Understanding The 3 Types Of Camping Available In Michigan

Every year since I was a wee boy, my family has gone camping at the same campground in Big Rapids. We kids pitch a tent, my parents set up the pop-up camper, and we chill by the lake in our hammocks for a week. However, the place has running water, wifi, a small store in the campground, and is 10 minutes from town, so it's more like glamping than camping.

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I was telling my friend about this, and she called me a camping fraud and said it didn't count as camping. Although I have gone "real" camping a few times, I've always found the rules for how and where to do it confusing. I imagine I'm not alone, so for both of our sakes, here is a simplified explanation of the three different types of camping you can do in Michigan.

Three Kinds Of Camping in Michigan

To put it in simple terms, there are three types of camping you can do around Michigan, with state parks and forest campgrounds requiring a Recreation Passport:

Campgrounds

Michigan has over 103 state parks, with many of them offering a range of modern amenities like electrical hookups, running water (showers, modern restrooms), reliable cell service, and more. These campgrounds accept anything from RVs to campers to tents, and some even have cabins and yurts available for rent. This type of camping is for those who just want to enjoy the outdoors without the stress.

Examples:

• Platte River Campground
• Silver Lake Modern Campground
• Hoffmaster Modern Campground
• Holland State Park Campground

Rustic

Rustic camping in a state forest campground is a more stripped-down form of campground camping. These offer the opportunity to "rough it" while still having access to basic necessities like vault toilets, potable water, a picnic table, and a fire pit. Camping in a state forest campground is on a first-come, first-served basis for a fee.

Examples:

• DH Day Campground
• Goose Lake State Forest Campground
• Big Bear Lake State Forest Campground
• House Lake State Forest Campground

Backcountry

Backcountry camping is free in all state forest land, but it is also the definition of roughing it—no drinking water, no toilets, showers, electricity, fire pits, nothing. But that's the draw for the campers who are looking to really go off the grid and be one with nature.

Ventured into Craig Lake State Park this weekend!
byu/JHouseman92 inCampAndHikeMichigan

Before you pitch your tent, though, make sure to have a backpacking registration card with you and displayed at your site. If this is what you're interested in, it would be smart to look into dispersed camping as well.

Examples:

• Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
• Tahquamenon Falls State Park
• Craig Lake State Park
• Wilderness State Park (Isle Royale)

If you're looking to find more campgrounds, you can learn more about rustic camping here, backcountry camping here, and modern camping here.