Monthly Archives: March 2018

Otsego Lake State Park Review

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Nestled on the shores of beautiful Otsego Lake near Gaylord is the Otsego Lake State Park. With a beautiful beach and close to I-75 this a very popular park. With the town of Gaylord only a few miles away and lots of golf courses in the area, you can find plenty of things to do and places to see.

Official Website http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=482&type=SPRK

Address
7136 Old 27 S.
Gaylord MI, 49735

Pros

  • Near Gaylord
  • Next to I-75
  • New Bathroom Building in South Loop
  • Beautiful beach and clear water

Cons

  • Popular park and can be difficult to get reservations
  • Beach can get crowded on hot summer days
  • Sites near the road and railroad tracks can be noisy

Campgrounds

The campground is divided into a north loop and a south loop. The south loop is more popular because it is closer to the lake and has one of the newest bathrooms in the state park system. The north loop is the larger of the two loops. It has its own little beach with a ramp that leads to it. Most sites in either loop are well used and dirt surface. Booth loops are wooded and shaded. There are some small hills in a few areas of the park so you want to make sure you get one that the DNR calls level. The sites on the east side of the park are closer to the water. I would not say they are right on the water like some of the sites at Young State Park but they are the most popular. Old 27 runs next to the east side of the park and you can hear some road noise so the sites on the west side are better too. There are also some railroad tracks that run between the road and the park. I think they are not used frequently but a train did go by during the daytime when I stayed there.

one thing to note about the campground is the location of the dump and water stations. They are located next to the booth at the entrance and can be tricky to get to after you check in. If you are like me, and fill up with water when you get there, be sure to squeeze over to the right as far as you can when you stop to check in so you can make the u-turn to get back to the water and then you have to do the same to get back to the park so you want to use the outside water station if you can.

Reservations

Otsego Lake SP is one of the more popular parks and if you want to camp here you need to make reservations six months to the day. The lots closest to the lake are taken first so you have to be sure to try for those right when the system lets you reserve them at 8 am.

Bathrooms

The recently constructed bathroom building in the south loop

The bathroom in the south loop is one of the nicest bathrooms in the state parks. It’s like the Taj Mahal of bathrooms. The state must have gotten a grant to build this new modern environmentally friendly green building. I would definitely try to get a site in the south loop because of the bathroom building. I stayed in the north so I did not use the showers and I read some reviews that they are low pressure and not as warm as people would like because of the green design. The bathroom buildings in the north loop are older buildings but adequate.

Beach and Boat Launch

The beach on Otsego Lake is nice and sandy with crystal clear water. It’s a little bit of a walk from even the closest campsite. There is a large parking lot for the beach and on hot weekends it fills up and the beach can get rather crowded. You can go down to the north loop and take the ramp to the beach. It may be a little less busy than the main beach. A boat launch is located a the south end of the parking lot for the beach. I don’t have a boat but from the number of trucks and trailers parked it must be a popular boat launch.  The shoreline along the park is sandy and I have seen a lot of boats pulled up to the shoreline and tied up. I think people camping can leave there boat in the water if they chose to do so. that’s one of the reasons why the sites along the lake are so popular.

Shopping

The state park has a store next to the beach that sells firewood and basic necessities. Opposite the entrance, is a party store if you’re looking for some adult beverages. About 8 miles away in the north side of Gaylord is Meijers, Walmart and Family Fare that has a Starbucks and a Dairy Queen, I like to go there to get groceries then I can get a Peanut Buster Parfait. East of I-75 on Main Street near the courthouse is lots of downtown shopping and restaurants.

Things to Do

Otsego Lake State Park is not a large park in terms of area and does not offer much in the way of hiking trails. I don’t play golf so I am not sure what makes for a good golf course but I know there are a lot of golf courses in the area. Besides shopping in the gift shops in downtown Gaylord I like to go see the deer and elk at the Gaylord City Elk Park. there is a viewing area behind the Secretary Of State office on Grandview Blvd. Not far away from there next to Jay’s Sporting Goods is Cops and Doughnuts. My favorite is the peanut butter cream long johns.

