Van Buren State Park
Michigan State Park
Write a Review 23960 Ruggles Rd. South Haven, MI 49090 269-637-2788 Reservations: 800-447-2757 Official WebsiteGPS: 42.3336, -86.3048
Overview of Van Buren State Park
Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into state parks and recreation areas, state boat launches, state forest campgrounds and state trail parking lots. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not cover local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas. Learn more: Michigan Recreation Passport
Last Price Paid: $35
Reported by Breezy-N-Wheezy on 7/31/2023
Longest RV Reported: 38 feet (Toy Hauler Travel Trailer)
Reported by RVwithRandC on 7/6/2021
Number of Sites 220
Pad Type grass
Reservations yes
Open Seasonally April - November
Elevation 623 ft / 189 m
Max Stay 15
Max Length 45 ft
Tent Camping Yes







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Reviews of Van Buren State Park 15 people have reviewed this location.
“Nice park”
Reviewed 7/31/2023
Nightly rate: | $35 |
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Days stayed: | 2 |
Sites are pretty close, some mixed trees and bushes around giving some sites a bit more privacy but overall not too much. Trees are less dense here so limited shading in most sites. Also sites can be a mixed bag in terms of leveling, but mostly close enough that you can get level enough without too much work. As with most (all?) MI Sta... more
Sites are pretty close, some mixed trees and bushes around giving some sites a bit more privacy but overall not too much. Trees are less dense here so limited shading in most sites. Also sites can be a mixed bag in terms of leveling, but mostly close enough that you can get level enough without too much work. As with most (all?) MI State Parks there is no water or sewer available at sites so be sure to fill up on the way in. Bathrooms were in pretty good shape and water was hot. Location is nice with easy access to the beach. We camped at Van Buren State Park in a Motorhome.
Breezy-N-Wheezy would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Crowded no views”
Reviewed 9/5/2021
Nightly rate: | $50 |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
Site Number: | 121 |
Booked 2 nights but only stayed one. If you book online there's a fee $8. Plus another fee $8 a night for a yearly pass at the gate. Fees start to add up. It's a walk through the campground, through the day use parking lot, down a trail, to the beach but it is beautiful. Very crowded and noisy. Camping with 500 of your closest friends.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Beautiful State Park!!”
Reviewed 7/6/2021
Nightly rate: | $28 |
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Days stayed: | 5 |
Site Number: | 37 |
RV Length: | 38' (Toy Hauler Travel Trailer) |
This was a beautiful state park that was very busy. There is a single dump station just before you come into the camping area and you are able to come into it from both ways. Spot 37 was on the end of a loop and was very spacious. It was tight backing in our 42' 5th wheel, but manageable. The site was fairly sandy, but had a nice f... more
This was a beautiful state park that was very busy. There is a single dump station just before you come into the camping area and you are able to come into it from both ways. Spot 37 was on the end of a loop and was very spacious. It was tight backing in our 42' 5th wheel, but manageable. The site was fairly sandy, but had a nice fire pit and picnic table.
There were several hiking trails nearby. We took the one out to the beach for a beautiful sunset view. There is a lot of parking so you can just stop by for the day and go to the beach. There is a large covered picnic area as well as a sand volleyball court.
The cell coverage was great and we didn't have any issues while working and doing video calls. The park was quiet at night and didn't get busy until about 8am. There are several activities that the park has to offer and are posted on the white board at the check in area.
We would definitely come back to the beautiful spot!
RVwithRandC would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Great beach + hikes, intimate camping”
Reviewed 6/29/2021
Nightly rate: | $28 |
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Days stayed: | 3 |
Site Number: | 64 |
RV Length: | 16' (Travel Trailer) |
Fantastic beach within seven minutes' walking and easy, nice wooded hikes right off the site. Facilities were functional and clean, check-in was quick. Sites are decently sized but close to neighbors - great for group clusters and extroverts. In late June the Gypsy Moths had invaded and were constantly denuding the foliage, resulting i... more
Fantastic beach within seven minutes' walking and easy, nice wooded hikes right off the site. Facilities were functional and clean, check-in was quick. Sites are decently sized but close to neighbors - great for group clusters and extroverts. In late June the Gypsy Moths had invaded and were constantly denuding the foliage, resulting in a prodigious amount of poop hitting the ground. Mixed with the rain, it made for some pretty slick surfaces. Overheard highway traffic on the last row of the campground. All in all, a functional campground for an incredible time on the beach.
Archstreamers would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Busy Crowded State Park”
Reviewed 6/27/2021
Nightly rate: | $32 |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
Site Number: | 17 |
RV Length: | 28' (Travel Trailer) |
This is a small state park tucked up against Lake Michigan. The amenities consist of a beach. A plus of the beach is that there is a section where dogs are allowed. It is nice to see that. It is a state park that clearly sees heavy day use on the weekend. We stayed on a Sunday night and the day use area was full of people with pop... more
This is a small state park tucked up against Lake Michigan. The amenities consist of a beach. A plus of the beach is that there is a section where dogs are allowed. It is nice to see that. It is a state park that clearly sees heavy day use on the weekend. We stayed on a Sunday night and the day use area was full of people with pop-ups having family gatherings and other events. The beach area was quite crowded.
The campground is well-worn. The sites are small and there is minimal separation from your neighbors. The sites do appear to get larger as you get farther from the beach. Getting level is not possible on some of the sites. On others, the road is so narrow that you will struggle to back a trailer into your site. We also noticed a distinct lack of etiquette among some of the campers. If your campsite is on a direct line between them and the beach, they will come wandering through your site at all hours.
