We left Frankfort and trekked 20 miles north to Empire, Michigan. Ready to explore Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, we made Indigo Bluffs RV Park our home-base for a few days. It’s located three miles from the National Park’s visitor center and equally close to beautiful hiking.

Here’s the breakdown:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQgC_2rpIsk%5D

Location: Empire, Michigan

GPS: 44.80829, -85.99738

Price: $40 and up – the park offers full & partial hookups and back-in & pull-through options.

Date/Temp: We camped at Indigo Bluffs June 10-13th. The weather was amazing – highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s.

Amenities: The campground has a modern lobby with a heated pool, general store, and a laundry & shower facility. There are also numerous bathroom/shower buildings located throughout the park. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit with space to spread out and feel at home. We got a lot of use out of their free wifi and dog run.

Noise: Our site was tucked back in the corner of the park and was peaceful & quiet. Even with the park at full capacity, the spots near the center never seemed noisy. The guests were a mix of families and retirees – and everyone we met was respectful and polite.

Wifi/Cell: Our AT&T service remained at a strong 3G signal, and our T-Mobile received no service. Fortunately, the parks free wifi worked great. Our first day here we streamed with no buffering at all. As the park filled up, we could still stream, but with a few buffering interruptions.

Grocery/Errands: The village of Empire (3 miles) has a gas station, post office, and small market – adequate for minimal errands. We drove into Traverse City (20 miles) to sightsee and do a little grocery shopping. The city is very developed and has many big box stores and unique shopping.

Dog Friendly: Indigo Bluffs is definitely dog friendly. The grounds are large enough to take a long dog walk, they provide doggy-waste bags, and have a fenced dog run. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore also offers many dog friendly hiking trails.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR7BCrtBtj8%5D

Entertainment: Hiking was our favorite form of entertainment in Empire. The trails & views are truly breathtaking. We also spent a day exploring the water-front at Traverse City. Its only 20 miles away, and has orchards, vineyards, breweries, and lighthouses.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGPlc_j2cvE%5D

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Disclaimer – A big thanks to Indigo Bluffs RV Park for allowing us to camp free of charge.  As usual our thoughts and opinions are our own and not swayed or purchased.  We just like to explore and discover new places!