Eating & Sleeping

Lodging and dining

There are no overnight accommodations or restaurants in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. There are many lodging and eating options in the nearby communities. Please visit chambers of commerce to find lodging, food, grocery stores, and other activities in the area.

Picnic Areas

If you prefer to bring your own food into the park, there are several areas for picnicking that provide tables, and sometimes restrooms and fire grates. All picnic areas are first-come, first-served and most can be found on the park map.

Camping and Backpacking

Camping is only permitted in designated campgrounds and campsites. Off-trail camping, boondocking, or overnight parking for sleeping is illegal within Sleeping Bear Dunes.

There are two front-country campgrounds to choose from in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The Platte River Campground has modern facilities, tent pads, picnic tables, fire rings, and paved parking pads at each site. Reservations are recommended. D.H. Day Campground is a popular rustic campground with wooded campsites. Sites have tent pads, picnic tables, fire rings, and parking areas and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, although reservations can be made for group camping.

For campground status, contact entrance stations or visitor centers. Camping is not permitted within the park along roadsides, in overlooks or in parking areas. Doubling up in campsites is not permitted and there are no overflow facilities.
Learn more about camping in the park.

There are many other beautiful campgrounds in the area. Additonal details can be found:
State of Michigan DNR website
Huron Manistee National Forest website
or local chamber of commerce sites

Last updated: January 4, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

9922 Front Street
Empire, MI 49630

Phone:

231 326-4700

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