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Camping at state parks

Camping at state parks

General rules for camping at state parks and recreation areas

    • Check-in starts at 3 p.m. 
    • Checkout is by 1 p.m. 

    After-hours assistance:
    If the campground office is closed when you arrive, please use the yellow phone located at the campground office. You'll be automatically connected to our call center during the following hours:

    • Monday -Thursday; 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
    • Fridays; 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
    • Saturdays and Sundays; 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

    If you arrive after the call center has closed, please refer to the office window for site availability and self-registration instructions.

    • Check-in starts at 4 p.m.
    • Checkout is by noon.
     

  • Quiet hours are between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.

    Please keep noise to a minimum, including radios, generators or other amplified devices. All activities must be quiet enough that they do not disturb neighbors or neighboring sites.

  • A responsible adult (18 years or older) must register and sleep at the campsite each night.

  • To give everyone a chance to enjoy the park during peak season (May 15–Sept. 15), the maximum stay is 15 nights. Once you hit that limit, you'll need to take a 5-night break before returning to the same park.

  • Campsites are for overnight stays. If a campsite is left empty for more than 24 hours, it’s considered abandoned.

    Automatic cancellation policy enforcement:
    Check in for your campsite reservation no later than 3 p.m. one day after your scheduled arrival date to avoid being automatically cancelled. If you need to arrive later, you must adjust your arrival date by calling 1-800-44 (PARKS) or visiting MiDNRReservations.com. If you don't check in or update your arrival date, our system will automatically cancel your reservation and you’ll incur the loss of two nights' fees, the non-refundable reservation fee, $10 cancellation fee and the reduced-stay fee. Staff are unable to override this process.

  • Pets are welcome in all campsites and some overnight lodging locations. Pets must be kept quiet, always be on a 6-foot leash, under owner’s immediate control and never left unattended. All pet waste must be properly disposed of in trash receptacles.

    No pets allowed in buildings, including toilet and shower buildings, except qualified service animals.

    • No more than six people allowed per campsite.
    • No more than two vehicles allowed per campsite. A motorhome does not count as a vehicle when used as the camping unit.
    • One primary camping unit (ie. truck camper, trailer, RV, etc.) may be allowed per campsite. If you’d like to pitch tents alongside it, just make sure equipment stays within your site's boundary and you don't exceed six people.
    • Tent-only campsites are limited to the number of tents that can fit within the site, which means as many tents as necessary to accommodate a single camping party are permitted within site boundaries.

  • Campfires are permitted in designated fire rings (only) and must never be left unattended. Do not burn garbage.


    Don't move firewood. Invasive insects and diseases have destroyed MILLIONS OF TREES in Michigan – often after hitching a ride on firewood. Hauling firewood, even a short distance, from one part of the state to another is a common way for these invasive species to infest new locations. Please purchase local or certified heat-treated firewood sold in state parks, local stores and roadside stands.

  • While you're welcome to bring your own camper unit or RV into campgrounds, please note that only permitted vendors are able to transport camper unit or RV rentals in and out of state parks.

    Find list of permitted vendors »

  • Visitor hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

    Please remember that only two vehicles are allowed in each campsite.

  • The use of fuel-powered generators is not allowed during established quiet hours (10 p.m. to 8 a.m.).

    The use of electric and solar-powered generators are allowed for help with medical and other needs.

  • To help reduce impacts to park infrastructure and protect natural resources, non-registered campers are required to pay a $10 fee and have a Recreation Passport to utilize sanitation or dump stations except for locations where infrastructure can't withstand additional use.

    Locations that do not allow non-registered campers to utilize sanitation/dump stations include Baraga, Burt Lake, Cheboygan, Fort Custer, Hoeft, North Higgins Lake, Port Crescent, Rifle River and Twin Lakes state park/recreation areas.

  • If you're using state lands for commercial operations an agreement with the DNR is required.

    Commercial operations are defined as "any activity that involves, directly or indirectly, the buying or selling of goods or services, or the exchange or attempt to offer to exchange goods or services for money, barter or for anything of value.

  • Discharge of firearms, air guns, slingshots or arrows aren't permitted in campground boundaries.

  • If you are arriving by foot, bicycle or nonmotorized watercraft, we'll always find space for you. Even when the campground is at full capacity, we reserve sites for self-supported "Leave No Trace" campers. A safe designated area will be assigned upon arrival; please note that amenities may vary. The following requirements apply:

    • Camping permits for locations other than designated campsites will be written for one night only.
    • If assigned space other than a designated campsite, campers must leave by 10 a.m. the following morning or register for a designated campsite.
    • Camping fees are determined by amenities available with up to six people per camp allowed.
    • Campfires are prohibited unless a designated fire ring is available in the designated camp area.