The best camping near Petoskey State Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Petoskey State Park adventure.

92% (12 reviews)
92% (12 reviews)

Bask on golden-sand beaches and hunt for rare fossils at Petoskey State Park.  

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Community favorites near Petoskey State Park

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

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Public campgrounds in the park
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Stay at a public campground in Petoskey State Park

Top-rated campgrounds near Petoskey State Park

100%
(8)

Sunset Campsite

1 site · RV, Tent10 acres · Cheboygan, MI
A SINGLE PRIVATE rustic campsite on beautiful 10 acre lightly wooded field. Surrounded by apple trees. Site including entry is all grass. Roughly 80'x60' Fire ring, picnic table, outhouse, and trash receptacle provided. Campsite faces west providing beautiful sunsets. Roughly a mile of hiking trails on property. Access to hundreds of miles of ORV, hiking, and skiing trails nearby. Multiple restaurants, bars, and golf courses within 2-5 miles. AMAZING Northern Lights and dark sky viewing area with gazing platform provided in center of campsite property. Firewood for sale $4-$5/bundle available within 1-2 miles. Access and boat launches to Twin Lakes, Black River, Black Lake, and Cheboygan River within 1-5 miles. Convenience stores within 2-5 miles. Black Mountain ORV and hiking areas within 2-5 miles. 20 minute drive from downtown Cheboygan. Come enjoy some time away from the normal campground hustle and noise at this lovely and affordable private single campsite!
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$17.50
 / night
93%
(68)

Grateful Acres

2 sites · RVs, Tents3 acres · Harbor Springs, MI
Hello and Welcome to Grateful Acres!! I have two sites available that will accommodate both travel trailers, as well as tents. Both have 30amp RV and 120v outlets, as well as lights for late arrival setup. In the welcome Hut, you will find dry firewood for purchase, as well as a refrigerator and freezer for use by our guests. Each site has its own labeled shelf to keep your perishables fresh. Also available are organic farm fresh eggs, cold soda, and bottled water, as well as bags of ice in the freezer. At Grateful Acres we aim to make your stay with us, as enjoyable as possible. The two sites sit on 3 beautiful, quiet acres in Northern Michigan. Site #1 is flat, open, and spacious, while site #2 is a bit more enclosed and private tucked into the trees. Both sites come furnished with a picnic table, a fire ring with attached grill for cooking and 2 adirondack chairs. The Star gazing at night is absolutley Amazing!! The property is centrally located between Petoskey, Harbor Springs and Alanson. Nearby are many lakes, rivers, state forests, mountain biking trails, golf courses and ski resorts. Come on up. Stay at Grateful Acres and enjoy all that Beautiful Northern Michigan has to offer.
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$45
 / night
100%
(6)

Secluded Hidden Gem in Leelanau CO

1 site · LodgingNorthport, MI
When we bought our land 7 years ago, it was on old apple orchard turned vineyard. In the time since, we have put our all into it to build a home and create a forever homestead to raise our family. To us, it’s the greatest place on Earth. We absolutely love where we live and think you will too!Learn more about this land:Newly built tiny house 2 miles south of Northport. Nestled in the woods overlooking a pond and surrounded by an organic vineyard/farm. Short walk to organic winery, 5 minute drive to quaint town of Northport, 15 minutes to Leland and Fishtown, and 20 minutes to Sutton’s Bay. The tiny house sleeps 2 on a queen sized bed in loft and another 2 on a futon on main floor. All linens are included. The kitchen is equipped with refrigerator/freezer, 2 burner hot plate, electric skillet, and coffee maker. There is water in the tiny house, but there is not a toilet or shower inside. A portable restroom is located right outside.
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$100
 / night
93%
(20)

80 acres of Secluded Camping

1 site · RV, Tent80 acres · Boyne Falls, MI
Learn more about this land:Tired of campground crowds? Get away from it all with complete privacy on 80 acres connected to Gaylord State Forest. Just outside of Boyne Falls, 15 min from Petoskey and close to many lakes, our property is located at the end of a dead end road. Enjoy Boyne Valley and Boyne Mountain views from easy to access private and primitive camping. Appreciate all that Northern Michigan has to offer with serene and relaxing wooded trails that can be followed onto state land (miles of hiking/ORV/Snowmobile trails). Visit nearby Lake Charlevoix, Walloon Lake, or Thumb Lake for boating/swimming/paddling, or Bear Creek Nature Preserve for additional hiking/natural areas. Choose the main meadow for van/car/trailer/RV camping, or take a short hike through the woods and over a creek to camp on the second meadow or back 40 acres (you pick your spot!). Plenty of nature to explore with quick drives to town for shopping/food. Property is 80% wooded, lots of hills, two open meadows and a beautiful flowing creek. Property map provided upon reservation.
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$30
 / night
100%
(1)

Bark Biter Farm near Rapid River

2 sites · Lodging, Tents20 acres · Manistee Lake, MI
This 20-acre property is surrounded by public land and is a short hike to Rapid River, which is nestled in a valley of giant cedars and white pines. The property has trails through a hardwood forest of maples, beeches and cherry trees. There is also an open meadow that boasts an abundance of wildlife. The property is secluded on a deadend two-track less than two miles from US-131 between Kalkaska and Mancelona. Torch Lake is only a 20-minute drive and Traverse City is about 50 minutes away. There is a clean porta-potty and water can be provided on request. Also, a 4-person tent can be provided at an additional cost. The campsite has a fire ring, shovel and plenty of wood for late night fires. The Raven's Nest is a cozy 12 x 16 cabin. It is an off-grid experience with a wood stove for winter adventures. The property is a work in progress, with a goal of it becoming an eco-retreat with updated accommodations. We hope you return for more adventures to see the progress. In the meantime, enjoy!
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$28.50
 / night

The best camping near Petoskey State Park guide

Overview

About

On the inside shore of Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, Petoskey State Park welcomes campers with over 300 acres of beaches perfect for swimming and paddling. The waters are tame due to the lack of a boat launch (but you can head to nearby Harbor Springs if you’re looking for a liftoff). Two excellent campgrounds draw overnight tent and RV camping trips, while a  concession stand with kayak and canoe rentals operates during the summer season. Just outside the park, art and culture boom in Harbor Springs. This is the only place on earth where the rare Petoskey stone fossil is found.

Notable campgrounds

Tips for snagging a campsite

  • Tent and RV campsites at Petoskey State Park can be reserved six months in advance, but the two mini cabins in the Tannery Creek Campground can be reserved 12 months in advance. 
  • Reservations must be made online or by calling (800) 447-2757.
  • We recommend booking as early as possible for the park’s busy summer season.

When to go

The Petoskey State Park campgrounds are typically open from May through October, as Memorial Day to Labor Day marks the park’s summer season. During this time, visitors can take advantage of rentals for kayaks, standup paddleboards, and bikes from the concession stand. Even outside of summer, Petoskey is worth a visit—fall is a popular time as many of the area’s deciduous tree leaves alight in hues of red, orange, and yellow. The park’s day-use parking lot is typically open from the end of April to the beginning of November, depending on the snow pack.

Know before you go

  • Rockhounders flock to the shores of Lake Petoskey in hopes of locating a rare Petoskey stone, a rock covered in hexagonal, tessellated coral fossils that can only be found in this area. Keep your eyes peeled along the shore and you may find one too!  
  • The park contains a few short trails to stroll through dunes and woods (Portage and Old Baldy), but it also links up to two long-distance paved trails that cyclists and joggers love—the 26-mile Little Traverse Wheelway and the 32-mile North Western State Trail.

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