Michigan may be “The Mitten State” for good reason, but summer is coming. If you can’t type on your computer keyboard with gloves on, you’d best take them off if you want a state park reservation for July 4th. Michigan state parks reservations can now be made six months in advance. Translated, in just a few days, on January 4, you can make a July 4 reservation.
Six months not just for RVers and tenters anymore
This may not be a surprise to savvy RVers—the state made the change to a six-month window for campsites a while back. But state officials say it dawned on them, not everyone stays in an RV or a tent. The new reservation window applies to folks who may want to stay with their RVing friends and kinfolk while occupying a dome, yurt, or cottage.
Still, there’s news for the soloing RV set. Michigan recreation passports are going up in price. Come January 1, the passport will bump up from $13 to $14 for the annual vehicle pass for Michigan residents. You’ll need one to access campgrounds, and for boat launches, or day use. Here’s a link to the various Michigan Recreation Passport fees.
Here’s another hint—Save five bucks doing this
For Michigan residents, you can get one when you renew your vehicle registration tabs. You can also get them at state parks, with the exception of Belle Isle Park. Better to buy it when renewing your tabs though. A pass purchased at a park has an additional $5 fee.
For Michigan state parks reservations, click here.
##RVT1137b
$14 annual passport is for Michigan residents Only!
out of state was $39 now $40 non resident.
daily non resident is still $ 11
So many states are pulling this garbage, wanting more $$$ from out of staters.
They send us very expensive paperwork, come visit us and spend your $$$.
We’ve visited many states and now, no way. I hope you lose $$$ for your invites and now folks going to more welcoming states.
Look at all the empty sites, look where greed got you…
Thank you for the update, Russ and Tina! Have a great 2024! 🙂
As we live in a summer camping destination area in Michigan, we see what is happening year-in, year-out. When K-12 schools get out for the summer, there are often a plethora of sports camps, etc. Families often don’t start their summer vacations until late June to mid-July. And a vast majority of K-12 schools require kids’ presence by mid to late August. Not necessarily for teaching, but for registration, books, etc. The result is a 6-week window where it at least feels like everyone wants a premier vacation. The problem is venue operators don’t have a budget to accommodate everyone in the same 6-weeks and have the excess capacity sit idle the other 48 weeks of the year. Ditto for staffing.
Just the other day, I spoke with camping neighbors down here in Texas who were grousing about having to make reservations so far in advance for Michigan next summer. I asked about when they expected to go? Yep. Same 6-week window. When I explained the problem, the light-bulb over their head flashed on.