Camping in Michigan

With lakes and forests covering two-thirds of the state, Michigan is a camper's paradise.

97% (12870 reviews)
97% (12870 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Michigan

Under $50

Available this weekend

12 top campgrounds in Michigan

99%
(374)

Bear Tree Homestead

3 sites · Lodging50 acres · Trowbridge Park, MI
Bear Tree Homestead is nestled among the cliffs and ravines which drains the south face of Hogback Mountain located in Marquette Township Michigan. Hogback Mountain is one of the larger rock formations in the Huron Range, a surprisingly rugged, and diverse region of low mountains carved by glaciers. Each cabin is hand-built of log and stone using traditional Scandinavian building tools and techniques. Our buildings, gardens, and pastures are integrated into the forested landscape and are not your typical homestead. One of the most wonderful things we have to offer is the accessibility to thousands of protected acres surrounding us and the trails that bisect them. We are located 8 miles from downtown Marquette in Michigan's Upper Peninsula where there are many great restaurants, shops, and brewpubs. However, once you drive into Bear Tree Homestead and settle in you will not want to leave.
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$95
 / night
99%
(154)

2Chicks And A Farm

10 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents20 acres · Bangor, MI
6 camp sites, 1 RV site, 2 Yurts, and a Bohemian tent, located in beautiful and tranquil Southwest Michigan. 2Chicks And A Farm is a small working farm on 20 acres. 15 minutes from South Haven and the lake. 30 minutes from the city of Kalamazoo. And just under an hour from Grand Rapids. About half of the 20 acres is wooded, which is where three of our camp sites are located. Each one has a fire ring and wooden picnic table. One site, capable of taking a mid sized RV / Fifth Wheel, is located on the front of the property with easy access from the road. It backs up to some trails and and brush / wood area and has a corn field to the right. So, even though on the front on the property, you have a feeling of privacy. It too has a fire pit and wooden picnic table. Three camp sites are located in the pasture. One is at the bottom of the pasture and quite open. It can accommodate larger groups with multiple tents. A more secluded half open and half in light woods., and is located at the top of the pasture. Then another in the middle of the pasture, one for sun lovers and one for those who prefer more shade. For those who prefer more seclusion, we have cleared three sites in the woods. All sites (camping, Yurt and Bohemian) have a fire ring, or metal fire pit, and wooden picnic table. Some have fire wood boxes (we’re working on making a box for all sites). We have an outdoor propane shower that provides both hot and cold water. This is free. A coffee bar is on the back deck. Coffee is brewing around 7am. We also provide hot water, teas, hot chocolate and cider. Feeling a little peckish before breakfast, or after dinner? Help yourself to a snack. This is all free, though small donations are welcomed. Our goats, poultry, pigs, and dogs and produce take up about an acre and a half. Then the rest is open space. You are welcome to collect eggs for breakfast and fresh produce from our gardens (additional fee). Use the BBQ or smoker. And even join in on farm chores if you are so inclined. Please try to plan to check-in by 9pm. Exceptions can be made. There are locally mandated quiet hours (10-7 Sun through Thur, and 11-7 Fri and Sat). Hanging out by a fire and chatting is fine.
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$45
 / night
99%
(513)

Camp Moonshadow

6 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents5 acres · Honor, MI
Our property was originally the only homestead on this road. WE offer 4 Walk in Tent sites and a RV site for small campers up 20 ft.- 20 Amp service Only!!! WE also have a 59 Vintage Shasta that rents nightly up to 3 nites The big barn was built over 100 years ago and is still standing. The farm house was built in 1907. It has been remodeled with a second story added. Pine trees were planted to prevent erosion in the 1960's. The national park began buying land near us in the 1970's and the boundary line to the park is a half-mile from Moonshadow Camp. The area is surrounded by state forests and many hiking and biking trails. Our valley is known for incredible stargazing. Amenities include full access to the Camp kitchen and dining area. You will also have access to a Portable restroom and hand washing station which is located by our BIG BARN. Hot Showers, no problem, you can enjoy a secluded private shower in our shower house which has indoor and outdoor showers. Nearby is Lake Michigan and Esch Rd beach. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake shore is nearby and The National Park is famous for attractions , trails, and hiking. Electricity and water is included at the RV site, and the Shasta Camper along with the Showerhouse and Camp Kitchen
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$60
 / night
98%
(42)

