Good MI camping w/motorcycle?

The whole Leelanau Peninsula in northern Michigan is gorgeous with quaint little towns and meandering roads. Nice beaches and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - Platte River campground.

Anywhere north of Muskegon on the Lake MI shoreline - Traverse City is nice, so is Petosky.

You would enjoy driving through thr "tunnel of trees" N of Harbor Springs. Also the drive to Northport in Leelanau County.

You will find plenty of less-busy paved county roads in the northern counties. The most sandy beaches are along the west side. So maybe get a good map and look at the NW part of the lower peninsula, and look into some of the numerous cgs in that area.

For a really pretty, well maintainted and full hook up resort type rv park in northern Michigan that would allow you some nice roads to travel and explore check out Pere Marquette RV Resort in Baldwin. You would never expect to find this caliber of park in the woods like this. Here
Then you can ride to Lake Michigan and walk the shore at the Ludington city park right on the lake.

Great information! Thank you all. The motorcycle is a touring Harley Davidson (2010 Ultra Classic). All road riding, not an extremely loud bike. Thanks again!

FWIW, the KOA chain has an open door policy for motorcycles. Other campgrounds have "just "in and out" restriction for motorcycles, still others don't want them at all.

Check the CG first.

The Traverse City State Park is almost in downtown Traverse City ! Not the place to go for QUIET, but they do have a very nice beach ! August is still "prime" vacation time, but the last week things really start to slow down. Many places are DEAD after Labor Day.

A bit farther north on the west cost is Wilderness State Parks. The have several camping areas, including some that are "rustic" (pit toilets, no electricity).

I have not been there in a quite a few years, but along US2, just west of the bridge, there are many pull out right next to the beach. They used to allow overnight dry camping. Someone needs to update this ! Everything else you requested is there.

There are DOZENS of state and national forest campgrounds. Almost all are rustic.

sch911 wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
North of the bridge (Mackinaw). The roads are bad south of the bridge and way too many 'idiots' in cars south of the bridge. N

Sorry Sidecar you're entitled to an opinion but this statement is just not true.....

I've lived in this state for 40 years and made many trips up north (we own ground up north) so I find driving on bombed out roads and inconsiderate speeding drivers in the lower to be the opposite of the upper where, because of Michigan's Lane Mile road formula, the roads are better maintained and fewer people means fewer idiot drivers plus the general lifestyle is more laid back.

Whether you think it's true or not is not germane. Just check the MDOT stats for your answers.

Forums are about someone's opinion and experiences. You gave yours, I gave mine but I can back mine up with hard stats that you can go look at as well, if you want to.

I'd suggest the Traverse City area as a base for camping. There are a few very nice full hookup campgrounds in this area. And from there you can ride north or south along the lake shore. We spend many hours riding in this area and really enjoyed the ride.

If you just want nice rides out in the country, I would draw a line west from the thumb and anything north will have plenty of options. Even lots of areas south but more likely to have to deal with traffic.