Portage Bay State Forest Campground welcomes campers with pets along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Garden, Michigan. The rustic campground features 25 sites where dogs can accompany their owners through wooded areas leading directly to sandy beaches. Sites remain spacious with plenty of room between most campsites, allowing pets adequate space to settle without disturbing neighbors. Bayridge RV Park also accommodates pets with full hookup sites in a clean, well-maintained setting featuring large gravel sites and mature shade trees. Campgrounds throughout the Garden area maintain standard leash requirements, though no specific dog parks exist within the facilities themselves. Clean campgrounds with direct beach access give pets plenty of outdoor exploration opportunities. Camping with pets requires bringing all necessary supplies as the nearest pet services are located several miles away in larger communities.
The shoreline access at these pet-friendly campgrounds creates ideal recreation opportunities for dogs who enjoy water. Multiple reviewers note the quiet, peaceful setting at Portage Bay provides excellent swimming and shoreline walking for both people and pets. Most Garden-area campsites maintain traditional pet policies requiring leashes and proper waste cleanup, with no specific breed restrictions mentioned. The secluded nature of these campgrounds means minimal traffic concerns for pet owners, though wildlife awareness remains important. The remote location requires preparation - Portage Bay sits approximately 7 miles down a road that quickly becomes single-lane dirt and gravel, making larger RVs potentially challenging to maneuver. Fayette State Park Campground nearby offers a more developed alternative with electric hookups while still welcoming pets, featuring interconnecting hiking trails that provide additional exercise opportunities for dogs while allowing owners to explore the historic ghost town.
$15 / night
"Nice small quiet camp ground on lake Michigan. Bring your own TP"
"Secluded dense wooded area along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, which most sites have a trail leading to. I’ve camped here many times and I plan on to again in the future."
"Isolated, quiet park on Lake Michigan. Nicely spaced and shaded sites. Some level, many not so great. Big fire rings. Picnic tables. Electric hookups only."
"Site 53 and 54. 53 is nearly at the top of the horseshoe and has trail access to Lake MI. Site 54 starts a series of smaller, back in slot type sites."
"This is a great lakeside campsite just outside of Manistique. There is a main bathroom area with showers. Good shallow water to swim (and watch the beautiful sunset) but a little difficult to fish."
"Campground Review: Indian Lake State Park, South Shore, has become my favorite State Park in Michigan! This was my first visit, and I'm in love."
$30 - $45 / night
"General: 41-site campground on a peninsula in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. All sites are FHU, and no tents are allowed. The campground is open May-October. "
"Beautiful views of lake Michigan. There is a restaurant there, but unfortunately it wasn't open. We were looking forward to trying it out. The campground also has spots to dock your boat."
$36 - $85 / night
"But the jewel are the lake front campsites. We literally walked out our door to the sand beach."
"On Lake Michigan. Large, private cement pad sites. Spotlessly clean. Full hookups. Bath and laundry facilities are some of the nicest I have ever seen. Staff is friendly and welcoming."
$25 - $29 / night
"Great open sky site, next to the water. High winds, but local beach trail and historic town a short walk away with additional trails."
"Sites do appear to be close to each other and might be tight during the summer."
$24 - $50 / night
"This is a cool little retro campground with full hookup sites and lake access. It's close to a bunch of the UP attractions and the rates are very reasonable."
"Every site is close to the lake. We were there for 8 days and would stay there again. Didn’t use the bathrooms or the showers but they looked clean when I checked them out."
"We stayed at site 72, which was nice and flat and a quick walk to the water and bathrooms. Our site was so peaceful and we slept well. "
"We first checked out the ‘South CG’ and although it was on the lake, it was waaay too crowded for us. So we moved on to the west shore CG and it was def more our style. Quiet and rustic."
$26 - $80 / night
"There are over 20 sites, about half of which are located lake side (not directly on the lake, but there are little paths that lead you there and you can somewhat see the water from these sites.)"
"P.S. it is really close to Kitch-Iti-Kipi! Go see these phenomenon; it is special. This campground has everything you need and is a good central location if you want to set it as your base."
TravelerYou could drive by and miss this little gem. Beautifully kept up county park with clean shower house. Pet friendly, they even have a hitching post for your pet while visiting the bathrooms. On site hosts.
All sites are within a short walking distance of the beach and some are right on the beach. Site L1 had a good mix of beach and woods. Near the beach is a small playground for the kids.
TravelerRustic campground along the shores of Lake Michigan. 23 sites. Hand pump for water available. Beautiful spot on Lake Michigan with no signs of life for miles down the beach. Pets are welcome. Fire pits are available. Seven sights are along the lake. Six mile drive down a dirt road to access the campground. The road is usually in good condition. It is well worth it. An extremely peaceful and beautiful place.
TravelerThis is a great lakeside campsite just outside of Manistique. There is a main bathroom area with showers. Good shallow water to swim (and watch the beautiful sunset) but a little difficult to fish. Staff is friendly. They even do weekly events such as "Traveling Trivia" for kids. Pet friendly too!
