I recently decided to log in to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources web site to look at every single camping trip I’ve booked since 2014. Data did not go back farther than that.
A vast majorty of these trips were just my husband and I, but we occasionally met with friends and family for our adventures, too.
Looking ahead to 2026, we plan to visit Hartwick Pines State Park and Petoskey State Park for camping trips.
Within the past couple of years, we camped at Holly Recreation Area and Thompsons Harbor State Park for the first time.
The parks we visited multiple times over the past 22 years in order were:
Brighton Recreation Area (11), Tawas Point State Park (6), Cheboygan State Park (5), Waterloo Recreation Area and Hoeft State Park (4), Holly Recreation Area and Leelanau State Park (3), Pinckney Recreation Area and Harrisville State Park (2).
We visited a total of 22 other state parks at least once.
Here’s a list of dates and places we’ve camped at in Michigan since 2014. All spots are in Michigan, I’ll list nearby towns if they are not in the name of park, U.P. parks will be noted as such.
2014
May 23-24, Bewabic State Park (Crystal Falls, U.P.), tipi rental.
May 24-25, McLain State Park (Calumet, U.P), tent site #26.
July 4-6, and August 8-10 Brighton Recreation Area, tent site A22 (Appleton Lake rustic campground). Two trips, same site.
Ludington State Park, September 26-28, site 206, (rustic loop, Cedar campground).
Straits State Park (St. Ignace) October 7-9, mini cabin B.
2015
July 3-6, Lake Margrethe State Forest Campground (Grayling), tent site #35.
July 26-29, Leelanau State Park (Northport), tent site #8.
July 29-31, Tahquamenon Falls State Park (Newberry, U.P.), site # R105, (Rivermouth unit).
September 19-21, Cheboygan State Park, site #25.
October 7-9 Tawas Point State Park and October 9-11, Hoeft State Park (Rogers City), mini cabin rentals.
December 31, 2015-January 2, 2016, Tawas Point State Park, camper cabin rental.
2016
April 11-24, Tawas Point State Park, mini cabin rental.
August 19-21, 2016, Cheboygan State Park, site # 51.
September 16-19, Leelanau State Park (Northport), site #46.
September 30-October 2, Hoeft State Park (Rogers City), mini cabin.
October 2-4, Tawas Point State Park, mini cabin rental.
2017
May 5-7, Tawas Point State Park, mini cabin rental.
May 19-21, Brighton Recreation Area, rustic cabin rental.
July 22-23, Otsego Lake State Park, site # 81.
July 24-26, Hoeft State Park (Rogers City), site # 50.
October 27-29, North Higgins Lake (Roscommon), mini cabin rental.
2018
April 20-22, Brighton Recreation Area, rustic cabin rental.
May 19-21, Cheboygan State Park, rustic cabin (14-Foot Shoals) rental.
August 10-12, Fisherman’s Island State Park (Charlevoix), site #19.
October 12-14, Harrisville State Park, mini cabin rental.
October 14-16, Tawas Point State Park, mini cabin rental.
2019
April 12-14, Waterloo Recreation Area (Chelsea/Gregory/Jackson), camper cabin rental.
May 17-19, Mears State Park (Pentwater), pop-up camper rental.
June 28-August 1, Tippy Dam Recreation Area (northwest MI), site #8.
September 7-8, Brighton Recreation Area, site #A20 (Appleton Lake campground)
October 18-21, Harrisville State Park, mini cabin rental.
2020
June 12-14, Upper Manistee River State Forest Campground (Frederic), unknown site number.
June 27-28, Pinckney Recreation Area, site #8.
July 11-12, Port Crescent State Park (Port Austin), site #14.
August 8-10, Newaygo State Park, site #15.
September 1-4, Cheboygan State Park, tipi rental.
September 26-28, Waterloo Recreation Area (Chelsea/Gregory/Jackson), rustic cabin rental (Mill Lake unit).
October 10-13, Orchard Beach State Park, mini cabin rental.
October 31-November 2, Brighton Recreation Area, rustic cabin rental.
2021
April 9-11, Brighton Recreation Area, rustic cabin rental.
May 21-23, Clear Lake State Park (Atlanta), mini cabin rental.
May 23-25, Interlochen State Park, rent-a-tent rental.
July 4-7, Rifle River Recreation Area (Lupton), site #97.
October 3-6, Tawas Point State Park, mini cabin rental.
October 30-November 1, Brighton Recreation Area, rustic cabin rental.
2022
January 23-25, Sleepy Hollow State Park (Ovid), deluxe camper cabin rental.
April 30-May 4, Cheboygan State Park, lodge rental.
July 31-August 2, Waterloo Recreation Area (Sugarloaf Lake Unit, Chelsea), tiny house rental.
October 30-November 2, Brighton Recreation Area, rustic cabin rental.
2023
March 31-April 2, Pinckney Recreation Area (Bruin Lake Unit), camper cabin rental.
May 19-21, Brighton Recreation Area, rustic cabin rental.
June 3-4, Sleeper State Park (Caseville), safari tent rental.
June 4-7, Hoeft State Park (Rogers City), mini cabin rental.
September 15-17, Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area, mini cabin rental.
October 27-29, Brighton Recreation Area, rustic cabin rental.
2024
April 26-28, Holly Recreation Area, mini cabin rental.
May 24-27, Waterloo Recreation Area (Chelsea), rustic cabin rental, Mill Lake unit.
August 18-21, Onaway State Park, site #11.
October 31-November 3, Holly Recreation Area, deluxe camper cabin rental.
2025
March 27-30, Holly Recreation Area, deluxe camper cabin rental.
June 19-22, Leelanau State Park (Northport), mini cabin rental.
July 19-22, Thompsons Harbor State Park (Alpena)
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