Cabin camping near Traverse City is a great way to escape into nature, yet still have all the comforts of home. Find the best cabin camping near Traverse City. You're sure to find the perfect cabin for your Michigan cabin camping excursion.
Traverse City State Park is a 47-acre state park set in a more urban setting and featuring .25 miles of beautiful beach on the Grand Traverse Bay. The park is located only 3 miles from downtown Traverse City, one of the Michigan's most popular resort towns. The park was established in 1920 on about 16 acres of land after the logging industry began to wane. In 1921 and 1939, parcels were added to increase the park's land area. The original inhabitants of the land were the Ottawa branch of the Algonquin Indians.
Big Rigs, RVs, Fifth Wheels, Pop-Up Trailers and Tents are welcomed to escape to Traverse City’s wooded retreat! With Cabin Rentals, wireless internet (please request this when making a reservation), spacious and shady sites, heated pool, a variety of activities, camp store and goodie shop, and clean bath houses, Timber Ridge has all of the bases covered.
$60 - $260 / night
Offering the accommodations you need for all the ways you camp; in a destination that delivers: Sleeping Bear Dunes, Lake Michigan beaches, miles of hiking/biking trails, Traverse City, and more. A place where food, art, and events are abundant in everyday life. Whether you’re looking for an enjoyable weekend, a family vacation, or planning your entire season, this is the place. Families have spent a century vacationing and building memories here; we created a place that allows you to do the same with your family and friends.
Indigo was named after the shades of blue that dominate the surrounding landscape. Leelanau, the peninsula we are located on, is a Native American name meaning “Land of Delight”. That's all the inspiration we needed to create one of the country’s most distinctive outdoor lifestyle resorts.
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79134_79210---,00.html
$20 / night
Northern Exposure Campground staff takes pride in our state-of-the-art RV campground. Our goal is to provide a memorable experience to campers of all ages. We are a nonprofit organization that's committed to providing our guests with clean, safe, and updated camping facilities, fun family entertainment, and a helpful and friendly staff ready to answer all your questions and assist you during your stay. Welcome to Northern Exposure Campground, thanks for staying and helping us be the best RV camping destination in Northern Michigan!
$30 - $45 / night
Pop open your lawn chair and relax by the crackling fire. Most sites have room for 4 folks, a camper or tent, a boat, a dog or two and a few kiddos :D We have a tiny cafe, a small playground, a fish station, warm showers and bike/kayak rentals! Hop on the Betsie Valley trail for a 3 mile adventure to ice cream, beaches, shops...so much! We are not a big concrete pad RV park, we are a nice small family owned campsite. We try and keep it quiet and calm (but still fun!) If you are looking for the far North Electric Forest, this is not the place. What we are is a great base-camp for all your awesome Northern Michigan adventures!
$33 - $85 / night
Thank you for your interest in relaxing at our rustic retreat along cedar run creek!
About this special place:
This is a century old cabin sitting on 30 acres of land halfway between Traverse City and Empire just off M-72 West. This is a protected natural area so please be mindful of your presence on the land and among the plants and creatures. Leave things as they are.
We Provide:
Electricity, a full size bed, a couch, table, chairs, and a fan. We have an outhouse for you to use. Drinking water is available by hand pump and in the berkey inside the cabin. We are not far from Cedar Lake for swimming/bathing. We have a few hiking trails in the woods and one that leads to the creek. There is a fire pit outside for small fires (please check if there is fire danger and always put out your fire completely). There is very little cell service, a great way to unplug.
You should bring:
Bedding/sleeping bags, a way to keep your food cold, and a way to cook. Anything for camping. We suggest that you bring books, instruments, art making materials, and anything creative.
$55 - $75 / night
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
$27 - $90 / night
The Lake Leelanau RV Park is the premier camping resort on Lake Leelanau! We are located on 800 feet of frontage on the pristine shores of Lake Leelanau. The lake provides 21 miles of crystal clear waters for boating, swimming, fishing, water sports, and endless fun in the sun. It is filled with many types of fish including walleye, bass, northern pike, perch, trout, and loads of pan fish. For boaters enjoyment, we have a boat launch, gas pump, and 98 boat docks available for rent. Our beach has a large, shallow, and safe swimming area perfect for children and family fun in the water. It also boasts lots of sand for castle building and the occasional sand sculpting contests.
