Platte River Campground

Storm clouds moving over the Platte Point Beach

Photo · NPS Photo (J. Eggle)

Not publishedStatus

ReservableAccess

179Sites

40 ftMax rig

The place

Platte River Campground is located in the southern district of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, on the lower peninsula of Michigan. This year-round facility is one of the most popular campgrounds in the park. It is within walking distance of the Platte River and a short walk or drive away from the Lake Michigan shore. Hikers can access many of the area's day use and backpacking trails just north of the campground. Summer temperatures range from the upper 70s to 90 degrees F (25° to 32° C) during the day, and from the 50s to 70 degrees F (10° to 25° C) at night. Keep reading

Winters are cold, with daytime highs from 20° to 30° F (-7° to -1° C) and lows in the 10s and 20s F (-12 to -7° C). Snow is usually on the ground from late November through March. Recreation Campers can hike, canoe, kayak and fish on the river or the lake. There are canoe rentals at nearby Platte River Point, where the river meets the lake (the point also has beach access for those wishing to drive there). The Platte Plains trail system boasts more than 25 miles (40 km) of trails, some of which can be accessed a short walk away from the campground. Trails to the primitive White Pine backcountry campground are also close by. Facilities This facility is well-maintained, well-organized and offers a wide variety of sites, including back-in and pull-through sites with electric hookups for RVs, non-electric sites, walk-to sites, group sites (hike-in, tent-only) and a nearby backcountry campground. Each site has a campfire ring and picnic table. Each loop has restrooms with flush toilets and sinks. Hot showers are also available. The group sites allow no more than 25 people per site; pets and RVs are not permitted in them. Natural Features The campground lies in a wooded area within walking distance of the Platte River and less than two miles (3.2 km) away from the beaches of Lake Michigan. Although the lakeshore is long and narrow, it has northern hardwood and conifer forests, abandoned farm meadows, wetlands, lakes, streams, bogs and splendid examples of a glacially formed landscape. The most prominent features in the park, and those for which it is named, are the perched sand dunes above Lake Michigan. The overlooks at Sleeping Bear, Empire and Pyramid Point bluffs are about 400 feet (122 m) above the lake. With 65 miles (105 km) of Lake Michigan shoreline and numerous inland lakes and streams, the park is wonderfully water-oriented. Contact Info For local information, please call (231) 326-4700 or call (877) 444-6777 for general information. Charges & Cancellations

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

The sites · 179

Loop	Site	Type	Max rig	Electric	ADA
Group Sites	G001	group tent only area nonelectric	—	—	yes
Group Sites	G002	group tent only area nonelectric	—	—
Group Sites	G003	group tent only area nonelectric	—	—
Group Sites	G004	group tent only area nonelectric	—	—
Group Sites	G005	group tent only area nonelectric	—	—
Loop 1	101	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	102	standard electric	—	30/50
Loop 1	103	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	104	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	105	standard electric	35 ft	30/50	yes
Loop 1	106	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	107	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	108	standard electric	40 ft	30/50
Loop 1	109	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	110	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	111	standard electric	40 ft	30/50
Loop 1	112	standard electric	25 ft	30/50
Loop 1	113	standard electric	25 ft	30/50
Loop 1	114	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	115	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	116	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	117	standard electric	20 ft	30/50
Loop 1	118	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	119	standard electric	25 ft	30/50
Loop 1	120	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	121	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	122	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	123	standard electric	25 ft	30/50
Loop 1	124	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	125	standard electric	30 ft	30/50	yes
Loop 1	126	standard electric	35 ft	30/50	yes
Loop 1	127	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	128	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	129	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	130	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	131	standard electric	20 ft	30/50
Loop 1	132	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	133	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	134	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	135	standard electric	40 ft	30/50
Loop 1	136	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	137	standard electric	40 ft	30/50
Loop 1	138	standard electric	40 ft	30/50
Loop 1	139	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	140	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	141	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	142	standard electric	40 ft	30/50
Loop 1	143	management	35 ft	30/50
Loop 1	144	management	30 ft	30/50
Loop 1	145	management	30 ft	30/50
Loop 2	201	management	30 ft	30/50	yes
Loop 2	202	management	35 ft	30/50
Loop 2	203	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 2	204	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 2	205	standard electric	30 ft	30/50
Loop 2	206	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 2	207	standard electric	25 ft	30/50
Loop 2	208	standard electric	35 ft	30/50
Loop 2	209	standard electric	25 ft	30/50	yes
Loop 2	210	standard electric	35 ft	30/50

SHOWING 60 OF 179 SITES

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

Booking

183 daysBooking window before arrival

Recreation.gov default: most campsites can be booked six months prior to arrival date. Most campgrounds go on sale at 7am PT / 8am MT / 10am ET, but not always; check the facility Seasons and Fees tab. Some locations also offer shorter supplemental booking windows.

Book on recreation.gov

SRC · Rules verified against recreation.gov · 2026-08-24

Fees

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore charges a variety of entrance fees, depending on how a visitor arrives at the park. All visitors must have an entrance pass (separate from camping fees). The park also honors Federal Recreational Lands America the Beautiful passes (e.g., Resident Annual, Non-Resident Annual, Senior, Access, Military, 4th Grade, Golden Age). For more information visit the park's Fees & Passes web page. Current U.S. Citizen/Resident Vehicle Fees$25 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore entrance fee (1-7 days). $45 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore annual pass (if camping more than 7 days). Current Non - U.S Citizen/Resident Vehicle Fees: $25 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore entrance fee (1-7 days). $250 America the Beautiful Non-Resident annual pass. The Michigan Recreation Passport is not valid for entry at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which is a federally managed site.

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

Your representative

This campground sits in MI-01. This member’s public-lands record →

SRC · U.S. Census TIGER · MTJP Scorecard