Campground

D.H. Day Group Campground

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore · EMPIRE · Michigan — managed by National Park Service

Books out fast — 1 of 3 weekends we sampled are sold out
D.H. Day Group Campground campground
Photo: Recreation.gov · NPS

Weekend availability at D.H. Day Group Campground

Live from Recreation.gov · checked Sep 17, 11:34 AM PT

Sold out 3 of the next 4 weekends — exactly when cancellation alerts earn their keep.

  • Fri, Sep 18
    Sold out
  • Fri, Sep 25
    Sold out
  • Fri, Oct 2
    Sold out
  • Fri, Oct 9
    Open
    3/4 sites

Friday + Saturday nights, sites bookable both nights. Counts come from a rotating sweep and can lag a cancellation by up to a day — alerts watch your exact dates within minutes.

How booked is D.H. Day Group Campground?

as of September 18

Weekends book out well ahead here — 1 of the 3 Saturdays we sampled, as far out as Oct, are already sold out. When a site frees up it's gone again within minutes, so people watch D.H. Day Group Campground and hear the instant one opens for their dates. Weekdays still have room — for now.

Weekends (Saturday night)

Sep 26Sold out
Oct 3Open
Oct 10Open

Weekdays (Wednesday night)

Sep 23Open
Oct 7Open
Oct 14Open

Availability checked directly against the reservation system, out to 3 months ahead.

Campsites & amenities

Site-level details from Recreation.gov's official catalog.

Campsites
4
Group Tent Only Area No Hookup

About this campground

Overview D.H. Day Group Campground is a tent-only facility located in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, about one mile (1.6 km) north of the Dune Climb, where visitors can walk over miles of sand dunes. This year-round campground has four sites which accommodate groups of 7 to 25 people. Recreation D.H. Day Group is a hub for water activities. Motorized and non-motorized boating is allowed on the lake, with restrictions, and there is a boat ramp about six miles away by which boaters can access Lake Michigan. Campers can also rent canoes and kayaks in the town of Glen Harbor to float the nearby Crystal River. The beach at Glen Haven, which is popular for beachcombing and swimming, is about one mile away from the campground. There are no lifeguards on duty at the park's beaches. The facility is also close to the Dune Climb, where visitors can climb on sand dunes over 200 feet high, walk more than 1.5 miles on the dunes to Lake Michigan and catch a great view of Glen Lake.Facilities Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided at the campsites. The campground has drinking water during the reservation season, but the water is shut off from October through April. Pets and RVs are not allowed in the group sites. Access to the campground is via a dirt road.Natural Features The campground is open with sparse vegetation. Contrary to the park's name, bears are rarely sighted here, yet other wildlife such as birds, deer and wild turkey may be seen. Although the Lake Michigan shore is long and narrow, it has northern hardwood and conifer forests, abandoned farm meadows, wetlands, lakes, streams, bogs and splendid examples of a glacially formed landscape. The most prominent features in the park, for which it was named, are the perched sand dunes above Lake Michigan. The overlooks at Sleeping Bear, Empire and Pyramid Point bluffs are about 400 feet above the lake. With 65 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and numerous inland lakes and streams, the park is wonderfully water-oriented. Contact Info For local information, please call (231) 326-4700 or call (877) 444-6777 for general information. Nearby Attractions The historic area of Glen Haven, which features a working blacksmith shop, a 1920s-era general store and Sleeping Bear Point Maritime Museum, is within a short drive of the campground.Charges & Cancellations

Getting there

From Traverse City, Michigan take M-72 west to Empire. Proceed 2.1 miles (3.4 km) north of Empire on M-22. Go 4.1 miles (6.6 km) north on M-109 to West Harwood Road. Take a left on West Harwood Road and continue all the way to the end of the road to D.H. Day Group Campground. Reservation holders MUST check-in and pay entrance fees at D.H. Day Group Campground 8000 W Harbor Highway, Glen Arbor, MI 49636

Elevation
603 ft
Contact
231-326-4700

Activities

  • VISITOR CENTER
  • PICNICKING
  • CAMPING

Nearby federal campgrounds

Never miss an opening at D.H. Day Group Campground

Popular Michigan campgrounds book out months ahead — but cancellations happen every day. We watch D.H. Day Group Campground around the clock and alert you the moment a sold-out site reopens for your dates, so you don't have to keep refreshing Recreation.gov.

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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office or on Recreation.gov before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.