Discover the best dog-friendly and waterside campgrounds in Michigan

United States
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Michigan

97% (7362 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Michigan

Dog-friendly getaways

12 top dog-friendly and waterside campgrounds in Michigan

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

Rockhound Hideaway on Black River

2 sites · Lodging2 acres · Bessemer, MI

An outdoor enthusiasts dream awaits at Rockhound Hideaway, with opportunities for hiking, biking, swimming, boating and everything in between. The property is situated on a two acre lot with three other rentals on the edge of the Ottawa National Forest, with my full time residence just a few doors away. Rockhound Hideaway is a short walk to Black River Harbor and Lake Superior, the North Country Trail, the scenic and wild Black River, and so many great outdoor adventures. The Black River is accessible from the property for those adventurous enough for a steep walk down the back of the property, or accessible from one of five parking areas along the stretch of road surrounding the property. Lake Superior is located 1 mile north up the road. Perfect for adventure seekers looking for a comfortable place to lay their head after a day exploring hiking trails, waterfalls, skiing, snowshoeing, and all the natural beauty the Ottawa National Forest has to offer. The property offers guests private space at each site, each site with its own charcoal grill, BYO charcoal, hammock, and fire ring. I provide 1 bundle of firewood per visit and more firewood is available at the common area for $5 per bundle. The restrooms for the property is a two stall outhouse for all guests to share located next to the common, which features a roofed sun room with picnic table, lounging area and fire pit. The common area, Kitchigami Commons is there for all guests to enjoy the outdoors in a different setting or enjoy the outdoors when it's raining. It has a fire pit, playing cards, yard games and two lake tubes for guests to take out and enjoy on the lake. This is also where I keep extra firewood and extra drinking water when the temps are above freezing. Please help yourself to the lake tubes, just return them to the Commons when you are done. There is a path from each site to the common area and outhouse. Kitchigami Commons is also where we cook down sap and turn it into maple syrup during the spring time maple season. I am still making improvements to the Commons to provide a more enjoyable shared space, but you are welcome to use it, explore it and access the floaties and games. Please just be aware I may be present there and actively working on improvements, though I keep anything loud limited to when guests aren't present.

Have A Lake Of Your Own!

10 sites · Lodging, Tents101 acres · Lawrence, MI

The property was originally owned by a family name Nichols (thus the name of the lake). It was handed down to the sons who each owned half the property. The driveway down the middle of property that leads to the lake was originally a fence line that divided the two pieces of property. The brothers did not get along and their are several stories of their warring on how to maintain the property.My parents bought this piece of property in 1964 and created a camp called "Lakeside Farm Camp", a small all boys camp. The camp has gone through several changes since then but has always been owned by the Edwards family. In 1984 the name was changed to "Cedar Lodge" a coed camp that specializes in English horseback riding and offering high level general camp activities. Enjoy the peace and quiet of our totally private fresh water lake. Take your boat out for a day of fishing or just chill next to the fire. Sites are approximately 50 feet from each other. If you want privacy we suggest you book both.

Retreat Center Campsites

5 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents20 acres · Fennville, MI

The Retreat Campsites are situated on land owned by the Red Spirit Retreat Center. The beautiful wooded land is perfect for walking in. The stars are like brilliant diamonds, and in mid June the fireflies float up from the prairie into the trees by the hundreds. It is pretty quiet except for the birds and the bullfrogs and your own crackling campfire. In the spring the fruit trees can be seen blooming across the fields. Straw is grown on the neighbor's farm and cut and baled midsummer. The farm buildings are off in the distance but have gleaming white buildings and silver silos. Guests may walk wherever they like on trails or bushwhack through the forests of the Red Spirit Retreat Center. Each campsite is unique and pretty private. While you may see other campers you probably can't hear them as they are about half a city block away through the trees. Staying at the Country Dome Home is an amazing experience. Located on a hill at the top of the prairie, the view of farms and forests is spectacular. To enjoy the view, the front window is 8 feet tall and 11 feet wide. The 12 foot ceiling enlarges the room tremendously. There is an awesome feeling of spaciousness. On a warm day 8 foot wide by 3 foot high screens can be opened up to let and with the screen door to let breezes blow through. The solar fan then pulls the heat right out of the roof. Outside there is a patio sail providing shade. A lovely dinner can be cooked on a propane griddle while watching the view. Refurbished Jordan Brown Tamiami table and chairs and a chaise lounge provide comfortable seating. Deck chairs are out on the front deck as well. Sitting around the campfire is a great way to end the day. About 9 pm hundreds or thousands of fireflies slowly make their way to the tops of the huge trees and the stars start to twinkle as the sun sets. The birds, crickets, and bullfrogs gradually quiet down, lulling you to sleep in the most comfortable bed in the world. You feel at one with nature.. Stay at the dome in the fall or early spring and the wood stove will keep you toasty warm on chilly nights. Three rustic campsites with their own personalities are also on the land but hidden by trees. The Frog Pond Campsite is a in a sylvan glade next to the pond and creek, with parking immediately next to the campsite. The Edges and Deep Forest Campsites are both larger campsites that are located inside the forest near the Prairie. These sites are separated far enough apart to allow for a very private feeling. Each campsite has parking space very close by. All campsites have their own private composting toilets, fire pits, one bundle of wood, sanitary spray, toilet paper, and at least three gallons of water. At the Deer Blind more wood is available at the Deer Blind for $10 per bundle with Venmo or PayPal. There are two yoga mats, frisbees, bubbles, and a corn hole game for borrowing. You may request a one night stay, but it is dependent upon my availability to clean in between guests. We hope that our guests have a truly beautiful, quiet, and relaxing stay.