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Tips for Getting Reservations at Michigan State Parks

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Michigan is one of the most popular states for recreational vehicles and camping which can make it difficult to get reservations at your favorite Michigan State Park. The current online reservation system is the best and most intricate one the DNR has created and is a long way from the days when you had to send in a check by mail to hold a spot so you could choose what was available when you got to the campground. The current system lets you choose a date to see what is available in the state or you can pick a campground and see what dates they have an opening for that specific campground. I am not associated with the state parks and have no “inside knowledge” but I have learned some tips over the years to help with getting your reservations. If you don’t already know it, here is the link to make reservations https://www.midnrreservations.com/

Make them as soon as you can

The Michigan DNR will let you make reservations for a campsite six month to the day before the first day of your reservations. If you want to make reservations for 4th of July you will be making them the 4th of January. The system starts taking reservations at 8 am weekdays and 9 am weekends. For the most popular parks like Ludington, you will need to try to make reservations when the system opens for the day since the park is so popular. (if you are wondering I have yet to get a site reservation at Ludington)

Be flexible

Most people want to stay at the most popular sites in the most popular parks on a holiday weekend. If you are like me and are restricted by when you can take your vacation because of work, you need to be flexible on when and where you want to stay so you can find a campsite. It may not be exactly what you want but a day relaxing next to the campfire is better than not going at all. The system lets you pick your dates and then you can look on a map to see what campgrounds are available for those dates. Make sure the pull down with the lists of all the campground is set to the Michigan State Parks and it will show all the parks on the map and if they have availability

Maybe you are retired and the dates you go are not that important but you have a campground you want to stay at you can search for days the campground has openings. If a site you want is reserved you can click on it and see the schedule to see what days it is reserved and what days it’s available.

Do your research

If you are going to book six months to the day #SMTTD be sure to check the campground map ahead of time to know what site or a couple of sites that you want so you are not trying to figure it out while other people are clicking on sites. You can check the night before you make your reservations to see what is available.

Go a day early

Because the system lets you reserves sites starting with the day you arrive if you go a day earlier you can make your reservation before others do. I know this is not always feasible but if for instance on a holiday weekend you take Friday off from work you can go up Thursday and get a chance for a campsite before someone else who is going up Friday.

Please be considerate. Because the system will let you make reservations starting with the day you arrive and will let you reserve 15 days. Some people will make reservations 15 days before so they can get the site they want first. Then, later on, cancel the early days. I don’t do this and although it is legal it is really inconsiderate. Like people who cut the line or save seats for people. The DNR has changed the cancellation policy to help curb this. I am not sure how many people do this and I am thinking it is not as common as some people think. I know there are a lot of retirees who stay at the Michigan State Parks and are fortunate enough to camp for two weeks at a time. There are also more and more Michiganders who are going camping so some of the parks are really hard to get reservations for.

Going Later

If you are staying at a park for a week for your summer vacation it can be hard to get a campsite on the weekends since that is when they are usually full. I know you don’t want to give up time for relaxing but I have waited until Sunday to head to the campground. You can have more choices to choose from since the park may not be as busy during the week. Plus traveling on Sunday you may be going the opposite direction as the weekend crowd, so traffic is not that bad. Plus you will have Saturday to pack your trailer for the trip.

Check for cancellations

If that park you want to get into is full keep checking back to see if a site has become available. People can cancel their reservation and you may be able to snag it before someone else does.

Check for festivals and events.

Don’t forget about local events near the campground you are thinking about. Events like the Cherry Festival in Traverse City or the Cheeseburger Festival in Caseville will cause the parks to have a large number of people at them. If you are going to a festival or not there may be one that weekend, be sure to book early. Don’t forget about the harvest festivals most parks have in the fall. They are very popular and fill up the campground. If you want to go to one or avoid them check the list of events on the DNR website here. http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79133_79205_84073—,00.html

Trailer Size

Be sure to check the pull-down menu for trailer size. If you have a smaller trailer like I do, make sure you don’t have a larger one selected otherwise it will only show you sites available for a larger trailer.

