. These cabins sleep 10-15 people and feature wood-burning stoves but lack electricity and heat. Addison Oaks County Park provides cabin accommodations from May through mid-October with more modern conveniences including electrical hookups and nearby restroom facilities. One camper shared that Addison Oaks is "a quick drive from home but a great little get away spot."
Rustic and modern cabin options exist throughout Oakland County parks and state recreation areas. Pontiac Lake Recreation Area features three small cabins in its East campground area, offering a more open setting compared to the wooded West camping section. Highland State Recreation Area and Camp Dearborn also maintain cabin rentals with varying amenities. Reservation requirements differ by location, with most parks requiring advanced booking through their respective websites or reservation systems. According to a recent review, Addison Oaks provides "beautiful sites with more nature than many campgrounds" making it popular for family stays.
Most cabins require visitors to bring bedding, pillows, and personal items regardless of the facility type. Cooking equipment varies considerably between locations - rustic cabins typically feature only wood stoves or outdoor fire rings, while more developed sites may include picnic tables and access to communal grills. Firewood is available for purchase at many locations including Holly Recreation Area and Proud Lake Recreation Area. During peak summer months, weekends often book completely several weeks in advance, particularly for Oakland County park cabins which feature more amenities than state recreation area options.
"Less tree cover than we would have liked, you're basically in a giant grassy field, but it was perfect for a large group. we did have to share a pavilion with a group of older campers (celebrating a 90th"
"Always a great local retreat away from our hectic daily life. Don’t have to travel far to find some nature. Most sites generously sized, hookups available, clean restrooms."
"Park is clean. Beach is a 1.8 mile hike from the East loop in the campground but is well worth the walk."
"The East campground is more open and had 3 small cabins that can be rented. The West camping is more wooded and isolated."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $80 / night
"The trails are well maintained and well marked. There is also tons of clean, easy to access lakes within the park too. Perfect for kayaking, paddle boarding, or fishing."
"Great trails and kids friendly."
from $108 / night
"First time out with the camper and we wanted to stay close to home so we found a campground right outside the city. You couldn't tell how close we were because there were so many trees in the area."
"I had no clue what to expect when booking so close to a few major cities in Michigan. I love feeling secluded while camping and was nervous this would feel like parking lot camping."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $32 - $286 / night
"Tent sites are relatively well spaced out and clean. Fire rings and picnic tables at each site. Modern bathrooms and shower rooms are available."
"Pretty park with several well marked trails. We stayed in the Maple loop which had several semi-private sites screened from neighbors by trees. I think site #1 was one of the roomiest and prettiest."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $27 - $86 / night
"Addison Oaks is a campground that features hiking and mountain biking trails, campground, cabins, disc golf course, and a lake for boating."
"Nice park, family friendly, very clean and maintained. Bike and boat rental, children’s playground and activities. Hiking and biking trails. RC airport. When in this area this its the place to stay."
"I don’t believe the cabins are pet friendly though. It’s probably the only reason we haven’t been back. We’ll definitely go back when we have a camper."
"This campground has a lake for swimming, water slide, arcade, boat rentals, mini golf, biking trails and fishing. Lots for kids to do... also skate park and 2 playgrounds."
from $28 - $48 / night
"They offer campsites full hookups pet friendly They offer electric only no pets they offer campsites no pets.
They have a tent only section."
"We’ve been in their tent/cabins and our own RV. Great park, clean, nice swimming lakes, the teens love the canteen. Tough to get in but we love it."
from $47 / night
"This rustic campground is obviously well-tended and has an almost magical feel to it. It's private, quiet, and full of wildlife."
"Great time to unplug and just enjoy our surroundings and begin to learn our own creativity!"
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $20 - $186 / night
"This is a larger state park with full size sites for RVs. There is electric on each site along with fire rings and picnic tables. Some good spots have some shade to stay out of the sun."
"Campground Review: Bishop Lake is a great campground located in the middle of the Brighton Rec Area. The upper and lower campgrounds are both modern, with every site including electric."
Available this weekend
from $32 - $37 / night
TravelerI came, desperate and exhausted...I saw, an opportunity for an extended stay...I conquered, my inexperience was met with warmth and accommodating camp attendants and camp neighbors. And God was with me the entire journey from Virginia to this Blessed Ground in Michigan. Seems forever had I longed for so much Peace and Quiet. Forever grateful am I. 😇🥰
ScoutThe lake is very weedy. But silver lake or Bishop lakes are close.
TravelerWe had a great stay! Didn’t enjoy any of the activities but heard they were a blast. We enjoyed the texted alerts on activities. This was our second trip with our new rv, just chilled and enjoyed. It was a bit noisy at night, it’s to be expected with children and the generation we live in today. Overall a great experience! Hope to return soon to enjoy the activities.
TravelerI was pleasantly surprised by this state park. I prefer camping that is more secluded and the pictures on the DNR site appeared very close together.
The North loop of the campground was very noisy and crowded. However, the South loop had more of the rustic vibe I prefer. The sites were spacious and while there weren’t trees in between each site, there were trees lining between each row that backed up to each other.
The beach is a bit rocky so beach shoes are recommended. The rocks are well worth the seclusion on the south side of the beach.
I will definitely be back to this campground!
TravelerIts huge! It has everything a family could want!
GuideSterling State Park, Quick Two-Night Stay
We stopped at Sterling State Park for two nights and had a really nice stay. We were on an electric-only site, but the view and the short walk to the beach were awesome.
If you can score one of the sites along the edge of the campground that overlooks the beach, or one that backs up to the woods, I’d definitely recommend it. Those sites have a much better setting. Most of the other sites are more out in the open, with very little shade and not much of a view.
