Michigan state park, recreation area campground closures in 2024
Several Michigan state park and recreation area campgrounds will be closed for portions of the 2024 camping season.
As the Michigan Department of Natural Resource's six-month reservation window is in prime camping season, here's a rundown of planned closures, so you're not surprised when trying to book.
Algonac State Park
Algonac State Park in Algonac stopped accepting reservations Nov. 1 due to projects to convert some sites to full-hookup, eliminate the north bathroom and improve the sanitation station in the Riverfront Campground. The projects will be paired with road repaving. The reopening date is unknown.
Bay City State Park
The modern campground at Bay City State Park in Bay City will be closed through May 23 for park entrance enhancements and flooding remediation efforts.
Electrical and sanitary system improvements may begin in late fall.
Brighton Recreation Area Bishop Lake
Electrical and road upgrades at Brighton Recreation Area Bishop Lake in Brighton will force the modern campground to close Aug. 11 to mid-May 2025. The project was delayed from its original date. The Horseman's Equestrian campground will close June 1 through Oct. 15 for road repairs.
Brimley State Park
Brimley State Park in Brimley is closed through May 21 for electrical upgrades.
The campground and day-use area will close Sept. 3 for water line and storm water system upgrades. The campground is expected to reopen May 19, 2025 and the day-use area should hope June 25, 2025.
Cheboygan State Park
The Cheboygan State Park modern campground, not including the rustic cabins or modern lodge, is temporarily closed for an enhancement project to upgrade electric and water distribution systems. Reservations for camping between May 15 and Sept. 3 will open in the reservation system beginning 8 a.m. Monday, April 29.
The campground will close again Sept. 4 into the 2025 season to upgrade the toilet and shower building.
Clear Lake State Park
The modern campground at Clear Lake State Park in Atlanta, Michigan will close Sept. 4 through June 15, 2025, to update water distribution, toilet and shower buildings and the sanitation station.
Craig Lake State Park
Craig Lake State Park in Champion will be closed between May 29 and June 17 for readiness training for the Michigan Army National Guard that involves park updates, including road improvements and cabin repairs. Existing reservations will be accommodated, but additional reservations will not be accepted.
Fort Custer Recreation Area
Fort Custer Recreation Area's campground in Augusta, located between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, is closed and expected to reopen July 31.
The entire electrical system in the west loop of the campground (sites 1 through 110) will be replaced.
Both restroom and shower buildings in the campground will also be replaced.
If construction is completed ahead of schedule, the east loop may reopen early.
Hartwick Pines State Park
The modern campground at Hartwick Pines State Park in Grayling will close Sept. 4 through the end of the 2024 camping season to upgrade electrical. Overnight lodging, shelters and the group-use campground will not be impacted.
Interlochen State Park
The modern campground at Interlochen State Park in Interlochen will close for spring and summer due to a project to upgrade the park's water and sewer system. The rustic Green Lake campground will remain open, but the sanitation station will be unavailable.
Ionia Recreation Area
The modern and equestrian campgrounds and mini cabins at Ionia Recreation Area in Ionia will now close Sept. 9 through through Oct. 31 due to a planned park enhancement after a delay. The project will upgrade the toilet and shower building, sanitation station and drain field in the campground and the park's electrical system.
Lake Margrethe State Forest Campground
The Lake Margrethe State Forest Campground in Grayling is temporarily closed due to a non-consistent test result from drinking water samples. The DNR is working with other agencies to do additional sampling. The campground will remain closed until tests improve. The day-use area, boating access site and campground shoreline are still open.
Ludington State Park
Ludington State Park in Ludington will completely close Sept. 3 through July 1, 2025, to pave the park's main road and Hamlin Lake day-use area parking lot, expand the parking lot at Lake Michigan and warming shelters and enhance traffic and pedestrian flow at the park entrance.
The east loop of the Cedar campground at Ludington State Park in Ludington also closed Nov. 30 until April 19 for an enhancement project to update the campground's lift station.
