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camping on private property, feet from river, peaceful setting, lots of nature

Photo gallery for camping on private property, feet from river, peaceful setting, lots of nature

Property grounds
Property grounds
Property grounds
Interior
Miscellaneous
Nestled along the serene Bear River, Whispering Pines Campground is a tranquil retreat. With campsites like Whispering Pines and Rabbit Run perfect for tents or small campers, and Little Bear Bend ideal for large campers or tents, each site offers grills, fire rings, picnic tables.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Pet friendly
  • Outdoor Space

Add dates for prices

About this property

camping on private property, feet from river, peaceful setting, lots of nature

5 minutes to downtown Petoskey and Lake Michigan . great food and shopping. situated on bear river, must be self contained, includes garbage removal, has a shared shower house with full amenities, no power or sewage hook up in camping area. canoe kayak and paddle board rentals a few minutes away- or bring your own. 5 campsites available,Whispering pines : tent or small camper- Rabbit Run: tent or small camper, Little Bear Bend large camper or tents, Fern Gully, Rivers Edge.these are very spacious lots . Grills ,fire rings and picnic tables at each site. Available May-October.water available at barn, see your host also port o john on perfect for small campers or tents

Property manager

karen foster

Languages

English

Property amenities

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Shower

Outdoor areas

  • Firepit
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming dogs only
  • 2 pets total

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Designated smoking areas

Things to do

  • Kayak

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • Garden

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 12:30 PM
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
2 total pets

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

About the neighborhood

Map
PETOSKEY, MI

What's nearby

  • Bear River Park - 6 min drive - 3.2 miles
  • Odawa Casino - 7 min drive - 3.2 miles
  • McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital - 8 min drive - 4.1 miles
  • Mackinaw Trail Winery - 9 min drive - 4.5 miles
  • Crooked Tree Golf Club - 14 min drive - 7.5 miles

Getting around

  • Pellston, MI (PLN-Pellston Regional) - 31 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Starbucks - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Applebee's Grill + Bar - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪The Back Lot Beer Garden - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Southwoods Pub and Grill - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Mi Tequila - ‬8 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is camping on private property, feet from river, peaceful setting, lots of nature pet-friendly?

Yes, this campground allows dogs (limit 2 total).

What time is check-in at camping on private property, feet from river, peaceful setting, lots of nature?

Check-in begins at 12:30 PM.

What time is check-out at camping on private property, feet from river, peaceful setting, lots of nature?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is camping on private property, feet from river, peaceful setting, lots of nature located?

Situated in Petoskey, this campground is steps from Bear River, and within 3 mi (5 km) of Bear River Park and Odawa Casino. Lake Michigan and Little Traverse History Museum are also within 6 mi (10 km).

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camping on private property, feet from river, peaceful setting, lots of nature Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 22 out of 22 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 22 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 22 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 22 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 22 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Haeden

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Really nice camp site, feels secluded/private. Good spacing between other campers. You’ll have fun!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was the hottest day of the summer so far but the river was right there to cool off in.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Scott C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Good location

Great location 8 mins from town. Karen and her husband where very welcoming. Great shower room. Would stay again
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Alyssa B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Little Bear Bend

Our family loved this getaway! Karen was an excellent host and very responsive. The grounds and bath house were very clean. Everything we needed and close proximity to everything.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brian C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quick camping getaway

Excellent stay! Karen was an exceptional host. Enjoyed the property and the bathroom set up to allow for showers. The fall colors were stunning. Enjoyed the canoeing as well.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Judy S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great boondocking site

Great stay. A nice private camping spot with just a few other campers. The owner was very helpful with greeting us and providing information anytime we had a question. There is some road noise since it is close to a road, but being from the city, it did not bother usus
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Camp

The property is beautiful and in a great location for exploring petosky. Karen was very nice and helpful. She also owns a canoe livery across the street which could be a fun thing to explore while staying here.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lauren

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Wow what a lovely little private camp site. We were the only campers at this sweet site. Our tent was set up within feet of a lovely flowing river. Shared bathroom was very clean, warm and walkable from our campsite. Coffee was available in the morning which was perfect. Remember to bring an extra blanket or two as the evenings are cool and sometime a bit damp. Loved our stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicholas M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful setting

Everything was amazing! I only wish with only 1 bath house that there was a porta John or something in the rustic part. 4 different rentals sharing 1 bathroom can be a bit difficult
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Nancy J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Little piece of heaven!

What a wonderful stay we had here! Karen is so accommodating and kind. We had a beautiful spot by the river, and loved kayaking on this river. They are close to downtown and yet you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. I highly recommend camping here! Terry and Nancy
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tammi A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peace

Nice place to get away from it all but yet be close enough to it all! We enjoyed the quiet of the property and the river after sightseeing during the day. Karen was very pleasant when we talked with her. Only negative is the distance from the campsite to the bathhouse. But not a deal breaker for us.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Clint D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful campsite on the Near River

We loved our stay at this location! There are two sites and a cabin (separated by a path through the woods) but we had the privilege of having the whole place to ourselves. The bathroom/shower is quite nice and even had a heater for cold northern nights. The host was wonderful and quite attentive when we had questions. The ground is plant covered and the dirt is easy to put stakes in. Lots of little fish in the river. We didn't catch anything large, but my boys had fun!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kathryn T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Scott M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Review

Host was available and accommodating. Nice bathroom and campsite. Enjoyed the experience!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Petosky

Nice to have an actual shower!! Good proximity to many nearby attractions. Just an hour to the mackinaw ferry and an hour drive to rent a boat for torch lake. Lovely hostess!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mike S., Woodstock, Illinois

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Rural Petoskey

Beautiful location just outside Petoskey.
Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2023

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