← National forest campgrounds

Meadows ORV Campground

Mio Ranger District, near Luzerne · Huron-Manistee National Forests

Reserve on recreation.gov

An off-road-vehicle campground built around the Meadows ORV Trail System, so plan on dirt bikes and ATVs and the engine noise that comes with them. About a dozen nonelectric sites in pine and hardwood forest, with vault toilets, a hand-pump well, and no hookups. The West Branch of Big Creek runs just southwest, but this is a trailhead camp, not a swimming spot. Access road is rough, and it runs first-come, first-served.

Aerial view of Meadows ORV CampgroundFrom above. USDA NAIP, public domain.

The vibe

Dark skies (Bortle ~3)

Works for hammock, tent, RV, van / car. Measured dark skies, a real one for stargazing.

Hanging a hammock?

Hammocks are fine in Michigan state parks. There's no rule against them. The rule is about the tree: use wide, tree-friendly straps, no nails or wire, and don't tear the bark. The state sets no strap or tree-size requirement, so when in doubt, ask the park. We'll point you at sites that likely have trees worth hanging from, but we can't see the trunks, so eyeball it on arrival.

The facts

  • 13 reservable sites.
  • No accessible sites listed.
  • Reserved through recreation.gov, not us. We don't track openings here yet.

About 22 miles east of Grayling, near Luzerne.

Reserve at recreation.gov →

Thicket is not the Forest Service and not affiliated with it. The facts come from the federal RIDB (public domain); the vibe read is our estimate from open data (OpenStreetMap, USGS elevation, NASA Black Marble nighttime light). Sites, fees, and access can change. Confirm and book at recreation.gov, and leave no trace.