We take an extensive family camping vacation every 2 years or so and try to go different places…read morethroughout the US. Chose this campground based upon excellent experience/reviews with sister site in Silver Lake area and they didn't disappoint...clean plush grassy concrete sites, some open and some woodsy, very quiet considering so close to main street, all buildings/facilities kept meticiously neat/clean (specifically laundry, pool, hot tub, showers), picked up your trash bags daily for you, delivered wood directly to campsite. Paths/drives in park were perfect for teaching daughter to ride bike for 1st time...flat and smooth (not a pothole ANYWHERE). Easily in the top 5 of any camping facility we have ever stayed at in the 20 yrs. we've been camping. The most impressive aspect was the customer focused staff and specifically the facility mgr. Older son had to fly back early for internship and staff eagerly offered to print out boarding pass and assist in any way possible to help. Due to miscommunication during booking/checking in I could have been charged extra days we didn't use (had signed paperwork b4 catching mistake after vacation). Although I didn't speak w/ mgr. directly while there, mgr. still offered refund/certificate dispite not having to do so. This made what could have been a large vacation disappointment into a memorable experience to share with others. Have rarely found such cutomer focused business. Not only will we be back, but telling all who inquire about staying in central west Mighigan to seek out this place specifically.

Fantastic RV resort. Grounds are meticulously maintained. You call for service, they are there…read morewithin a half hour sometimes less. Sites are all 10/10. Perfectly maintained concrete, level. Facilities are 10/10. Warning though. This place isn't for the rowdy party animals.... This place actually repels those types of campers which was fine with us! Playgrounds, pool everything. Trees. They are also expanding to include 90 something new sites, amd a second pool. This place rocks. My kids love it. Thanks Vacation Station!!!

The cabins are super cute! If you are looking for a place to slow down the place this is the spot!…read moreI'm a little hot blooded so I was thankful I brought my own box fan to compliment the ceiling fans in the cabin.

We have been coming for years and loved it, but this year it has been nothing but MEAN! They don't…read morecare about their customers, VERY RUDE and just not worth the energy. Sad to see such a fun place become so bad. I do not recommend doing business with Northern Exposure.

Cartier Campground was a great spot for a weekend camping with friends. I booked the sites 6 months…read morein advance over the phone and we ended up getting the best sites in the campground! 147, 147A and 147B are all at the very end of one of the loops. 147 is the last campsite so you only have one neighbor next to you, which made it really nice for our group as it was very quiet and a little more secluded. The site adjacent to 147 is also nice as it's large and tucked back off the drive a little bit. The people at the office were great and will deliver wood or ice that you purchase right to your campsite. The restrooms were very clean and somehow had very few bugs inside which was awesome. The showers were great with hot water and adequate water pressure. The campground is right off some really nice paved walking trails and they also have a winding mountain bike trail. Plus you're right near Lincoln Lake. The campground is a quick drive to downtown, the beach, restaurants, bars, etc. I read about a company (Lakeshore Watersports) that rents kayaks on Lincoln Lake (supposedly right from the campground), but we called them and they never called us back, kind of a bummer. The sites were $28 per night for a tent spot with electric hookup. They kept the big RVs up towards the front of the campground which was nice as it made it much quieter back where the tent spots were. I would definitely camp here again.

This is my first time to "camp" like this. I met the night crew last night and they were awesome!…read more I had a lot of questions and they answered every one of them with a smile and friendly joking back and forth. The grounds are very nice and shady. The only improvement I see is maybe the addition of another shower facility, but i'm here on the 4th of July and they may not have regular business to justify it. I would most definitely stay here again.