Lake Huron frontage Campsite

1 site · RV, Tent3 acres · De Tour Village, MI
Learn more about this land: The serenity is breathtaking! Entire 3 acre place is just ready just for you to enjoy. Electric 30 amp, 50 amp and regular 110 outlet is now FREE with nightly stay! There is a gated, leveled gravel 45x60 pad for parking your RV or Motorhome. You can tent camp down on the grass if you like. Dead end seasonal private road leads you to this secluded property. Road is not plowed during winter. Do Not park else where! No running water. No restrooms. Please if using tents have your own portable restroom. 232 feet of amazing Lake Huron shore frontage for you to enjoy and play on. Strawberry Island is in eyesight. Watch the ships coming and going from the shore. AT and T cell service on property. You must take your trash with you when you leave. If you are bringing your fur animal, please pick up after them.If you smoke please do not through the butts on the ground. you will be charged a cleaning fee. **There are 2 cameras on the property for security reasons only. 1 is located at the pad, used to see when you arrive and checkout. and will also will take 1 picture daily. There is another camera on my shed facing the shed door as well for security. This camera will not be turned off. Please understand, I'm not near my property and this is my only way to check in. If you are not comfortable with this, please do not book and do not cover the cameras. You will be asked to leave immediately if cameras are covered. Policy is as long as they are not invading sleeping areas or bathrooms, cameras are allowed. Please understand I really want you to enjoy your stay, but I also need to protect myself. This is no different than cameras on outside of a house or in Hotel hallways and outside property.
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$55
 / night
97%
(112)

