Sleeping Bear Dunes Camping: Best Campgrounds + Booking Guide (2026)

Last Updated: April 2026

Sleeping Bear Dunes camping is some of the best in Michigan — and booking it requires more planning than most people expect. The two main NPS campgrounds inside the park, D.H. Day and Platte River, fill up to six months in advance for summer weekends. Get your reservation right and you’ll wake up a short walk from Lake Michigan beaches, dunes, and trails that most visitors only experience as day-trippers. Here’s how to choose your site and what to know before you book.

📌 In a Nutshell

• Book 6 months in advance for summer dates — both NPS campgrounds fill fast, especially July and August weekends
• Reserve at: recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777 (10 AM–10 PM)
• Park entrance pass required separately from camping fees: $25/vehicle 7-day pass · $45 annual pass. Note: Michigan Recreation Passport is NOT valid here — this is a federal NPS site.
• D.H. Day: Rustic, wooded, closest to Glen Haven and Glen Arbor — best for hikers and tent campers who want the classic north-woods experience
• Platte River: Most modern amenities, RV-friendly, showers on site — best for families and first-time campers
• Camping limit: 14 days total per campground between Memorial Day and Labor Day

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Before You Book: What to Know

The Michigan Recreation Passport does not work at Sleeping Bear Dunes. This is a federally managed National Lakeshore, not a state park — you need a separate NPS entrance pass ($25/vehicle for 7 days or $45 annual) in addition to your campsite reservation fee. Buy your pass in advance at recreation.gov.

All reservations are made at recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Summer sites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance — set a calendar reminder for when your target dates open, because weekends in July and August go quickly. Cancellations do happen — if your dates are sold out, check back regularly or use a service like Campnab to get a text when a site opens up.

A few things to have ready for any campsite here:

• Ticks: The park has active tick populations. Wear long pants on wooded trails, do a full check after hiking, and know the signs of Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis. The CDC tick information page is worth reading before your trip.
• Food storage: D.H. Day is an active bear area. There are no food storage lockers at D.H. Day — use a hard-sided cooler locked in your vehicle or a bear canister. Never leave food or scented items in your tent.
• Fire safety: Extinguish fires completely with water — never sand, which traps embers. Check current fire conditions before arriving at nps.gov/slbe.
• Leave no trace: Pack out everything. If you find trash that isn’t yours, take it anyway — and report any broken facilities to a ranger on your way out.

Inside the Park: NPS Campgrounds

D.H. Day Campground — Best for Hikers & Tent Campers

D.H. Day is the campground I’d choose for a classic Sleeping Bear experience. 81 wooded sites, vault toilets, shared water spigots, and a gravel road feel that puts you genuinely inside the park rather than at its edges. Sites are closer together than Platte River, but the tree cover gives good separation. No showers on site — hot showers are available 17 miles south at Platte River Campground, which is useful to know before you pack.

The location is the main reason to choose D.H. Day. You’re 0.8 miles from Glen Haven Village and its historic General Store, 1.5 miles from Glen Arbor restaurants and the Crystal River, 2 miles from the Dune Climb, and 4.2 miles from the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive Lake Michigan Overlook. The Alligator Hill Trail is less than a mile away. It’s the best campground in the park for waking up and walking to the best stuff.

One thing to take seriously: D.H. Day is an active bear area. Store all food, scented items, and coolers in a locked vehicle. There are no food storage lockers on site.

• 📍 8010 W Harbor Hwy, Glen Arbor, MI 49636
• 💰 Nightly fee — confirm current rates at recreation.gov
• ⏰ Open April 27 through last Sunday in November (weather permitting)
• 📅 Reservations required May 1–October 15
• 🚻 Vault toilets · water spigots · no showers (showers at Platte River, 17 miles south)
• 🐻 Active bear area — food storage in locked vehicle required

Platte River Campground — Best for Families & RVs

Platte River is the most full-featured campground in the park — and the one that fills fastest. 179 sites, flush toilets, hot showers, an amphitheater with ranger programs, dump station, and electrical hook-ups for RVs. 8 sites have ADA accessibility features. It sits in the southern district of the park, about 2.5 miles from Lake Michigan beaches, adjacent to the Platte River (which you can tube or canoe from the campground). The Platte Plains trail system — 25+ miles of trails including access to the White Pine backcountry campground — starts a short walk away.