 

 

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Interlochen State Park Review

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Interlochen State Park is the largest and oldest park in the system with over 500 modern campsites. There is a lot of people in the campground when it’s full and the population can be like a small city. It’s location near Traverse City and the Leelanau Peninsula makes it a great location for lots of stuff to do and is a place I would recommend if you’re looking for somewhere to stay for a week-long summer vacation with your kids.

Official website  http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=460&type=SPRK

Address 
4167 M-137
Interlochen MI, 49643

Campgrounds

The modern part of the campgrounds, situated on Duck Lake, is divided into two loops with a north loop and a south loop. When I was there the north loop was more popular probably because the sites seemed a little bigger and more accommodating to larger rigs. The southern loop is larger and has a lot of campsites. The one drawback to the southern loop is there is a large valley the runs through the middle of the campground near sites 320,499 and 396. The sites are “ stair-stepped” so they are somewhat level but I would avoid this area if you can. I would recommend staying in the southern half of the south loop where it’s more level. The campsites have trees through but I would not say they are heavily wooded. You will have to look on the DNR website to see if the site you want is shaded or not. There is a boat launch in the south loop which is popular with kayakers and fishermen.

the rustic campsites are on the other side of the street from the main campground and are on the shores of Green Lake. I did not drive through the rustic campground so I will have to check them out next time I am up that way.

Reservations

Reservations for Interlochen are usually easy to get since the campground has so many sites. The sites along the lake are the most popular and you should reserve those as soon as you can. I would also make reservations as early as you can for holiday weekends. The most popular weekend is the Fourth of July with theCherry Festival happening in Traverse City. For the most part, this is a good park to check for last minute campsites because they may have some available because of the size of the campground.

Bathrooms

The bathrooms at Interlochen are ok as state park bathrooms go. They are older but seemed to be maintained. I hope to get back there soon and get some pics to post

Beach and boat launch

There is a nice sandy beach at Interlochen on Duck Lake located between the north and south loops. I was there in the middle of the week and it was not too crowded but imagine when the park is full the beach could be crowded. If you like to be near the beach I would recommend the sites on the north loop. The sites closest to the beach on the south loops are not totally level but would be ok if you had to. There was a sign warning of swimmers. I have not read about anyone complaining online about it like they do for Higgins Lake but I would take precautions like showering after swimming.

The modern campground on Duck Lake has two boat launches. one near the park store by the main day use parking lot and one in the south loop of the campground. Parking is not available for the one in the campground so if you launch a boat from a trailer you will have to take your trailer back to your campsite.  There is also a boat launch at the rustic campground on Green Lake.

Shopping

Interlochen is not a large town, but there is a nice size grocery store about 2 miles from the campground. There is also a gas station for when you need to fuel up after towing a big heavy trailer. If you don’t feel like cooking Bud’s is about a mile from the campground. The food is excellent and they also have a gift shop and a grocery store. A hardware store about 10 miles away at Chums Corner at the intersection of M31 and M37. I know this because I needed a fuse for my trailer. Always keep some spare fuses.

Things to do

I think Interlochen SP is a great place to stay for a week or longer since there is so much to do in the area. It’s between Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes. You can also go shopping in downtown Frankfort and visit the lighthouse there. If you like lighthouses you are not far from Point Betsie, Grand Traverse Lighthouse and Old Mission Point Lighthouse. and the Music school is right across the street if you want to listen to a concert check their schedule. They have some concerts performed by the teachers that you can listen to for free. Or some big-name artists that you will need tickets for.

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Bay City State Recreation Area Review

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If you love to hike and go antiquing Bay City State Recreation Area is a park you should stay at. North of beautiful Bay City on the Saginaw Bay the park contains the Tobico Marsh with miles of trails for the outdoor enthusiasts. A few miles away, is downtown Bay City with its large antique shops and unique specialty stores.

