Camping Policies

Reservation Information

• Coldwater Lake Family Park and Herrick Recreation Area require a minimum two (2) night stay, except holidays which require a minimum three (3) night stay. Deerfield Nature Park rustic tent camping does not have a minimum stay requirement.
• Payment is due at the time of making a reservation.
• Reservations can now be made online: RESERVE ONLINE – Changes to reservations and cancellations can also be completed online.
• 30+ Consecutive Night Campsite Reservations
  • 30+ consecutive night campsite reservations can be made online for Herrick Park. Discounted rates for these reservations will automatically be applied if reserving on the same campsite.
    • If you wish to, or must move to more than one campsite within your 30+ night reservation, please contact the Parks Main Office.
  • 30+ consecutive night campsite reservations at Coldwater Park, where available, can be reserved online at the standard $25 nightly rate.
  • To receive discounted rates for 30+ consecutive night campsite reservations at Coldwater Park, you must add your name to a lottery list for the next camping season by calling the Parks Main Office at (989) 317-4083 by December 1.

Camping Information

• Check-In: 3:00 p.m.
  Check-Out: 1:00 p.m.
• Only one (1) major camping unit is allowed per site. One (1) additional soft-sided temporary structure is permitted as long as it fits on the site.
• A site may be occupied by no more than 6 people.
• A park entrance permit for your vehicle is included with your camping reservation. Additional vehicles may enter with the purchase of a daily ($6/day) or annual pass. A maximum of 2 vehicles is allowed per site, except at Deerfield Park, which is rustic, tent-only camping requiring a mile hike from the parking lot to the campsites.
• Campsites may only be registered to persons 18 years of age or older and that person must be staying on the site.
• All parks are pet friendly. Pets must remain on a leash no longer than 6 ft in length at all times and never be left unattended. Pets are not allowed on the beach or in pavilions or bathhouses. Please pick up after your pet.
• Campsites and cabins #1 through #22 at Coldwater Lake Family Park may not be occupied for more than 14 days at a time. At the end of the 14 days, the camping unit must be taken off and moved to another site (other than 1-22) or removed from the park. No other sites at Coldwater have length of stay restrictions.
• As adopted by the Parks and Recreation Commission’s Regular Meeting on October 1, 2025, a camper may not camp for more than 14 consecutive nights in Deerfield Nature Park’s campground. If a camping party is required to leave the campground upon reaching the 14-night limit, the party is not eligible to return until 5 nights have elapsed.
• All sites at Herrick Recreation Area have a shared water hookup.
• Both Coldwater Lake Family Park and Herrick Recreation Area have a dump station, but there is no sewer hookup at any sites.
• At Coldwater and Herrick parks, all trailers must park with the trailer tongue facing the road.
• Watercraft Permits are all annual and good for the whole calendar year. Basic Watercraft Annual permits are $5 each. Trailer Watercraft Annual permits are $10 each.
  — Basic Watercraft Annual Permit will be considered any canoe, kayak, inflatable kayak, etc. NOT hauled within/on a trailer.
  — Trailer Watercraft Annual Permit will be considered pontoons, jet skis, fishing boats, etc. hauled within/on a trailer. Anyone with a trailer hauling multiple watercraft must purchase one trailer permit, then one basic permit for each additional watercraft.
• Firewood is available for purchase at Coldwater, Herrick and Deerfield parks for $5 a bundle.

Camping and Pavilion Refund Policies

All refunds are subject to the following conditions:

If cancelling a camping reservation of 29 nights or less:

1. Full Reservation Cancellations:
   a.) If cancellation is received at least five (5) days prior to beginning of stay: Refund of amount paid less $15 per site cancellation processing charge.
   b.) If cancellation is received less than five (5) days prior to beginning of stay: Refund of amount paid less $15 per site cancellation processing charge and one night camping fee per site.
   c.) Guests may reschedule reservation dates during the same camping season with equal or greater number of nights with no cancellation processing charge if completed before check-in day. If rescheduling reservation dates on check in day, fees detailed in cancellation policy 1.b. will apply.
2. Partial Reservation Cancellations:
   a.) Guests seeking to cancel a portion of their reservation before check-in day may do so as long as minimum stay requirements are still met (2 night minimum or 3 night minimum for Holiday stays at Coldwater and Herrick, 1 night at Deerfield): Refund of amount paid for nights cancelled less $15 per site change fee.
   If the change to the reservation is made on check-in day and arrival date is not delayed: Refund of amount paid for nights cancelled less $15 per site change fee.
   If the change to the reservation is made on check-in day and arrival date is delayed, fees detailed in cancellation policy 1.b. will apply.
3. Once occupied and minimum stay requirements have been met (2 night minimum or 3 night minimum for Holiday stays at Coldwater and Herrick, 1 night at Deerfield): Refund of amount paid for nights cancelled, less $15 per site change fee.
4. Cancellation of all or a portion of a reservation, as well as rescheduling of reservations dates, may be done online, by telephone, or in person (email and mail cancellations not accepted). Failure to notify of a cancellation as noted in this policy will result in partial or full forfeiture of camping fees paid.

If cancelling a camping reservation of 30 consecutive nights or more:

Coldwater – Booked at standard nightly rate

• If cancellation is received at least five (5) days prior to beginning of stay: Refund of amount paid less $50 cancellation processing charge.
• If cancellation is received less than five (5) days prior to beginning of stay: No Refund
• Once site has been occupied: No refund shall be issued for initial 30 nights booked. If additional nights (beyond the initial 30, booked at the standard nightly rate) are cancelled at least (5) days prior to the new departure date, a refund will be issued for the nights cancelled, less a $15 per site change fee.

Coldwater – Booked at discounted rate (year to year reservations)

• $50.00 is charged for each cancelled reservation up to March 31st.
• Cancellations made after March 31st and at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the stay will be charged $50.00 plus half of the reservation charge.
• There are no refunds for cancellations after this time.

Herrick Recreation Area

• If cancellation is received at least five (5) days prior to beginning of stay: Refund of amount paid less $50 cancellation processing charge.
• If cancellation is received less than five (5) days prior to beginning of stay: No Refund
• Once site has been occupied: No refund shall be issued for initial 30 nights booked. If additional nights (beyond the initial 30, booked at the standard nightly rate) are cancelled at least (5) days prior to the new departure date, a refund will be issued for the nights cancelled, less a $15 per site change fee.

If cancelling a pavilion reservation:

• Pavilion/Covered Bridge refunds will only be made if the pavilion/bridge is reserved by another group for the same date(s). A $15 administration fee will apply to all refunds.

Isabella County Parks & Recreation Commission reserves the right to interpret and enforce park rules at its discretion.

Extenuating Circumstances

• Refund requests based on extenuating circumstances will only be considered if submitted within (2) business days of the cited justification.
• No refunds shall be given for lost reservation dates due to being removed from a facility while in violation of campground rules or the Isabella County Parks Commission Rules & Ordinance.
• Failure to correctly make a reservation and/or failure to retain one’s own booking information is not the responsibility of the campground and will not be justification for a refund. Reservation check-in and check-out dates, campsite/cabin number booked, pavilion booked, and all other reservation details are the responsibility of the registered camper.
• If desired, Campers may seek additional refund consideration by placing their request in writing.
  Mail requests to: Isabella County Parks, 200 N. Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858.