Best RV Parks & Resorts near Free Soil, MI

My goal is always to find campgrounds that are in state park or national forest settings, but with all the conveniences of a private campground. It’s a bonus if there are lots of things to do in the area. Indigo Bluffs delivers on all fronts. We had a lovely, shaded, level, spacious site which most of them seemed to be.

The campground was large - it’s actually two parts - an RV resort for large fifth wheels and Class As and another campground for everyone else. I really liked the regular campground as it had a lot more shade than the RV resort area.

Indigo Bluffs is close to Empire which has a beach and Joe’s Friendly Tavern. Joe’s has excellent hamburgers and plenty of beer variety. It is also close to a trailhead for the Sleeping Bear Dunes Heritage Bike Trail. The Sleeping Bear Dunes trail is wonderful, a bit hilly, but oh so scenic! It is also close to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and the infamous Dune Climb. We took a short drive to Sutton’s Bay and rode on the Leelanau Bike Trail to Traverse City. If you do this, be sure to stop at Farm Club on the way back. Excellent brewery and farm-to-table restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating and a farm market.

We will definitely return to Indigo Bluffs!

When you first enter the campground you pass by the Pere Marquette River which is a big draw because it is known for great salmon and trout fishing. The park is located in Scottville which is a tiny town but you are only 15 minutes from the Lake Michigan beach town of Ludington. The campground is fairly small (50 sites) but well laid out and will fit any camping unit from tents to large RVs. There are primitive sites and those with electric, water, cable, picnic tables & fire pits. There is a nice, new bathroom that was kept clean. The campground has a very open feel to it with trees on the outskirts. The openness and warm sunshine was appreciated when we were there in late October and experiencing cooler weather. Campsites are on grass and most were in pretty good shape and not too muddy even though we were there at the end of the camping season. 

For a little park, this place has a lot of amenities including swimming pools, convenience store (with ice cream treats for $1), playground, basketball, volleyball, horseshoe pits, fishing, paddling, disc golf, shuffle board, laundry rooms, and clean restrooms.  The best part for us was the access to the river for kayaking. There are many nearby rental and livery companies for those that do not have their own watercraft. If you are looking for good hiking trails check out Ludington State Park and the Huron-Manistee National Forest – both of which also have camping. Overall, we really liked this little park. There were just a handful of sites occupied during our stay which made it nice and quiet.

This campground is peaceful. Nice sites, even a place for rustic camping. Rustic camping you hike up the road, no cars are allowed to sites. Perfect!!! Full hook ups, 3 50 amp sites. Others are 30 amp.
Tent camping has platforms, so your tent is off the ground. Cabins are available for rent.
There is a playground, for the young ones. Rental of bikes, tubing, row boats and canoes are right at the campground. Beach access across street.
The campground is the older type, but the quiet, and professional care you get is awesome!!! This place is a must visit campground. Family feeling here. Vet friendly. Bathroom house is cleaned perfectly every day. Always clean. Day excursions, to see are, sand dunes, ludington, etc. then after the fun, come back to a peaceful evening, beside the fire. Each site has a fire ring.
Peaceful!!!
Just FYI. No drinking of alcohol is allowed. Perfect for my family, but just FYI.
Camp peacefully!!!

This review describes loop 3 only.

This camp is beautiful with old growth trees and plenty of privacy. Electric sites are paved and clean with a nice fire pit and picnic table. Firewood available at the entrance to the loop (we drove - too far to walk while carrying a bundle of wood) for $5/bundle from a vending machine that only takes cash - $1 and $5 bills specifically. Nearby Riverside Canoe Rental also has firewood available, but theirs was $6.50/bundle and not completely dry; we much preferred the vending machine wood.

Reviews we read mentioned that no bicycles are allowed, which we took to mean not allowed on the grounds. This was not the case - plenty of campers were riding bikes; however, there were signs on the hiking trails banning bicycles.

The hiking trail to Lake Michigan was a disappointment for our family. The trail gives way to sand about halfway in, so it’s a pretty difficult hike to a lackluster beach that isn’t well-maintained. There was a lot of litter and other refuse washed on shore. It was very secluded, which was nice. Next time, we’ll drive to a beach instead.

The bathroom and showers were very nice and clean, and there were a lot of little trails through the woods, shortcuts to access the bathroom without having to walk the paved loop. The girls’ bathroom had three stalls and the boys’ had two stalls and two urinals. Two private showers were on the opposite side of the building, along with a nice deep sink for washing dishes. BYO dish soap and rag.

The company was quite pleasant. Quiet hours started at 10:00 p.m., when the camp became noticeably silent.

The one feature this campground lacks is a playground, which will probably deter us from camping here again with our kids.

Also noteworthy is the Riverside Canoe Rental nearby where you can rent tubes, kayaks, and canoes, as well as stock up on fuel, groceries, beer and wine, souvenirs, and anything else you could probably want. They even have a cute ice cream shop.

Campground Review: Having been to over 45 national park campgrounds now, Platte River Campground is one of our new favorites! Wow, what a beauty!  This large and beautifully wooded campground has spacious sites, a paved road throughout the campground, extremely clean bathrooms and free showers, and multiple lakes and rivers which lead to the greater Lake Michigan. Most sites have electricity (which is quite rare for national park campgrounds), all have picnic tables and fire rings, and water spigots are scattered throughout the campground. It can accommodate everything from tents to very large RV’s. There is even a unique firewood vending truck which allows you to get wood whenever you want it!  There are multiple boat ramps/put-ins for canoes, tubes, kayaks, and small fishing boats all along the Platte River and a larger boat ramp at the river’s entrance to Lake Michigan. The gorgeous day use area (where the larger boat ramp is located) is filled with picnic tables, benches, BBQ grills, and a bathroom and changing area, as well as canoe rentals and a shuttle service. In addition to camping and paddling, there are nearby hiking trails, an excellent bike path, and the famous Sleeping Bear Dunes are a short drive away.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=infqnx2ju24

Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I was able to test the Explorer 10L Dry Bag and E-Merse R/S Go Pack from Seattle Sports while camping and paddling at the Platte River campground in Michigan. We used these dry bags while paddling on the Platte River and Lake Michigan. 

What I like most about these bags:

1. The material is heavy and all seams are sealed, both bags should live up to their water-resistant claims.

2. Each bag has comfortable and convenient carrying straps, which accommodate many uses, probably the best use for each will be for stand-up paddle boarding.

3. The Go-Pack has a see -through vinyl window which helps identify what is where.

Some concerns about these bags:

1. Durability might be an issue with the Go-pack, it is just a tad less beefy, so I would not put keys or utensils inside.

2. The carrying straps could also become a hindrance when packing in a boat hatch or raft, which typically prefer dry-bags without excess straps.



Product Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj1NvDeLATU

Product Links: 

Explorer Dry Bag: http://www.seattlesportsco.com/blizz-explorer.html

E-Merse R/S Go Pack: http://www.seattlesportsco.com/emerse-rs-gopack.html