This was our first and last stay at Trailside Campground…read more We rented Cabin #3, which is only about 25 yards from the pavilion. It was Friday, July 24, and there were no scheduled concerts or events. Around 5 or 6 people, including the owner, were partying in the pavilion with extremely loud music, strobe lights, and a disco ball until the early morning hours. The cheap curtains in the cabin did nothing to block the flashing lights. At about 1:40 a.m., I politely walked over and asked if they could just turn the music down a little. I never asked them to shut it off--I simply wanted it lowered enough that we could get some sleep. The owner's response was unbelievable. He appeared to be intoxicated and immediately came storming toward me yelling, "Hey! Hey! Hey!" He then told me, "This isn't a KOA or a family campground. This is going to go on until 3 or 4 in the morning," and said he'd give me a refund. He wasn't calm or respectful--he was aggressive and confrontational over a simple, reasonable request. The next morning, another camper stopped me in the bathroom and said she felt bad for how the owner spoke to me. She told me another camper was so upset after witnessing it that he left the pavilion. She also mentioned the owner had been drinking all day because they were celebrating the one-year anniversary of buying the campground. We weren't the only people bothered by the noise. Campers across from us were complaining too. If your campground isn't family-friendly and you plan on having loud parties until 3 or 4 in the morning, that's your choice. But be upfront about it so guests know what they're paying for. More importantly, don't treat paying customers with disrespect when they make a polite request. Customer service starts at the top, and unfortunately our experience with the owner ensured we'll never be back.

We had a great time! Hot showers,electricity, water hook up, wood for campfires available…read more Everyone was very nice and accommodating. We will be back. It rained a bit but we didn't care and explored the area.

I kind of randomly picked this campsite, I was headed somewhere else when I saw the sign and…read moredecided to take a chance. It really paid off. The campground was clean, the spaces are not cramped together and more than a few have lake views. There is running water, pit toilets, and steps down to the lake, and each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring, and parking spot. A few are against the forest, some are in the middle of the site, and the others kind of by the lake (these were my favorite, nothing like waking up in the morning and looking out on a clear blue body of water). Overall I was very happy with this campground, it seemed underused, which was kind of surprising given the beauty and quietude of the area. My only complain was that it had a lot of yellow jackets that wanted to eat my lunch more than I did. Bring spray or something, you're probably going to want it. Or maybe it was just my site, who knows. You can fish in the lake, it's stocked with trout. The water also seemed very clean, I almost went for a swim (it wasn't that cold either). There is also a day-use area, so you can just picnic or fish if you feel like it. To get here you have to drive down S Stephan Bridge Rd and will then take a left - keep your eyes peeled for the sign. There is also a sign on MI-72 which will point you in the right direction.

As long as you know how to swim, it's a great lake.not much shallow. Long set of steps.read more

Rustic campground. The sites are on the larger size and spread out. It works on a first come…read moreavailability. As of September 2018 the price is $15. There are only 13 sites. There are pit toilets and a hand pump for water. Some sites are right on the river. Each site had a fire ring and a picnic table. At night the stars light up the sky.

This is such a serene and scenic setting I am loving it. I have a path right down to river. Who…read moreneeds electricity!!! This has got to be one of my favorite places to camp in Michigan. We are :15 minutes from Rogers City which is right on the shoreline of Lake Huron. I am including photos! Love this place!

Loved it! Nice size lots friendly people. They make great pizza in the barn.'!,,,,,,,,,,,.,,,,,,read more

Overall this was a very nice campground. There are two things that causes me to only give 4 stars…read more First was backing onto the sought was difficult due to the slope at the road. We ended up bending one of our front stabilizers because of the angles. We saw another camper struggle with the same issue. The other thing was getting to it. You have to drive on dirt roads for quite a distance. They really have no control over the roads, but it is something to consider. The good though was that it was clean, nicely spaced, and quiet.

This avid Michigan State Park fan is now hooked on Elkwood. Clean, safe, large sites with water and…read moreelectricity made our grownup kids' group fun even more fun. Large beautiful swimming pool, pavilion for gatherings while COVID distancing with electrical outlets and lights. Location made kayaking the northern lower peninsula rivers a breeze. Family friendly. Hosts Kelley and Tom went out of their way to make our stay comfortable and welcoming. Will definitely return.

From the owner: Located in beautiful Northern Michigan, we offer a quiet and simple place to stay for those campers…read morewho want something a little off the beaten path. In addition to our own trails and views of wildlife, we are minutes away from the Sturgeon River, Pigeon River State Forest, and elk viewing areas. Mackinac Island and Petoskey are in easy driving proximity along with plenty of other tourist areas and attractions.

What an awesome campground!! We rented one of the cabins and had a great time. The heated pool was…read moreperfect for my daughter who was able to spend her free time there. The dogs enjoyed the leash free dog runs that are available. It was a vacation for them. The restroom building was clean and well maintained and just a short walk from the cabin. The playground for the kiddies was very cool and the looked like they were having a blast I ventured off and discovered their walking trail in the woods that was refreshing. Sure beats walking state park campground.

Beautiful campground! I had some difficulty booking online through their website so I called the…read moreoffice and the issue was quickly resolved. The sites are spacious and shaded. Our favorite part was the dog park! My fur babies were very happy campers. Will absolutely camp here in the future. All the staff was friendly and roaming the grounds frequently, available to help or answer questions if needed.

We came north to see the elk in the forest. We hit 4-5 viewing areas during dusk and dawn, and…read moredidn't see any. That's not the reason for the three stars. Signage for the viewing areas is non-existent. Get a map of the park (not of the viewing areas) before you go, as GPS will not take you to the right places, in my experience. Also, maybe check out a trail app. We were told to check out viewing area #9. We were told to follow the "trail." Um. There is no trail. It is tree and branch covered path that I can't imagine trying to get through in the dark. Also, viewing area #9 is a FAR walk from the road, through and over and under branches and logs. Be prepared.

Well marked trail system. With river, sinkhole lake, natural lake, backcountry camping etc. the…read moretrail loop can be as short as 5 miles to 11 miles. It has a bunch of drive in front country campgrounds too. This nature forest is popular for elk hunting.

My grandsons have been going to this camp for several years and they have been transformed with…read moreconfidence and care for others! I cannot say enough wonderful things about the camp in their staff. Recently, we discovered a glitch in registering a family. The Camp staff knocked themselves out in order to provide a space for a child in need. I cannot say enough about the professionalism and integrity of the camp staff and everyone related to Lake Louise Christian Community!

From the owner: Summer Camp Programmingread more

We made reservations months ago. It was highest rated campground in area…read more It's has really mature trees & lots of shade. It's great destination if you had kids. The manager is a very awesome dude.He went beyond call of duty to assist us. They have really good WiFi ( great for streaming tv) This place is open year around for skiers & snow activity. They said lots visitors come for wineries in winter.

I first came here for tent camping 9 years ago and had a good experience with friends. We decided…read morewe would come back with our kids and it was worth it! Booking was tricky. I knew they booked up for summer in January but I called in December to ask for a specific date and they didn't have an answer. Booking was over the phone, which seems outdated. We booked 3 nights and would have easily booked a 4th if anyone had told our group (3 separate families) that the fun activities like a glow parade and foam party happen on Saturday night. We'll definitely keep that in mind for the future! We were one of very, very few tent campers. There are no reduced costs for tents. All sites are gravel. We stayed at 2 locations - site #7 which had a bright streetlight on all night,, and site #122 which was darkness. A con of #122 was that the fire ring was next to the wall so you couldn't place chairs completely around it. Overall, there were so many wonderful activities that really made this place awesome for kids! The man made lake included inflatable trampoline, slide, and climbing tower, the pools had basketball hoops, there was a jump pad, pickleball courts, bike trails, Cornhole (BYOB - bring your own bags), sandpit dodgeball, a playground and scheduled activities/crafts. There are a few on-your-own-time activities like a scavenger hunt that took a decent amount of time because the campground is huge! They have coin-operated showers (10 minutes for 1.00) but all 3 times I tried, at different times of day, it was still a not-warm shower. The lodge had a decent selection of food. My kids enjoyed corn dogs and I loved the crispy chicken tenders! Ice cream is naturally delicious. Overall, great experience! Maybe their next enhancement will be mini golf...

nice quiet place. close to local attractions and restaurants. nice playground for kids. has a great…read morebeachand close to several others in area

Located on Grand Traverse Bay just north of Torch Lake. Barnes Park is open year-round offering an…read moreextensive Lake Michigan beach, playground, and trails, with additional seasonal camping and pavilion rentals (Memorial Day through October.) Various outdoor recreational activities including Lake Michigan beach access, trails, and playground. Electric and rustic campsites. Dump station & water fill station. They have a well stocked camp Store offering ice, firewood, beverages, candy, etc .. Each campsite is outfitted with a fire ring and picnic table. There were two bathhouses with shower facilities that were clean and ADA accessible. Showers are coin operated ($0.50 for 5 minutes of hot water, quarters only). Also two spacious pavilions with electrical outlets. Each pavilion has 10 picnic tables and 4 BBQ grills (You can reserve a pavilion for the day by using our online reservation.