Trip Around Lake Michigan Shoreline (Some Lake Superior Too)

The Ludington State Park, near Ludington, is one of the nicest state parks in Michigan.  It is on both Hamlin Lake and Lake Michigan with a very nice campground, nice hiking trails through the sand dunes and the Sable river which flows from the Hamlin Lake dam to Lake Michigan.

Thanks Prince. Have you any experience with Muskegon State Park? That's as about as far as we feel we can make in a day. We'll play it by ear from there.

I live across the channel from Muskegon State Park. It's really beautiful!  Make sure you stay in the channel campground with a site as close to Muskegon Lake as you can get. It feels like you're in the wilderness. I promise you that you'll love it. Stay a few days and explore the park and the area.

Thanks Janey. Looks we'll add that as a "must" stop for the night and maybe even for supper. There should be a decent place not to far away.
Appreciate it.

I see you are planning a trip around Michigan.  In case you have a little time to explore, here is a link to some interesting destinations in Michigan:

http://www.michigan.org/hot-spots/


Barry

Thanks Barry. That'll keep the wife busy until it's time for us to leave. Who knows where we'll end up now. Do want to stop at the PC plant in rout to see about a possible purchase.
Thanks everyone for all the great info.

My favorite camping in all of lower Michigan is either Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore or Leelalau State Park.  The Lakeshore has both rustic as well as paved pads with electric.  Reservations highly recommended for the modern camping as it's popular and fills fast!  The rustic area I believe is still first come first served, the sites are about 50 / 50 level vs non level.  They have a very nice Visitor Center in Empire where you can learn about everything they offer and it is a lot.  The State Park is all rustic with about 25% of the sites fairly level.  There are very nice hiking trails just down the road and a beautiful lighthouse adjacent to the campground.  The campground sits right where Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan meet and is absolutely incredible in its beauty!  I'll cover my favorite U.P. spots in another post.

Does anyone know if D.H. Day Campground have electricity? Sleeping Bear is full for our time frame.
Thanks

D. H. Day is dry camping.  Leelanau SP is also dry camping.  Platt River has 3 out of 4 sections have power.  Platte River is usually full all summer, however, in the fall they may have some openings.

Janey (restless in Michigan)

Suggestion - call each park directly and ask if they have first come, first served sites. Many parks hold a few sites out of the reservation system so they can accommodate people passing through. If you can't get in the day of arrival, you may be able to dry camp somewhere then roll in first thing in the morning to claim a site. Once in, they usually let you stay. I know it's dicey and you may not get in but we haven't missed yet. Now if it is 100 degrees out and nighttime temps are in the 80's, you might want to pay more and guarantee hook ups or plan to run your generator overnight in the Walmart parking lot so you don't bake.

Platte River does have some non-reservable sites but they may be taken by the time you arrive.  We've also had luck just stopping in and asking if they had any cancellations.  As an alternative, if you have your hearts set on the National Lakeshore, Interlochen State Park is fairly close (30 minute drive) from the National Lakeshore, it has a huge  camping area with both electric and non-electric sites. 

Best of luck!