One note worth flagging: generators are prohibited at Platte River Campground. If you’re planning to run a generator for appliances, this campground won’t work for you. The nightly ranger programs at the amphitheater are worth planning your evening around — especially for kids.

• 📍 Platte River Campground, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (access from M-22)
• 💰 $22–$50/night depending on site type — reserve at recreation.gov
• ⏰ Year-round (Loop 2 only in winter)
• 📅 Reservations required May 1–October 31
• ♿ 8 ADA-accessible sites
• 🚿 Flush toilets · hot showers · dump station · amphitheater
• 🚫 No generators permitted
• 📞 Park information: 231-326-4700

South Manitou Island — Best for Backcountry Adventure

Camping on South Manitou Island is the most committed option in the park — and one of the most rewarding. The island has miles of sand dune and forest hiking trails, secluded beaches, ghost towns, a lighthouse, and a shipwreck visible in the clear shallow water offshore. No stores, no cell service, no potable water — bring a water filtration system. Everything you need for your stay goes on the ferry with you; wheels aren’t allowed on the boat, so you’ll carry it all yourself.

Three campgrounds on the island offer different experiences: Bay Campground (25 individual sites, closest to the dock, most social), Popple Campground (3.5-mile hike from the dock, more remote), and Weather Station Campground (south side, about a mile from the lighthouse, most isolated).

• ⛴ Ferry from Leland (Fishtown) via Manitou Island Transit
• 💰 Ferry: $45/adult round-trip · $23/child (under 12) · free under 2
• 📅 Reserve at recreation.gov — confirm current season dates
• 📵 No cell service · no potable water — bring water filtration
• ⚠️ Everything must be carried on — no wheeled luggage on the ferry

Nearby Camping Outside the Park

If the NPS campgrounds are full — which they often are by midsummer — several options just outside the park are worth knowing about.

Indigo Bluffs RV Park and Resort

A 10-minute drive from the park in Empire, with RV sites, cottages, and resort amenities including a heated pool, bathhouses, outdoor gaming, playground, laundry, and Wi-Fi. Pet-friendly. Easy access to Empire Bluff Trail, Alligator Hill Trail, and Old Indian Trail. Fees start around $45/night for RV sites and $200/night for cottages.

• 📍 6760 W Empire Hwy M-72, Empire, MI 49630
• ⏰ Confirm current rates and availability before booking

Empire Township Campground

60 sites for tents and RVs, with some electric hookups, showers, wood, ice, and dump stations. A solid backup option in Empire when the park is full.

• 📍 7264 W Osborn Rd, Empire, MI 49630

Garey Lake Campground

A rustic 13-site campground managed by Interlochen State Park in a former apple orchard near Garey Lake. Vault toilets, hand pump water, boat launch. First-come, first-served — no reservations. Horse-friendly if you’re planning an equestrian trip.

• 📍 15051 E Pettengill Rd, Empire, MI
• 💰 Low nightly fee — no reservations required

Lake Leelanau RV Park

196 spacious sites with full hookups — water, electricity, and sewer — on Lake Leelanau, about 20 miles north of the park. Good option if you want full RV amenities with easy day-trip access to the dunes.

• 📍 3101 S Lake Shore Dr, Lake Leelanau, MI 49653

For everything else worth doing while you’re at the park, see our complete Sleeping Bear Dunes guide — beaches, trails, where to eat in Glen Arbor, and the full day-trip and side-trip options.

Frequently Asked Questions