Camp Clear Sky

9 sites · Tents9 acres · Lowell, MI

Camp Clear Sky is our family compound in Lowell, Michigan. We allow guests to camp and sometimes have music for our guests to enjoy. Our 2BR 1BA eco-house is available for short-term rentals. There are three large parks and two rivers within a mile of the property. Nearby connections to hiking, bicycle, snowmobile, and water hiking trails include the North Country Trail, Lowell Area Trailway, Flat River Water Trail, Grand River Water Trail, Fred Meijer River Valley Trail, and more!

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White Pine Farm HipCamping

6 sites · RVs, Tents10 acres · Ann Arbor, MI

EVENTS; LARGE GROUPS - We are hosting events! Graduation parties, small weddings, family reunions, you name it. You can rent the whole campground for a day a night, a weekend, or a whole week if that suits your need. Just send us a message and we can talk about it. We can also accommodate large groups at a single campsite or you can rent several of them. Our primary guideline is that if your event will be held while other campers are here, it cannot disturb them. So, consider renting the whole campground: we can work with you on a reasonable price. IMPORTANT NOTICE 1 - If you book a site for the Labor Day Weekend, please be advised that a neighbor holds a camping event at the same time and there will be some noise from 4 wheelers on their property. If this kind of activity wouldn't bother you then feel free to come stay with us! We'd love to have you. IMPORTANT NOTICE 2: Please plan to arrive and set up camp between 3 and 9 PM. If you are planning to arrive after 9 PM, please send us a message letting us know. We decide on a case by case basis since we prefer not to have late arrivals. In any event we do not accept arrivals after 11 PM except in an emergency since many campers and your host may have already gone to bed. Overview: Our beautiful 10 acre farm and homestead is situated between Ann Arbor and Dexter not far from the Huron River. The 5 acre area where our campsites are located is wooded with mature oak, maple, walnut, elm, and white pine trees. We're isolated and surrounded by wild areas and natural farm land but just a 10 minute drive to restaurants, groceries, fuel, and other amenities. The Ann Arbor area is home to a huge array of world class events from the Ark music venue to National Champions Michigan home football games and a whole lot more. Downtown Ann Arbor or Dexter or Chelsea is only a 15 minute car drive. White Lotus Farms, which has a wonderful farm market on Saturdays from 9 - 2 and Wednesdays from 9 - 1, is a 10 minute walk down our dirt road. If you forget to bring something that you need, don't hesitate to ask! We've got a growing number of camping essentials for rent or sale for very reasonable prices that can make your stay even more enjoyable: from bug repellants to camp chairs, potable water in 2.5 - 5 gallon containers, and more.

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Riverside Retreat at New Richmond

7 sites · Lodging, Tents3 acres · Fennville, MI

Welcome to the Historic Village of New Richmond! Once a bustling lumber town established by early settlers, New Richmond now sits idle on the Lower Kalamazoo River. Come adventure with us!! Our riverbend glamping site awaits your arrival! Located on our private river bank this is on 3 acres of land shared by 2 personal glamping sites and a rustic group campsite. Our sight offers scenic views of sunrise on the riverbend as well as the New Richmond Swing Bridge. Now open to pedestrian traffic only, the small county park next door offers a riverside board walk full of natural flora and wildlife for morning strolls or the delight of a fisherman who likes to be 1st on the water! Kayak and Canoe Rentals are also available on sight by appointment or reserve one with your tent. Hiking trails nearby offer a great way to explore the Allegan Forest and reconnect with nature. 7 miles east of Saugatuck and 5 miles north of Fennville, our site makes a perfect escape from the nearby lakeshore district and tourist attractions. Just follow the paved road all the way to the end and enter through our private drive. ....where the pavement ends, adventure begins! See ya at the river. :)

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Rocky Top "Preserve"

2 sites · Lodging300 acres · Ellsworth, MI

Grandpa Tom started this farm in the 1970's. Rocky Top Farms is a fruit farm. We grow a lot of cherries, some peaches, blueberries, elderberries, raspberries. Rocky Top hosts disc golf tournaments, music festivals, weddings, and hosts on both Hipcamp and Airbnb. We make preserves, fruit butters and salsa which ship all over the world, and are locally served in many hotels and restaurants.

