DavesWife wrote: IMHO, the 2 MI state parks I've stayed at, I was not impressed with the CGs, the sites or the bathhouses (Warren Dunes and Ft. Custer Rec Area). For elec only, and the condition of the CGs, it was frankly overpriced...
Hmmmm, I can't speak to Warren Dunes but we camp at Fort Custer all the time (next weekend in fact) and it is a great place to camp. Large sites, many wooded and the bath houses are all the new modern type. And it's only $21 a day to camp.
Quote: If you are in an RV pulling a toad it's an extra $16 per night on top of your site fee.
And to be honest, if you have a huge Class A towing something, looking for full hookups and activities and a place to point your satellite dish then frankly the state parks aren't for you. But just because they aren't for you doesn't mean they are bad for everyone else.
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For future trips to MI I'll be looking at privates. I'd be willing to pay a few bucks more for full hookups and activities. Although I have heard that some MI State parks are better than others, I just wasn't impressed thus far.
See, I don't *need* full hookups and I certainly don't need any activities. Sitting around the fire in the woods is activity enough for me. We're going to camp several times this year at some rustic state campground such as Deep Lake at Yankee Springs. $12 a day, NO hookups, nearest other campsite is 100 feet a way if not further, sitting in the woods overlooking the lake. Can't get any better then that.
tybeebeth wrote: Wow, I had no idea this would be such a hot topic! I appreciate all the input. Now I have a lot more to think about...
As for your actual question on are parks full, you'll just need to call around or check on the websites for the DNR for the state parks. The farther north you go the less likely they will be full early in June. "In season" starts around June 15th as school is out and it's finally warm so after that date it will be harder and harder to get a weekend. Need to book 6 months or more in advance in many places. I booked in January for our week long early June trip and already the park was half full (this was a private park). West coast and up north will be the fullest in season.
DavesWife wrote: IMHO, the 2 MI state parks I've stayed at, I was not impressed with the CGs, the sites or the bathhouses (Warren Dunes and Ft. Custer Rec Area). For elec only, and the condition of the CGs, it was frankly overpriced...
Hmmmm, I can't speak to Warren Dunes but we camp at Fort Custer all the time (next weekend in fact) and it is a great place to camp. Large sites, many wooded and the bath houses are all the new modern type. And it's only $21 a day to camp.
Quote: If you are in an RV pulling a toad it's an extra $16 per night on top of your site fee.
And to be honest, if you have a huge Class A towing something, looking for full hookups and activities and a place to point your satellite dish then frankly the state parks aren't for you. But just because they aren't for you doesn't mean they are bad for everyone else.
Quote:
For future trips to MI I'll be looking at privates. I'd be willing to pay a few bucks more for full hookups and activities. Although I have heard that some MI State parks are better than others, I just wasn't impressed thus far.
See, I don't *need* full hookups and I certainly don't need any activities. Sitting around the fire in the woods is activity enough for me. We're going to camp several times this year at some rustic state campground such as Deep Lake at Yankee Springs. $12 a day, NO hookups, nearest other campsite is 100 feet a way if not further, sitting in the woods overlooking the lake. Can't get any better then that.
I gotta have electricity, that's just me I sleep with a fan and need the white noise.
We camped at Ft. Custer and there were a few nice sites that I recall, but our reserved site and the back-up one we switched to (the closest vacant one to our friend's site) weren't one of 'em. There was only one showerhouse for the entire loop, and we were in a pup. There was a line for the showers pretty much all weekend, and they were never clean that I saw. The only way to get to the bathhouse was to follow the road around because the wooded path that was the "shortcut" was too muddy to travel on from recent rain. So walking all the way around the loop during the night (we had no portapotty) with 2 small kids was a pain. The bathrooms were not very clean either but not as bad as the showers. The mosquitos were so bad we couldn't sit outside at anytime of day, even with Deepwoods Off, even by a smoky fire. They absolutely devoured us. So it was a pretty bad experience (there's other things unrelated to the CG that soured us on the trip) so I'll admit that has an affect on my rememberance of the trip.
Warren Dunes - the CG roads are narrow and full of potholes. They are dirt/gravel. Many of the sites including ours were infested with poison ivy. The lines at this (newer looking) showerhouse (we were closer on this stay so that was nice) went on all day long, and the showers were always FULL (and I mean FULL) of sand, dirt and (ick) hair... I don't think I ever saw the shower building being cleaned, and we were 2 sites away. People were using the sinks for spongebathing (double ick) because the showers had lines 7 deep for the 5 unisex showers (for 1 loop). Since 95% of the people we saw camping that weekend were in tents or Pups (like us) that's just not enough facilities.
The sites are small; I don't think they could handle a TT longer than 20-24 ft.
We don't drive a Class A and our visit was in a PUP. Personally I don't think it's right to charge a double-entry fee for an RV with a Toad. Last weekend we stayed at Lake Le-Aqua Na in Lena, IL with other large TT's, all very spacious sites; 2 of our group were in Class A's, and we payed $15 for elec, no entrance fee.
I still thought the MI $8 per day non-resident fee was high but I come from a state that doesn't charge an entrance fee at all, at any parks.
Everyone considers "camping" differently; that doesn't make one unreasonable for wanting certain amentities and a decent price. Considering that Warren Dunes cost me the equivilent of $33 per day for electric only that's high. Like I said I will consider a private only because I wasn't impressed much. That doesn't mean I won't return to a MI park; I've heard Ludington and Van Buren are very nice. But now that we've upgraded I'll have to research my decisions carefully. I do like the beauty of SPs over privates; but I also have to make sure the CG can accommodate my monster rig...
And I have no problem paying the fees if I see them re-invested in the facilities for upkeep and staffing. Which I definetly did not see at Warren Dunes. And considering the line of cars that weekend, they are making plenty on entrance fees there and the CG should see a little of that investment.
Warren Dunes is more expensive because it's one of the most popular and booked parks in the system. And they get thousands visiting on the weekends that don't do anything with camping. It's the beach and the dunes people come for. It's one of the few places in the country where there is public access to such large dunes, making it a popular destination for many. They charge more because they can.
I personally wouldn't pay $33 to stay there either. Just have to pick your parks. Like up in Traverse City. Traverse City SP I don't care for at all and is expensive at $27 a night (too cramped and it's in the middle of the city). But just 10 miles away is Interlochen, one of the best parks in the systems, very wooded and only $19 a night. Guess where we stay.
I understand you had a bad time at Ft Custer. A lot of that was environmental but still, it sowers you to the park. As for lines at the showers, I have yet to camp anywhere, even private parks where there aren't lines. I just shower during the "off times" like before 7 am or in the afternoon. Never had a problem by doing that. But perhaps I've been lucky.
bonscott wrote: Just have to pick your parks. Like up in Traverse City. Traverse City SP I don't care for at all and is expensive at $27 a night (too cramped and it's in the middle of the city). But just 10 miles away is Interlochen, one of the best parks in the systems, very wooded and only $19 a night. Guess where we stay.
All in all have fun!
You aren't supposed to advertise the good ones - now you won't be able to get a reservation! LOL
I always say if you can get a reservation in May for a weekend in summer you should stop and ask yourself "why"? All the good ones are already gone....
Our favorite state parks are in Indiana, but I won't say which ones!!!
bonscott wrote: Just have to pick your parks. Like up in Traverse City. Traverse City SP I don't care for at all and is expensive at $27 a night (too cramped and it's in the middle of the city). But just 10 miles away is Interlochen, one of the best parks in the systems, very wooded and only $19 a night. Guess where we stay.
All in all have fun!
You aren't supposed to advertise the good ones - now you won't be able to get a reservation! LOL
I always say if you can get a reservation in May for a weekend in summer you should stop and ask yourself "why"? All the good ones are already gone....
Our favorite state parks are in Indiana, but I won't say which ones!!!
ALL the MI state parks are terrible... in fact, anyone who has reservations on Lake Michigan this summer should just give them to me. I'll be a pal and take one for the team
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ALL the MI state parks are terrible... in fact, anyone who has reservations on Lake Michigan this summer should just give them to me. I'll be a pal and take one for the team
LOL!
I forgot to mention that I've only camped in 2 private CG's, and hated both experiences....the rest have been stateparks, which I definetly prefer. I've only had to wait to shower once, at Pokagon (NOT pronounced like Pokemon) SP in Indiana.
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I sleep with a fan and need the white noise.
