Within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Popple Campground operates as a National Park Service facility on South Manitou Island with just 7-8 sites total. The campground requires advance reservations and prohibits pets entirely.
Campers reach this location by ferry, then find well-spaced sites that provide privacy between neighbors. No potable water is available on-site, making filtration systems or packed water essential for stays. The smaller site count keeps visitor numbers low even during peak summer months. Rangers provide hiking recommendations and directions upon arrival, with trails offering water views from elevated positions.
Description
The Popple Campground is the furthest from the dock (about 3.5 miles), so you are likely to have fewer people camping there. The campground is close to the beach on the northern tip of the island. Bring water filtration equipment since there is no source of purified drinking water. There are 7 individual sites
RV Road Trip Guides
Location
Public CampgroundPopple Campground — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located in Michigan
Directions
Popple Campground - South Manitou Island directions and information are available at https://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/smicamping.htm.
Address
9922 Front Street
Empire, MI 49630
Coordinates
45.046024 N
86.116205 W
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Access
Site Types
- Tent Sites
Features
Drive Time
- 32 min from Traverse City, MI
- 4 hrs 54 min from Sheboygan, WI
- 5 hrs 6 min from Green Bay, WI
- 5 hrs 24 min from Appleton, WI