GROOTs OFF GRID

7 sites · RVs, Tents40 acres · Baroda, MI
GROOTs OFF GRID lets you have freedom to do as you wish have fun doing just that! – Unlike the State Parks many surrounding campsites. You can have privacy, you are not stacked next to your neighbors! You have your space! This Offers the responsible camper here to keep your fire burning and maned all evening long if you chose. Play your music! Drink quality Michigan craft booze and beer out of glass bottles! Laugh out loud at night after 8 pm without bothering anyone! Smoke Quality Michigan Cannabis! Come and go as you please, Park your cars by your campsite! Enjoy your pets! Just do all of these wonderful things responsibly! So Groot won’t kick you OFF the GRID!GROOTs OFF GRID, you will find a wonderful private nature experience. With areas and private nooks that created many unique coves. Creating their own presence of solitude and privacy each of the individual campsite areas unique amongst themselves! This is a slice of wonderment that you can take in your memories and enjoy in all the off seasons the fun you had here! Come back and try a different spot next year! GROOTs OFF GRID has got the A1 Prime location! With all our local activities at the right season. 10 mins from: BEACH- WINERIES- CRAFT BREWERIES. FINE FOOD, LOCAL MARKETS, ANTIQUE SHOPS, ART STUDIOS and GALLERIES. THE WARREN DUNES, & WARREN WOODS NATURE TRAILS. PLENTY OF WOODS, CANOE / KYAK, BIKE, HIKE, FISHING and CANNABIS SHOPS. GREAT STAR LIGHT NIGHTS, AND ALL NIGHT CASINOS ALL NEAR BY! The Wine hay wagon tour bus stops for pick up @ the entrance each Saturday @ request!GROOTs OFF GRID Featured Amenities for its campers! A new rented PORTA JOHN with A WEEKLY CLEANING SERVICE! WELL WATER ON TAP! BRAND NEW! CLEAN PICNIC TABLES @ each site! LARGE CAMP FIRE RINGS @ each site! FIREWOOD TO PURCHASE for your convenience. OR you are welcome to PICK UP FREE FALLEN DEAD STICKS IN THE WOODS! & then of course… best part of all…TO STAY AT A TRULY UNIQUE AREA, EQUIVOCAL TO ALL OTHERS!@ GROOTs OFF GRID you will be staying at an active nursery in the off season that specializes in over 300 different antique fruit trees and Wholesale large ornamental trees and shrubs that envelops the entire 40 acre property! We started planting Windbreaks, then a huge array of Nursery Stock since 1956! GROOTs OFF GRID is an oasis of cooling shade and green abundant tree and plant life! That is totally surrounded by nothing but a long creek, wine grapes, beans and corn the average rotating crops that hold the oppressive heat of the days sun. However! The moment that your crew pulls onto the GRID property you will experience a 20 degree drop in temperature! With the overhead lush green canopy of established trees and the stress of your journey getting here will drop 45 more degrees!GROOTs OFF GRID is surrounded by an open plane farming land, of wine grapes and rotating corn and bean crops all around the property. Which in turn caused the attention and inhabitation of all the surrounding indigenous wonderful species of animals and birds, like Turkeys, hawks, owls, sparrows, storks, blue heron, geese and ducks. Beavers, woodchucks and lots of aquatic life! Too many to list!GROOTs OFF GRID sports a diversity of plants that has always been of interest to our customers. However as time moves forward the landscape gradually has changed. When an old world Dutch Nurseryman, plants a living block of wonderful arborvitae, junipers or honey suckles and everything in between, we sell what we can and leave the rest of the plants to get larger and more valuable in time. Which in turn creates a beautiful arboretum with a countless collection of varieties of mature plant life never to be recreated in on one property in a life time! GROOTs OFF GRID is a bird watchers delight! No end here of Hawks, Vultures & other birds of prey and flocks of sparrows, Blue Jays, finches, Oreos, more than can be mentioned! & home to Great horned Owls, Hooting in the evenings. Wake up to the soothing coo of the mourning doves that all the creatures enjoy this oasis of shade and natural cover and protection to thrive & make their nests and raise offspring. GROOTs OFF GRID sports the Natural Organic progression of trees and shrub growth that has created a cornucopia of attraction of life to a vast array of wild life that outdoes any nature center you may have attended before, because of GROOTs OFF GRID location and long periods of isolation due to a seasonal business and a lot of land. GROOTs OFF GRID Organic nursery has 3 ponds and natural flowing water ways that were laid out and dug by a Dutchman who understood that rain water will flow downhill to end up into The Fowler Creek at the back of the property were you can see large Salmon, Carps, Turtles, Blue Gills Bull Frogs & much more aquatic life! GROOTs OFF GRID Activities available here on the property! 3 Hiking & Biking paths A. B. and C. Trails. All grass mowed and all trails marked with directional signs leading to different directions on the property. BIKE PATHS leading to safe back roads leading to breweries and wineries, local lakes and parks. & Lake Michigan Wine Trail. Large trees to climb! Bird watching, Turtle racing, reptiles and interesting Butterflies and insects! There is lots of open space to play corn hole, badminton, frisbee. Toss the football around or play a baseball game! Better yet, you can set yourself up in the sun and get a great tan! Or slip into a nice slow swinging hammock with a good book under a cool shade tree and make that your plan! Either way its Ok if you like your stay, book another day!GROOTs OFF GRID is a new Campground. That is slowly growing larger. Operations were put in place in 1998 to start to make this large area to become available and open for the public to come and enjoy. Only on a limited level of occupation at each season is allowed here, to insure the animal presence is not overly disturbed. By too many visitors at a time. This is to preserve a true experience for the campers to understand actual living in the wild of Michigan’s original forests with its natural animal inhabitants! A unique experience many kids in time, will never see again.WHAT ENTERTAINMENT IS AVAILABLE AROUND GROOTS OF GRID?·      LAKE MICHIGAN! Swim & Sun! Several beaches with local access!·      Weko Beach about 8 miles away Bridgeman Mi.·      Warren Dunes state Bridgeman Mi.·      Cherry Beach Harbert Mi.·      Lakeside Beach. Lakeside Mi.·      Union Pier Beach Union Pier Mi.·      New Buffalo Beach. New Buffalo Mi.·      Or Silver Beach In St. Joseph Mi.·      Lions Beach St. Joseph Mi.·       ·      HIKEING AND BIKEING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!·      Lake Michigan Wine Trail·      WARREN WOODS 3 OAKS MI.·      WARRN DUNES STATE PARK.·      New Buffalo Board Walk·      St. Joseph Lake Blvd. Beach Run.·      Three Oaks (Home of Prancer) Apple cider century Bike ride.·       ·      FISHING! & EXPLOREING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!·      3 PONDS ON THE PROPERTY WITH NATIVE FISH & Aquatic life!·      LOCAL FISHING & BOATING & SWIMMING LAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!·      SINGER LAKE 5MIN. HESS LAKE 10MIN. BOYLE LAKE 15MIN. DAYTON LAKE. 20 MIN - ST. JOE RIVER 20 MIN. TO LAKE GALIEN RIVER. 20 MIN. TO LAKE.·      BEAR CAVE HIKE FISH & HARIOT TUBMAN UNDER GROUND RAILROAD SAFE HIDEING PLACE. CAVE TOUR! BUCHAN, MI.·      HOUSE OF DAVID.·      BIT OF SWISS – DECADENT PASTRIES!
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Potable water
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from 
$55
 / night

Dog-friendly getaways

Star Hosts in Michigan

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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Camping in Michigan guide

Overview

When it comes to natural attractions, Michigan holds all the aces. This landlocked state has more state parks and state forests than any other, miles of coastline, and more than 10,000 lakes—which means you’ll never be more than six miles from the water. Some of the best camping is found on the beaches and islands of the Great Lakes, so plan a summer getaway to swim, fish, and kayak, or a fall camping trip to admire Michigan’s spectacular foliage. Winter is best suited for RV camping, with snow blanketing much of the state from November through March.

