Openings · last 7 days
7
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 7 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-10303139
When White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits reopens
White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
13
Openings · last 90 days
13
Only 13 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 183 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 21 open for online reservation · 162 not yet released.
Where the open windows are
88.5% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 21 of 183 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Not open online88.5%
Open site-nights21 / 183
Reserved (of online inventory)0 / 21
Weekday openings12
Weekend openings9
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 12 fall on weekdays and 9 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027November shows no online availability. 0 of 30 tracked site-nights are open there — 30 not yet released.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 1 site| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 0 | None open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 0 | None open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 0 | None open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: no online availability on any tracked night. Christmas: no online availability on any tracked night. New Year: no online availability on any tracked night.
Availability
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| White Pine Campground | 21 |
This site currently has 21 site-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateFri · Sep 18
Next open weekendFri · Sep 18
November0 of 30 · not yet released
The next bookable night is Sep 18; the first open weekend starts Sep 18. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
21 open site-nights across 1 site at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 1 2-night, 1 3-night, 1 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 18 at site White Pine Campground.
All 1 site with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Pine Campground | Not recorded | None | 21 | 21 nights | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +9 more |
About White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits
Overview
White Pine Backcountry Campground is a primitive camp located in the southern district of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, on the lower peninsula of Michigan. It is located approximately two miles from the Trail's End Road trailhead on the Platte Plains hiking trail south of Empire just off of M-22.
This year-round campground has six campsites, two shared fire rings, pit toilet, and two shared animal resistant food storage lockers. Plan to pack your water into the campsite, as there is no well in the campground.
Summer temperatures range from upper 70s to 90 degrees F (25° to 32° C) during the day, and from the 50s to 70 degrees F (10° to 25° C) at night.
Winters are cold, with daytime highs from 20° to 30° F (-7° to -1° C) and lows in the 10s and 20s F (-12° to -7° C). Snow is usually on the ground from late November through March.
Recreation
The Platte Plains trail system boasts more than 25 miles (40 km) of trails, some of which can be accessed a short walk away from the campground.
Facilities
This year-round campground has six campsites, two shared fire rings, pit toilet, and two shared animal resistant food storage lockers.
Plan to pack your water into the campsite, as there is no well in the campground.
Pack it in, pack it out. Whatever you bring in, you are responsible for bringing out. Trash receptacles are not provided.
Natural Features
The campground is within wilderness. Designated Wilderness areas are the most protected public lands in America. They are managed with restraint to preserve characteristics of wilderness and solitude. The Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness, within the boundaries of the Lakeshore, is over 30,000 acres.
The beaches of Lake Michigan are about 1/2 mile (0.80 km) walk from camp. Although the lakeshore is long and narrow, it has northern hardwood and conifer forests, abandoned farm meadows, wetlands, lakes, streams, bogs, and splended examples of glacially formed landscape.
The most prominent features in the park, and those for which it is named, are perched sand dunes above Lake Michigan. The overlooks at Sleeping Bear, Empire and Pyramid Point bluffs are about 400 feet (122 m) above the lake. Within 65 miles (105 km) of Lake Michigan shoreline and numberous inland lakes and streams, the park is wonderfully water-oriented.
1 monitored siteNo hookups1 shadedWaterfrontLakefrontMax party 4
Getting there
FROM THE EAST (Traverse City): Take State Highway M-72 west to Empire. Turn south on State Highway M-22. To Trails End Road: Drive 6 miles to Trails End Road - turn right Drive 1 mile to the trailhead To Platte Plains Ski Trail Parking: Drive 6.5 miles - the trailhead parking area will be on the right To Peterson Road: Drive 9.5 miles to Peterson Road - turn right Drive 1.5 miles to the trailhead unloading zone on the right ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ FROM THE SOUTH (US-31 / M-115): At the junction of US-31 and M-115, continue north for seven miles. Turn left onto Platte Road. Proceed five miles and turn right onto M-22. To Peterson Road: Drive 1.5 miles to Peterson Road - turn left Drive 1.5 miles to the trailhead unloading zone on the right To Platte Plains Ski Trail Parking: Drive 4.5 miles - the trailhead parking area will be on the left To Trails End Road: Drive 5 miles to Trails End Road turn left Drive 1 mile to the trailhead
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Empire, MI 49630231-326-4700
BackpackingBirdingCampingFishingHikingPhotographyPicnickingStar GazingSwimmingWater AccessWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-10303139 · facility
Photo gallery
Roll CS-10303139 · White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits · Empire MI10 frames · facility
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
Reservations for White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits are made through Recreation.gov. 88.5% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation; 21 of 183 remain open. Campsite Sniper has also detected 13 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
Campsite Sniper detected 7 site-date openings at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits in the last 7 days, 13 over 30 days and 13 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
1 three-night opening is showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 18 at site White Pine Campground. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which month has the most availability at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
September 2026, with 13 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 13.
When is the next open date at White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Fri, Sep 18 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 18. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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