If you’re looking for a place to stay that’s out of the tourist area but within driving distance to Mackinaw City, Cheboygan State Park is a great option. Located 20 minutes south of Mackinaw on historic US-23, this small but busy campground offers a variety of camping experiences for everyone.
For traditional camping, the Cheboygan Modern area offers electricity, bathrooms, and showers. The sites are not super private but you do have space between yourself and your neighbor. There is even a camp host who provides coffee, hot chocolate, and tea in the mornings as well as weekend activities such as making campfire fudge. They even had a collection of books and magazines available for anyone looking for something to read.
In addition to tent camping, Cheboygan offers rentals for a modern lodge, rustic cabins, or tepees. The tepees caught our interest. This was the first time we had seen something like that in a state campground.
One of the main reasons why we chose to stay at Cheboygan State Campground was because of the hiking opportunities available. There are five main trails throughout the park. We followed primarily the green trail which follows the Lake Huron shoreline and provides views of the Poe Reef Lighthouse, Fourteen Foot Shoal Lighthouse, and the Lighthouse Ruins located on the shoreline. The entire loop is roughly between 3 and 3.5 miles, depending on which route you decide to take.