Benzie County, Michigan: Betsie River Campground, Betsie Valley Trailway, Betsie River, dining, and more

September 2019, Weekend, 2-nights, Campsite 57

Water conditions in Frankfort the weekend of our stay.

Bestie River Campground reservations and check-in

We had hoped to take our boat to Frankfort and stay at Harbor Lights Resort Marina (details in one of my previous Frankfort posts); however, the boating forecast was not good, so we decided to camp instead. Just a couple of days before the weekend, we called, and were able to reserve the last available pull-through campsite at this park to accommodate our 5th wheel. The owner said that the sites along the perimeter against the woods are not large enough for us. I thought the cost was a tad steep; $37 a night for 30 amp with water hookup, and $35 for 20 amp with water. Friends of ours stayed here a couple of years ago, and told us the breaker kept blowing on their 30 amp site. We did not have that problem, although the campground website says the following for 20 amp sites: If ya try to run a toaster, hair dryer, coffee pot and microwave all at the same time while eating pop tarts and watching satelite TV...well ur gonna watch us flip breaker switches. If you can camp without all of the bells and whistles goin' at the same time you will be fine.

We paid one night's deposit when making the reservation, and the balance at check-in. We were allowed to check-in early, as there was no one on our campsite from the night before.

Campsite 57 at Betsie River Campground.

Betsie River Campground site 57

The pull through sites in this campground are set up to face each other (with alternating connection locations), and the fire rings can be placed wherever you want. There were at least six fire burn spots on our site. The alternating hookups are great, if you are camping with others; however, we had hoped for more privacy, since we were camping alone for the first time in several weeks.

Another view of campsite 57 at Betsie River Campground.

Paris, Michigan (Mecosta County): Paris Park & Kayaking Muskegon River

September 2019, Weekday-weekend, 3-nights, Campsite 62 

Paris Park campsites 58, 60, 62, and 63

We camped on site 62, and friends camped on site 58. We initially wanted sites 60 and 62; however, 60 had been reserved by the time we finalized our plans to visit. If you want two sites together, sites 60 and 62 are two of the best campsites in this park. If you are camping alone, and want privacy, be aware that these campsites are very open to each other. We parked our truck next to the line to create a bit of privacy between 60 and 62.

Click on photo to enlarge it

On the reservation site, campsites 58 and 62 both say they accommodate a, "Large RV or 5th Wheel;" however, it was tricky getting into both of these sites. Additionally, I was verbally told that site 63 would accommodate a 5th wheel (even though the online information says it is a tent site), and neither of us would have gotten on that site because of the trees and incline.

Campsite 58 is tricky, because there are many trees on this site. Our friends barely fit on the site with a 28' 5th wheel with one slide out. We actually had to remove one of the posts until they had parked. We were obviously not the first ones to do this because the post was loose when we checked it.