Where to go

​Upper Peninsula

The Upper Peninsula is Michigan’s wild toupée, with swathes of old-growth forests, sandy beaches, and inland lakes stretching along the southern shore of Lake Superior. This is the spot to escape the crowds, whether pitching your tent by the sand dunes in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, parking your RV by a waterfall in Tahquamenon Falls State Park, or yurt camping in the Porcupine Mountains. For the ultimate camping experience, the Hiawatha National Forest has some 60 campsites to choose from.

Northern Lower Peninsula

Bordered by Lake Michigan to the West and Lake Huron to the east, the northern Lower Peninsula has the highest concentration of Michigan state parks. Miles of mountain biking, horseback riding, and hiking trails await in the Huron National Forest, where you can choose from modern campgrounds or backcountry camping. Along the coast, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a must-see, Wilderness State Park is a dark sky reserve, and Ludington State Park Beach is a family favorite.

Southwest Michigan

Grand Rapids is the gateway to Michigan’s southwest, where the shore of Lake Michigan provides plenty of options for a summer camping trip. Lakefront cities such as South Haven, Benton Harbor, and Holland have sandy beaches, historic lighthouses, and seafront campgrounds. Forget tent camping in the wilderness—RV sites come equipped with full hookups, playgrounds, and watercraft rentals.

Southeast Michigan

Michigan's "Thumb" juts out along the west shore of Lake Huron, where Sleeper State Park and Port Crescent State Park are the big draws for campers. Below this, the west coast is ideal for a road trip, peppered with shipwreck dive sites, secluded beaches, and golf courses. South of Detroit and Lake St. Clair, Sterling State Park is the only state park on the shore of Lake Erie, with a mix of RV and tent sites by the beach.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Michigan, you can often camp for free in designated areas or dispersed camping zones within its national forests, such as the Hiawatha National Forest and the Huron-Manistee National Forest. However, some areas may require fees or permits. These forests offer dispersed, primitive camping with no facilities. You'll need to come prepared and follow Leave No Trace principles. Additionally, some state forest lands also allow free dispersed camping, but it's essential to check the specific regulations for each area before setting up camp.

Yes, Michigan offers excellent camping opportunities, with diverse landscapes, numerous state parks, and beautiful natural attractions. You'll find over 1,000 campgrounds throughout the state, ranging from rustic and primitive sites to well-maintained and modern facilities. Michigan is home to two peninsulas, each with its own unique camping experiences.

The Lower Peninsula boasts beautiful lakeshores, sand dunes, and bustling cities like Detroit and Grand Rapids. Popular camping destinations include Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Ludington State Park.

The Upper Peninsula offers a more remote and rugged experience, with vast forests, waterfalls, and the shores of Lake Superior. Must-visit camping spots include Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.

Whether you're into tent camping, RVing, or glamping, Michigan has something for everyone. For more camping options in Michigan, you can explore Hipcamp.

The best month to camp in Michigan is typically September. During this time, the weather is generally mild and comfortable, with daytime temperatures ranging from 60°F to 75°F. Additionally, September offers beautiful fall foliage, fewer bugs, and less crowded campgrounds compared to the peak summer months. However, if you prefer warmer temperatures for swimming and water activities, consider camping in Michigan during the summer months of June, July, or August.

Yes, boondocking, also known as dispersed camping, is legal in Michigan on public lands, such as national forests and some state forests. In Michigan, you can boondock in areas like the Huron-Manistee National Forests and the Hiawatha National Forest. There are also private properties available for boondocking through Hipcamp. Be sure to follow the rules and regulations for each specific area, such as staying within designated areas, practicing Leave No Trace principles, and adhering to any fire restrictions.

In fall, camping is available in many of Michigan's various state parks, such as Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, Ludington State Park, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Michigan camping is especially beautiful in fall thanks to vibrant fall colors.

Top regions in and near Michigan

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