Campgrounds
Campgrounds are licensed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and regulated by the BEDHD under the authority of Part 125 of Public Act 368, PA 1978. Licensing and regulation of campgrounds is carried out to achieve the following goals:
- To eliminate public health conditions or hazards that could lead to injury, illness, or death.
- To minimize public health conditions that could pose a nuisance.
- To increase operator awareness and understanding of EGLE rule changes.
- To facilitate a working relationship between operators and EGLE.
BEDHD works with the campground owner/operators to ensure that the camping experience is safe and enjoyable.
What Is a Public Campground?
The MDEQ campground rules define a campground as "A parcel or tract of land…offered for the use of the public of members of an organization…for the establishment of temporary living quarters for five or more recreational units." Recreational units include tents. Campgrounds can be:
- Modern: A service building with flush toilets and water under pressure or water and sewer connections at individual campsites.
- Primitive: Privies only with no individual water of sewer connections at campsites.
- Temporary: Operates for 2 weeks or less with a 2-week extension if permitted by the local health department. Steps to Apply For A Temporary License
BEDHD currently audits 33 campground having a total of 2,914 campsites. All campgrounds are audited on an annual basis for safety and environmental hazards.
***The Temporary Campground License Application is a triplicate form and may not be downloaded or copied. Please visit our Barry or Eaton office for the application or call EGLE's Campground Program at 517-282-4032.***