Free camping near Interlochen, MI

23 camps: 3 free, 20 fee

Within 25 straight-line miles of Interlochen, MI there are 23 camps: 3 free, 20 fee. The closest is Lake Dubonnet State Forest Campground, 3.0 miles north-west of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Dispersed camp — Wexford County, MI, 15 miles out.

Who manages them: 19 on Michigan DNR; 3 on an agency our record does not name; 1 on the Forest Service.

All 23, closest first.
Camp	Miles	Cost	Water	Nearest town	Season today
Lake Dubonnet State Forest Campground	3.0	Fee	—	2.7 mi to Hardwood Acres	—
Lake Dubonnet Trail Camp	3.3	Fee	—	2.4 mi to Hardwood Acres	—
Grass Lake State Forest Campground	5.7	Fee	—	3.1 mi to Bendon	—
Lake Ann State Forest Campground	6.5	Fee	—	0.5 mi to Maple Grove	—
Veterans Memorial State Forest Campground	9.0	Fee	—	3.7 mi to Honor	—
Platte River State Forest Campground	11	Fee	—	2.5 mi to Honor	—
Arbutus Lake State Forest Campground	12	Fee	—	6.2 mi to Kingsley	—
Garey Lake State Forest Campground	12	Fee	—	5.7 mi to Lake Ann	—
Garey Lake Trail Camp	13	Fee	—	5.9 mi to Lake Ann	—
Dispersed camp — Wexford County, MI	15	Free	Anderson Creek (stream)	3.7 mi to Sherman	—
Scheck's Place State Forest Campground	15	Fee	—	5.5 mi to Kingsley	—
Scheck's Place Trail Camp	16	Fee	—	5.8 mi to Kingsley	—
Baxter Bridge State Forest Campground	16	Fee	—	6.6 mi to Kingsley	—
Forks State Forest Campground	18	Fee	—	6.2 mi to South Boardman	—
Healy Lake State Forest Campground	19	Fee	—	4.6 mi to Copemish	—
Dispersed camp — Manistee County, MI	20	Free	Manistee River (river)	2.4 mi to Marilla	—
Dispersed camp #2 — Manistee County, MI	20	Free	Eddington Creek (stream)	2.4 mi to Marilla	—
Seaton Creek Recreation Area	20	Fee	—	5.6 mi to Mesick	—
Old US- 131 State Forest Campground	20	Fee	—	5.6 mi to Manton	—
Spring Lake State Forest Campground	21	Fee	—	1.1 mi to Fife Lake	—
Guernsey Lake State Forest Campground	22	Fee	—	5.8 mi to South Boardman	—
Hopkins Creek State Forest Campground	25	Fee	—	6.3 mi to Manton	—
Hopkins Creek Equestrian State Forest Campground and Trail Camp	25	Fee	—	6.5 mi to Manton	—

Every distance on this page is a straight line from Interlochen, MI, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.