This park is operated by Emmet County and offers a very remote feel yet it is only 15-20 minutes from Petoskey, Michigan. Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga sits on the 1,080 acre Pickerel Lake and has 90 campsites which offer electricity and water and five of which are pull-through sites with sewer hook-up. There are also rental cabins, playgrounds, a recreation hall and pavilion, a canoe/kayak launch, basketball court, hiking trails, beach area, restrooms/shower house, and it has various events like pancake breakfasts throughout the year.
You really get a feel of remote peacefulness here but have the luxury of pretty modern facilities. As we drove to the park we got the feel that we were in the middle of nowhere but realized from downtown Petoskey it was only a 15-20 minute drive. The 300-acre park dates back to the 1930’s and started as a boys camp where young men learned various skills like archery, shooting, tennis, orienteering, camping, and aviation. Emmet County purchased the property in 1992 and added modern facilities and opened it to the public.
The grounds and sites were very well maintained. We were thoroughly impressed with how clean and cared for everything was. Despite having lots of green space and open fields for lawn games it was all mowed and not overgrown. There was no trash at the sites and fire pits were clean and picnic tables were in great shape. The roads throughout the park are paved. Sites were a mix of gravel and paved but all ADA accessible sites and pull through sites were paved. The restrooms were very clean and seemed large enough to handle the volume of campers. Showers are in individual rooms across from the restrooms and were also clean.
You can reserve a site by filling out a reservation request online or calling. There is a two night minimum. The price was $22/night for Emmet County residents, $25/night for non-county residents, and $30/night for a full hook-up pull-thru. There is also a $10 reservation fee. Sites vary among 30 and 50 amp so be sure you reserve one that fits your needs. There are also some sections that are RV only.
The canoe/boat launch has a floating dock that extends into the lake that makes for easy access. Fishing is popular in the lake with game species like largemouth bass, walleye, pike and trout being favorite target species.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqbMWvL2GLw