Official Website http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=437&type=SPRK

Address 3582 State Park Dr.
Bay City MI, 48706-1356

Pros

  • Excelent place for hiking and birding
  • Not a long drive from Metro Detroit and other cities
  • Near downtown Bay City
  • Newer bathroom facilities
  • Playscape and splash park

Cons

  • Beach can be mucky at times or even closed
  • no campsites overlooking the bay
  • You have to cross the road to get to the beach
  • No boat launch in the park

Campsites

For the most part, the campground is flat and the sites are level. It’s also wooded and the sites are shaded except for the sites nearest the entrance which has fewer trees and can be full sun. The park laid out perpendicular from the beach that is across the road from the park. The sites closest to the entrance are closest to the beach. If you are in the back of the campground it’s a long walk to the beach. The sites in the back of the park are near the road and they can be a little noisy.

Reservations

Reservations at the campground are usually easy to get as it’s not one of the most popular parks in the system for camping. As always you should book as early as you can for holiday weekends. I did get a spot a few weeks before Labor Day. I checked and a few days before the holiday it was full. If you are going to camp in October be sure to book early since the park’s harvest festival is extremely popular.

Bathrooms

The bathrooms at the park are both newer bathroom buildings and identical so if you like to be near the bathroom either one would be good. They are what I call the typical design with the walkway with the row of showers on one side and the men’s and women’s bathrooms on the other. They seem to be well maintained.

Beach

The beach is a nice large beach on the Saginaw Bay. The staff does their best to maintain the beach but it’s kind of a hit or miss thing. Being near wetlands and marshes the water along the edge of the beach can get mucky. It rare but the big issue is that the beach has been closed a few days in the summer for high levels of E-coli. I would say if swimming is a high priority you may not like Bay City SRA. They do have a large playscape and sprinkler park. I am wondering if they built them because of the beach closures.

Shopping

If you need some groceries there are a couple of party stores a few miles south of the park. Walmart and home depot and just about anything else is about 7 miles south of the campground. If you don’t feel like cooking Muscle beach is right around the corner. I have not eaten there but several people tell me it’s good. They also serve ice cream if you’re looking for a cool treat to end a hot summer day. with some of the largest antique stores in Michigan, downtown Bay City is the perfect place to shop for the exotic one of a kind item. They also have lots of bars, restaurants and gift shops. You could easily spend an afternoon or a whole day wandering around all the stores.

Things To Do

The best part of Bay City R.A. is the Tobico Marsh north of the campground on the other side of the road. It has miles of trails through forests and wetlands that will make any nature lover happy. A map of the trails through the Toboco Marsh can be found HERE.  I am not a birder but if you are going for a big year there must be a lot of bird species that can be spotted in the wetlands. A paved rail trail the runs behind the campground that goes for miles north through the Tobico Marsh. I rode my bike down it with the intention of reaching the end but after a long ride, I was getting tired and turned around before I could find the end if there is one. I am sure a devoted cyclist who is in better shape than me would enjoy riding their bicycle through the marsh. In August the park has a waterfowl festival and in October a Harvest Festival. The Bay City Recreation Area is also home to the Saginaw Bay Visitor Center with nature-based activities and programs for kids of all ages. you can find out what is happening at the center HERE

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Local and County Campgrounds in Michigan

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I have only camped at State Parks but with the popularity of the state parks and RVing it is getting difficult to find campsites in some of them so I am looking at some county and local parks. here is a list of some that I think would be a good place to stay. I hope to stay at some of these campgrounds this summer if not at least drive through and take a look at them. If there are any county or local parks you would like me to add to the list please comment below.

 

Thumb Region

Forester Park on Lake Huron in the thumb http://www.sanilaccountyparks.com/forester-park/

Lexington Park on Lake Huron near Lexington http://www.sanilaccountyparks.com/lexington-park/

Evergreen Park near Cass City http://www.sanilaccountyparks.com/evergreen-park/

Stafford County Park near Port Hope https://huroncountyparks.com/stafford-county-park

Lighthouse Park near the tip of the thumb https://huroncountyparks.com/lighthouse-county-park

Au Gres City Campground http://cityofaugrescampground.com/

Point Au Gres Park Arenac County Park http://www.arenaccountygov.com/parks/

 

Southern Michigan

Cade Lake Couty Park near Sturgis http://www.stjosephcountymi.org/parks/parks_cadelake.php