The central part of the campground feels busy and crowded, but surprisingly, most of the sites are actually spaced out pretty well. We didn’t use the bathhouse, so we can’t comment on its cleanliness or condition.
The campground itself was neatly mowed, and the staff seemed to do a good job keeping up with the grounds and general maintenance. We didn’t notice much trash or anything else that would be a negative.
The beach right in front of the campground was probably our favorite part. It was clean, spacious, and never seemed particularly busy while we were there.
Overall, Sterling State Park was a great stop for a couple of nights. If you can get one of the better-located sites, especially along the beach or woods, it makes the stay even better.
GuideWhy the Dyrt has this place listed under "glamping" is beyond me. This is very far from that. A state park, some FHU sites, some pull thru, but it's almost like camping in a prairie. There's so very few trees here, so almost every site will be full sun. Full, blisteringly hot, sun.
It's an ok campground, but that's it. Host (each time we were there) did nothing that we could see. People tend to drive fast here, even staff.
It's right on Lake Erie, which can be good/bad, depending on if the toxic algae blooms are occuring.
City of Monroe is nearby for whatever you might need. (Aldi, etc)
Even though this park is close, it's just not one we like to choose because of the barren feel of the place. (We've been here three times)
GuideAs usual, there's only electric at sites, but the pedestals seem fairly new, and tight. South loop is nicely wooded & has a newer, larger restroom/shower building, not much lake view. The north loop is a little less wooded, with the NW end having a little better lake views, but a pretty ancient restroom/shower facility.
Across the lake is the day use area with a beach and concession stand. (There's a small camp store in the north loop.)
ADA Only sites are asphalt paved. Some of the regular sites could be a challenge to get level on, but the rangers told me they have wood blocks for loan if you don't have enough.
Our first night & a half, we had some terrible neighbors two sites over. Constant profanities, yelling at & threatening their kids... real dirtbags. Rangers booted them from the park! Good to see them taking such positive action. I have not run into a single staff member here that wasn't pleasant.
This was our first time here. A test run, since it's only an hour from home (but feels farther). We'll be back for sure. (Especially with gas prices so high anymore.)
T-Mobile was only slow LTE at our site, but our Starlink worked perfectly at our site. Might be harder to get a clear shot in the more wooded areas of the park.
ScoutMy husband and I actually took our first camping trip in our new camper to this location, but we are novice when it comes to campgrounds. It was nice because there was always an attendant at the office to help. They gave clear and concise directions. The grounds were impeccable. Everything looked fantastic. We have even considered being seasonal here because it is so beautiful.
Cabin camping near Sterling Heights, Michigan offers rustic to modern options within Oakland and Macomb counties. The region features an extensive system of lakes, rivers, and woodlands set within a glacial landscape that creates varied terrain suitable for hiking and water recreation. Temperature ranges from mid-70s in summer to below freezing in winter, affecting campground availability and water access throughout the year.
Hiking trails: Highland Recreation Area features 17 miles of woodland trails through mixed hardwood forests. "The sites are very private and spacious in the primitive camping area. The natural scenery is STUNNING with fields of flowers and trees. We ran up on a group of probably 70 wild turkeys on the trail!" notes Adrienne C. about Highland State Recreation Area.
Kayaking and canoeing: Access multiple lakes for paddling within 30 minutes of Sterling Heights. "This campground has a great close in SE Mi location but still feels secluded... It's a good park setting however, with nice beaches and great fishing," reports Marcy D. at Highland Recreation Area.
Mountain biking: Pontiac Lake Recreation Area maintains extensive trail systems open from April through October. "Extensive mountain biking trails and the lake is open to boating, kayaking, and other water sports. Park offers lots of private sites!" according to Mary H. from Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Disc golf: Several campgrounds offer disc golf courses within walking distance of cabin sites. "I enjoyed the trails, disc golf and overall wonderful Park staff! Extremely clean and well-kept," shares Joe S. about Addison Oaks County Park.
Privacy between sites: Pontiac Lake Recreation Area provides wooded separation between many sites. "The campground was full but quiet. The spots are all pretty private due to trees and vegetation. Nice fire pit. Water hookup and dump on site," reports Sam H. about their experience at Pontiac Lake.
Clean facilities: Most cabins are situated near recently renovated bathhouses. "The bathrooms and showers were nice and clean with hot water. Site 71 wasn't the most private but still nice," explains Sam H. at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Natural surroundings: Holly Recreation Area offers cabin sites within mature forests. "Pretty park with several well marked trails. We stayed in the Maple loop which had several semi-private sites screened from neighbors by trees. I think site #1 was one of the roomiest and prettiest," describes Jennifer H.
Beach access: Multiple sites feature swimming areas within walking or short driving distance. "Camp Dearborn has a lot for the kids, outdoor fun, night dance parties, cement for bike rides or rollerblading," explains Melissa M. about Camp Dearborn.
Reservation requirements: Most cabins require booking 6-12 months in advance for summer weekends. "We stayed in one of the group sites and it was beautiful... the beach is nice, a little small, but clean and fun," notes Jennifer O. about Addison Oaks County Park.
Pest precautions: Ticks and mosquitoes are common from May through September. "There are tons of mosquitoes and ticks, so make sure you bring bug spray. Also make sure that all food and garbage is secure at night, the raccoons have no fear," warns Kristina J. about Pontiac Lake Recreation Area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Sterling Heights, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Sterling Heights, MI is Addison Oaks County Park with a 4.5-star rating from 13 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 36 cabin camping locations near Sterling Heights, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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