By CAMERYN CASS
Capital News Service
LANSING — Campgrounds on private and state lands alike are implementing unusual programs and camping opportunities — think goat yoga and hammocks — to attract people into nature.
“We are trying to draw that crowd in to stay with us and spend some time in the parks, and we’re trying to diversify what that crowd looks like,” said Christa Sturtevant-Good, a reservation system specialist with the Department of Natural Resources.
With the help of COVID-19 lockdowns, the agency did just that.
Michigan state parks’ visitation rates increased 30% in the past year.
Hipcamp, a San Francisco-based online marketplace that connects private landowners to campers, saw booking numbers rise 252% from 2019 to 2021.
Hipcamp sites span America, Canada and Australia, making up a network of hundreds of thousands of camping spots, and is particularly sought in the Great Lakes region.
“It’s a true reflection of the abundance of natural beauty in the region,” Carolina Mejia Erazo, a public relations agent for the company, said.
“We aim to continue to get more people outside to appreciate the value of the region’s nature and the importance of protecting its natural resources,” she said.
At participating sites, Hipcamps offer extras.
In Michigan, campers can experience goat yoga. It’s a traditional, outdoor yoga class with goats roaming around, allowing for a deeper, perhaps stranger connection with nature.
There are also such opportunities as riding horses and indulging in farm-to-table, home-cooked meals.
A camping site in DeWitt, near Lansing, called Grace’s Blueberry Orchard, has been part of Hipcamp for nearly two years, a result of something owner Israel Ramos called a “COVID project.”
Department of Natural Resources
Hammock-only site in Port Crescent State Park in Port Austin is part of an effort to reach new types of campers.The winding gravel road and farmhouse are the only marks of civilization. The 7-acre property provides plenty of space to enjoy privacy and solitude. Though the property is wonderfully remote, it welcomes tents, vans and truck campers.
The brevity of the picking season prevents “blueberry orchard camping” from being its sole attraction.
The proximity to Lansing, in Ramos’ eyes, has brought in a lot of traffic.
“There’s a lot of professionals that are enjoying nature more than they are the hotel life,” Ramos said. “These elements go beyond COVID.”
Still, COVID impacted outdoor interest, reflected in the substantial increase in campsite visitations.
“COVID kind of slowed life down for us in many ways,” said Sturtevant-Good of the DNR. “I think a lot of folks took advantage of that and got outside and realized what they’ve been missing.”
Public and private campground owners are expanding the definition of traditional camping to appeal to wider audiences, and they’ve largely been successful in diversifying the archetype of a traditional camper.
State parks around Michigan expanded camping options with the help of visitor surveys after camping, Sturtevant-Good said. Outdoor recreation opportunities have flourished lately, along with the traffic.
For example, Ionia Recreation Area has something called reimagined mini-cabins stocked with amenities to appeal to what some call glampers, or the modern lodge user.
Wilderness State Park, 5 miles west of Mackinaw City, has a scenic stretch along the water that now offers beach camping in tents with an “incredible view,” Sturtevant-Good said.
Rustic campers might also find solace in the hammock-only camping addition at Port Crescent State Park in Port Austin, a result of a growing hammocking fad.
“It’s definitely something people are starting to gravitate towards, so we wanted to make sure that we had opportunities for those folks,” Sturtevant-Good said.
In August 2021, state parks hit their millionth camper night, the earliest in the year they’d ever hit it. Sturtevant-Good says they expect numbers to continue to rise as people have the time to reconnect with nature during the pandemic.