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White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits
NPSNational Park Service — EMPIRE · Michigan · Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
| Agency | NPSNational Park Service |
|---|---|
| Area | Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore |
| Location | EMPIRE · Michigan · Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore · 44.73794, -86.08566 · Map |
| Sites | 7 public sites counted from the federal listing — 7 hike to |
| Getting a site | Reservable — the federal listing marks this campground as taking reservations. Some sites or seasons may still be first-come; the listing’s own words are below. |
| Hookups | Electric at 0 of 7 sites Water hookups at 0 of 7 sites Sewer hookups at 0 of 7 sites Full hookups (all three at one site) at 0 of 7 sites Counted site by site from affirmative reports in the federal record. A site with no report is not counted either way. |
| Max RV length | Not reported in the federal data |
| Months open | Not in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | Camping Use Fee: The camping fee is $13 per campsite per night Entrance Fee: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore charges a variety of entrance fees, depending on how a visitor arrives at the park (by private vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, boat or on foot). All visitors must pay an entrance fee (separate from camping fees). The park also honors valid America the Beautiful-the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands annual or lifetime passes (also known as an interagency pass, e.g., Senior, 4th Grade, Military, etc.). For more information visit the park's Fees & Passes web page. Current Vehicle Fees: $25 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore vehicle entrance fee (1-7 days). $45 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore annual pass (if camping more than 7 days). The Michigan Recreation Passport is not valid for entry at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which is a federally managed site. |
| Check-in / out | In 02:00 PM · Out 12:00 PM (most common in the listing) |
| Phone | 231-326-4700 |
Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →
This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-03-11.
From the official listing
Overview 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. It is located approximately two miles from the Trail's End Road trailhead on the Platte Plains hiking trail south of Empire just off of M-22.
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.
Summer temperatures range from upper 70s to 90 degrees F (25° to 32° C) during the day, and from the 50s to 70 degrees F (10° to 25° C) at night.
Winters are cold, with daytime highs from 20° to 30° F (-7° to -1° C) and lows in the 10s and 20s F (-12° to -7° C). Snow is usually on the ground from late November through March.
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.
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.
Directions, from the listing
FROM THE EAST (Traverse City): Take State Highway M-72 west to Empire. Turn south on State Highway M-22.
To Trails End Road: Drive 6 miles to Trails End Road - turn right
Drive 1 mile to the trailhead
To Platte Plains Ski Trail Parking: Drive 6.5 miles - the trailhead parking area will be on the right To Peterson Road: Drive 9.5 miles to Peterson Road - turn right
Drive 1.5 miles to the trailhead unloading zone on the right
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FROM THE SOUTH (US-31 / M-115): At the junction of US-31 and M-115, continue north for seven miles. Turn left onto Platte Road. Proceed five miles and turn right onto M-22.
To Peterson Road: Drive 1.5 miles to Peterson Road - turn left
Drive 1.5 miles to the trailhead unloading zone on the right
To Platte Plains Ski Trail Parking: Drive 4.5 miles - the trailhead parking area will be on the left To Trails End Road: Drive 5 miles to Trails End Road turn left
Drive 1 mile to the trailhead
Nearest federal campgrounds
2 mi straight-line · Honor MichiganNPSNational Park ServiceD.H. Day Group Campground
11 mi straight-line · EMPIRE MichiganNPSNational Park ServiceD.H. Day Campground
11 mi straight-line · Glen Arbor MichiganNPSNational Park ServiceSouth Manitou Group Campground
19 mi straight-line · EMPIRE MichiganNPSNational Park ServicePopple Campground - South Manitou Island
21 mi straight-line · Empire Michigan
Trip Card — White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits
EMPIRE · Michigan · Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
| Agency | NPS · National Park Service |
|---|---|
| Location | EMPIRE · Michigan · Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore |
| Fees | Camping Use Fee: The camping fee is $13 per campsite per night Entrance Fee: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore charges a variety of entrance fees, depending on how a visitor… |
| Getting a site | Reservable |
| Hookups | None reported |
| Max RV | Not reported |
| Months open | Not in federal data |
| Sites | 7 sites |
Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10303139 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.