South Manitou Group Campground
South Manitou Group Campground is a tent-only backcountry facility on South Manitou Island in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan. Campers must take a 1.5-hour Manitou Island Transit Ferry trip or boat ride to reach it, and must backpack their gear into the campground from the dock. Booking for individual sites on South Manitou Island are made on a first come/first served basis directly through Manitou Island Transit. This facility is comprised of three reservable group sites at Bay Campground and three others at Weather Station Campground. Each site is open to groups of nine to 20 people only.
The group sites take reservations. Single sites are first-come, first-served.
More like this: first-come in Michigan · reservable in Michigan · tent only in Michigan · group sites in Michigan
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Group tent areas | 6 |
Site guide
6 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Loop | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BG001 | Bay Group Sites | Partial | 20 / – | Yes | No |
| BG002 | Bay Group Sites | Partial | 20 / – | Yes | No |
| BG003 | Bay Group Sites | Partial | 20 / – | Yes | No |
| WG001 | Weather Station Group Sites | Partial | 20 / – | Yes | No |
| WG002 | Weather Station Group Sites | Partial | 20 / – | Yes | No |
| WG003 | Weather Station Group Sites | Partial | 20 / – | Yes | 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 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Fees | Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore charges an entrance fee for each vehicle (apart from camping fees). You may pay the entrance fee upon arrival at a staffed location or purchase in advance. |
Water is only available in the Village area. Group campsites are secluded and set apart from one another. Each site has a fire pit for open fires (firewood must be purchased or collected in the park). Wooden pit toilets are provided, however campers must bring their own toilet paper.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Traverse City, Michigan, take M-22 to Sutton's Bay. Go west on M-204 from Sutton's Bay towards Leland. Turn north at the junction of M-22 and M-204 to Leland. Take the Manitou Island Transit ferry from Leland to South Manitou Island.
| Nearest town | Empire, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 45.0125° N, 86.0947° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 8.7 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Wild Lettie ↗ | 21.9 mi |
| RV sales & service | Bish's RV ↗ | 30.6 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 9.2 miPort Oneida Heritage Center ↗Visitor center
Public land it sits in
Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness begins about 3.4 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 3.4 miSleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness ↗Wilderness · National Park Service · 32,557 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Natural features
South Manitou Island is part of an island chain in Lake Michigan that extends north to the Straits of Mackinac. The island consists of a ridge of tilted layers of limestone, buried under a blanket of glacial debris. It features unique sand dune formations, 10 miles of pebble beaches and a grove of old growth white cedars that date back over 500 years. The campgrounds lie on sandy soils among younger forests.
Recreation
There is no shortage of activities on South Manitou Island. Visitors can hike around the 10-mile perimeter of the island via pebble beaches, take a tour of the South Manitou Island Lighthouse during summer months, view the 1960 shipwreck of the Francisco Morazanon or go on a motorized tour to learn the history of the island. Visitors can also hike day-long excursions to unique sand dune formations and old growth cedar forests. Both campgrounds have beach access where campers can beachcomb and swim; group sites are closer to the beach at Bay Campground than at Weather Station.
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 South Manitou Group Campground?
For some sites. The group sites take reservations. Single sites are first-come, first-served.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at South Manitou Group Campground?
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore charges an entrance fee for each vehicle (apart from camping fees). You may pay the entrance fee upon arrival at a staffed location or purchase in advance.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at South Manitou Group Campground?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does South Manitou Group Campground have?
6 sites, including 6 group tent areas.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I bring an RV to South Manitou Group Campground?
South Manitou Group Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at South Manitou Group Campground?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at South Manitou Group Campground?
There is no shortage of activities on South Manitou Island. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to South Manitou Group Campground?
Empire, Michigan.
Source: Getting there
What if South Manitou Group Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Popple Campground - South Manitou Island (2.5 mi, first-come), D.H. Day Group Campground (8.7 mi), and D.H. Day Campground (8.7 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby
Which national park is South Manitou Group Campground in?
South Manitou Group Campground is a Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.