ScoutMy family and I have been coming here for years!!!!! The campground is big and beautiful! Every campsite has a picnic table and fire pit; the Yurts and cabins have chairs. The Yurts, cabins, and bathrooms are clean! The staff is friendly! It is pet friendly. It is located near the water and has many trails to hike! Love this place, especially in October with the leaves changing and the festivals around town!!!!!
RangerWe were in Site# 14. We had electric/water with a paved pull-through. We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site along with my jeep.
The site was easy to level but the wheels of our motor home were off of the ground.
Check-in is at the hotel. The RV park is not visible from the hotel (it’s back in the woods). There is a phone at the shower house that can be used to request a free shuttle to the casino.
Our site was not shaded with limited trees. This was a smaller lot with our neighbors fairly close.
The lot comes with a picnic table and fire ring.
There was not any WiFi (we used our Starlink). They do not offer Cable TV.
There is not a community outdoor kitchen or community fire pit.
They do not provide garbage service at your site so you must walk to garbage dumpster.
They do have an indoor Swimming pool at the hotel with a sauna and steam shower.
There is not a Playground. There are not any additional play areas like Bocce ball, shuffleboard, basketball sport court, horseshoe, or volleyball courts.
They have a general store in the parking lot of the casino where you can also get gas.
There are restaurants on site in the hotel as well as a spa. The closest big town with stores is Escanaba (about 20 minutes away).
This is solely an RV park. They do not have any cabins to rent or any tent areas.
They have one shower house. The shower house has individual showers (toilets & sinks are on opposite side of shower house).
The laundry facility is located at the BP gas station (located in the parking lot of the casino/hotel). It is a cash only facility, but they have a change machine. It is approximately $2 to wash and $2 to dry a load.
They do not have a fenced in dog park. There are areas to walk dogs.
Bugs did not seem to be an issue.
Some fun things to do outside of the campground are to visit the Sandy Point Lighthouse or Ludington Park in Escanaba.
The casino is smoke-free. It states that the tables are open from 10am to 2am. Not all tables are available though (for instance, roulette wasn’t always available and if they did open up the one roulette table, it wasn’t until 6 or 7pm). The slot machine options are abundant.
GuideThis is probably the nicest, most well run campground we have ever stayed at. The staff is friendly and welcoming, they are pet friendly, and their sites are spacious and private - unlike so many other campgrounds we visit.
While staying here, you’re a short walk to a great bakery and restaurant. Additionally, you can bring your gear and hike the trails just 5 minutes away at the state park.
Rates are very reasonable and the bathrooms are the best we’ve seen at any campground.
This place can’t get much better...
ScoutLittle Bay De Noc, Lake Michigan access with a pier. Only a few campsites, but includes group fire pit, playground and proximity to Pictured Rocks, 1 hour. Lots of hiking and great motorized non-motorized off-road trails.
TravelerStayed here for 4 nights early July 2020. Social distancing had some sinks and urinals turned off. Seemed super clean. 4-6 tent only spots are in pretty good shade. All sites had at least water and electricity. Swingset and covered sandbox for kids. Volleyball net. I saw dogs and cats; we brought 1 dog.
Cell coverage (AT&T for my family, Verizon for my friends) was pretty hit or miss at 0-2 bars at any given time. I could sometimes stream audio for an hour or two. Other times, it wouldn't do anything. Wifi was available, but it wasn't any more reliable than cell service down in the tent area. Service wasn't normal until hitting either of the east-west roads at the north and south sides of the UP that run along Superior and Michigan, ~8-10 miles north or south of the campground. We like limited to no signal, but realize some count on it, so try to always include it in reviews.
Campground was pretty busy and the internal noise levels were fine, but you could hear vehicles (possibly cars as well as ATVs) racing off grounds in the night. I'm a very deep sleeper, so this didn't bother me, but I did hear it when I was awake for my nightly jaunt to the potty. My buddy mentioned it kept him awake for a while.
Went tubing with a launch from the grounds and got picked up by staff about half to 3/4s of a mile down river. My guests paid, so not sure how much, but perfectly nice little break from the heat for an hour.
~20-5 minutes to closest spots to hit the beach, both of which were about 10 degrees cooler than the campground.
TravelerWe got our new Marmot Tungston 4P tent so I took the wife and kids on a quick weekend trip to J.W. Wells State Park campground in Michigan's Upper Peninsula to test it out. I found J.W. Wells by searching for waterfront camping along Lake Michigan. There are plenty of state and national parks along Lake Michigan but not many where you can pitch your tent right along the waters edge like J.W. Wells. It also happened to be the only site within 4 hours drive of Northbrook, IL (N. Suburb of Chicago) with such close proximity to the waters edge that I could find.
The site itself is tucked right along the Green Bay coastline about 1 hour drive north of Green Bay, Wisconsin. There is a main campground for tent and RV but we chose to stay at 1 of 3 rustic tent sites a little north of the main campground. The campground was well maintained with picnic tables for each site, firepit, and a nice well groomed plot of grass for us to pitch our tent and setup camp. The main campground has showers and a playground right in the middle.