Cold Brook County Park near Climax http://www.kalcounty.com/parks/coldbrook/index.html

Markin Glen County Park near Kalamazoo http://www.kalcounty.com/parks/markinglen/index.html

Groveland Oaks County Park https://www.oakgov.com/parks/parksandtrails/Groveland-Oaks/Pages/default.aspx

Addison Oaks County Park https://www.oakgov.com/parks/parksandtrails/Addison-Oaks/Pages/default.aspx

Camp Dearborn https://www.campdearborn.com/

 

Central Michigan

Pinconning Park http://www.baycounty-mi.gov/PinconningPark/

Au Gres City Campground http://cityofaugrescampground.com/

Point Au Gres Park Arenac County Park http://www.arenaccountygov.com/parks/

Coldwater Lake Park west of Mt Pleasant http://www.isabellacounty.org/parks-information/coldwater-lake-family-park

School Section Lake Veteran’s Park west of Mt Pleasant near Canadian Lakes. http://www.mecostacountyparks.com/school-section-lake-veterans-park.html

Oxbow Park in the Huron Manistee National Forrest https://www.newaygoparks.com/

Big Bend Park  in the Huron Manistee National Forrest https://www.newaygoparks.com/

Croton Township Campground in the Huron Manistee National Forrest  http://crotontownshipcampground.com/

Brower Park http://www.mecostacountyparks.com/brower-park.html

Paris Park http://www.mecostacountyparks.com/paris-park.html

Merrill-Gorrel Campground  http://www.mecostacountyparks.com/merrill-gorrel-campground.html

Herrick Recreation Area http://www.isabellacounty.org/parks-information/herrick-recreation-area

Meinert Park  http://www.muskegoncountyparks.org/meinert-park

Blue Lake Park  http://www.muskegoncountyparks.org/blue-lake-park

Pioneer Park http://www.muskegoncountyparks.org/pioneer-park

Gladwin City Park https://www.gladwin.org/park-campground/

John Gurney Park in Hart https://www.sunrisereservations.com/campground/John+Gurney+Park

Wabasis Lake Park Greenville https://www.kentcountyparks.org/wabasislakecampground/

Scottville Riverside Park cityofscottville.org

Northern Lower Penisula 

White Water Township Park on Elk Lake https://www.whitewatertownshippark.org/

Alcona Park near Glennie http://www.alconapark.com/

Old Orchard Campground near Oscoda https://www.oscodatownshipmi.gov/1/322/old_orchard_campground.asp

Otsego Lake County Campground http://www.otsegoparks.com/Home/OtsegoLakePark

Mangus Park Campground on Little Traverse Bay in Downtown Petoskey http://www.petoskey.us/departments/parks_and_recreation/campground.php

Barnes Park Campground on Lake Michigan near Torch Lake http://www.antrimcounty.org/barnespark.asp

Buttersville Park on Lake Michigan near Ludington http://www.pmtwp.org/residents/recreational_parks.php

Camp Petosega https://www.camppetosega.org/

Beaver Lake Campground http://www.alpenacounty.org/alpena%20county%20park.html

Sunken Lake Campground http://www.alpenacounty.org/alpena%20county%20park.html

Long Lake Campground http://www.alpenacounty.org/alpena%20county%20park.html

 

Upper Peninsula

Aune Osborn Campground in Sault Ste Marie https://www.saultcity.com/aune-osborn-campground

Manistique Lakeshore Campground https://manistiquelakeshorecampground.org/

Pioneer Trail Park near Escanaba http://www.deltacountyparks.com/pioneer-trail-park.html

Fuller Park south of Escanaba  http://www.deltacountyparks.com/fuller-campground.html

Tourist Park in Marquette https://www.marquettemi.gov/departments/community-services/parks-and-recreation/tourist-park/

Munising Tourist Park https://munisingtouristpark.com/

Pentoga Park near Crystal Falls http://pentogapark.com/

L’Anse Township Park http://www.lansetownship.org/township_park.html

Ontonagon Township Park http://www.ontonagontownshippark.com/

Lake Gogebic County Park https://www.gogebicforestryandparks.com/lake-gogebic-county-park

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