Sand Lake Campground

Our family had a great time at this campground! The hosts are very nice and helpful. We were happy to see the sites were very private, with lots of space. There were also hot showers and flushing toilets that were fairly clean. Our kids had fun swimming in the lake and catching a lot of fish. We can't wait to go back again!

9 months ago

Great spot other than the Camp Host from Oregon . We drove through today looking for a site as the website says open 24/7 ( very misleading ) there was no closed sign on the check in stand. Other than a sign behind the pay box saying "see next camp host ". So we drove through to check for a spot as the gate was open. The camp host proceeded to lock us behind the gate saying " should have checked with camp host " acting like he couldn't hear me while pumping up his already inflated bike tires. Had to shout at him for 3 minutes while he ignored me. A simple closed sign would be great.

6 months ago

Great state park! This was perfect for two nights and a decent/doable location from Manistee. It was awesome to have flushing toilets and showers, though they needed a little help (clogged shower drain, one was out of service, general tidy-ness). I thought that our site space was huge, well-maintained and the campground in general was really pleasant. Granted it was a holiday weekend, but this is not a "quiet" campground. Super family-friendly (which is awesome!!!), but lots of kids running around enjoying themselves. The beach area is small but sooo nice to have right there. My only "complaint" is that it was expensive! $32+ a night. But, that's what probably gets us the showers and flushing toilets, so I'll take it. I'd camp here again!

6 months ago

Nice camping spot near small lake. The lake is very clear and very warm. Real pleasure to swim. Amazing forest, camp sites are not big. Some I even doubt can feet 2 tents. Anyways we loved it.

7 months ago

This campground was awesome! The beach was perfect for the kids. Shower houses were very clean. The best part of the trip was the camp hosts (Chris and Ralph). They kept all facilities very clean and made sure we had everything we need to enjoy our stay. We had a group of 40 family members and were adle to get connecting sites. We will be repeat campers at Sand lake!

a year ago

We come every year, and it there seems to be a new Campground Manager every year. Aaron is doing a great job! Very friendly and helpful. With all the rain, he has kept the bathrooms clean and fresh! It is one of the only Federal DNR Campgrounds with showers, flush toilets, and clean bathrooms. Nice shaddy sites, lots of trees, and a decent amount of space in the sites, as well as between sites. Fairly distributed between first come, first serve, and Reservable sites. No electric, but there are a few potable water pumps throughout the park. It is a bit more pricy than the other parks, at $32.00 per single site. The local grocery store, with an ace hardware and a gas station conveniently, is about 2 miles from the park. Fantastic Pizza Place, Shandys, for those rainy nights you just don't want to deal with cooking. Fishing, boating, and swimming. Maximum 14 days. Overall, it is worth the visit.

9 months ago

We spent 15 days camping at beautiful Sand Lake as we have for most of the last 43 summers. Hosts, Chris and Ralph, were wonderful. The bathrooms (including the pits) were kept spotless and in good condition. We have never seen soap provided in the past and it was a welcome change. We have seen the beach area declining (broken benches and stairs) over the last several years, but this year repairs had been made and the park was obviously better cared for. Thank you so much, Chris and Ralph and secondary host. We had a great time and look forward to next year!!

a year ago

We just wrapped up a camping trip here, which was our first time visiting here. We enjoyed site 12 with friends. The space was slated for eight people but it was only the four of us. The driveway for our site only had room for two cars and there was just enough space for two tents that were on pretty flat ground. We really enjoyed how tucked away our spot was in comparison to some other camping spots. The length between the bonfire ring and the picnic table was a safe distance too. The site is mostly a mix of sand and dirt, making it safe to put out embers that may jump out quickly. Site 12 also was a good distance from the bathroom and had a really short trail down to the beach/recreation area. Bathrooms were very clean to our other experiences at other campgrounds. We were very happy with the availability of hot showers. There were two shower heads make it easily accessible for those in wheelchairs or those who want to clean off their dogs. Sometimes you might have to wait depending on how busy it is but it’s worth it. If your spot is farther from the bathroom, you can drive there and park just outside the bathroom. If you need water or need to do a quick rinse, there are water spigots where you can quickly fetch water too. We were also able to find just enough dry wood around the perimeter of our camp for our entire stay. If you need food, there is a great grocery store a short drive from camp. The camp manager and it’s workers are usually available around the camp keeping it in camping shape too. We even asked about the treatment of the lake for safety purposes and was told they had just treated it in may, giving us peace of mind to enjoy the lake with worry. The lake itself is on the smaller end but still enjoyable on a hot day. It’s also quite shallow making it great for families with small children. However, we do recommend wearing water shoes given the amount of hermit crab shells and rocks found along the beach. If you have water crafts or a boat, there is a ramp for public access. There’s also bathrooms close to the beach that are kept clean too so you don’t have to trek all the way back to camp. There’s also grills and picnic tables at the beach in case you wanted to enjoy a meal at the beach too. We were very happy with our stay here and would recommend it for friends and family in the future.

a year ago