Platte River

Summary

Platte River Campground is one of the most popular campgrounds in the southern district of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It offers a wide variety of sites, including back-in and pull-through sites with electric hookups for RVs, group sites, and a nearby backcountry campground. Guests can enjoy activities such as hiking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing and beach access at nearby Lake Michigan.

Overview

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 90s during the day and 50s to 70s at night. Winters are cold, with daytime highs in the 20s to 30s and lows in the 10s and 20s; 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 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 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 above the lake. With 65 miles 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

Campers must notify the campground office at 231-326-4700 ext 5029 if they will not arrive within 24 hours of the check-in time or their reservation will be cancelled; 

• They will be charged a $20 no show fee and forfeit the first night’s recreation fee for the campsite.

• Staff will hold a campsite until 2:00 pm on the day after the scheduled arrival date. 

Other www.recreation.gov fees include:

• Any cancelled reservation refund will have a $10 service fee withheld.

• Switching to dates that are entirely outside of the original reservation dates: $10 change fee.

• Cancelling a reservation, the day before or on the day of arrival: $10 service fee AND forfeit the first night’s camping fee.

• Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid but will not be subject to an additional service fee.

• Group Site Reservations cancelled less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10 service fee AND forfeit the first night’s camping fee. 

For a complete explanation of all recreation.gov change and cancellation policies visit https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies