Looking for the best campgrounds near Suttons Bay, MI? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Suttons Bay is surrounded by family-friendly activities. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Michigan camping adventure.
"This place is primitive, but worth it.. lots of beautiful trails. 5 campsites on Power (big island) and apperantly 5 on Basset (little island) We kayaked with all our gear!!"
$30 / night
"Site 3 has easy access to an overlook which we made use of for photos of a storm that rolled in over North Manitou Island, our original destination."
"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."
"Amazing fishing and spacious campsites fire away from everybody."
"Absolutely serene and secluded in the gorgeous northern Michigan wilderness.
This is a park and walk camping spot. Also permits are apparently required as this is a state park."
"Manitou Island is part of the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore and is located in Lake Michigan and offers days of discovery to be had. To get to N."
"After taking a ferry for a few hours across 12 miles of Lake Michigan, you finally arrive on North Manitou Island! The crossing helps to really remove you from the mainland you left behind."
"This designated campgroundon North Manitou is a short walk from the village where you have access to potable water as well as vault toilets in better condition than the toilets in the campground itself"
"Choose one of many trails to explore and distance is your choice to one of the many outback camps."
"Weather Station Campground is located on South Manitou Island and offers 20 individual sites and 3 group sites nearby. "
"A relatively short hike and simple hike, Weather Station offers some great scenic views of Lake Michigan."
"This was the second place on our stop while visiting Michigan. The first place we stayed was nice, but super busy because there was a beach and lake."
"Friendly staff, plenty of space to spread out, really nice not to be so close to your neighbors! Beautiful area you can't go wrong here"
$30 / night
"This campground is near the lake and about a mile from the ranger station. Less traveled place and so much to explore. BEAUTIFUL hiking!"
RangerQuiet 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!
RangerThe campground was very shady and situated right on the lake. We stayed in Site #50 and could carry our kayaks across a small grassy field to put in at the edge of the lake. All the sites were full hookup. There was a laundry, playground and swimming area in the lake. The owners and people working in the office were really nice. We enjoyed exploring the area, especially Sleeping Bear Dunes, Sutton's Bay, Leland and Northport. The bike paths from Sutton's Bay to Traverse City and from Pyramid Point to Empire were fantastic!
RangerThis campground is in this system ( the Dyrt) like 3 times under similar names, and I just want to be sure you all know how great it is! This is a first-come-first-served campground, so get there earlier in the day if you want a site, even on a weekday. There are rustic bathrooms, no flushing, no sink, nothing. No showers available here, either. However, it is so close to Glen Haven, Glen Arbor, Empire, and the Sleeping Bear Dunes. The location is truly fabulous. You are able to take a short walk down to Lake Michigan from your site. The sites are hard packed ground, dirt, rocks...so bring a mallet or hammer to pound in your tent stakes! I would also advise a sleeping pad or air mat for this same reason. The tent pads are nice and level though, which is awesome. It rained quite a bit over night when I stayed, so I’m thankful for the level ground. There is LOTS of poison ivy on location, so stay on the trails!!! Sites were only $20/night but you also need a National park pass which is $20/week or $40/year, so be mindful of that. This is also an “Active Black Bear Site,” so everything with a scent—clothes, candles, etc., must be stored in your vehicle. No, we did not see any bears while we were there. Everyone was very friendly, and the campground was so much more quiet than anticipated. It was very peaceful and serene. Firewood is available for purchase on site through a wood vending machine basically, so have $5 bills on hand. Stayed at site #88
ScoutNo hookups, No problem! Very quiet campground on the Shores of Lake Michigan. Sites are large and private with large fire rings and picnic tables. Vault toilets only but they are kept very clean.
GuidePros: Designated dish-washing sink, as well as shower/bathroom building for walk-in sites specifically. Short 0.8 mile hike from camp to Lake Michigan. Bear boxes are shared between only two adjacent campsites, and are large.
Cons: Walk-in sites have essentially no privacy and are much less secluded than other walk-in sites where I have stayed at other parks. I was at site A003, which abutted adjacent A-loop sites as well as B-loop sites. The other sites were visible, and folks at a neighboring site were playing music late into the night.
TravelerThere are 2 sections of Schecks Place. One is a campground with picnic tables and site numbers.
The other is the trail camp. You drop your money in the box pick a spot of as much space as you want (there is hardly ever a lot of people).
The last 2 times we went there was maybe one or two people with their horses or just passing thru.
There are bathrooms and a well for water. No showers No electric.
The river runs by and is awesome to go tubing down.
There are trails that go through so if you are an equestrian this spot is perfect.
LegendDH Bear. Sept 2023
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy.
Overall Rating: 3.75
Price 2023:
Usage during visit: Very full
Site Privacy: Most sites are not real great.
Site Spacing: Close
Site surface: Gravel
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: Fine
Road Noise: Bone
Through Traffic in campground: No
Electric Hookup: No. Platt River CG has electricity.
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Yes
Potable Water Available: Yes
Generators: Be careful. Some sites do not allow generators. The more private sites are in the No-generator loop .
Bathroom: Yes
Showers: No
Setting: Forest
Weather: Very nice
Bugs: Not bad
Solar: Most sites do not offer enough sunlight .
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).
GuideEnjoyed the D H Day Campground. Really liked the elevated boxes for tent placement and the site was clean. Pretty close to your neighbors, but our site still had some good tree cover. Easy walk to Lake Michigan through the campground. Vaulted toilets, community water and trash. Make sure you have bug spray. Great proximity to Glen Arbor and Empire. Short drive to the dunes for hiking and cannot over recommend Empire Beach to watch a sunset.
Tent camping near Suttons Bay, Michigan offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a rustic experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Suttons Bay, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Suttons Bay, MI is Power Island County Park Primitive Campsites with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Suttons Bay, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 28 tent camping locations near Suttons Bay, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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