White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits
White Pine Backcountry Campground is a primitive camp located in the southern district of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, on the lower peninsula of Michigan. It is located approximately two miles from the Trail's End Road trailhead on the Platte Plains hiking trail south of Empire just off of M-22. This year-round campground has six campsites, two shared fire rings, pit toilet, and two shared animal resistant food storage lockers. Plan to pack your water into the campsite, as there is no well in the campground. Summer temperatures range from upper 70s to 90 degrees F (25° to 32° C) during the day, and from the 50s to 70 degrees F (10° to 25° C) at night.
More like this: reservable in Michigan
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Hike-in | 7 |
Site guide
7 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Shade | Waterfront | People / vehicles | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Pine Campground | Partial | Lakefront | 4 / – | No |
| White Pine Campground 1 | Partial | Lakefront | 4 / – | No |
| White Pine Campground 2 | Partial | Lakefront | 4 / – | No |
| White Pine Campground 3 | Partial | Lakefront | 4 / – | No |
| White Pine Campground 4 | Partial | Lakefront | 4 / – | No |
| White Pine Campground 5 | Partial | Lakefront | 4 / – | No |
| White Pine Campground 6 | Partial | Lakefront | 4 / – | No |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Fees | Camping Use Fee: The camping fee is $13 per campsite per night. Entrance Fee: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore charges a variety of entrance fees, depending on how a visitor arrives at the park (by private vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, boat or on foot). |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
FROM THE EAST (Traverse City): Take State Highway M-72 west to Empire. Turn south on State Highway M-22. To Trails End Road: Drive 6 miles to Trails End Road - turn right. Drive 1 mile to the trailhead. To Platte Plains Ski Trail Parking: Drive 6.5 miles - the trailhead parking area will be on the right.
| Nearest town | Empire, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 44.7379° N, 86.0857° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 6.7 mi |
| Outdoor gear | TCH Gear ↗ | 17 mi |
| RV sales & service | Bish's RV ↗ | 21.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Other campgrounds nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Natural features
The campground is within wilderness. Designated Wilderness areas are the most protected public lands in America. They are managed with restraint to preserve characteristics of wilderness and solitude. The Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness, within the boundaries of the Lakeshore, is over 30,000 acres. The beaches of Lake Michigan are about 1/2 mile (0.80 km) walk from camp. Although the lakeshore is long and narrow, it has northern hardwood and conifer forests, abandoned farm meadows, wetlands, lakes, streams, bogs, and splended examples of glacially formed landscape. The most prominent features in the park, and those for which it is named, are perched sand dunes above Lake Michigan. The overlooks at Sleeping Bear, Empire and Pyramid Point bluffs are about 400 feet (122 m) above the lake. Within 65 miles (105 km) of Lake Michigan shoreline and numberous inland lakes and streams, the park is wonderfully water-oriented.
Recreation
The Platte Plains trail system boasts more than 25 miles (40 km) of trails, some of which can be accessed a short walk away from the campground.
Guidebooks for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Michigan
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
Sites at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
Camping Use Fee: The camping fee is $13 per campsite per night. Entrance Fee: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore charges a variety of entrance fees, depending on how a visitor arrives at the park (by private vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, boat or on foot).
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits have?
7 sites, including 7 hike-in sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is there cell service at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the nearest town to White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
Empire, Michigan.
Source: Getting there
What if White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Platte River Campground (2.3 mi), D.H. Day Group Campground (10.8 mi), and D.H. Day Campground (11.5 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby
Which national park is White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits in?
White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits is a Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.