The view from our site was majestic, especially watching the sun rise over the horizon of Lake Michigan. The sunrise was the pinnacle moment of this trip. And that's really the only reason why I gave it 3 stars. The campground itself and the views are incredible, it's just that there isn't much to do around these parts. There are a couple short trails for hiking or ATV's and the Cedar River about a mile north of the site which I assume has some fishing and boating, but that was about it. The only other activity we found was to drive 30 mins north to check the small harbor town of Escanaba. Really not much to see or do there either.
I probably wouldn't recommend this campground for families or persons looking for lots of activities or places to see and visit while camping. It's great for a simple quick getaway with a great view to just sit around camp and relax.
Camping in Garden, Michigan offers direct access to Lake Michigan shoreline and northern hardwood forests. The Garden Peninsula sits at approximately 600 feet above sea level with a humid continental climate that brings warm summer days averaging 75°F and cool evenings dropping to 55°F. Winter camping is limited as most campgrounds close seasonally due to snowfall averaging 120 inches annually across the region.
Paddling adventures: Camp Seven Lake Campground provides excellent water access for kayaking and canoeing. "Great spot for any paddling sports in the warmer months," notes Chris F. from Portage Bay State Forest Campground. The protected bay waters create calm paddling conditions ideal for beginners.
Beach swimming: Indian Lake offers warmer water temperatures than Lake Michigan. "The water is clear and warm (perfect lake for swimming) and there is both sand and grassy areas on the fairly large beach," reports Kerri R. from Camp Seven Lake Campground, which maintains a designated swimming area with picnic tables.
Historical exploration: The restored industrial town at Fayette features self-guided walking tours through 19th century iron smelting buildings. "When you camp here you can visit the townsite at night. I'm a photographer and i love the challenge of taking night pictures!" explains Brianne M., who stayed at Fayette State Park.
Secluded shoreline access: Waterfront sites offer privacy and direct beach entry. "We had the whole cove practically to ourselves. Was planning on only one night but stayed 2 because we enjoyed ourselves so much," shares Meredith J. about her experience at Portage Bay.
Unplugged experience: Limited connectivity creates a true escape. "My wife and I came here for our honeymoon, and there have been zero regrets. We are both working professionals and it's been great to unplug and disconnect from the online world," explains Matt from Portage Bay State Forest Campground.
Clean facilities: Campgrounds maintain high cleanliness standards throughout the region. "Very clean. Nice sites with some drive thru. Some sites are fairly sloped so be sure to level properly. Very well maintained camp site with very clean facilities," reports David B. about BayRidge RV Park.
Remote location challenges: Cell service is minimal to nonexistent at most Garden area campgrounds. "There is zero cell service or plugs (that we noticed) so pre download your music/entire entertainment and have battery backups," advises Matt about camping at Portage Bay.
Limited provisions: Stock up on supplies before arriving as options are sparse. "Bring your own TP," warns Jason L. about Indian Lake State Park South Campground facilities, highlighting the rustic nature of many campgrounds in the region.
Variable site conditions: Be prepared for uneven terrain at some locations. "Some are very level, some are not level at all. We were in spot 32 and 4" laterally and 19" longitudinally out of level to start with," reports Alan B. about BayRidge RV Park, emphasizing the need for leveling equipment.
Beach activities: Lakeshore access provides natural entertainment for children. "The beach was very nice with shallow, warm water. That was the highlight of this Campground," notes Emily M. about Indian Lake State Park.
History lessons: Fayette Historic State Park offers educational opportunities through its ghost town. "The historical site was a great way to spend a couple hours," reports Cory W. about Fayette State Park Campground.
Free recreation options: Some parks offer complimentary equipment. "They had complimentary bikes you could use," mentions Alyssa C. about Manistique Lakeshore Campground, which also features "a sitting area that is separate from the shower" and "a family shower room/bath area" according to Lee D.
Access limitations: Large rigs face challenges on narrow access roads. "Seven miles down a road that quickly shrinks to a one lane dirt and gravel road you will find a beautiful campground stretching out along the lakeshore," warns Art S. about Portage Bay State Forest Campground, noting "larger RVs might have a tough time."
Site selection strategy: Request specific sites based on leveling needs. "Sites are nice and large. There was nice trees for the hammock," reports Tammy D. about Camp Seven Lake Campground, while David B. notes at BayRidge RV Park that "some sites are fairly sloped so be sure to level properly."
Dog friendly campgrounds near Garden: Most campgrounds welcome pets with standard leash policies. "Quiet, big gravel sites. Lots of shade and big trees. Big rig friendly with a view in the distance of the water," reports Hannah about BayRidge RV Park, which accommodates pets with spacious sites that provide adequate room for animals to settle comfortably.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Garden, MI?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Garden, MI is Portage Bay State Forest Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 11 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 109 dog-friendly camping locations near Garden, MI, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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