McLain State Park
The campground at McLain State Park in Hancock will tentatively close Aug. 1 through the end of the 2024 camping season to upgrade the wastewater treatment system. All pre-existing camping and lodging reservations within this closure period will be honored.
Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area
The modern campground at Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area in Metamora is closed through the end of July. The closure is due to a project that will repave campground roads replace electrical water lines and spigots in the modern campground and make several improvements in the camp store.
Muskallonge Lake State Park
Section three of the modern campground at Muskallonge Lake State Park in Newberry will be closed while one of the toilet and shower buildings in replaced. The section is expected to reopen June 21.
Otsego Lake State Park
Otsego Lake State Park in Gaylord will close some campsites to upgrade electrical and septic lines and convert the northern end of the campground to full-hookup sites. Campsites 1-99 will close Aug. 23 to June 15, 2025. Sites 1-155, the the mini cabin and shelters will close Sept. 3 to June 15, 2025.
Pinckney Recreation Area
The Bruin Lake modern campground at Pinckney Recreation Area in Gregory will close Sept. 3 to upgrade the sanitation station, north toilet and shower building and park roads
Pontiac Lake Recreation Area
The modern campground at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area in Waterford Township will close Sept. 7 through April 2025 to update the sanitation station entrance.
Port Crescent State Park
The modern campground at Port Crescent State Park in Port Austin will close throughout the 2024 season for an enhancement project that will include new roads, water and sewer lines, electrical, a sanitation station and more.
Rifle River Recreation Area
The Grousehaven modern campground at Rifle River Recreation Area in Lupton will close Sept. 2 through spring 2025 for enhancements that include paving the day-use road and parking lot, updating the day-use building and upgrading electric, water and the lift station in the modern campground. The rustic campgrounds and cabins will remain open.
Seven Lakes State Park
The modern campground at Seven Lakes State Park in Holly is slated to close May 1 to Oct. 31 for road paving and an electrical improvement project. However, a definitive timeline is not yet known. The project is subject to funding availability and may be rescheduled.
Sleeper State Park
The modern campground at Sleeper State Park in Caseville is closed until May 24 to upgrade the sewer system.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park
The Lower Falls modern campground Hemlock loop at Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Paradise is closed May 1 until at least July 1 for a project that will replace the toilet and shower building. The Lower Falls modern campground Portage loop will open May 15, but close Sept. 2 through Memorial Day weekend in 2025 for electrical upgrades.
The 2024 harvest festival has been canceled.
The Rivermouth campground will be open for all of 2024.
Tawas Point State Park
Tawas Point State Park's modern campground in East Tawas will close Sept. 3 to April 30, 2025, for electrical upgrades.
Waterloo Recreation Area
Enhancements at Sugarloaf and Portage Lake campgrounds at Waterloo Recreation Area in Chelsea have been postponed.
The Portage Lake campground will now close Aug. 15 to Dec. 15. The Sugarloaf Lake campground will close Sept. 9 to Oct. 15.
The 2024 harvest festival will not take place, but return in 2025.
The work will resurface playgrounds, replace a fishing pier and update water systems.
Wells State Park
Sites 1-51 at Wells State Park in Stephenson will close beginning Sept. 3 for planned shoreline restoration work.
Wilderness State Park
The opening of campground sites 501-599 will be delayed from May 15 to May 22 at Wilderness State Park in Carp Lake due to construction projects being performed by the Michigan National Guard. All other park campsites open May 15.
Yankee Springs Recreation Area
The Gun Lake campground at Yankee Springs Recreation Area in Middleville will close in 2024 to replace the park's sewer lines, upgrade electrical and resolve campsite flooding issues.
Young State Park
The Spruce modern campground at Young State Park in Boyne City is closed through late summer to fix drainage issues, replace both toilet and shower buildings, pave roads and install new a sewage pumping system.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan state park, recreation area campground closures in 2024