$36 - $109 / night
Legend
Campground Review: This very popular campground is a few miles from downtown Traverse City, on the edge of Grand Traverse East Bay, Lake Michigan and fills up very quickly during the summer months. It is open year-round though and the fall is gorgeous in Michigan. As a city-based campground, it has many amenities and makes for a great alternative to paying much higher prices for the hotels, motels, and B&B’s in the area. This is a nicely wooded campground, and though the sites are spacious, they are rather close to each other, so not much privacy. But, given that this campground provides direct access to the TART Bike Trail (which can use to get to Traverse City, the Leelanau Wine Trail, or many other points north) and there is a safe, over-the-road walking bridge that takes you to the beach on the bay, we didn’t spend much time IN the campground itself. The various sites accommodate everything from small tents to large RV’s and all come with electricity. There are even two small camping cabins available for rent. The immaculately clean bathrooms and showers are free to campers. Firewood and ice are available onsite by the office. The only major drawbacks are that you can hear the road (which is pretty busy most days) and there are railroad tracks next to the campground (though we never heard a train and were told that it was infrequent).
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loWrZLOItQc
Product Review: As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get gear to review from time to time. On this excursion, we took the Saris Freedom SuperClamp 2-Bike Rack for a test spin while camping and wine tasting via the Leelanau Bike Path, which is accessible from Traverse City State Park in Traverse City, MI. We were in the market for another bike rack and had researched various racks just before this one arrived. We think this is a pretty good option for the price point.
What I like about this rack:
1. It secures to the vehicle trailer hitch via a threaded bolt rather than a pin; this holds the rack securely and minimizes swaying of the bikes as we go down the road. A locking attachment to this bolt discourages theft of the entire rack.
Room for improvement:
Product Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpgajt1V1Yc
Product Link: https://www.saris.com/product/superclamp-2
Guide
Friendliest people. Amazing staff. Beautiful little campground. Honestly everyone is so friendly. Bathrooms are always clean as are the showers. There's wood and ice on the property. A great little cafet. A small general store. We have so much fun here. Tge owners are amazing. Honestly I hate writing such a great review simply because I don't want to loose my camping site. Lol people find a great place like this it'll always be booked. But honestly you can't go wrong here. The place is sandwiched between the betsie river and a paved bike path. Your 2 mile from a great beach and lake michigan. 20 min from the dunes. 35 or 40 min from Traverse city and it's gorgeous views and fun stuuf to do. Did I mention wine. Wineries are plentiful in this region too. Plus some micro brew. Just awesome. There's a small playground for the kids in this park. It's so safe the kids ride bikes and walk all over the campground with out much concern.
Ranger
If you have a big Class A RV and need a full hook up and a pool, this place will work. We paid $165 a night and were surprised that it was just a gated community for RVs with a pool. Lots of the amenities were broken or not available (hot tub jets broken, no hot water for showers, movie room broken). Some of these may be due to covid or just like of upkeep. Our site had a nice paved pad, but it wasn’t level and the concrete was painted so we were slipping off the levelers. The coach house had very limited hot water. Gas fireplace and grill was provided. The vibe of this place was gated community and not camping- wry little trees in property. A fine location to access the Petosky are. Overall we found it overpriced and boring. We thought it would be luxury for the price, and it was “meh.”
Legend
Campground Review: Leelanau State Park is a gorgeous campground on the very tip of the Leelanau Peninsula which is surrounded on 3 sides by the crystal clear waters and sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. Though only 15 minutes outside of the village of Northport, it feels very remote. The wooded campsites are relatively spacious, some with a great amount of privacy, others very open and right on the water. All have firepits and picnic tables, but we were not able to find water spigots near the sites on the lower level, those closest to the lake. They can accommodate everything from small tents to large campers and even have a couple of small camping cabins for rent. There are pit toilets scattered throughout the campground (which are rather stinky compared to other campgrounds we’ve stayed in, but this seems to be how all Michigan State Park pit toilets smell), and no showers. Showers are available for $2 at Traverse City State Park, which is about an hour south of this campground. TC is the major city on the peninsula and the one you must drive through to leave the peninsula. In addition to opportunities to swim, kayak, sail, paddle board, etc., this park has gorgeous hiking trails located a few miles south on the peninsula, a playground for the kids, a fully restored 19th century lighthouse, and a cool museum dedicated to the use of Lake Michigan during WWII. As the fog rolled off the water and in and out of the campground during our visit, we realized the importance of this historic lighthouse for the area surrounding the peninsula.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27J0AgpsbEU
Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I was able to test the new Roanline market place at roanline.com. They carry a number of different brands and I selected the United by Blue 25L Rift Backpack to test out while camping at the Leelanau State Park campground in Michigan. We used this pack while hiking on the beautiful trails within this state park. This pack fits in as well on the trail as it will in the boardroom, or commuter train. It has a sleek profile and clean, tight lines which give it all the class of a briefcase while offering the versatility of a backpack. I expect it to last many years of regular use.
