Chief Noonday Chapter Camping -- NCTA

Camping Possibilities Near the Chief Noonday Trail

(Provided as a courtesy by Larry Hawkins, President, Chief Noonday Chapter)

There is no camping that is formally sponsored by the NCTA, but below are some options that are available.

I hope this helps you. I would suggest that you formalize camping plans before you start out as to costs, as we have no formal arrangements for camping with any of these camps.

Good hiking!

Larry Hawkins

Kalamazoo County

Just as you enter Kalamazoo County from the east you will pass right by the entrance to the Fort Custer Recreation Area, which is a State Park with camping. (See map.) This is located right after you leave the section of Trail that goes through the Fort Custer Cemetery woodlands and head for Augusta.

Barry County

1. Just south of the Yankee Springs section of the Trail, located not too far west of the Trail, is the Circle Pines Campground. Circle Pines can be reached by an easy walk down a woodsy gravel road. This is a camp and retreat center that sponsors summer camps for inner-city kids from Chicago and has a lot of other programs at other times of the year. It has a small year round staff who are nice folks and would be happy to accommodate hiker campers. The camp is rather rustic. They have tent sites and water available. They do have a fee for using their facilities. For security reasons the campground is not available to Trail users when children are in camp.

2. Further north as you cross Gun Lake Road you come to several options, the first of which is Deep Lake Campground, which is a primitive campsite for the Yankee Springs Recreation Area. It is east of Hall Lake, and you can follow the mountain bike trail to it -- if you don't get run over.

3. Just north of the Deep Lake Unit is Sharp Park Campground, which is a private campground run by Peter Forsberg and his wife Dee. They are members of our Chapter and supporters of the Trail. I believe they have full facilities such as hot showers and the like.

4. West of Hall Lake not too far off and connected to the Trail is the Long Lake Outdoor Center, which is a camp also run by Peter and Dee, an old Conservation Department lodge and cabins. Primitive toilets, cabins and water. Peter and Dee are pretty laid back, and I think they'd find a place for you to pitch a tent.

5. Further north two or three miles is Chief Noonday Outdoor Center. This lodge/camp is similar to Long Lake and is also run by Peter and Dee with similar facilities.

6. Further along the Trail after you cross M-37 and hike into Irving, the NCNST joins the Paul Henry Trail, which is a paved bike trail to go north for a few miles. If you hike south a couple of miles, you come to Whispering Waters Campground located on the Thornapple River. This is a private full facility campground which caters mostly to trailers and campers, but I think they'd also find room for a tenter.

7. During the summer months, it is illegal to camp in the Barry (map) and Middleville (map) State Game Areas. However, during hunting season, it is legal to camp in the game areas off the Trail. You may be taking your life in your hands, and I would wear hunter orange. There are no safe water sources; so you would have to draw from lakes or streams and use your filter, but that is doable.

Last modified: Friday, March 14, 2008
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