Getting the Campsite of Your Dreams

Picture this, you roll up to your chosen campground and start driving down the loop with your site number listed on it. You get farther and farther away from the water and there are less and less trees… you see two campsites completely full of people, empty beer cans and vehicles with a tiny muddy patch between them and there’s your site number… right next to the trail for the bathrooms and overflowing dumpster which is just upwind from where you’ll be staying.

And now picture this, you roll up to your chosen campground and down the loop with your site number on it. You find your site which overlooks the water with your own sandy trail right down to the quiet beach, there is plenty of shade and, the firepit is clean and you can barely see your neighbors through the trees on each side. You can just spot the trail to the bathrooms which are well-stocked and have doors that don’t slam shut. Off to one side there are perfect trees for hanging your hammocks. You have the map for all the trails nearby that you can hike on in the morning. Perfection!

I think at some point we have experienced both scenarios and I have no doubt which one you would pick if given the choice. Although sometimes bad camping situations can’t be avoided, I am very happy to say that with some extra planning you can absolutely minimize the chances.

Plan Ahead

In the old days, unless it was a Holiday such as the Fourth of July weekend, you could just load up your family and the dog and just drive to a campground and there would usually be several open sites to choose from once you got there. These days, if you plan on just “winging it” you’ll most likely be stuck in scenario one from above.

So how early do you have to start planning your camping season? For me, I like to start planning seven or eight months ahead of time. Yes, you read that right. Most reservation sites allow you to book six months out. So, if you are going to be doing a camping road trip in the Summer, then you need to start planning and booking sites in early to middle of Winter. Even then, you may have to really be on the ball for those premium Holiday weekends like Memorial, Independence, and Labor Day (in the U.S.)

This past February, we started planning for a trip in August and were dismayed that most of the sites at our specific planned location were already booked. We were determined that we wanted to be on the waterfront so I got up early on the day that the campsites would be released for six months out and sat at my computer with my top choice campsite in my cart ready to hit the checkout button. (The sites in this instance were released at exactly 8am.) I also had a backup choice site number written down just in case, but I really didn’t think it would be snatched up before me… As the clock turned to 8am, I frantically pushed the reserve button, and I was TOO LATE! Luckily, I was able to get my second choice instead, but I couldn’t believe how cutthroat it had gotten.

Why to Reserve Your Campsite Online

 

As the years go by, reserving campsites is moving more and more to using online reservation systems. Some people love it, and some are less than thrilled.

I personally, love the ability of going online, seeing an interactive map of sites and locations, usually some pictures and information on the terrain of each specific site, etc. I also like having confirmation numbers and reminders sent to my email address.

There are many ways to reserve campsites, but I’ll list some of my top choices here:

My Top 5 Favorite Places to Find Camping

 

1. Michigan State Parks Reservation System

The Michigan DNR online reservation system is user-friendly and provides detailed information about each campsite, including photos and amenities.

There are 103 State parks in Michigan, and many of them have campgrounds ranging from modern and semi-modern to the more rustic State Forest Campgrounds. Some of the camping areas are still first-come, first-serve but overall, there are many more that are now reservable online. Make sure that you look over the cancellation policies and fees. Additionally, a Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into all state parks and forest campgrounds.

When you first go onto the MI DNR site, you will want to first create an account or if you already have one, login to your account and then you can click on create reservation.

From here it can get a little more confusing and where I’ve seen many people get frustrated. On the next screen you will have the options of five different tabs: Camping, Lodging, Harbor, Day-Use and Equestrian. Since we are talking about camping reservations here, we will only be dealing with the first two tabs.

Under the “Camping” tab you will have the option to select either “Campsite” or “Backcountry.” For the most part, you will probably be going under the “campsite” heading and can select your specific Park and input your date and search for available sites from there. However, not all Parks and sites come up under this heading and if you happen to be searching for a cabin or yurt to stay in, it can become a fun game of “Where’s Waldo!”

For example, if you are looking to stay in a cabin within the Porcupine Mountains State Park, you must go under the “Backcountry” selection and search from there. However, if you are trying to stay at the Little Presque Isle (Harlow Lake) cabins then you will want to go under the “Lodging” tab and then select “Overnight Lodging.”  For staying at one of the Pontiac Lake cabins you will need to go into the “RRM Cabins/Cottages/GeoDomes” whereas the “Modern Lodging” tab has more of the multi-room lodge style buildings.