What I like most about this pack:
1. Quality construction with a compact, efficient use of space.
2. The specialty pockets hold everything for which they are intended: laptop, smartphone, water bottle / travel mug, etc, while still allowing space for plenty of extra layers, lunch/snacks, etc. It has more volume than it looks like from the outside.
3. It is super comfortable and stays in place even on the bike.
4. The single carrying handle is well-placed, strong, and very comfortable – nice one!
Some things I wish this pack had:
1. A hydration hose “slit. This seems like an oversight, because the main pouch easily holds a large water bladder.
2. A waist-belt, making it more comfortable with the pack weighed down.
3. An integrated rain fly. I am afraid to get this pack dirty – it looks too nice!
Product Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNbzM_-q2EU&t=2s
Product Link: https://journal.roanline.com/2017/01/06/3-pieces-of-gear-to-help-you-weather-winter-in-the-east/
Scout
This cabin is a joy to stay in. Brennin, Jamie, and their dog Rue are gracious hosts. As OG locals to traverse City, brennin and Jamie are plugged into the goings on in the area, as well as a plethora of sweet spots to check out that aren't totally overcrowded with fudgies. The cabin is big, can easily fit a family, has electricity, and basically everything you need to have a good time. Easy to get to, you can drive right up to the cabin and load in. But also, you're straight up in the middle of the woods. One of my favorite places to stay for sure!
RangerThis 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.
Guide
This is a very busy and large campground that is typically full in the summertime. It’s great for elementary and middle grade kids, with a ton of activities available. They have a pool, small lake/beach, jumping pillow, bike trails, dodgeball, etc. it’s right next to a dirt bike/atv trail. They have tc and tent fires along with yurts and all kinds of cabins. There is a nice mix of about 1/3 seasonal, rest short term. Definitely not a natural/rustic experience, but fun for active families. Also, it’s a good base fir exploring the traverse city area.
LegendThe 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.
GuideThis resort is great if you are wanting a bustling campground full of activities. There is a pool, jump pad, miles and miles of mountain biking trails and hiking trails, a man made lake which has some inflatable water toys. The campground also has a pool, hammock area, bikes and other rental toys, a mountain bike training course (rather technical) paved roads, volleyball courts, basketball courts, dodgeball games that take place along with themed weeks. There is always something going on. You are about 15 minutes away from downtown Traverse City which has great food and a fun downtown area. Gorgeous views!
GuideShort and Sweet this campground is popular because of its location. Camp here for the location, friends, and amenities. Do not camp here for a wilderness get away.
Traverse City State Park is located in one of the most popular vacation spots in the state and for good reason, it is beautiful here with plenty of festivals, wineries, breweries, boutiques, food trucks, and Lake Michigan! The campground has clean showers, firewood on site, and is well taken care of.
The down side is it feels like there are as many people cramped into this campground as possible. The sites are close together. It’s busy, and you need to book atleast 4 months in advance it feels like.
If you like to RV camp and socialize then this is a great site. Want to hike and have peace and quiet, not so much.
Ranger
Tents, RVs, and Cabins! Camper’s choice! This place is the perfect spot to camp to get away yet stay close to Home (if you live nearby!). Its great for a traveler as well. There is plenty to do, there is a playground, WiFi, a pool, mini golf, bike rentals, and more!
GuideNot one of our favorites. This is an "urban" campground, in that it's on a VERY busy and noisy road close to Traverse City and all the tourist attractions. The sites are packed in tightly and have no solitude. It's also under the flight pattern of the airport, so often has airplane traffic too. It's a good campground if you want a cheap home base for exploring Traverse City and northern Michigan. It's well situated to drive to many natural and tourist locations. They have a very fun Halloween celebration each fall, which is worth the less desirable points of the park.
