Settle in for a weekend of nature at Proud Lake Recreation Area. Located in southeast Michigan, this gem encompasses approximately 3,000 acres, including Proud Lake and the scenic Huron River. For me, it was the perfect home base for running the Flirt with Dirt trail race in the neighboring Maybury State Park.
We arrived after the 3 p.m. check-in and pulled up to our home for the weekend. Campsite #71.
We quickly realized the photos online hadn’t quite captured the accuracy of the campsite. Like many of the sites at Proud Lake Recreation Area, our site had a noticeable slant. A bit more pronounced than I had anticipated.
Despite the incline, we were able to get a tent and a screen room set up on a mostly flat section of our campsite. Our picnic table ran a little downhill, but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t work with.
I had picked this site in particular because it had a decent number of trees for me to set up my hammock.
What I Liked
Lake Views. While the lake views were slightly blocked by trees and weeds, there was still a little bit of a lake view directly from our site. We enjoyed watching the paddleboarders, fishing boats, and kayakers paddle around on the lake all day.
Beautiful Sunrises. There were some amazing sunrises each morning over the lake. I wished I had brought my camera.
Trail Access. The campground had direct access to Proud Lake Recreation Area trails. It would be an excellent home base for a day of hiking or trail running.
What I Didn’t Like
Bathroom Troubles. The bathrooms weren’t cleaned very well. They weren’t exactly dirty either, though. One recurring major issue was that all stalls kept running out of toilet paper. The staff did their best to keep up.
The Slope. We were lucky enough to have a site that we could stay somewhat level on. Others were not as fortunate. If you’re planning on camping here, make sure you find a site that is more level than sloped.
Loud. While most campgrounds tend to be loud, Proud Lake Recreation Area had some of the loudest people I’ve ever camped near. They were up, yelling, playing games, and running around until well after midnight. I had wished the park ranger or the host camp had reminded them of the rules of quiet time.
Additional Information
Along with modern camping, Proud Lake also has mini cabins, a camper cabin, a lodge, and two group-use campgrounds.
There are plenty of recreation opportunities, including hiking, boating and fishing, horse riding, mountain biking, and more.
To find more information about Proud Lake Recreation Area, including a camping map and to make reservations, visit the Department of Natural Resources – Proud Lake Recreation Area.
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