If you are looking for a camping experience with a couple of hundred close neighbors, this may be your spot. If you want a quiet time enjoying nature, I would recommend you look elsewhere.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Wonderful ”
Reviewed 9/11/2020
Days stayed: | 2 |
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Site Number: | 3 |
We stayed mid week in August. It was quiet in our campsite. Walked to the lake each evening for the sunset. Would definitely come back. It was our first official trip in our trailer. The bathrooms were clean.
MTnesters would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“OK but not great”
Reviewed 10/24/2019
Nightly rate: | $37 |
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Days stayed: | 3 |
Site Number: | 125 |
RV Length: | 35' (Class A) |
We stayed here at the end of the summer season and used this as a basecamp to visit South Haven and Saugatuck MI. Rate includes NR state parks annual permit. Campground roads are paved and sites are mostly sand & grass. As others have suggested, we unhitched our Toad at the registration office since some of the camp roads can be tigh... more
We stayed here at the end of the summer season and used this as a basecamp to visit South Haven and Saugatuck MI. Rate includes NR state parks annual permit. Campground roads are paved and sites are mostly sand & grass. As others have suggested, we unhitched our Toad at the registration office since some of the camp roads can be tight maneuvering . There were plenty of sites that can accommodate big rigs with no overhead or slideout issues. Some sites offer 50 amp service but ours was 30 amp only. Probably our biggest issue was 90% of the sites are not level so plan to use leveling blocks or boards under your levelers, or tires & stabilizers. We did not use the RR or shower facilities. It is a short walk to the beach however beach access was closed due to shoreline erosion. The facility is adequately maintained but in no way compares to the quality we typically see at COE parks for much less cost for an electric only campsite.
TaylorTreker would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Loud and Fun”
Reviewed 6/18/2019
Nightly rate: | $33 |
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Days stayed: | 3 |
Site Number: | 153 |
We stayed here with two kids and planned to be here for them. It was loud and they had a blast. They were in love with the park and the number of kids. The site was large and perfect for our pop up camper. Fire pit was perfect for cooking in. The beach was small and not a place to sunbathe but great for rock hunting which we love... more
We stayed here with two kids and planned to be here for them. It was loud and they had a blast. They were in love with the park and the number of kids. The site was large and perfect for our pop up camper. Fire pit was perfect for cooking in. The beach was small and not a place to sunbathe but great for rock hunting which we love. The bathrooms were clean and we enjoyed our stay. The campground was full the entire weekend.
Tlynne73 would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Large campground with Lake Michigan beach access”
Reviewed 9/15/2018
Nightly rate: | $28 |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
Site Number: | 92 |
This is a large, busy park at the southern end of Michigan's Lake Michigan coastline. The sites are flat, grassy, reasonably well spaced and have electric hookups. The lakeshore is accessed by way of an easy walk through the dunes and is a popular spot for watching the sunset. At night although the campground occupants were quiet, you ... more
This is a large, busy park at the southern end of Michigan's Lake Michigan coastline. The sites are flat, grassy, reasonably well spaced and have electric hookups. The lakeshore is accessed by way of an easy walk through the dunes and is a popular spot for watching the sunset. At night although the campground occupants were quiet, you could definitely hear the traffic on nearby I-196 and a low hum from the nearby Palisades power plant to the south. If you are troubled by noise at night this might not be the place for you. For those out-of-staters who are not used to this process, Michigan (like other Midwest states) requires a use permit (recreation passport) for each vehicle (in addition to the camp fee) which can be purchased online ahead of time or at the park registration.
RM would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Van Buren State Park (revisited)”
Reviewed 8/23/2018
Nightly rate: | $30 |
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Days stayed: | 4 |
Site Number: | 208 |
Cell phone service is important to me and AT&T needs to up their game. Two bars was sufficient for the internet and watching a bit of news with the Amazon fire stick, but I prefer at least three to stop all the occasional buffering. I chose site #208, furthest away from the beach in the hope of escaping loud kids and campfires. Becaus... more
Cell phone service is important to me and AT&T needs to up their game. Two bars was sufficient for the internet and watching a bit of news with the Amazon fire stick, but I prefer at least three to stop all the occasional buffering. I chose site #208, furthest away from the beach in the hope of escaping loud kids and campfires. Because the park was basically unpopulated for the first three nights and the weather initially turned rainy and cold there wasn’t much else to complain about. The red flag was up at the beach which warned of danger and no swimming allowed. A few long bike rides, a day trip to Saugatuck, lunch at The Curve, all helped to keep the spirits up. The end of summer felt like it was here, and this feeling I grew up with while being raised in northern Michigan. I did not like it then and I do not like it now. So heading back to Florida early may not be such a bad idea. I love endless summer.
Nomad Reign RV would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
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Van Buren State Park (revisited)
After more than a week now of officially living full-time in our Oliver, I am slowly adjusting to a life of leisure never before experienced. I have always had some project, some property to take care,...
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Amenities
Hookups
- 50 Amp
- 30 Amp
- 20 Amp
- Partial Hookups
Recreation
- picnic area
- playground
- recreation trail
- swimming beach
- water access
Site Amenities
- fire ring
- picnic table
Facilities
- dump station
- firewood
- restrooms: flush
- showers
- trash
- water available
Pets
- pets
Nearby
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