Confused yet? So was I when I started trying to make reservations through the DNR site. Hopefully they will streamline the process eventually but, in the meantime, I hope this helps to know that sometimes it’s a matter of trying a different button.

2. RECREATION.gov

Recreation.gov is the government’s centralized travel planning platform and reservation system for 14 federal agencies including the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and more.

I feel like this site is just getting better and better. When I first went on the site a few years back, I found it even more confusing than the DNR site, but now it’s quite helpful with sections for camping, tickets for tours and permits for hunting and backcountry camping among others.

I also love the ability to select which type of camping I will be doing and can choose from the options of RV/Motorhome/Trailer Camping, tent, or Lodging (Cabins/Yurts/Lookouts.) From there you can type in specific campground or even state to search for what’s available… or select a certain area on the interactive map and search within that area.

You will also be able to see ratings from other campers about specific campgrounds and campsites or cabins, amenities and usually good pictures and descriptions as well.

Recreation.gov now also has a pretty nice mobile app for Apple or Android phones that helps you find and reserve campsites, review location details for your trip, and quickly access information on past and upcoming reservations. Available at select campgrounds, the Recreation.gov mobile app now features Scan & Pay to pay directly from your mobile device for first come, first served campsites. So you can just scan a QR code when you arrive and even in remote areas with no cell service, Scan & Pay allows you to pay when you’re offline and then processes your transaction once you’re back online.

Of course, you will want to be aware of whether there will be actual cell service in whatever area you are planning on exploring. I recommend taking a screenshot or printing all of your reservation details ahead of time just in case. As most of us know, reliable cell service, especially in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan can be hit or miss and the last thing you want is to have to be climbing tall hills to try to get a signal to see which campsite you had reserved.

3. HIPCAMP

Hipcamp is the most comprehensive resource for beautiful private campsites. Here you can discover and reserve tent camping, RV parks, cabins, treehouses, and glamping. I have used Hipcamp a couple times, and I love it for finding unique places to stay. My favorite use is finding last minute places if I’m travelling or stranded somewhere. I have found everything from a farm field that I could pitch a tent in for $15 to a really cool off-grid cabin for just over $100.  It is like Airbnb or VRBO in that it is private individuals that are renting out their space.

You can filter by your camping style, location, pets allowed and see an interactive map with the various price points which is great if you are on a budget.

I do personally find the mobile app easier to navigate when searching within a specific area, but it may be just because that’s what I’m most used to using. What I like about using Hipcamp is that I feel like I’m helping regular people make a little extra money to help them keep their property. Some of the places are on a working farm and you can get the opportunity to visit and help out around the place if you wish.

Another nice feature is that if you find a site but it is booked, you can set an alert to notify you if there is a cancellation.

4. iOverlander

iOverlander is a mapping project started by overlanders Sam Christiansen and Jessica Mans and its mission is to support and encourage overland exploration of the world, while respecting local cultures, people, and environments.

In short, it is a free resource to help overlanders with a browsable online database find safe places to stay, shower, points of interest, etc. It is a website and a mobile app that other users can contribute to.

You can login and then search by country, city or even gps coordinates which I think is extra useful especially when traveling. When submitting a spot, you will be asked to share a description of the area, whether there is cell phone coverage and more.

Lately, there has been a lot more pushback about wild camping so please verify that the area in question does not violate laws or wishes of locals, or damage the environment. Make sure that you are not the one ruining it for everyone else. Use common sense when having a fire and obey local fire restrictions and please always leave a place nicer than how you found it!

5. Google Maps

Another great way to find great camping spots in Michigan is good old Google! I have found so many campgrounds and points of interest just by zooming in on a general area that I want to explore and typing in “Camp” in the search area.

You can type in different variations of words like tent, rv, campground and sometimes get different results. By doing this I have even found a couple of camping areas right in the area that Ive known my whole life and never known were there!

If you would like to see some of my many camping videos, check out our Youtube channel.

Overall, there are many, many places to camp and tons of places to find them. Some other websites/apps that I have seen frequently mentioned are Dyrt, Harvest Hosts, KOA sites, and even OnX which will help you determine where public land is. The above list are sites that I use the most and have great luck with.

If there are others that you think should be included here, please comment below and let me know!

Happy trails!