A pleasant wooded setting not far from Baldwin. Amenities are sparse (though you came to a state…read moreforest campground so you probably know that), but the outhouses were clean, pumps gushed the aqua without straining your muscles, and the picnic tables were in good repair. While its comforts are limited, it's much quieter than some of the better appointed campgrounds nearer town. Leverentz Lake SFCG is divided into two sections, the Little Leverentz Lake (really not much more than a pond) and Big Leverentz Lake (really more of a large pond) units. I generally prefer Big Leverentz, as there are some cabins bordering close on the Little Leverntz unit and I prefer a little more seclusion. There's a single home on Big Leverentz across from the campground, otherwise the shores are wooded and wild. Spotted some loons there one morning on a recent visit. There's a fishing pier as well as a boat launch on Big Leverentz. A 4.5 mile hiking trail loops through surrounding woods and wetlands, with several access points in the campground. Sites are generously sized, and many can accommodate trailers. Most aren't completely level, typical for rustic campgrounds, but tent campers can probably find enough level-ish ground for comfortable sleeping. Baldwin is one of Michigan's great outdoor recreation destinations, and if you're happy with rustic accommodations, Leverentz Lake is a good base for exploring it.

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.

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.

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.

Ivan's is once again under new ownership--CD and Melissa--and they're great. They understand the…read morereasons people get outdoors and go camping in the first place: to get away from the rigors and pressures of everyday life, to be with friends, to eat great eats and drink great drinks, and to celebrate a great day with a nice campfire. Sites are spacious and most offer at least mottled shade. The bath house has sinks and showers and toilets, and is centrally located. There's a grocery store two miles to the south in case you forgot mustard or a tablecloth. And if you're enjoying the Pere Marquette River, there's a special relationship with Baldwin Canoe Rental where BCR does pick up and drop off to and from Ivan's. Get outdoors!

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.

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!!!

Every thing was clean inside and out the lawn care is amazing definitely coming back next yearread more

Wonderful community with plenty to do (indoor pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, lake access,…read morebiking trails) with a reasonable drive to downtown Ludington. Only downside is newer management's lack of effort to maintain park without resident harassment.

Great fireworks, Over the fourth. In ground/indoors heated pool. Beautiful safe harbor on upper…read moreHamlin lake. Hammocks and bonfires. Great location. Fun for all ages. Water sports, fishing, & fun.

We have come here for years. There is something for everyone no matter the age. The camp is so…read moreclean. The bathrooms are extremely clean, the private showers are good sized with hot water and great water pressure. The pool temp is amazing! I love their dog trail, even lights up at night! Every campsite is descent size so you're not right on top of each other. The amenities are incredible, so many things to do!! The owner, Don, is so nice and fun to talk to. Definitely bring the family for a great camping experience!!!

Don needs to retire. He is ruining the business for whomever is taking over…read more We were incredibly disappointed by our experience at this campground. Our group--made up of eight families--was on our much-anticipated annual trip, which always includes a fun themed progressive dinner. This year's theme was "Favorite City." We chose this campground specifically because it's marketed as family-friendly, and we thought it would be the perfect fit. We arrived Thursday, and by Friday afternoon the first families were setting up their meals. Around 8:20 PM Friday, with all eight families present, most of us--including the kids--were participating in a fun group dance to the YMCA when two golf carts pulled up and surrounded the site we were on. A man stepped off one cart and immediately got in my husband's face--yelling to "shut it down or leave the campground." My husband is a big guy, and this man was clearly trying to assert control in an aggressive way. When my female friend calmly stated that it was her site, the man instantly turned on her, stepping into her personal space and waving his walkie-talkie antenna in her face. He then loudly declared that he was the owner and that he "wasn't going to put up with this"--all while children stood nearby, visibly confused and frightened. We were all in shock. There had been no previous warning or respectful request--just immediate, hostile confrontation. We turned the music off immediately and went completely silent, yet the owner continued to berate us and warned that we were being watched from his house on the hill. The entire energy of the trip shifted. What should have been a joyful, kid-friendly evening became tense and upsetting. The children were scared, and the adults were shaken. It completely ruined the vibe of a trip we'd all been looking forward to for a year. I can understand needing to manage noise levels or enforce rules, but this was not the way to do it. There was nothing unsafe, inappropriate, or disrespectful happening at the time--just families dancing and enjoying each other's company before quiet hours. We won't be returning, and we hope others think carefully before bringing their families here.

Here are 12 free sites! FREE! May 1 through October 31, you can escape to Manistee National Forest…read more During our summer week here this was a quiet getaway. Rain scared away three sites so we were one of two groups left, and we couldn't hear a word of the other group down the way. Site 11 is even a pull-through! All sites have a great tree canopy, fire pits, lantern hooks, and picnic tables. There's a pit toilet outside the Angler Trail and a boat launch off the Pete Marquette River, but nothing else. No water taps, firewood, or other amenities are here, but the quiet makes it all worth it. Being free, no one is here to clean up after the Taco Bell/Fireball/ash tray/BB affair of your site's prior occupants, so bring a garbage bag. Then, take it with you!!! If not Fireball caps, you might be the lucky to find the campsite whose prior occupants left a good stash of firewood, a rake, even a wreath, something I've never seen at a campsite. A hummingbird flew through our site, and woodpeckers were seen and heard throughout our stay. Mosquitos are here so bring your bug spray or coils. Michigan DNR says this is also bear country, so don't leave out food or garbage. Take care of your site so Sulak Campground will stay free, and enjoy the woods, song birds, fireflies, wildflowers, the lot.