TravelerThis is your typical KOA campground. Sites are close together with not a lot of trees. Activities for the kids are numerous and they really enjoyed the large jumping pillow. Cable hooked into the RV didn't work. Park is named Traverse City KOA but it is actually a half hour south the Traverse City so I would choose a different campground if you plan regular activities in Traverse City.
Legend
The park is beginning to look its age. Stayed 4 nights while visiting the Traverse City area. Crowded with families making use of the last couple weeks before schools return. Rained well one night and our grass less site turned nasty. Good Verizon signal and has water available at several stations around each camping loop. Great location, however, to visit Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes.
RangerWe stayed here on our first night of our 10 day expedition, and it really is a beautiful campground. If you’re looking to get away from people and actually be in some wilderness, this is not the campground for you. But it is a great place to camp if you’re looking for a pitstop to camp while traveling further north, and it would be an awesome campground to have a birthday party or family reunion, group event or something like that. It would be ideal for that sort of thing. We really enjoyed our stay there, and I would go back again. The campground is also right within walking distance to the water and beaches of Traverse Bay, and you’re within striking distance of as much shopping as you could handle in Traverse City, one of the most beautiful cities in America.
TravelerLocated on busy US-31, but with pedestrian bridge over 4 lanes to beach. TART (Traverse Area Recreation Trail) access from campground. Easy biking to Traverse City or Acme. Difficult campground exit due to traffic. Get a site in the interior or back, away from US-31, to avoid traffic noise. I had electric-only site... I believe all sites are electric only. Some bathhouse are new and modern, others are older. I enjoyed biking trail and close proximity to Traverse City.
GuideThe location of this campground is perfect. It’s right in the shore of Lake Michigan. The sites are reservable online. It’s completely rustic, there are vault toilets and water pumps for drinking water. The drive in is also so beautiful, it’s a long ways up but the little towns are cute and have essentials. Traverse city is at least 30+ mins.
ScoutVery peacefull! Had to come up to Traverse City for work and stayed here, really enjoyed my stay!
TravelerClean, jumping pillow, playground, nice pool- we liked that it was near traverse city. There are smaller sites but nice trees around
Guide25 min south of Traverse city. Nice sites, some have patios and chairs with bonfires. Nice pool and friendly staff! Lots of kids though as they have a massive kids playground.
GuideWe were camping in mid-October. It was chilly out and raining, but the bathrooms there were still nice! It has a good location in Traverse City, but unfortunately the park isn’t connected to the bay. There is a walk over bridge, so you don’t have to cross the road! But the park is right next to a busy road and near an airport, so it was a little noisy. Inside the camper it wasn’t too noisy from cars though. If a person is looking to be in Traverse City to camp just be near the city then this would be a great place to be, but if you’re looking for quiet, nature, and easy access to swimming then it’s not my #1 choice.
RangerWe love Traverse City and being able to camp somewhat near downtown. One of our favorite things is being connected to the bike paths so we can bike to downtown area while staying on bike trails!Campground is busy and small sites but our favorite place to camp is along the back fence with great hammock trees and the fire pit behind our trailer. It makes it feel like your not in a big busy packed campground. The bath houses on the end we like are very dated and are usually clean but still show their age! The other end had nicer newer shower/bath houses. You do need to walk across a bridge to get to the bay but not a long walk.
The Traverse City area has a lot to do!
GuideThis campground is really busy but its definitely worth it to be in Traverse City! It is right across from the bay so its easy to go swimming. It is also close to all of the wineries which was awesome.
GuideWell, the spots are very small and you have to park sideways. Nothing can beat the price of staying in Traverse City. If you have your own camper, the showers are nice. You’re right downtown and there’s a catwalk over the beach.
Traveler
We love we love this place. It is close to everything. And it's close to Charlevoix, Traverse City, Torch Lake. We camp here every year and go visit all of these places while we stay at East Jordan tourist Park.
GuideElectric 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.
Traveler
This is a great campground, we always start our camping season here. Hodenpyle Dam lake is a great, quiet area. It close enough to several places which makes it convenient to get in some sight seeing in Traverse City, Frankfort and Manistee. Their rates a reasonable too.
Cabin camping near Traverse City, Michigan offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and cozy accommodations, perfect for families and nature lovers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Traverse City, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Traverse City, MI is Traverse City State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 49 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Traverse City, MI?
TheDyrt.com has all 49 cabin camping locations near Traverse City, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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