By:
Submission
D.H. Day Campground is located in the northern district of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, on the lower peninsula of Michigan.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS A MAP OF D.H. DAY CAMPGROUND: [**www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/dhdaycamp.htm**](https://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/dhdaycamp.htm)
This rustic campground is one of the most popular in Northern Michigan and is open (weather permitting) from the first Friday in April through the last Sunday in November. Reservations are required May 1 through October 15. Campsites are within walking distance of the Lake Michigan shoreline and a short drive to many popular features in the park. Summer temperatures range from the upper 70s to 90s during the day, and 50s to 70s at night.
As with all NPS sites Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is following all CDC guidelines. This includes routine cleaning of outside surfaces, showers and restrooms, plus twice a day deep cleaning/disinfecting of showers and restrooms using EPA approved disinfectants against Covid-19. Our campground offices have implemented once a day disinfecting at opening, then all touched surfaces will be disinfected after each group uses the office, barriers have been installed on the desks, our staff wear masks, and only one group will be allowed into the office at a time. For more on how the NPS is responding to Covid-19 you can also go to: https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/news/public-health-update.htm Please call the visitor center at 231-326-4700, ext. 5010 if you have a specific question about one of the park's safety measures.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore's rustic D.H. Day Campground is beautifully wooded. Campers can swim, canoe, kayak, fish and relax along the shoreline of the campground. The multi-use Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail passes through the campground opening up 20+ miles of biking and hiking. There are canoe and bicycle rentals nearby in the village of Glen Arbor. The historic village of Glen Haven is a short 15-minute walk away. Multiple hiking trails, the Dune Climb, and the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive are just a short drive away. D.H. Day Campground is the perfect launching point for a fun-filled stay at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
With 81 beautifully wooded campsites, shared water spigots, and vault toilets, D.H. Day provides a more rustic camping experience.
Free hot showers are available at Platte River Camground, located 17 miles south along highway M-22.
Each campsite has a parking area, large picnic table, fire ring and tent pad. Firewood is also sold in the campgound via a self-serve vending trailer.
D.H. Day Campground lies in the middle of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore near the historic village of Glen Haven. The spacious wooded campsites are no more than a 5-minute walk to the Lake Michigan beach. Features include northern hardwood and conifer forests, old farm meadows, wetlands, lakes, streams, bogs, and splendid examples of glacially formed landscapes. The beautiful, perched sand dunes, for which the parked is named, are just a few minutes' drive from the campground.
For local information, please call (231) 326-4700 or call (877) 444-6777 for general information.
D.H. Day Campground is within minutes of the lakeside Village of Glen Arbor and the Historic Village of Glen Haven. The Dune Climb and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive are a short drive to the south. The Alligator Hill Trail is less than a mile away. The Crystal River winds its way to Lake Michigan just a few short miles to the north. The harbor town of Leland is approx. 30 minutes away and is the gateway to both North and South Manitou Island.
**Campers must notify the campground office at 231-334-4634 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**](https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies)
**From Empire, MI:** Drive north on M-22 for 2 miles to the intersection of M-109, turn left onto M-109, continue for another 5.3 miles (going past the Scenic Drive, Dune Climb & entrance to the D.H. Day Group Campground), the entrance to this campground will be on your left.
**From Glen Arbor, MI:** Drive west on M-109 for 1.4 miles, the entrance to this campground will be on your right.
**A National Park Service entrance pass for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is required for each vehicle:**
* $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).
* **Information about other National Park Service pass options can be found at**[ **www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm**](https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm) ****
Please read all the information online before you decide to reserve a beautiful spot at this rustic campsite. This is rustic camping. However they do offer sites where generators can be used during certain hours and they have vault toilets (basically porter potties but better to steer bears away). This is not a campground to party at this is a National Park. There is wildlife surrounding you and living their life. The rules are enforced to protect you and the wildlife. THIS IS AN ACTIVE BLACK BEAR AREA. Respect nature and enjoy the beauty Michigan has to offer. The only downfall is how many sites there are. Wish it was more intimate with 25
Tent camped at this campground this past weekend. It is a very simple campground. Vault toilets (they were fairly decent for a vault toilet ) , dumpsters throughout the park, with a few recycle bins and drinking fountains throughoutut. Site was cleared, surrounding the sites is a lot of poison ivy, so just watch the edges of where everything is cleared. You can buy "firewood" from a trailer vending machine. Cash wasn't working unless you had singles, so had to use credit card. $5 a box and did burn longer than the firewood I purchased from an approved vendor (sign at front of park). Quick walk to the beach, downtown area about 5 minutes down the road, trails nearby and plenty of activities within 45 mins. It was just my dog and I, did the scenic drive, ate at Art's Tavern, shopped in Petoskey Petes, went to the beach and checked out The Village of Grand Traverse which are all dog friendly options. Cherry Republic has a dog friendly patio, but store itself isn't. There's another patio across from Art's Tavern that has an icecream shop attached, along with a bar and a HUGE seating area. The guy working wasn't very friendly, and they aren't dog friendly. Coffee shop nearby, as well as a market store in case you forget anything. All photos attached are within the campground.
Favorite place in all of the world, for summertime fun, relaxation and quality family time. We have traveled (GraytJourneys4U.com) to many places, in many countries and D. H. Day has consistently been a family favorite for over 30 years. The only downside, which just began within the last couple of years, is that now instead of getting a campsite in a first-come, first-serve manner, you must have a reservation, which makes it very difficult to get into the camp grounds now. Many sites are reserved and not used. Make sure you check the website for availability frequently, for cancellations which will allow you to make a reservation for one of the greatest camping locations anywhere.
We camped in a tent just a few minutes walk from the beach. We were so close we could hear the waves at night in our tent. The sunset over the lake was beautiful and the beach wasn't too crowded. In the morning we were one of only a few families exploring the beach. Our kids enjoyed searching for Petoskey stones in the pebbles and we had a wonderful lazy morning there. We didn't get to go explore the night sky because our kids fell asleep early and our campsite was heavily wooded but the pockets of sky that we could see were spectacular! We only stayed one night this time but we will definitely be back for a longer stay.
They sure packed the sites in there! I was able to hear my neighbor snore in his RV.. on another note, very happy they had people cleaning the bathrooms mid weekend. So many lightning bugs too!
