So, if you drove past on the highway, or pulled in and took a quick survey of the premises, you…read moremight question the 5-star rating. True, Ivan's is pretty basic: sites set in fairly open woods along sandy roads, some with electric and water, some rustic. Some not too level. There's a playground and a decent picnic shelter, a showerhouse. A fair bit of road noise. But of you came to Baldwin, chances are you're planning to spend most of your time in some outdoor pursuit--fishing, canoeing, hunting, ORV riding, etc. And if you're looking for a base for those adventures, this is hard to beat.
Normally when I come to Baldwin I stay in state forest campgrounds, but the ticks have been thick in the area this year and I thought a more developed site might have fewer of them. In fact I only saw one in camp here. For my rustic site at Ivan's I paid only $16/night, less than what state campgrounds charge. Plus I had clean showers/restrooms, a dishwashing sink, firewood and ice right on the premises. I was very close the the 72nd Street fishing accesses on the Pere Marquette (which was the main reason I'd come). The owners were very nice, and aside from the traffic on M-37, the place was very quiet, and even the highway settles down in the evening. I was actually almost alone there until my last night (a Friday).
Ivan's offers seasonal as well as group sites, along with some rental cabins, which look like fairly recent construction. There is a pen with some goats and ducks in it, and you can buy some feed to toss in to them. Next to it is a chicken coop, which I suspect is the source of "farm fresh eggs" for sale in the camp office. You can also get snacks, coffee, and neccessities you might have forgotten to pack in the camp office. It looks like Ivan's has special events (including bands) on some weekends. Overall the property looks very well kept.