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Sweet 16 Campground

5 sites · RVs, Tents69 acres · MI

Welcome to Sweet 16 Campgrounds. We currently have 3 sites. Site #1 is the RV/Tent site (1 RV/camper max. with unlimited tents, 8 people max.). Site #2 is a Tent Site (Great site for Hammock Camping, unlimited tents, 8 people max.). Site #3 is our double/group RV/Tent (2 Camper/ RV max.) site (16 people max.) You will be camping in the semi-wooded area at the back of the property. It is a really nice area to camp. Each site has a firepit and picnic table. We have about 2 miles of hiking trails on the property. We are in a great location to hike, paddle, bike, and explore SW Michigan. Nighttime is great for stargazing. We are 13 miles from downtown St. Joseph and 13 miles from downtown South Haven. We are located 1 1/2 hours from Chicago. Don't feel like exploring, then hang out at the campsite for the day. We are close to the SW Michigan Makers’ Trail (Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries). We are located 4 miles from a small beach (Hagar Park/Beach) on Lake Michigan (15 miles from the big beaches at St. Joseph and South Haven). We are 5 miles from the boat ramp on Paw Paw Lake. We are located just 2 miles off I-196 at Exit 7 (Hagar Shore Road). We are also only 20 miles from Sister Lakes. Dogs are allowed. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. About us: We have a 69 acre farm we bought back in 2019. We moved here from the Chicago area. (Tinley Park). We have 44 acres tillable and 16+ wooded acres. in back that we opened it up for camping. We have horses, dogs, cats, chickens, and rabbits.

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Superior Lake Effect

1 site · RV, Tent8 acres · Ontonagon, MI

Happy almost fall campers! So many views and so little time here in the western Upper Peninsula. Fall colors expected to peak first weekend October (as of 9/30/24)! Check out Porkies State Park chairlift rides 10/5, 6 and 12. 10 to 430 ET each day, 10$ plus recreational passport. Copper Peak also offers amazing views of fall colors. Open daily from 930-430 CT, check out copperpeak.net for pricing and details. Enjoy 400 ft of Lake Superior private sandy beach frontage with access to more than 1.5 miles., Beautiful sunsets, and a chance to witness the northern lights, in your private dark sky park; bring your telescope. Search for agates and yooper rocks; bring a black light. Situated on 8 acres of old growth forest, your short walk to the lake is through a park like preserve. Keep your eyes open for wildlife as you cross the boardwalk to the beach. Bring your kayak and or paddle board for a unique experience. A boat launch 1/2 mile away can easily accommodate 16 ft motor boats if fishing is of interest. Enjoy waterfalls? Bond, Agate, Bonanza, and O Kun-de kun and many more are all within an hour. ATV trails are abundant as well and all county roads allow both ATV and snowmobile traffic, with appropriate permits.

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Sunshine Motel Rustic Camping

3 sites · Tents60 acres · Ontonagon, MI

Learn more about this land: Has nature been calling your name? Test your love of nature at Sunshine Motel and Cabin’s rustic campground. Nestled in the back of the cabins and up a small hill lay three rustic campsites. These campsites are available for rent; perfect for the Eco Tourist, and not for the faint of heart. When we say rustic, it is rustic. No utilities or facilities (toilet not) provided. Toilet paper if needed. Parking is in a different spot; all sites are walk up. Please be aware that vehicle camping is not allowed on property. Currently there is a communal fire pit, as well as fire pits on each site. Private picnic tables and communal tables surround the grounds. Additionally, each site is provided with a trash can and BBQ grill. Along with our large campsites there is a yard for the kids to play and access to our private beach. Many other trails, lakes and rivers are in the area along with several shopping opportunities. Come enjoy all that we at the Sunshine can offer you.

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Uksa’s Cove

2 sites · RVs, Tents3 acres · Drummond Island, MI

Learn more about this land: This private”Gem”of a spot is located on the south side of beautiful Drummond Island with over 350’ of direct shoreline and lakefront access. The site is just over 3 acres of pristine boreal forest to wander, explore and learn. Roam the shoreline of Lake Huron hunting for pudding stones and fossils that abound or watch the freighters pass in the distance. Easy in, easy out. CAUTION There is a 11’4” height clearance restriction through a tunnel that you must use to access the camp site. Even small motor homes and Campers may not fit. Please check before booking a trip. Large campers and 5th wheels and even some smaller motor homes are discouraged because of often wet and soggy conditions. Pop ups and light campers are acceptable most of the time. Prepare for a multitude of weather conditions (3season gear) as the island weather changes very fast.

Nearby parks

Explore the area’s public lands.

81%

(26)

Huron-Manistee National Forests

Mio, Michigan

92%

(30)

Hiawatha National Forest

Chatham, Michigan

91%

(11)

Interlochen State Park

Interlochen, Michigan

96%

(27)

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

White Pine, Michigan

100%

(5)

Grand Haven State Park

Grand Haven, Michigan

100%

(4)

Fort Custer State Park

Augusta, Michigan

86%

(7)

Ottawa National Forest

Watersmeet, Michigan

100%

(3)

Port Crescent State Park

Port Austin, Michigan

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Dog-friendly and waterside 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.