I've stayed at Ottawa Lake campground a few times now. Every time I've been here, I've been pleasantly surprised by how well the grounds are maintained despite having relatively high traffic. In addition to having restrooms and showers, they also have laundry facilities. And, they do sell ice cream and marshmallows at the park office.
During warm summer days, you'll find the beach packed with people. At sunset, however, you just might have that beach all to yourself. While there are few trails in the park, you can walk across ZZ to Scuppernong Nature Trail. Or, hop in the car and drive over to Scuppernong Trails, Brady's Rocks, or Paradise Springs.
As for my campsite, I recently stayed in site 377. This site offers a peek-a-boo view of the lake. I was also delighted to find a trail running from the back of the campsite and along the lake. While I was there, I experienced heavy rain for much of the night. I'm happy to report that this site is on high ground with decent drainage. So, no flooding to speak of.
You'll notice I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 for this campground. This is primarily due to noise. On the upside, you'll hear a symphony of crickets at night. On the downside, you'll also hear road noise, slamming car doors, and those few folks who are just a little too loud after dark.
With rugged shorelines and over 26 miles of gorgeous trails to explore, I can't wait to go back to Newport State Park. I opted to stay in Campsite 10, which is roughly 1.7 miles from Parking Lot 1 by the Park Office.
If you're backpacking on foot, combining both Poetry and Rowleys Bay trails make for a nice hike to the campsite. If you're hauling your gear with a wagon or bike, however, you may want to take an alternate route due to Poetry's rocky terrain. As of August 13, there was one tree down across that segment of Rowleys Bay Trail.
Campsite 10 offered plenty of space to pitch a tent or two. This site also had a food locker, campfire ring, and a bench. Located right on the waterfront, Lake Michigan served as a scenic centerpiece. While I was there, I had that stone beach cove all to myself. As such, this was an especially lovely location for solo backpacking.
Of note, the park does not offer firewood for sale. So, you'll want to forage from dead and downed trees. I had no issue finding plenty of firewood near this campsite. Potable water is only offered at the Park Office and over near Parking lot 3. Be prepared to haul in your water, or bring a filter and grab your water right from Lake Michigan.
Finally, you'll see in the photos that there is a pit toilet shared by sites 8, 9, and 10. Unlike some of the pictures you may have seen, this one is a fully enclosed and private pit toilet. It's no frills. Bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer!