Mich. non-resident rip-off
Anyone else camped Mich. state parks? I don't recommend it to non-residents. First off, they charge more both for the daily camping fee and park admission. So, even after purchasing an annual non-resi...
Forum Discussion
Ok I went and actually read on the Michigan website what these "fees" are and I think there is a lot of misleading by some on here. Don't be guilty like me and assume they are posting the right information or that they are calling it the right thing. Using the wrongs words can make a mountain out of a mole hill.
The non resident fee is actually a "pass port" for motorized vehicles. Tink of it as a parking pass. While its actual daily non resident price is $8.40 and a duplicate pass port for a toad vehicle is $6.30 per day. A non resident can opt for a yearly passport for $30.50. Basically if you are staying more than 4 days , then it's more beneficial to do it that way. No different than a national parks passport that you can buy that allows you into the parks. Michigan residents do pay for the pass port as well, but at a much lower price of $11 and its added on to their vehicle registration if desired. Their plate sticker will have a little "P" on it with it circled.
The $8 fee is of course the reservation, which you can avoid by not making reservations and just doing a walk in if anything is available. I do agree that an $8 reservation if high, but most states have a fee of some sort. Some are higher and some are lower than that. As far as the actual camping fees, I don't see a big problem with those. They seemed to be inline pretty much with many other state parks. It's just that they charge for you to enter. Georgia basically has the same thing. North Carolina does not. Can't remember if Florida did or not. Those are the only states with state parks that we have stayed in.
Seeing all this and understanding exactly what it is and what it's for, I have no issues and take back back my negative comments about it.
The non resident fee is actually a "pass port" for motorized vehicles. Tink of it as a parking pass. While its actual daily non resident price is $8.40 and a duplicate pass port for a toad vehicle is $6.30 per day. A non resident can opt for a yearly passport for $30.50. Basically if you are staying more than 4 days , then it's more beneficial to do it that way. No different than a national parks passport that you can buy that allows you into the parks. Michigan residents do pay for the pass port as well, but at a much lower price of $11 and its added on to their vehicle registration if desired. Their plate sticker will have a little "P" on it with it circled.
The $8 fee is of course the reservation, which you can avoid by not making reservations and just doing a walk in if anything is available. I do agree that an $8 reservation if high, but most states have a fee of some sort. Some are higher and some are lower than that. As far as the actual camping fees, I don't see a big problem with those. They seemed to be inline pretty much with many other state parks. It's just that they charge for you to enter. Georgia basically has the same thing. North Carolina does not. Can't remember if Florida did or not. Those are the only states with state parks that we have stayed in.
Seeing all this and understanding exactly what it is and what it's for, I have no issues and take back back my negative comments about it.
