Leashed pets are allowed on these beaches:

• From Platte River Campground / Railroad Grade trail north to Peterson Road.

• From Esch Road north to the Lakeshore boundary (south of Empire).

• From the Lakeshore boundary north of Empire to just south of the North Bar Lake stream outlet.

• From Maritime Museum east (but not on the Maritime Museum grounds) to the Lakeshore boundary (west of Glen Arbor).

• From the Lakeshore boundary north of Glen Arbor around Pyramid Point to CR 669.

• From CR 651 north to the Lakeshore northern boundary

No Pet Zones

• Dune Climb,
• Maritime Museum grounds,
• Glen Lake Picnic Area,
• North Bar Lake,
• Platte Point Beach,
• group campsites,
• backcountry campsites,
• North and South Manitou Islands, and
• Other areas where posted.

Please note:

• Pets are not allowed on designated ski trails from December 1 to March 31.
• Additional beaches may be temporarily closed to pets during piping plover nesting season.

Pet Rules

• Pets must be kept on a six-foot leash.

• Pets may not be left unattended or tied to any object.

• Do not allow your pet to make unreasonable noise.

• Clean up after your pet and dispose of waste in trash receptacles.

• Prevent interactions between pets.

First, the White Pine Backcountry Camp is a great summer time location, and anyone can go there after obtaining a visitor permit from the ranger station any day during summer. The permit can also be obtained from the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center during the rest of the year. This location has six camp sites for you to enjoy, and it’s located around two miles down from Trail’s End Road. Note that there is no fresh water from the camp site other than Lake Michigan, which you can drink from only if you treat the water before drinking it. Another option is Valley View Backcountry Camp, which is another permit based entry. You can gain access from the Platte River Campground Ranger Station during summer months, or you can go to the same visitor center for the rest of the year. This location has five camp sites, and is located just northeast of Glen Arbor. Again, no water is available at the camp so make sure you bring bottled liquid.

South Manitou Island is another great place that you can visit and stay at. This camp group has three camping sites, called the Bay, Weather Station and Popple Campground. These are very natural sites, where low impact camping has to be the norm. Again, the facilities are rare, to offer a rugged style of camping. Finally, North Manitou Island is a wilderness camp site, one of the most outside of the beaten path, and a permit is required to gain entry. Several hiking trails allow access, and a map will show you their locations when you get your permit. Camping is actually permitted anywhere on the island as long as you have a permit, but again the key is to keep a low impact on the surrounding environment.

As you can see there are a lot of options for hikers, backpackers and campers to explore this region of the state. Make sure you obtain any needed permits and park passes before going, don’t bring any pet, and only camp in designated sites. Note that fires are only permitted inside designated metal rings, and all trash must be carried out with you. To ensure that these locations remain viable for future people who may want to come here, it’s important everyone keep a low impact on nature.

The Platte River Campground is a wonderful camping ground and is open all year round, offering you the best and most reliable place to sleep when you’re out enjoying the country side. We all know how great the parks are around the Michigan area, and this particular one is no different. Whether you own an RV or do it the traditional way, by using a tent and a few pikes, you can reserve your very own sleeping area on the campground allowing you to spend one night, or many nights, throughout the year. It’s not only for the high season either. If you like adventures, you can go there during winter and brave some harsher weather, giving you the perfect opportunity to prove yourself and your outdoors skills. All the services are available on site as well, including drinkable water and trash pickup at certain locations.

Whether you’re out by yourself, or organizing a whole group, you can be sure that the Platte River Campground has the space for you to relax and get some fun nights there. In fact, groups of up to 25 people can reserve all at once, and there’s even a backcountry campground in case you like backpacking. Of course, this is a very popular campground and as such you should make sure to reserve early. This can be up to 6 months in advance if you’re planning to go during the busiest season. This type of reservation is handled by the National Park Service and they regulate how many spaces will be available each year. Recently, they increased the number of spaces since demand was so high. For example, if you want to get a spot during summer, you should make sure to inquire about it by October 1st. That way, you can be sure to get the spot you want for your vacation. You won’t have to rely on other, perhaps less known campgrounds or staying locations around the state.

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Typically, reservations are made on a first come, first served basis, and the same is true if you arrive without a reservation. You can still get a spot if you don’t inquire in advance, especially if you don’t go there during the peak season, but it’s always best to be prepared. 25% of all the sites in this camp can be reserved, which leaves plenty out and available for newcomers. If you have a group, you can even reserve your spot up to one year in advance. This allows you a maximum of flexibility to ensure your group has the best time they can get. Note that lately some road construction projects have been going on in a nearby location which means some reservations aren’t available for every single date. Be sure to call up and find out if yours is.

So really, whether you want to go out to explore the Manitou Islands, the Pictured Rocks Trail or even the Appalachians, this region is filled with amazing places to go to and look things up. That’s simply a sublime camping ground, and you can be sure that spending the night at the Platte River Campground is something you won’t regret.

Whether you go there alone or with your family, the various sizes of the camping ground will match your needs perfectly. And don’t think that once you pick rustic, you can’t go back. Toilets and water sources are available from multiple locations, and trained staff always makes sure the area stays safe and peaceful. During summer, maybe you want to do some activities in the great outdoors but you don’t know the region well. Thankfully, the Bear Dunes campground has several evening programs throughout the season, led by experienced rangers. You can explore the nearby lands, listen to tell tales of local lore, or even watch slide shows in family. After spending a day at the beach or out in nature, your evenings will be filled with activities as well, if you desire. The ranger station in the center of the campground is staffed every day from 8 am to 9 pm during summer, with varying hours off season.

The D.H. Day Campground itself is another alternative to going fully rugged and it’s open from the first Friday of April, and remains open until November, every year. This part of the campground is available on a first come, first serve basis. There’s no reservation taken for it. Because of nearby constructions, the group campsites may be closed until May 24 in 2012. Because everything works like that, the earlier you arrive, the better your chance at getting the spot you want. You can opt to get the park pass, or pay nightly for a spot on the campground. You can also extend that camping stay by going to re-register before 8 pm. Some of the campground spots allow generators, but not all of them, to keep a natural feel to part of the location.

Also, there are strict quiet hours implemented to ensure everyone can get a good night of sleep between 10 pm and 6 am every night. Each side has a camp fire ring, and you can set up a fire in those metal rings using the firewood available on site. In order to get to the campground, simply follow the M-22 from Empire, then the M-109 to the campground entrance. Note that the D.H Day Group Campground is situated north at another location, just beyond the Dune Climb. Finally, make sure you read all the local regulations and rules applicable during your stay to make sure you don’t get into trouble, and spend a wonderful time there.

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