Camping Near Detroit: Top 3 Places to Enjoy the Outdoors

Image via Bob Maxey Ford.

You don’t have to travel far to get from the city streets of Detroit, MI, to some of the region’s most beautiful natural areas. Check out our three favorite places to go camping within about an hour from downtown.

1. Proud Lake Recreation Area

This state park is less than an hour away from Detroit at 3500 N Wixom Rd in Commerce Twp. Spanning more than 3,000 acres, Proud Lake Recreation Area offers many miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. You can fish for trout in the Huron River and rent a kayak or a canoe for a relaxing paddle. Proud Lake also has an equestrian day staging area.

The park features a modern campground with 130 sites, electrical hookups, a boat launch, a sanitation station, restrooms, and views of the lake and woods. It also has two accessible camper cabins next to Powers Beach by the river. These cabins sleep up to six and have an outdoor deck, fire pit, picnic table, and cooking grill.

2. Maumee Bay State Park

Located at 1400 State Park Rd in Oregon, OH, Maumee Bay State Park is on the shores of Lake Erie just over an hour from Detroit. Popular activities here include birdwatching for more than 300 native species and golfing. This park also features family-friendly trails, archery, boating, fishing, a disc golf course, and a nature center, so pile everyone into your Ford Explorer for a fun weekend.

The Maumee Bay State Park Campground offers electrical and full hookup sites, some of which allow pets. The large, open campsite area overlooks natural meadows and includes ponds, playground equipment, five miles of multi-use trails, horseshoe pits, a basketball court, and bike rentals. Two beaches allow swimming from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

3. Bald Mountain State Recreation Area

You’ll find this park just 30 minutes north of Detroit, so it’s ideal for a quick getaway. Bald Mountain incorporates some of the region’s toughest terrain and includes lakes, trout streams, and an extensive trail system that connects to the rail-to-trail Pollyann Trail and Paint Creek Trail facilities. It has two boat launches and an archery range. The Bald Mountain Shooting Range is also nearby.

You can rent one of two rustic cabins that are suitable for large groups. Each sleeps up to 20 people and has a vault toilet, water pump, and wood stove. There’s also a fire ring, a grille, and two picnic tables. Consider this park for a family reunion or scouting trip.

Find the perfect new Ford for all your adventures today. Visit Bob Maxey Ford in Detroit, MI today to browse our impressive inventory.

Posted in Things to Do in Detroit | No Comments »