We just wrapped up a camping trip here, which was our first time visiting here. We enjoyed site 12…read morewith friends. The space was slated for eight people but it was only the four of us. The driveway for our site only had room for two cars and there was just enough space for two tents that were on pretty flat ground. We really enjoyed how tucked away our spot was in comparison to some other camping spots. The length between the bonfire ring and the picnic table was a safe distance too. The site is mostly a mix of sand and dirt, making it safe to put out embers that may jump out quickly. Site 12 also was a good distance from the bathroom and had a really short trail down to the beach/recreation area. Bathrooms were very clean to our other experiences at other campgrounds. We were very happy with the availability of hot showers. There were two shower heads make it easily accessible for those in wheelchairs or those who want to clean off their dogs. Sometimes you might have to wait depending on how busy it is but it's worth it. If your spot is farther from the bathroom, you can drive there and park just outside the bathroom. If you need water or need to do a quick rinse, there are water spigots where you can quickly fetch water too. We were also able to find just enough dry wood around the perimeter of our camp for our entire stay. If you need food, there is a great grocery store a short drive from camp. The camp manager and it's workers are usually available around the camp keeping it in camping shape too. We even asked about the treatment of the lake for safety purposes and was told they had just treated it in may, giving us peace of mind to enjoy the lake with worry. The lake itself is on the smaller end but still enjoyable on a hot day. It's also quite shallow making it great for families with small children. However, we do recommend wearing water shoes given the amount of hermit crab shells and rocks found along the beach. If you have water crafts or a boat, there is a ramp for public access. There's also bathrooms close to the beach that are kept clean too so you don't have to trek all the way back to camp. There's also grills and picnic tables at the beach in case you wanted to enjoy a meal at the beach too. We were very happy with our stay here and would recommend it for friends and family in the future.

Camp sites are good, restrooms clean. Supposed to be be quite after 10PM. They allow setup after…read more10PM, making noise. Other campers were loud after hour with NO staff getting after them. Let dogs on the beach releiving them selves. Tried to get money back for not staying full stay and NO refunds. Must want to rent out site twice and pocket the extra.

This is my family's third year enjoying the Pine River and this campground. This year was a nice…read moresurprise with the upgraded cabins and sites. The additions were individual fire rings and picnic tables for each cabin. Inside the cabins have new refrigerators, curtains, and all of the cooking & eating supplies needed. In addition, the beds are comfortable with very soft sheets. Towels, hand soap, dish soap, toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags, TV, cable, and a fan are also supplied. The setting outside for combined use includes plenty of space for kids to ride bikes & play games. There is also a common fire ring and horseshoes. Great family campground for a great price!!!

Great place, cabin was fully furnished. Four of us went up…read morewith kayaks to paddle the pine River, it was more than accommodating and great value. Very close to everything. Barb that grounds manager, is flexible and super nice. Def staying there in future.

Definitely will be going back!! We pulled in the day after Labor Day. It was quiet. Large lots…read more Very clean! The owners are super nice! Kayaking the Pine was awesome!

We having been using this campground every year for our Pine River canoe trip. Nice place. Clean…read more Quiet time at 10 pm is a bit of a drag but understandable.

I love this area. I try to camp up here every summer. The campground is clean and generally quiet…read moreand just a short hike to the beach, which is never packed like the state parks down the shore. There are several places to watch the sunset and for stargazing. A lot of people hike through the area, too. The only thing I don't like is the hike over the sand dune to get to the beach. It's a smallish hill, but if you have bad knees or you're out of shape, you might not like it. It's definitely not ADA accessible.

An ourstanding destination for rustic camping. No showers/electricity, but very quiet with shady…read moresites, miles of trails, and Lake Michigan one dune ridge away. This is the kind of place you could stop at for a few days without having having to leave to have fun. There is the beach of course, but also lots of opportunities for hiking and many other nature activities. I was in the area to fish the nearby Big Sauble river, so I didn't get out to see as much of the Rec Area as I'd have liked, but would love to return some day. The campsites all have a long, level asphalt pad that could easily accommodate a large trailer or motor home. Tenters like me have plenty of open ground behind that to set up on. Most of the sites in my loop looked level, and mine did in the preview at the USFS web site, though when I got there I saw it had a distinct slant. I was able to set up so that I was able to sleep more or less level, but be away that some sites may take creative tent placement to stay comfortable. As I said, the site was very shady, which was nice as I was there on some very hot days. Never wore sunglasses in camp, even at midday. The vault toilet facilities were clean, and water is available at a pressure tap, not a hand pump, as at many national forest campgrounds. Not too many complaints. One, which some other campers I talked to had as well, is that the trail to the beach is long and needed to be better marked. The other is the cost: $40+ per night is a lot compared to other national forest campgrounds. I shelled out since it was convenient to where I wanted to fish and would be cooler than inland campgrounds--I was paying a lake-breeze premium. And on this trip, that was a worthwhile investment. If you're looking for a secluded but convenient campground with lots of recreation close at hand, it still may be a bargain.

Quiet, slightly rustic and absolutely wonderful. We had owls nested in a nearby tree, and it was…read morewonderful to hear them calling. I left my wallet and Jeff mailed it to me. Gotta love kindness like that. I'll be going back soon.

Great no frills camping on the Big Manistee! High ground, never worry about flooding, lift to the…read morelake.