Green Lake Rustic South — Interlochen State Park

we were here on a weekend and looking forward to checking out this park. we stayed in one of the non electric loops. the campers next to us had 3 sites reserved, 2 just for parking. they had a bachelor party and we’re up all night long with loud music, loud talking, a fight broke out and around 2:am the strippers showed up. car doors slamming all night long. absolutely terrible. the next day someone came around in a golf cart and we’re very concerned that they didn’t see a permit for our site. i pointed it out and mentioned the party that had gone on she showed no concern at all. the party went on for another night. but to a lesser degree. never, ever, ever again will we stay at this state park.

We were in the modern section. Site 401. Very clean and large bathrooms with flush toilets and showers. Sunrise over Duck Lake was gorgeous. Electric sites, easy for rvs. We have a smaller 18’ er and our first time backing into a site! Folks were v friendly and helpful to us newbies :) easy area to walk dogs. Sites were a bit closer together than i prefer but made for a great stop over as we got acclimated. Grocery and firewood 3 minutes down the road!

The campground has a lot to offer. It's tucked away in the perfect spot with plenty of trees to make you feel like you're in the wild yet still a short drive to tourist attractions (like wineries and Fish Town). It does have campsites along the water and if you are lucky to snag one, you've hit the lottery! The water is a Caribbean blue and crystal clear.

The good:

• bathrooms/shower houses are new and spacious
• fire pit is big for bonfires and gathering with friends or family
• the beach is clean with a playground in eyesight
• the campsites in the section with site #114 are nice and flat
• lots of experienced campers that are friendly and willing to share their favorite hot spots
• great mixture of RV and tent campers

Opportunities:

• It's wooded so if you want grassy sites; it's not for you
• Again it's wooded so have bug spray

It's so worth the stay and a campground that you'll want to revisit.

This review is based on our stay back in July of 2020 during the 4th of July Holiday weekend. Lots of shade. Campsites were pretty level. Bathhouse facilities were very very clean and well kept. The campground is beautiful and rather large. Lots of sites for every type of camper even lakefront sites. The only drawback with State Park Campgrounds is that there are no full hookup lots/no sewer hookups.

We visit this campground at least 1-2 times per year (spring-summer) and occasionally once in fall. The rustic sites are spacious and are private enough —some more private than others. All have some view of the lake and all have easy access to launches. The modern portion of the park has wooded sites for RVs and tents that are well maintained. Bathrooms and showers are clean.

Very nice and peaceful campground right on Lake Dubonnet, perfect for kayaking. 2.5 mile hiking/biking trail on perimeter. Big sites most on lake and quiet.

There are lots of advantages to this campground -most sites have big trees and some are along a forest.  It's across the street from the Interlochen Music School, so you can often hear music or concerts on summer weekends.  There are a couple trails to walk (not really strenuous enough to call them a hike), and an active ranger program for kids.   One section of the park can get  loud and sometimes rowdy during the summertime weekends.  The other smaller section is quieter for those who prefer that.  The only caveat to this park is that the lake regularly has swimmer's itch.  If you're quick and through in your toweling off, it can be ok, but we've never been here without getting it.  Stick to the fishing, kayaking and camping rather than swimming!

This is a fantastic state park. Playgrounds are nice and entertaining, offers kayak launches and handicap accessible areas. Lots of fishing opportunities on both lakes and has a boat launch. The sites aren’t too terribly close to one another, but relatively close. There’s pavement for biking and trails for hiking. Interlochen is a nice little get away from Traverse City, but near enough to head into town for a day.

We saw a ufo at this campground. ;) Beautiful and wonderful. One side rustic one side hook up. Family friendly campground. My only thing is it's hard to get to the water. Once you make it to the water it's great swimming.

We camped here in early June right after the Star Parks were allowed to open. The campground is very well kept, lots of old growth tress. Our spot was level with trees for good shade. The camp store had just opened so they were not very well stocked and this included wood, a short ride up the street got us the supply we needed. The bathrooms were well maintained and clean. The camping areas was all quite after 10:00. The beach area was big with plenty of space to spread out. All in all I nice place with very helpful and friendly staff. It was an enjoyable weekend and we plan to back before the season is over

Every year I camp on the Green Lake side of Interlochen State Park, and this year was the first year I allowed a guest - my fiance. It's an absolutely beautiful state park, with lots of access to the lakes and in close proximity to Traverse City and Leelanau, without the tourist rush. The only thing I wish is that it was a little more quiet, because it is a very popular campground so they're usually booked up, but that's what we get for it being such a nice spot. I book the same spot every year with a great view of the lake, but the grounds aren't lacking for beautiful campsites! The store on the other side of the park is convenient. It's also Michigan's first official state park, which is neat!

