Ludington State Park recorded the highest number of nights camped among Michigan’s state parks and recreation area campgrounds for fiscal year 2024.
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), visitors camped at Ludington for a total of 45,470 nights, making it the most popular destination in the system. However, this trend is expected to shift next year due to planned upgrades that have temporarily closed the campground.
The facility, which offers over 300 campsites across three campgrounds, will remain closed until July 1, 2025, reducing its availability for the upcoming season.
The annual popularity rankings of Michigan state parks are influenced by factors such as closures, which directly impact the number of nights available for camping. For fiscal year 2024, other parks with high camping activity included Holland, South Higgins Lake, Traverse City, and Wilderness.
Occupancy rates provide another metric for evaluating campground demand. Petoskey State Park led in this category with a 79.56% occupancy rate during fiscal year 2024, maintaining its position as the most consistently reserved campground after achieving a 77.4% occupancy rate in 2023.
Other parks with high occupancy rates included Hartwick Pines, Porcupine Mountains, Young, and Holland.
Statewide, Michigan’s state parks and recreation areas experienced a decline in reservations compared to the previous year. Reservations dropped from 483,217 in fiscal year 2023 to 442,442 in 2024, representing an 8% decrease.
The decline follows a broader trend that began after the peak of a reservation boom during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the DNR, construction closures were a significant factor in the 2024 decrease, with 122,578 more sites closed compared to 2023—a 9.6% increase in unavailable campsites.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the closures are part of an infrastructure improvement initiative funded by $273 million in federal relief, which is addressing long-standing maintenance needs across the system.
The rate of canceled reservations also saw a slight increase in 2024, rising to 13.87% compared to 12.8% in 2023 and 14% in 2022. Despite these fluctuations, Michigan’s state park system continues to be a significant draw for campers, offering diverse opportunities for outdoor recreation across the state.
