Black Creek State Forest Campground

It’s a dump. A trash field. Toilet paper strewn all about the place, because people pooped in the woods with bathrooms right there? I don’t know.

Budweiser boxes and bottle caps and cans scattered through half of the open sites.

And though Michigan has waived their “passport” fees, this site doesn’t indicate that. So the cost is reflective of $15 for camping + $9 for the passport fee.

Were they to use these fees to pay someone to clean up the sites, encourage people not to trash them, or burn J + T 2020 into brand new picnic tables that were so coated in filth as to have me asking the kiddos to please stay far, far away...well maybe $24 would be worth it. I’d reckon they should just figure out how much they need to charge to keep a campground host on site so at least things could be monitored a bit. But I suspect that the regulars just don’t care, a cigarette butt and a beer cap belong on the ground type of mentality dominating.

We actually only stayed here on recommendation from a relative. We have skipped Michigan’s state offerings over the last month because, well, compared to the National Forests, they’re all smaller, less private and generally more trash-laden.

Lots of generator use, parties (I like to party, though, so...) and day use people coming into the campground to picnic.

And the curious nature of why the river is damned up at the bridge just south of the park makes one wonder as well.

Probably the worst spot we’ve stayed at in years.

Some sites are really large, though, and many have plenty of sun for solar. Verizon was hit or miss, didn’t work at all for hours then would chug along nicely for others.

All in all, I am concerned that my soul will punish me for the evening wasted here...but state and more local offerings are the only places to go, no National Forest down the middle of the Mitten.

Came in late on a Friday night and setup. Saturday Morning DNR parks came through and checked our permits, and gave us some information on paperwork. (I had questions) very nice people. Park is quite, and space is ample for our 27 foot trailer. Someone before us left glass bottles on the fire pit which we cleaned up. And the picnic table was pretty bad shape. But other than that, a nice park.

A very nice little Campground. Most of the sites are fairly level. There are fire rings at every site. No electricity, no water on site. Pit toilets at two locations, and drinking water at two locations. Water is from local town. No dumpsite.
Fishing on the Black Creek, but not suitable for swimming.

Beside the nightly camping fee you must have a Michigan recreation passport that can be purchased when checking in.

DNR ranger said at most camp is only about 50% full