Michigan GTG - June 19-22, 2015 - Frankenmuth

[Colliemom]

Yes Judy, there is a cell tower right by Aloha SP. And yes, given the conditions like a lot of rain which happened last year, it can get wet and muddy there as they have a low water table. I've only had one site that got really wet for me in all the times I have been there, hence one of the reasons I camp along the boat basin a lot. I have also driven through Straits State Park and am not impressed. I found the sites small, the road very narrow and it's also a bit overgrown. The sites that are on the water have trees and bushes between them and the water and are small. I might also throw out Burt Lake State Park as well, in Indian River just off I-75, 20 miles west of Aloha State Park. They have gravel parking pads but you can't camp close to the water due to the marshy ground there as well. It's a very popular park. Forgot to mention that those of you who have bikes, Aloha is right on the Northeast bike rail, a nice wide limestone packed trail running to the east side of the state, north to connect with the North Central to Mackinaw, etc. not that anybody wants to bike that far.

Keep in mind, that up here in early June we are just getting into spring. Trees are starting to leaf out and so forth. It can be cool. I would recommend waiting till about the 2nd week at earliest.

[MelissaD]

Due to health issues we tend to stay near the CG. Phoenix can't do much walking (2 bad knees). But that's just us.

According to the MI DNR a out of state passport is $31 for the year (did not see a daily rate on website, probably missed it). Just thinking out loud, but $28 a night plus $31 (or 28+8= $36 per night) for the passport it's not really much of a saving over a commercial CG with FH's. Reading some of the comments was interesting. Especially if you pull a toad. The one comment was Passport $8 a day for their motorhome and $6 a day for their toad. Mud also seemed to be a common issue.

Upper level is fine with us helps keep a buffer between the GB and the water

Bridge won't stop me but not a fan of high bridges, especially when windy. Guess I'd rather stay on this side of the bridge.
Passenger Vehicle - $2.00 per axle or $4.00 per car
Passenger car, van, motorcycle, station wagon, SUV, pick-up truck, and school bus. (A van is a two-axle four tire vehicle not primarily intended for carrying cargo or commercial goods.)
All Others - $5.00 per axle
Vehicles not meeting passenger vehicle characteristics including but not limited to tractor trailers, buses, motor homes and step or cube vans.
All vehicles will be classified by the lead vehicle. Anything being towed will be charged the per axle rate of the lead vehicle with the exception of the Motor Home towing an auto, the towed auto will be charged at the auto rate.

[Colliemom]

[Colliemom]

The other State Park I suggested too was Burt Lake State Park, an easy on/off I-75 in Indian River,MI. This park is a popular park for boaters during it's busy season. Campsites are a little ways in from the lake due to the high water table there, but the first row of sites are really nice and open with gravel parking pads. This park also boasts a dog beach. And there is a mini golf course right at the entrance to the park across the road, plus if you want, you can rent kayaks, rafts etc. and go down the Sturgeon River which is the fastest flowing river in the lower peninsula or kayak on Burt Lake, weather dependent of course.Mackinac City is about 25 miles from here.

[havingfunnow]

Not a campground, but I haven't been to the dark sky park, and that would be fun.

http://www.emmetcounty.org/internationa ... lands-483/

[Colliemom]

I've been to the Headlands but before it became an official dark sky park and never at night. Beautiful place. But boy, I bet it's really dark there at night. But the stars and everything would be wonderful.

[Colliemom]

Melissa,

You are right on the bridge fares. Basically your tow vehicle is automatically $4.00. Your trailer would be additional $4 as it has two axles. When I tow mine over it's $6 cause it only one axle. My last TT was two. MH's would be $6 as they are usually three axles. If you tow a toad, add another $4 for that too.

Michigan State Park fees (entrance only) Non Resident $31 yearly, $9.00 daily

[Colliemom]

For those interested in exploring MI this summer

Copper Harbor and the Keweenaw Peninsula








Porcupine Mts. Wilderness State Park and the Far Western U.P.







The West Central area






Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore




Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore






Mackinaw City area


Taquahmenon Falls and Whitefish Point area






This is just a little sampling of some of the things to see. Michigan has a lot of varied topography from the flatter lands of the southern part of the stare to the more rugged Mountains and cliffs of the western U.P. and everything in between. Be glad to give you more info if you desire on the top places to see if you have limited time.

[Ackcminnie]

wow Sue, those pictures are awesome. Thank you for sharing all that! Michigan is still on my "jello plan" list. I am following the posts to see how the possible gtg gets organized. I never realized how beautiful that area is.

[JudyJB]

I set a date for this GTG for June 19-24. I tried to meet everyone's needs, but what might happen is that if my son comes to visit from California, I might miss it myself. If he decides to fly out for a couple of weeks of camping with me, it would be the middle two weeks of June.

So, I am setting this date so we can start making plans, knowing it may not meet everyone's needs, including my own. In any case, I will try to attend at least for a couple of days.

I don't think we are going to be able to provide an asphalt pad that MelissaD needs. Even the big commercial campgrounds in that area have gravel or grass sites, and the gravel tend to be not good gravel. Aloha and Burt Lake worry me as locations because I saw how the ground can get very muddy the last time I was at Aloha. about 1/3 of the sites were unusable and I saw people sloshing to get to campfires. While Aloha is a lovely place, I would not want to be in the situation of the guy next to me who had a large puddle at his door and got his trailer stuck.

