Camping Sleeping Bear
· · ·

Camping Near Sleeping Bear Dunes | #MittenTrip

Would you like to save this full guide?

We'll email this article to you, so you can come back to it later!

Michigan is one of my favorite places to explore. It’s got everything: big cities, big trees, great views, lake views, and swimming in turquoise waters. It’s easily become one of our go-to spots for weekend trips since it’s so close to Ohio.

We decided to take a camping trip to Michigan, but many of the camping sites through the national parks were already booked. So I checked on Hipcamp and was so glad I did! If you’ve never used Hipcamp, it’s awesome. 

We found this awesome place near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore that ended up being a dream.

Camp Moonshadow

Img 0634

This amazing campsite came with a full outdoor kitchen that included running water. The kitchen had a stove, a mini fridge, shelves for storing food, dishes, pots, pans, a coffee pot, and a grill. It really has everything you need, and everything you’d expect in a rental home (minus an oven).

Img 0445
Img 0447

It also had hot showers available, one indoor and two outdoor. We opted for the outdoor hot shower; it was so cool to shower among the trees. It was probably one of the coolest showers I’ve ever used.

Img 0444

There were only six campsites, so it’s an intimate camping experience. The sites aren’t too close together, but close enough that you can hear what’s going on next to you.

4719761B 5C98 4A7D A464 54022Ad8Ffb1
Img 0563

The only thing I didn’t love was the Porta-Johns. I don’t like those anyway, but I definitely don’t like it when the campsites are full and so are the Porta-Johns. Stinky.

But that was a small price to pay for everything else. We were within 10 minutes of a beautiful beach and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Esch Road Beach

This was a 10-minute drive from the campsite. It was a little crowded in the area right from the parking lot. However, if you keep walking down the beach, you’ll find some solace. This is part of the National Park System, so you need to bring your park pass or pay a fee to enter.

1Ba6D522 Ae40 48D6 A98C F185398972A3
Img 7658

We came back here to watch the sunset, and they allow campfires on the beach!

7518557008 Img 7823
7518553792 Img 7879
Img 7775

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

There is so much to explore in this area, which makes it hard to pick and choose. We opted for one hike, one beach, and a scenic driving loop of some of the park’s best overlooks.

Empire Bluff Trail

This was a short little hike. It was a little steep in some places, but we saw people of all different abilities doing this — elderly people, children, and people with strollers — so you can do it!

F6692Eb8 0Add 40Fb 8208 73B9866C92Bd
Img 7684
Img 7681
7652885040 Img 7699

Bohemian Road Beach

This beach was so beautiful. It was a little on the crowded side, but the waves were so loud that once you were in the water, it was relaxing. The crystal, sparkly water, the sun, and the cliff views were perfect.

Img 0504
B329C35C 6664 4534 A40D 46Fde83D4051
Img 7729

Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive

This was an easy loop that enables you to see some of the beautiful overlooks. They’re all numbered, which makes it easy to pull off, hop out of the car, and take a peek. Here were two of our favorites:

Glen Lake Overlook
Img 7759
Lake Michigan Overlook
Img 7763
Img 7765

After spending two days in this beautiful area enjoying the views, beaches, and camping, we headed back to Ohio. On the way, we stopped by one more beautiful overlook.

Arcadia Overlook

We had to carry our dog up the stairs because there were too many holes for her small paws.  It was a nice little cardio pick-me-up after sitting in the car for a while.

8Ad1C127 F7Ea 49E9 Aed3 41644E14A241
7652778576 Img 7920
7520661360 Img 7928
9C87Dcd3 Ee74 4930 Bf06 67B1C0A6A752

So that was our short, but sweet, trip to Michigan. Have you ever been? Check out some of my other posts on Michigan:

Travel guide: Central Michigan

Travel Guide: Ann Arbor

Camping: Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness

This article was originally published in 2017.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *