Crystal Lake is an all-sports spring-fed lake in the Township of Crystal, Michigan, near Carson…read moreCity. It is 724 acres in size and 70 feet deep at the deepest point. It is approximately eight miles around by walking or driving. Our daughter-in-law's parents have invited us often to join them at their cottage on Crystal Lake. It is great for boating, kayaking, water skiing, jet skiing, swimming, fishing, and more. Sometimes it gets almost too busy but early mornings are always calm and the best time to sit out and enjoy a cup of coffee. Over the years we have had fierce debates over whether there are actually fish in the lake but some fish have been pulled out once in a while...sometimes even keepers! It is only about an hour from Lansing and two hours from Detroit; a relatively short drive compared to the similar lakes much farther up north. Now back to my nothing box (google it) to stare at the lake.

Camped here over the 4th. Bathrooms were ok, a lot of spider webs…read more Rented a pontoon and it barely worked but got charged anyway. Probably not going back here.

Love this campground! The updates that have occurred over this past year have really brightened the…read morecampground up. Having access to 50 amp service is an absolute plus as well as being able to have my dogs there. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. Great camping experience.

My feet were itching to go for a walk while I was headed up to the BEAUTIFUL Traverse City. I…read moreluckily saw this saving grace of a park on my left and I instantly turned. We got there and absolutely no one was there, but the facilities were luckily unlocked LOL! I relieved myself and then my mom and I went for a walk down trail #1. We eventually found a crossing in the path, and I got overwhelmed, so we turned back around. Satisfied all of my needs!

Used to love this campsite until the DNR threatened to evict us. Quiet hours are expected but if…read morewe're walking around the campsite quietly at night they told us they were worried for our safety and we'd break our leg so we were told we couldn't leave our campsite for any reason. They walked us back to our campsite and threaten to evict us from our campsite if we left again, but how do I use the bathroom at night without leaving my campsite?

In prior years, this park operated under far more competent and principled management. The current…read moreleadership demonstrates little integrity, selectively enforcing rules based on which guests are involved, rather than applying standards consistently. The only faintly positive aspect is the continual turnover in management and staff, which at least suggests this leadership group may not be long‑lasting. Operationally, the park has declined to an unacceptable level. Trailers are now positioned so closely together that a single fire could have catastrophic consequences--an obvious and serious safety hazard that responsible management would never allow. Basic maintenance is also being neglected: sites remain unmowed, trash is left scattered throughout the grounds, and during our most recent visit the bathrooms were not stocked with something as fundamental as toilet paper. The park's inclusivity and overall atmosphere fluctuate from season to season, and this year has been particularly poor. Even core amenities are unreliable; toward the end of last season, the tubing bus broke down on multiple occasions, disrupting one of the park's primary activities. Additionally, the decision to prohibit wood vendors from entering the park forces guests either to bring their own firewood from outside or pay an exorbitant price for sawmill scrap--an unnecessary inconvenience created entirely by management. After four years of visiting, this season has been, by a wide margin, the worst experience to date. I intend to update this review once the current leadership inevitably turns over, assuming the next team demonstrates higher standards and a basic commitment to safety, maintenance, and guest experience.

Five stars... has Eiffel tower. Somebody needs to clean it up at the fence. Go sledding 24/7 behind…read morethe swimming pool. (big Rapids Michigan.)

This is a great park with a really nice beach and swimming area. There are two playgrounds, picnic…read moreshelters, and clean restrooms. We went with some friends recently to check out the beach and I was surprised at how nice it was. The beach is not huge, but it's a good sandy area and the water is pretty shallow for quite a ways, so it's great for kids and the water was quite warm. The bathrooms were clean and conveniently located for the beach. The parking area is a little small, not sure what you'd do if it was really busy. We saw people in kayaks out on the lake and fishing is allowed. There were employees riding around in a golf cart keeping an eye on things but there is no lifeguard at the beach. We don't live super close to this park but when we visit our friends we will definitely be back.

Nice small rolling hills park for 3-5 mile hikes, snowshoeing, or ungroomed cross country skiing…read more No dogs allowed. Unfortunately the gate that forces people to go clockwise is broken so you see people as it is a busy place.

This is a wonderful forested trail that includes a boardwalk over a smallish lake. It's fairly…read moreshort & all level so is perfect for smaller children and adults needing accessibility. There is a good variety of fauna to try to identify, & lots of color in fall. We went mid October on a beautiful fall day & couldn't even get a parking place in spite of ample capacity. But usually there is plenty of space. It's a pretty drive there which makes you forget it's close to large urban area. Very rejuvenating.

One of our hands-down favorite places to hike. There's tons of hike-in camping spots along the…read more11-mile hiking trail, which largely follows the shoreline of the Manistee River with a few inland jaunts on a few of the oxbows. Despite being fairly well known, it's pretty pristine and doesn't feel overly busy but it's also never completely vacant. The river views are lovely, there's plenty of wildlife (great fishing & birdwatching), and there's a cliff swing over the water (huge adrenaline rush for this 43-year-old) on an off-shoot path just past the suspension bridge and a waterfall at mile 3.5 if you're coming from the north. You can return on the main path or on the other side of the river on a section of the North Country Trail.

What a great hiking trail! Parking wasn't bad at Red River Bridge Access…read moreOnce on the trail it is well marked. Campsites were clean and it looks like the hikers who enjoy the trail take good care of it. I didn't see one bit of trash the whole day. It was pretty busy, with folks heading both directions, everyone was very friendly and they all seemed to be enjoying the day! The views are beautiful. Absolutely the best hiking we have done in the lower peninsula. We will absolutely be back!

I've been going here for as long as I can remember. Apparently, it's one of the most popular…read moretourist places in Michigan... mainly just so your kids can jump off the dam and go swimming. The campground itself is very rustic: no electricity, hand water pump, outhouse toilets. The park is free to enter and is a popular fishing spot. The dammed side of the river is very rocky and strong current, and the water level fluctuates from flooding into the forest to a bunch of rocks depending on the season. It certainly offers a rewarding fishing challenge if you can fight off the crayfish, snags, and kids jumping in the way to splash in the water. For a better fishing experience, go to the lake side. Shore fishing is met with blobs of grass and minimal catches, but if you take a small boat out into the reservoir, it's filled with sizeable bluegill, smallmouth bass, and the elusive northern pike. I go to this area several times a year for fishing, photographs, and nostalgia.

Great service, they know the river and will help pick the right trip for your crew or day. We have…read moredone short paddles just to get out and longer packing a picnic. They know exactly when to have you call for timely pick ups downriver.

We were a pain from the beginning to end- 2 dogs and hours late from our pick up and Buckley's was…read moreincredibly nice and accommodating. Even after our SUPER LATE pickup all the staff was still friendly and helpful and we love you guys and can't wait to come back. (Don't like, plan on being late though. Don't be like us. We were bad.)