My recommendation is the following in order:
[*] For being close to Mackinac Island and view, Mackinaw City's Mill Creek Campground or the KOA
[*] Also, for the view and closeness to Mackinac Island, Straits State park in St. Ignace, over the bridge.
[*] Option in Cheboygan is Waterways Campground. Never been there, but it is new and on inland waterway, a river that goes across the state. Would only be about 25 miles from Mackinaw City and Island. Received a 8.5 from RV Park Reviews. http://www.waterwayscampground.com/
[*] A completely different option is Sterling State Park, south of Detroit on Lake Erie is my home away from home where I stay when I visit Detroit. It has relatively good asphalt pads, is directly on Lake Erie with a view from almost every site because there are no trees. It also has both W&E and full hookup sites. Lots of hiking and biking trails. Basically, it is a campground along the lake but near a cite (Monroe).

The point is, is this an opportunity to just meet and get together?? Or is it a sightseeing opportunity? Those of you who want to sightsee might be better off spending a couple of days with the rest of us and then going elsewhere to sightsee individually.

Feedback?

[Colliemom]

Judy,

Judy, like your ideas. Don't worry about Burt Lake being wet though . The damper ground is beyond the campsites. Many times as I have been there and it's been in the rain, the sites are dry. There are some nice sites down in the first loop at the south end of that park.

But Mackinaw Mill Creek is fine by me. I also wondered if holding a GTG in the southern part of the state might attract more people cause the distance would be doable for those In IN, IL and wherever else anybody wants to come. As you say, sightseers can always had north after that.

I have never camped at Sterling, have not had a reason to go there. Probably cause from this direction, I have to skirt Detroit and all that stuff and I"m not a city person,. I have a couple of friends who camped at the Brighton Recreation area and loved it. Nice campground they said and lots of lakes etc. around. Ludington State Park I heard is also a nice park. Too many places to choose from. Oh and by the way, Aloha has two cement handicap pads right at the beginning of the south campground.

One word of advice. Memorial Day weekend and the week or so after, tend to be chilly up here yet especially if you want to by water. Might be good to shoot for mid June.

[gingerK]

Well, ladies it looks glorious. Let's settle on a park so I can decide if I can make it that far or not. Also, I really don't want to cross that bridge; I have a problem with almost any type of bridges and I'm probably not bringing Carrie so she could drive instead of me.

Yes, something more centrally located or southern would probably attract more ladies, I know I'd rather be a little closer to home as that's a lot of driving in a short time frame and I get pretty tired out without my other driver.

[BirdbyBird]

I have stayed several times at Brighton Rec Area because of the annual specialty held across the road in the park. It is nice.

[JudyJB]

Here are my final recommendations, and I would like to know who would be willing to come to each:

Option 1 - Frankenmuth Jellystone Park in Frankenmuth, MI. Sue suggested this as a place further down south in Michigan. It is less than two hours from either the Ohio or Indiana border. Frankenmuth is a quaint German-themed town best known for its incredibly large Christmas store and chicken dinners. The campground has full or partial hookups, but is a bit expensive at from $51 to $60 per night. The Christmas store is walkable from the campground. http://www.bronners.com/ Chicken dinners are served family style is a lovely Early American setting at Zehnders (http://www.zehnders.com/) or the Bavarian Inn. There are lots of nice shops in this town, including a couple of very good bakeries and toy stores. http://www.frankenmuth.org/

Option 2 - Mill Creek Campground on Lake Huron in Mackinaw City. This has an excellent view although the campground sites may be a bit cramped. http://www.campmackinaw.com/home.htm Rate is about $44 per night. We could take the ferry to Mackinac Island or just enjoy the town of Mackinaw City. Can tour the ice breaker Mackinaw and the reconstructed Fort Mackinaw. Gorgeous park right next to the bridge which is always worth a walk or two. Can also buy pasties and fudge. Mackinac Island is a unique place where the movie Somewhere in Time was filmed. No cars are allowed but you can rent or bring bikes and horse drawn carriages. Tours are also by horse-drawn carriage. Early or mid-June is when the lilacs are in bloom. These were planted by the original French settlers over 200 years ago. If you have never been, it is a unique place and not to be missed. Strongly suggest you bring your bike. http://www.mackinacisland.org/ As Sue pointed out, it will be chilly the second or third week of June, but crowds are really bad in July and August. Drive is about 5-6 hours from Ohio and Indiana borders.

Please let Sue and me know your preference. I suggest the weekend date I posted in the title since I think some of you still work, right? Sue and I would probably do this on weekdays but there are not going to be crowds this time of year anyway.

[MelissaD]

I like the idea of a little lower in the state. Bay City area a little north of Frankenmuth, MI might be an option. Frankenmuth Jellystone Park in Frankenmuth, MI is geared toward children and activates for the kids. While Chezza would enjoy the rest of the group may not.

I found this on Good Sam Valley Plaza Resort RV Park. Has a RV park and hotel. Which may or may not be helpful for someone new without a RV yet. Anyone from MI seen this place. Not much on view
http://www.goodsamclub.com/travel/campg ... =810001621
http://www.valleyplazaresort.com/rv-park/
Google Map https://www.google.com/maps/place/5221+ ... 594e?hl=en

This also looks like fun Bavarian Belle Riverboat - Frankenmuth Michigan http://www.bavarianbelle.com/index.html