D.h. Day Campground

I got campsite reserved, Sunday thru Friday. I wanted to stay ome more day Saturday, but no resevations available. Saturday morning a site across from mine became available. I reserved it and moved camp. Saturday night my previous site i left and 2 more sites next to it, along with a lot more sites were left vacant. A lot of no-swows on Saturday. There needs to be a penalty for no-shows. Loss of deposit or something more than just the loss of a one night camping fee. Many people show up wanting to camp, but are turned away because of reservation system and no-shows. On weekends, every sight is reserved, but half stay vacant. Current reservation system is very poor and unfair.

Rustic in a deciduous forest setting within about 300 yards of a gentle sandy/cobble beach. No other way to put it, simply beautiful. Poison ivy EVERYWHERE! But, it is an authentic rustic camping experience for front country camping. All unpaved campsites and roads. Sandy to sand/gravel. Some sites can be challenging to back in to. If you are a big rig, carefully consider what you are reserving. Fill up with water on the way in at the potable water station next to the dump station. Water spigots throughout the campground. Pit toilets in campground, no showers. Bike trail runs right on the north edge of the campground, outstanding link to towns and park resources without driving. Amphitheater rustic, ranger program was fun and informative. Historic buildings, exhibits nearby. Lots of songbirds, including turkey walking through campground most every morning. Deer numerous. Dark at night, excellent star gazing. Many restaurants nearby. Would camp here again in a heartbeat.

Very helpful ranger helped us check in, recommended a "no generator zone" evenly graded site for our tent set up. Campground is in a nice location next to the lake.

I really enjoyed the site and the park!

The staff were very welcoming, the sites were clean and even freshly raked! We have stayed 3 times now and loved it each time!

thank you!

The campground has become so busy but is still a good experience. Unfortunately the personal touch of the rangers that used to be there before online reservations has been lost. When I visited recently in late September the few host electric sites near the generator loop stood empty; no hosts, no one used them. In the past the rangers would always let us move to any empty electric (host) site and pay the extra electric fee. Not this time. Sad to see this sort of change come about.

Very clean, quiet campground. The sites seem spacious for tent camping. It was great going to sleep listening to the Lake Michigan waves hitting the shore.

Very nice campground with private spots. Vault toilets were spotless. Only issue was firewood-be ready to purchase some from one of the local stores or roadside properties (LOCAL to not spread disease). The firewood vending machine at the campground is not actual wood but pressed together sawdust. It's very smoky and doesn't create good coals for cooking over.

The sites are very close together... so no privacy and not really quiet, don't expect an experience with lots of solitude. Beautiful forested setting and good rates.

We enjoyed our visit at the campground, but our experience to make the reservations did not go well at all. We were not able to go onliner on our iPhones or computer. That is the only way to make reservations. So we called the number that we were given to talk to a representative. We were on hold for 24 minutes, when someone came on they hung up on us. So we tried again while at the same time we went to the ranger station to see if we could get help from them. We were met by one ranger, we explained out problem and he told us he could not help us. Then he told us to leave, then he said he was to wait on the other people outside. So we went outside, when they left we went back in and explained to him our problem again. There was another ranger who was listening and she took her phone and dialed the same number we were using. She did ask the first ranger to go back and work on his project and she will take care of us. She was very helpful. Although she was on hold for 14 minutes she got through and handed us the phone so we could register. Her name was Lynnette. She was a pleasure. We stayed 2 nights and completely enjoyed the camp. We met the host who was very friendly. He was from Arizona and does work at the campsite each year as a host. Other then registering, our stay was great, the hikes were great and the campsites were great. Sleeping Bear campsites do not have showers, but we were able to go to Platte River Campground who did have very clean showers, which was only 10 minutes away by vehicle. If we get the chance, we will visit the campground again.