We headed up north to Empire last Friday to check out Indigo Bluffs RV Resort. While driving to this location, you may notice that this campground feels a bit off the beaten path with a wonderful sense of being private and remote in beautiful northern Michigan. Though Indigo Bluffs may feel like it is in the middle of nowhere, it is actually centrally located to quaint towns like Glen Arbor, Leelanau and Interlochen or wonderful sights like Sleeping Bear Dunes. Lake Michigan is a magnificent lake to visit and there are many beaches in the area. Traverse City is also close by offering many activities. You really can’t beat what the location has to offer!
Indigo Bluffs was previously known as Sleepy Bear campground and was bought in 2007 by the Becker Family who camped here for many years. They have built the campground to include a RV gated resort area that currently hosts 25 spots.
The campground area is not gated and features a total of 132 sites presenting rustic cabins, tent and camper sites which includes many seasonal sites as well. There are also cottages available to rent that look appealing. The resort is expanding in 2017 and will offer 50 Amp full hook up & pull through sites.
It was a sentimental journey for Garrin and I to visit as we had spent time tent camping at Sleepy Bear back when we were dating in 1998. We have a lot of fond memories of the place and it was wonderful to see it after all these years.
The area is wooded and the actual sites are quite large though more rustic with mainly dirt as your floor.
Each one features a picnic table and firepit. This is still an ideal place to camp as you really feel you are away from it all. It made me nostalgic for tent camping and if you are interested in that-you must try it here.
Our site for this trip was #131 and featured a scenic backdrop with a field and horses.
The campground features a small camp store in the office to aid if you have forgotten any supplies. They also sell firewood for $6 a bundle, ice for $2.25 for a 7lb bag and will deliver to your campsite. We purchased a couple bundles upon arrival and our escort led us to our campsite with the firewood in tow. He also helped direct Garrin when backing into our spot so I did not have to leave the truck to do so myself.
There is a an older merry go round and playground available for kids to enjoy. Games such as horseshoes, volleyball and basketball can also be found. Families may also relax at the pool. There is also a dog run for pets to hang out. You may leave your trash out by the curb by 10 am daily for pick up or may take to the dumpster at your convenience. The showers run 25 cents for 3-5 minutes and the office has quarters available.
It rained most of Saturday but this did not stop our dogs, Gucci and Tucker from exploring and enjoying a walk around the campground. Luckily, I had packed their raincoats just in case.
Even though the sky may have been gloomy with rain, it is hard not to smile when you look at these dogs in their cute raincoats.
Our best friends, Carol & John , were visiting from California so we spent a decent time in Beulah on Crystal Lake at their family cottage. Beulah was only twenty minutes away from the campground and is just another example of the fun towns available in the area to visit.
This was our first camping trip of the season where we had to deal with rain. Luckily we have an awning to protect us from the elements outside. The maple trees around the campsite also provided a decent amount of cover. We had a full hookup site so plenty of water available to easily clean off the mud tracked into the camper.
Carol & John came back to our campsite to check out the campground and see our camper. We had planned to have a campfire and roast s’mores. Though the rain prevented us sitting around the campfire, we enjoyed hanging out in the camper and chatting. Carol and John also really like the area despite the weather.
Garrin and I could not let a camping trip go by without roasting a marshmallow and eating a s’more so we did not let the rain stop us. We made s’mores over our camper stove. And yes, we briefly set off our smoke alarm as it is very sensitive.
Since we were not able to use our bundles of firewood, we left them at the campsite for the next visitors. It was nice to pay it forward and allow someone to have a fun surprise upon arrival.
Indigo Bluffs is definitely worth visiting. Just hoping for more pleasant weather next time. I highly recommend you check it out and know we will be back again to enjoy the area.
