Arguably MI's Most Popular State Park Is Shutting Down In 2025

Camping is one of those special things that Michiganders take part in every Spring to every Fall, and there are so many great campgrounds in the state, that it's hard to say which one is the best out of them all. But one thing that can't be argued is the popularity of some parks over others.

Michigan has some very popular campgrounds, some might say, none more so than Traverse City State Park's campground in Traverse City. Unfortunately for people who frequent the camp, they were upset to find that they will be closing on July 7th, 2025, according to Freep.

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One concerned citizen raised their worries in a Facebook post about the closure, saying:

I am concerned. This is being funded by the American Rescue Act funding. How is this saving employees of small businesses who are suffering from the impact of the Covid pandemic. -Bill I.

Another local was quick to remind him that there were some strains that campgrounds saw at the beginning of the pandemic, which this closure looks to heal:

Federal American Rescue Plan relief funding was approved by the Michigan Legislature and has enabled the DNR to tackle a decades-long backlog of state parks, recreation and trail system infrastructure and rehabilitation needs. During Covid, State Parks experienced a huge load of campers, which in turn, put a big strain on campground resources. -Sandy W.

Luckily, the closure is because of a project that will add new camping resources, and refresh the park in general. The $8.5 million it will cost to freshen up the park will come from the American Rescue Plan Act, which Sandy mentioned.