Garden, Michigan: Fayette Historic State Park

May 2023, weekdays, 4-nights, campsite #53

Sunset over bay behind campsite 53 in Fayette Historic Campground
Below: view from inside camper in Fayette Historic Campground site 53

We have previously camped in this park, and we have visited by boat. You can find info from previous visits by clicking on labels at the bottom of this post. This was our first visit since 2015. It is also the first time we made an advance reservation. We called to add an extra day to our trip after our casino stay. We considered stopping at another State Forest Campground after we had nixed Hog Island; however, we decided it would not be worth it to stop elsewhere for only one night. Also, the rate for Fayette was only $10 more than a primitive SF campground. 

Campsite 53 in Fayette Historic State Park Campground

Arrival and campsite 53

After we arrived, I wished we had not made a reservation. The campground was mostly empty, and site 53 is very unlevel. We spent quite a bit of time trying to park our camper in different positions to see if we could get it where we would not need three or more blocks under one side. In the end, we backed in the usual way with blocks under the passenger side. Campsite 53 is one of the more private sites; however, since there was only 1 or 2 other campers during our entire stay, seclusion did not matter at this time of year.

Truck is close to the edge of campsite 53 in Fayette State Park Campground

Garden, Michigan / Fayette Historic State Park and Campground

May 2015, Weekday, 3-nights, Lot #32

water near campsite 32

Arrival and check-in

The entrance into Fayette Historic Park from the main road is paved and it is over a half mile long. Unfortunately, we did not see any wildlife along the way. There was not anyone in the office when we arrived, and I did not see a posting with our name or lot information. We had reserved and paid for lot 32 online, so we continued to our lot and settled in. 

There were two other campers in the park when we arrived, and a few more arrived during our stay. Every time guests arrived at a campsite, a campground employee stopped to see them a few minutes later. I assume, to give them their campsite documents and such. We expected someone to stop and talk with us; however, no one did until the night before we departed. At that time, someone drove by after checking with another camper who had just arrived. He asked if we had checked in, and we said that we had made our reservation online. He asked if we wanted him to bring us our check-in papers. We said that we had our online receipt, and that it did not matter since we were leaving in the morning. He must not have been concerned about this either, because when he returned with paperwork for the other campers, he did not bring us anything.

When we had walked by the Old School Site that morning, it looked like there was a sign in the window at the contact station that said something about checking in at 8:00 or 8:30 a.m. It seems like we were probably supposed to have completed our check-in at the office our first morning, and we did not realize it. Since we had not seen a sign about reserved lots, and there was not a cone on our lot when we arrived, we were glad that our lot had been open when we got there!

Garden, Michigan--Upper Peninsula / Fayette Historic State Park Harbor

August 2011, Fayette Historic Marina, weekday, 1-night

Fayette Harbor

We had camped at Fayette State Park several years ago, and always wanted to visit by boat. The trip to Fayette wasn't very pleasant because we traveled in 2 - 4' waves, and we have a 28' powerboat. We did not see any boaters traveling when we were on the way to Fayette, and travelers who were already there, seemed surprised to see a boat pull in.

After docking, we learned that at least one boater had planned to leave the day we arrived, and had changed his mind. The wind was coming out of the SE, so we thought it would be calm after we got inside the harbor. The water was not rough in the harbor; however, the wind was funneling right down the hill, so it was quite windy during our stay. We were even more surprised to see two more boats arrive later that day, because the water became rougher as the day went on. One couple who had traveled on a large sailboat lost their dinghy during their trip over. They said they have been sailing for 12 years, and this day was the roughest weather they had ever traveled in.

Fayette harbor in 2011

Fayette does not offer marina facilities, such as electricity and a bathhouse. There is a self-serve drop box for slip rent/park entrance fees, and a couple of different options for docking. About 6 - 12 boats can tie up to the main dock, depending on the size of the boat and how close together people park. Our cost on the main dock was $17 for the night. I had read that this was $10, so I guess I got my information from an outdated source. Other options after the main dock is full include rafting off to boats on the main dock, anchoring in the harbor, or tying up to pylons near shore. All of these options have a reduced rate. I think it was $10 to anchor in the harbor for any size boat. We were glad that there was room on the main dock during our stay. 

We always enjoy visiting Fayette State Park. The boat dock is located at the Historic Townsite, and there are picnic tables on shore by the boat dock. There are several miles of walking trails within the park, and there is a visitors center and gift shop a short walk uphill. The pathway to the gift shop is paved and cement, and there are flush toilets in this building. The only facilities other than that, are pit toilets throughout the park, and showers in the campground area about 1/2 mile away.