I highly recommend taking the time to travel up the Leelanau Peninsula and visiting Fishtown and the Sutton's Bay Farmers Market on Saturdays during the summer. Also highly recommend St Ambrose Cellars in Beaulah if you like mead.

Stayed in the rustic park, very quiet and if you get lucky you’ll get a site right on green lake

We shared a campsite with my sister and her husband last weekend and had a pleasant stay. We had 2 tents and 2 cars on the site and still had plenty of room. It seemed like the sites all had trees (some campgrounds are so close together there are no trees). The restrooms and water were easy to access and not too busy. The camp store was helpful and the campground is located near a Toms Food Market (we forgot some stuff). We found a lost dog and had to call DNR and they were very responsive. It wasn’t too loud even thought the campground was full. We would definitely go back.

Water access from stairs going to the lake. Clean enough bathrooms, as you would expect to find at a state park. Sites are roomy, with very nice concrete firepits and normal picnic tables. Just spent one night there and I'd do it again.

Great family spot. Awesome for bike riding and site seeing. Bring your kayak.

Our first time here, June 2019! We had 7 people and shared 2 sites. The sites in the south loop are very generous and full shade. The people limit per sit is 6, but you can probably fit 8 per site in tents. We had site 381 which was lake view!!! Its steep to the water but there was a view and a great breeze. I docked it one star for the massive amount of gnats and fish flies, they were everywhere. Luckily the mosquitos weren't bad. The sites by the water were the smallest and massive in the back. Working bathrooms and showers, although covered in flies, but they had cleaners in there every morning to wipe them off every surface, they just keep coming back. 

The lake is a good size and a great swimming hole. I saw a ton of fisherman on the lake in the mornings. Each site has a big fire ring with about a 4 inches concrete wall around it and a picnic table. The sites were perfectly flat and had a great sandy/dirt ground which was perfect for our tents and the campers didnt seem to have any problems. Some sites do have pads for campers.

Really. Really. Quiet. Quiet hours all day and night. So nice not to hear everybody's musical selections. This park is, after all, right across the road from Interlochen Arts Center, so there's a whole lotta class that just rubs off geographically. Nice lake, good beach.

Beautiful state park. Very nice beach and lots of room to roam. Next to a band camp too so it’s fun enjoying the music in the distance while camping or around the fire.

Lots of local activities. Neat and very clean. Friendly staff.

This park offers excellent access to two beautiful lakes and Traverse City is a quick 15 minute drive. The Duck Lake camground is very large. The North end is less shaded with more grass on many sites. The south campground is well shaded and has some slopped sites. Both have sites with lake frontage, but you need to book 6 months in advance to get one. Nice Beach area near the camp store. There are two boat launches for Duck Lake. Bath houses are typical of MI State Parks: adequate and cleaned regularly.

Great state park to enjoy the Grand Traverse area without the traffic and congestion of Traverse. Sites are large and the park is clean. Lots of boaters so I assume fishing is good too.

We stayed in the rustic sites as the modern ones were closed for the season.

You are literally camping with everyone near you. We were lucky that hardly anyone was there. You are right next to the highway so all night you hear cars and headlights come into your tent. Interlochen is a beautiful place- I would visit it- but stay on the modern side that is more off of the road.

Close to so many attractions

Well wooded campground with Interlochen. Not super close to Michigan cities, but can drive back and forth to Traverse City.

Quiet

If you love hills and woods this is the campground for you. It is on Duck Lake on the modern side and if you like rustic there is Wood Lake on the other side. It

is also across the street from Interlochen music camp and sometimes you can hear the music and concerts coming from the camp on the North side of the campground. It is peaceful and has many sites right on the water. If you want a site on the water you will need to reserve it early (6 months in advance) because they fill up fast. This campground is one of my favorites.

The sites are not real big, and all dirt. Not quiet time inforced. And swimmers itcch in the lake. Easy check in. Nice bathrooms and showers. But sometimes the water pressure is not too good.

Some lots are narrow some on the lake bath house has llots of hot water.

This is a good campground. To me, it didn’t stand out that much from others I have been to, but they have a bathhouse with showers and toilets, which is nice. It’s also right next to a nice lake with sand volleyball pits. Good area for hammocking and tent camping.

My family has been camping every summer at Interlochen for for the past 25+ years. The employees are great, facilities are what you would expect at a campground. The playgrounds have gotten a little worse/non-existent as time has gone on. The campsites are HUGE and you can have lots of space and privacy. Some years swimmers itch can be a problem. We obviously cannot get enough of this place.