Camping is a great way to spend some quality time outdoors, even better with your furry best friend!
And fortunately for dog owners, with a burgeoning trend in recent years that has seen many campsites going “dog-friendly” and allowing dogs on their premises, it’s never been easier to take your canine companions on a camping adventure.
Whether you’re looking for a place to pitch your tent with your four-legged family members or go RVing with them, there are plenty of dog-friendly campgrounds across Michigan that are more than willing to accommodate you and your pooch!
This article includes Michigan’s eight best dog-friendly campgrounds and details what makes each one unique and worth visiting!
Read More:
Where Can You Camp With Dogs in Michigan?
Silver Lake Resort and Campground
Ranked among the top eight dog-friendly campgrounds in Michigan, Silver Lake Resort and Campground offers many activities for your entire family to enjoy!
There are various things you can do nearby. For instance, you can go kayaking on Silver Lake or swimming at Cedar Point Beach, which is perfect for your canine family members to take a dip in!
And one thing you don’t want to miss out on while you’re there is exploring the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. It is known to be one of the best dunes in Michigan, and you can rent a rugged quad or a buggy and enjoy your dune ride with your pup!
This campground boasts over 200 campsites, with sites available for both RV and tent camping. And no matter how you like your camping, there’s something for everyone at Silver Lake Resort and Campground!
- Type: Tent/ RV/ Dispersed/ Cabin
- Reservation: Yes
- Address: 1786 N 34th Ave, Mears, MI 49436, United States
Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort
Another top choice of Michigan’s best dog-friendly campgrounds is Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort, located in Traverse City, Michigan.
Timber Ridge holds events throughout the summer season, such as dodgeball tournaments and scavenger hunts, to name a few! And if you are the adventurous type, they’ve got you covered too! With over 35 miles of wooded trails, you have the opportunity to go mountain biking or hiking with your dog! What’s more, you can go cross-country skiing and snowshoeing with your canine during winter!
This campground has over 200 wooded campsites and 30 cabins, all of which are dog-friendly! And if you plan to stay in their cabin with your furry camper, make sure to give them a call first as they have restrictions on the size of dogs.
- Type: Tent/ RV/ Group/ Cabin/ Yurt
- Reservation: Yes
- Address: 4050 E Hammond Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686
Port Huron KOA Resort
This is another top choice among the best dog-friendly campgrounds in Michigan, Port Huron KOA Resort & Campground!
With 70 acres of land and sites available for tents and RVs, as well as plenty of recreational activities such as waterslides, go-karts, batting cages, bumper boats, and water wars, you can rest assured that everyone will have a blast!
And if you’re into history, there’s also Fort Gratiot Lighthouse nearby, which is just about 15 minutes drive away from the campground. You can go and check out this historic lighthouse that has been around since 1829!
- Type: Tent/ RV/ Group/ Cabin
- Reservation: Yes
- Address: 5111 Lapeer Rd, Kimball, MI 48074
Lake Michigan Campground At Manistee, Huron-Manistee National Forests
Lies between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, this campground is a popular stop for outdoor enthusiasts. And for good reasons too!
The campground boasts over 100 campsites, of which 99 are single-family sites and three for groups. As for amenities, they have flushable restrooms, grills, fire pit, dump station, picnic tables, etc.
And if your furry camper loves water as much as mine does, you’re in luck! Sitting at a close distance of Lake Michigan, which covers more than 22,000 square miles and is ranked the fifth largest lake in the world, you and your pooch can go swimming, fishing, kayaking, and get to enjoy the stunning views of the lake!
- Type: Tent/ RV/ Group/ Dispersed
- Reservation: Yes
- Address: 6000 W Forest Trail Rd, Free Soil, MI 49411
Countryside Campground & Cabins
A family-owned and -operated campground, Countryside Campground & Cabins offers a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
There are 75 campsites to choose from, with some shady and some open sites throughout the campground, along with various amenities such as modern restrooms, hot shower facilities, full hookups, picnic tables, built-in fire pits, Wi-Fi at all sites, and whatnot.
It’s also a fishing paradise! With 40 lakes within 20 minutes from the campground, you have endless opportunities to cast a fishing rod! And more importantly, there’s a dog park at the back of the campground! What more could you ask for?
- Type: Tent/ RV/ Cabin
- Reservation: Yes
- Address: 805 Old State Hwy 61, Harrison, MI 48625
Mackinac Island KOA Journey Campground
Mackinac Island KOA Journey Campground is at the south end of the Mackinac Bridge and is one of Michigan’s most popular destinations!
Located in Mackinaw City, it offers quiet, spacious, wooded sites with pull-throughs and full hookups for all camping types, whether it be RV, pop-up tent, tent, or cabin camping. This campground is just next to the North-Western State Trail, where you can go biking or hiking with your adventurous pup, and there’s a nature trail that leads to the city!
What’s even better is that you get free access to Mackinac Island, which is on the right across the bridge, and it’s dog-friendly! So this may just be the perfect destination for you and your pooch! And with horse-drawn carriages that you can hire on the island for a ride through town, your camping experience with your pup is bound to be nothing less than perfect!
- Type: Tent/ RV/ Cabin
- Reservation: Yes
- Address: 566 Trails End Rd, Mackinaw City, MI 49701, United States
Platte River Campground, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a jewel of the north of Michigan and is one of the most beautiful places in all of Michigan! In fact, it has been voted as America’s most beautiful place many times!
Located at the tip of Michigan’s “mitten,” Platte River Campground opens all year round and has 179 campsites available. All of which are on a first-come, first-served basis from mid-October to the end of April, and the only reservable time is from early May to mid-October. So now you can imagine how popular this place is!
This campground is mostly shady, speaking of which, you’ll be greeted with beautiful views when you get out of your camper! And with the beautiful white-sand beaches and lakes just minutes away, you have access to plenty of water recreational activities such as kayaking, boating, canoeing, and fishing!
And if you’re feeling really adventurous, there are more than 25 miles of trails open to mountain bikers, skiers, and hikers, offering an up-close and personal view of Mother Nature in all her glory! You won’t regret it! And make sure to bring both you and your dog’s snowshoes if you plan to camp with your canine in winter!
- Type: Tent/ RV/ Group
- Reservation: Sometimes
- Address: 5685 Lake Michigan Rd, Honor, MI 49640
Empire Township Campground
Empire Township Campground offers a rustic, down-to-earth camping experience for nature lovers who appreciate simple pleasures!
Located in Empire, Michigan, this campground is in a wooded area, next to Lake Michigan, and is only 5 miles from the Village of Empire. It has 60 rustic sites available for tent and RV camping and is separated into a Hardwoods Section, Pine Tree Section with electricity, and three group sites.
It’s only open from mid-May to mid-September and has basic amenities such as drinkable water, ice, wood, coin-operated showers, dump stations, and flush toilets. This is an excellent campground for campers who really enjoy nature! It’s far removed from civilization so expect some peace and quiet here.
- Type: Tent/ RV/ Group
- Reservation: Yes
- Address: 7264 W Osborn Rd, Empire, MI 49630
