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Recreation.govMI

White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

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Upcoming Availability

6 of 14 days currently show available sites.

View releasing sites

Fri, Sep 11

None

available

Sat, Sep 12

1

site

Sun, Sep 13

1

site

Mon, Sep 14

1

site

Tue, Sep 15

1

site

Wed, Sep 16

1

site

Thu, Sep 17

1

site

Fri, Sep 18

None

available

Sat, Sep 19

None

available

Sun, Sep 20

None

available

Mon, Sep 21

None

available

Tue, Sep 22

None

available

Wed, Sep 23

None

available

Thu, Sep 24

None

available

Campground guide

What to know before booking

White Pine Backcountry Campground is a primitive camp located in the southern district of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, on the lower peninsula of Michigan. This year-round campground has six campsites, two shared fire rings, pit toilet, and two shared animal resistant food storage lockers. The campground is within wilderness.

reservation Window

7 Days

max Stay

14 nights

Official campground details, summarized

Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.

Facilities

This year-round campground has six campsites, two shared fire rings, pit toilet, and two shared animal resistant food storage lockers. Plan to pack your water into the campsite, as there is no well in the campground. Pack it in, pack it out. Whatever you bring in, you are responsible for bringing out. Trash receptacles are not provided.

Natural Features

The campground is within wilderness. Designated Wilderness areas are the most protected public lands in America. They are managed with restraint to preserve characteristics of wilderness and solitude. The Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness, within the boundaries of the Lakeshore, is over 30,000 acres. The beaches of Lake Michigan are about 1/2 mile (0.80 km) walk from camp. Although the lakeshore is long and narrow, it has northern hardwood and conifer forests, abandoned farm meadows, wetlands, lakes, streams, bogs, and splended examples of glacially formed landscape. The most prominent features in the park, and those for which it is named, are perched sand dunes above Lake Michigan. The overlooks at Sleeping Bear, Empire and Pyramid Point bluffs are about 400 feet (122 m) above the lake. Within 65 miles (105 km) of Lake Michigan shoreline and numberous inland lakes and streams, the park is wonderfully water-oriented.

Recreation

The Platte Plains trail system boasts more than 25 miles (40 km) of trails, some of which can be accessed a short walk away from the campground.

Important notices

Entrance Fees - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore charges a variety of entrance fees, depending on how a visitor arrives at the park. All visitors must have an entrance pass (separate from camping fees). The park also honors Federal Recreational Lands interagency passes (e.g., annual, senior, access, military, 4th grade, Golden Age). For more information visit the park's Fees & Passes web page. The Michigan Recreation Passport is not valid for entry at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which is a federally managed site.
PERMIT CONDITIONS - 1. This is a required permit area. Print your permit and have it in your possession during your stay. 2. Check-in time is 2 p.m. Check-out time is noon. Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Noise levels must be controlled at all times. 3. A maximum of two tents and four people are permitted at each backcountry campsite. To minimize impact to natural resources, set up your tent in the cleared area of your campsite. Do not set up your tent on vegetation. 4. Camp only in one of the six designated campsites. Sites are not assigned in advance. Campers choose from the unoccupied sites upon arrival. Each site has a numbered post at its entrance. 5. Use a backpack-style stove for cooking or use the community fire rings provided. Only burn dead, down, and detached wood in the fire ring. Do not burn trash or leave aluminum, glass, or other non-burnable materials in the fire ring. Beach fires are restricted to bare beach sand between the water's edge and the first dune. Do not leave fires unattended. 6. Carry out all refuse. Please leave a clean, neat campsite for the next camper. 7. Pets are prohibited in White Pine Backcountry Campground. 8. Bicycles, wheeled devices, wheelbarrows, wagons, carts, and trailers are prohibited on the Platte Plains trail and the White Pine Backcountry Campground. Do not create short-cuts. 9. Keep all food, drinks, coolers, toiletries, hygiene products, trash, recyclables, and scented items stored in the provided food storage lockers when not in use. Do not feed the wildlife.
Violation of terms may result in permit suspension, revocation and/or issuance of a citation by law enforcement.

More at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Other tracked campgrounds from the same park or area.

Surrounding campgrounds

Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.

Platte River Campground

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

2.3 mi

D.H. Day Campground

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

11.5 mi

Kneff Lake Campground

Huron-Manistee National Forests

74.3 mi

Meadows Orv Campground

Huron-Manistee National Forests

88.2 mi

Wagner Lake (Mi)

Huron-Manistee National Forests

96.1 mi

Island Lake (Mi)

Huron-Manistee National Forests

96.9 mi

Common questions

Is White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits available right now?

Kestrel's most recent scan found openings on 6 of the next 14 days, starting Sat, Sep 12. Availability changes constantly — check the calendar above, then confirm on Recreation.gov.

How do I book White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?

Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.

How far in advance can I book?

Recreation.gov lists a booking window of 7 Days for this campground.

How quickly will I hear about a cancellation?

Kestrel rescans every two minutes, and every 30 seconds during the provider's daily release window. Alerts go out by email as soon as a matching site appears.