MICHIGAN – A new list has revealed the two hardest-to-book campgrounds in the state of Michigan.
Last week, the Dyrt, a popular camping trip planning website, released their list of the 10 hardest to book campgrounds in the U.S. Campgrounds from seven states rounded out the top ten, including two from Michigan.
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Both campgrounds are located within the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which is about a six-hour drive from Metro Detroit.
Twelvemile Beach Campground is ranked as the second hardest-to-book campground in the U.S. The campground is fully booked 99.4% of the year, according to the Dyrt. The campground is in Grand Marais and holds 37 campsites for tents and small RVs.
“Centrally located a skipping stone’s throw from an immaculately sandy beach, Twelvemile’s well-maintained, accessible grounds offer easy access to the waters of Superior, plus landmarks like lighthouses, the otherworldly Chapel Rock and more,” the Dyrt wrote about the campground. “Add easy access to the charming Upper Peninsula towns of Grand Marais and Munising, and Twelvemile Beach is the ideal place to experience everything the Pictured Rocks have to offer from one easy vantage.”
Hurricane River Campground is ranked as the sixth hardest-to-book campground. It is fully booked 96.8% of the year, according to the Dyrt. This campground is also in Grand Marais, and it has 22 campsites for tents and small RVs.
“Like Twelvemile Beach, Hurricane River is located in the colorful heart of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and with the sounds of the Hurricane River emptying into mighty Lake Superior, it’s one of the most peaceful destinations for campers in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula,” the Dyrt wrote.
According to the National Park Service, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore saw more than 910,000 total visitors in 2023. This is a 30% decrease from 2021, when the park saw its highest visitation of 1.3 million visitors.
Although these specific campgrounds are difficult to book, there are about ten campgrounds near Pictured Rocks, including two other National Parks campgrounds. If camping is not your style, Pictured Rocks offers many hotels.
Nevada Beach Campground topped off the list as the hardest-to-book campground in the United States. It is fully booked 99.4% of the year, and it features 54 campsites for tents and RVs. It is located on Lake Tahoe, near the Nevada-California border.
Here is the entire top 10 list, with the percentage of the year that it is fully booked.
- Nevada Beach Campground -- Nevada, 99.4%
- Twelvemile Beach Campground -- Michigan, 99.4%
- Devils Garden Campground -- Utah, 99.2%
- Seven Points Campground -- Tennessee, 97.6%
- Kirk Creek Campground -- California, 97.5%
- Hurricane River Campground -- Michigan, 96.8%
- Aspenglen Campground -- Colorado, 96.1%
- Fruita Campground -- Utah, 95.9%
- Colter Bay RV Park at Colter Bay Village -- Wyoming, 94.9%
- Twin Lakes Campground -- California, 93.7%