Camping Close to Home in Macomb County

Enjoy the great outdoors and try family camping in Macomb County at the Huron-Clinton Metroparks this summer!

Are you eager for your family to enjoy the great outdoors on a whole new level and want to give camping a try? Are you scared to make that jump before knowing the basics?

If you’re looking for an easy entry point for family camping close to home, you don’t have to go far. Try camping in Macomb County at Lake St. Clair Metropark and Stony Creek Metropark at their family campouts. We spoke with Danielle Mauter, Chief of Marketing and Communications for Huron-Clinton Metroparks and she gave us some great information for families considering this decision.

Camping in Macomb County

Lake St. Clair Metropark will be offering camping in tents only Aug. 2-15, 2023. Here, families can enjoy a rustic style of camping using tents for one night or for multiple nights.

“Lake St. Clair is a temporary campground where you and your family can make a reservation for one night or more,” says Mauter. She explains that families can also enjoy what the park has to offer — like the beach, pool, splash pad, nature center, kayaking, hiking, biking and more at the park.

The cost to camp at Lake St. Clair Metropark is $30 per site per day on Fridays and Saturdays, and $20 per site per day on Sundays through Thursdays. Every person at the campsite will receive a free voucher for the pool, adventure golf or par 3 golf course. They will also receive discounts at the concession stand and on kayak rentals.

Photo credit: Huron-Clinton Metroparks

Stony Creek Metropark will offer camping on Aug. 12, 2023 for a specialty themed family camp-out weekend event, where campers can take part in crafts, stories and activities related to astronomy.

“Stony Creek Metropark is a permanent campground with a family campout event,” she says. “It is one particular night where we’re doing special astronomy themed activities.”

This location is $25 for a regular site and $50 for a large site. Look at the Stony Creek Metropark map to find what type of camping is suitable on each site.

“There are some tent-only sites, but at Stony Creek those are walk-in only,” says Mauter. Walk-in sites require you to park your car away from the campsite and carry all your gear to your site — or backpack into your site carrying just what you need to set up camp.

Families can also enjoy all the amenities at Stony Creek Metropark such as the beaches, trails and slides, to name a few.

Why camping is great

“Camping at the Metroparks as a whole gives families an opportunity to camp near home,” says Mauter. “You can avoid driving multiple hours in the car which is great, especially if you have little kids.”

It’s also nice to camp somewhere that has a lot of family activities. The Metroparks offer so many amenities to keep everyone occupied. You can enjoy everything the parks have to offer until the park closes, and then you can enjoy the camping experience.

“When the park is closed to the public, the areas in the park other than the campgrounds are closed,” she says. “So, people can be on trails and in facilities during normal operating hours and then after that need to be in the campground.”

Photo credit: Huron-Clinton Metroparks

Try to be open-minded when it comes to camping to enjoy the full experience. If you’re enjoying yourself, your kids are most likely to enjoy themselves, as well.

Things you should know

“You also need a Metroparks daily or annual vehicle pass as well as the camping registration fee,” says Mauter. “Daily passes and annual passes are available at the park or you can purchase an annual pass online.”

First-time campers (and even novice campers) may forget some crucial items when packing.

“Some of the things campers have tended to forget are things like marshmallows, bug spray and remembering to pack multiple outfits,” she says. “Temperature changes throughout the day — cooler at night may be hotter in a tent, so wear layers.”

Get your kids involved in the experience by asking them to help plan. Ask them what they think you should pack and find out what they want to bring, too.

“Allow young kids to pack their own bag of toys that they can use at a picnic table (and beyond!) — coloring books, little games, yard games, balls and bicycles,” says Mauter. They will be more likely to enjoy the items if they choose them by themselves.

She explains that families should also make sure to practice park etiquette. “Do not litter or feed animals and to be respectful of other visitors there,” she says.

Also, be sure to check out the Camping Skills Workshops at Stony Creek Metropark on July 23 and Sept. 10, 2023. These workshops are for ages 8 and up. Pre-registration is required, so make sure to register on their site ahead of time to ensure a spot.

For more information on living and learning in Macomb County, visit Make Macomb Your Home. Find more articles like this at Metro Parent’s A Family Guide to Macomb County.

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