Tippy Dam Campground & Cabins - Blog

Summer Camping Season Things To Enjoy

Tue, 27 May 2025 20:24:00 +0000

We had several Steelhead fisherman in April and May, and they had a great fishing season.

While planning your trip to our campground there are many things to enjoy outside of fishing.

The Arboretum Trail in Wellston is a short, easy-to-walk trail that provides an educational experience to visitors. The trail passes through a variety of trees planted in the 1940’s as part of a tree-growth experiment. These tree species come from Europe, Asia and all over the United States. Educational signage along the trail identifies individual species.

The Arboretum Trail highlights the history and importance of this area, dating back to the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Chittenden Nursery of the 1930’s and 40’s. The trail is scenic and secluded and offers a self- guided walk through history.

Hike
Hiking is available on all trails.

Bike
Mountain biking is allowed on the trails; please be respectful of pedestrians.

Snowshoe
Come enjoy the trails in the winter!

Enjoy the 11+ mile trail system along the high banks of the Big Manistee River between Tippy Dam and Hodenpyle Dam.

Explore the North Country Trail Upper Manistee River Trailhead near the Manistee River Trail where you will hike your way through the dense hardwoods high atop the Manistee River bluffs. You can also head down to the Udell Rollways trailhead near Big-M and enjoy a hike through the low flats and rolling hills.

Not to be Missed

The Manistee River Little Mac suspension bridge is a 245 foot long foot traffic bridge that is really something to see on the Manistee River Trail. It is the largest wooden suspension bridge in the Lower Peninsula and serves to unite the Manistee River Trail with the North Country Trail.

Points of Interest

– Waterfall near Mile Marker 3
– Suspension Bridge crossing river near Hodenpyl Dam
– Overlook of Manistee River
– Arquilla Creek Crossing Near Mile Marker 9 – Large Log Bridge

There are nearby lakes to swim, and we are 20 minutes from Lake Michigan so come and enjoy all of what the area has to offer.

We look forward to having you this summer. If you read this and call me I will give you a 20% discount on your stay.

Morale Mushroom Season is Here

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:09:00 +0000

April showers bring May flowers. They also bring morel mushrooms. We are 15 miles from Mesick, Mi and that is the Mushroom capital of the world. Trout season opens on Sunday 4/28/24. Come and stay with us and the possibilities are endless in the area.

Fall Salmon are here!!!

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 19:52:00 +0000

Come Join us for an excellent Fall Salmon fishing season on the Big Manistee River. Below Tippy Dam Salmon season is the best from labor day through late October when huge numbers of Chinook and Coho Salmon ascend the river and move up stream towards the Tippy Dam area near Wellston. September – October is best. Look for some excellent salmon fishing over the next several weeks. The King Salmon are huge this year!! cooler temperatures, and a little rain has significantly helped the salmon migration.

Season Opener is Coming Soon for trout fishing

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 12:11:00 +0000

Just a reminder that Michigan’s statewide trout fishing season opener is Friday, April 30. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources.) The DNR is letting anglers know to get their fishing gear ready because several season openers are approaching. The trout opener and the Lower Peninsula inland walleye and northern pike seasons open on April 30.We have a new addition to the campground! Our Rustic Cabin. The cabin has a Queen bed and 2 Double beds. It also has a 6X12 Loft for sleeping, bring your bed roll. It has a grill for cooking, a fire ring and picnic table. The porch is great for sitting and enjoying the outdoors. It is close to amenities just a short walk to the bath house. Bring the kids they can play on our new playground and it will be a great family vacation.

The Steelhead Are Here Come And Catch One

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 13:23:00 +0000

The Big Manistee is, without a doubt, one of Michigan’s finest steelhead rivers. Here, massive numbers of fish gather throughout the spawning season, and fishing for them in this area is considered somewhat easier, so tourists and beginners like to fish at Tippy Dam. Look for some more fresh fish to show up as the water settles and the water reaches 42 degrees. We will see the spawning cycle get kicked into overdrive. Best flies have still been eggs in Orange, Chartreuse, and Yellow. Come spend a few days with us and walk across the road to Tippy Dam. You can book it on the home page or call for a reservation.

SNOW SEASON COME STAY AND PLAY

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 13:25:00 +0000

there are 332 miles of snowmobile trail in the Manistee National Forest and we are a block away from the staging area and trail head located at 18151 Old House Rd. in Wellston Wellston grooms approximately 68 miles of trails and the ride is fantastic. So bring your snowmobile and ride in and out of the campground. We have cabins available and camping spaces too, you can click the book it button on the website or give us a call. We have over 2 feet of snow right now so come and enjoy it. There are other activities in our area such as skiing, riding ATV's and fishing is always available. We hope to see you soon.

FALL COLOR TOUR AND FISHING WHAT A COMBINATION!!!

Sat, 08 Oct 2022 13:06:00 +0000

Fall color eventually happens, even if no freezing temperatures occur. The cold does help spur on the beauty. We do have some cold nights on the way. The fishing is great right now and the colors are really starting to come. Central Lower Michigan where Tippy Dam is located will peak a few days either side of October 20. This means the excellent drive on U.S. 55 from Wellston to Cadillac should be planned for that time period, so come and camp with us and plan for fishing and color tour. With the rolling hills and views and the abundance of Salmon here you can't beat it.

FALL FISHING JACKPOT AT TIPPY DAM

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 12:09:00 +0000

Mike and his group of friends stayed here in Cabin 1 (Hacienda) to those that are familiar. They had lots of luck catching Salmon and we really enjoyed having them. If your not familiar, October, November and December the fishing below Tippy Dam is incredible. Fall run steelhead are moving in. These fish are renowned for their fighting ability and beauty. Every one of them is a trophy. The Big Manistee is widely considered one of the best, if not the best steelhead river in the Midwest. In addition to steelhead lake run browns make their appearance in the fall. It’s a world-class venue with terrific variety and great scenery. There are still plenty of fish to be caught including Trout they are fat and happy after the egg diet they have just experienced. So make a reservation to come camp with us here at Tippy Dam Campground and Cabins we are steps from the dam. We are open all year and hope to see you this fall and Winter.

HOOKED ON SALMON

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 14:45:00 +0000

Salmon fishing is in full swing now with good numbers of Kings and visible spawning fish. Lots of both Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Fall Steelhead, King Salmon, and Lake Trout near Tippy Dam. Recent rains have pulled salmon into the upper sections of the Manistee River. Salmon fishing should be excellent from here on out. They are coming in every morning with a good number of fish to clean and the fish cleaning station is in full swing.

Great Fishing Trip

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 14:57:00 +0000

Fishing below Tippy Dam Tippy Dam on the Big Manistee River is a world-class fishing hotspot. The group here fished below the Dam and had great luck. They are staying here for the holiday weekend and having a great time.