Rifle River Recreation Area - Lupton,
Rifle River Recreation Area: The Ultimate Dog-Friendly Getaway in Lupton, MI
Rifle River Recreation Area is a sprawling, dog-friendly park located in Lupton, Michigan, offering pet owners and their four-legged friends a unique outdoor experience. This expansive destination boasts pet-friendly trails, several serene lakes, and the picturesque Rifle River—making it the perfect spot for dog-friendly hiking and nature adventures in Northern Michigan. Whether you’re seeking fun weekends surrounded by wildlife or a peaceful lakeside evening, this park delivers activities for every dog lover.
Beyond its scenic landscapes, Rifle River Recreation Area features a variety of amenities including multiple campground options, clean public restrooms, picnic tables, playgrounds, and barbecue grills. The park is renowned for its family-oriented atmosphere: amenities like wheelchair accessible paths, accessible parking lots, and a variety of child-friendly features make it a welcoming space for everyone. With lakes, beaches, walking bridges, and countless trails to explore with your pup, this pet-friendly treasure stands out as the ideal spot for memorable outdoor days in Lupton.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dogs allowed at Rifle River Recreation Area? Yes, dogs are allowed in the park and on its hiking trails.
- Is the park wheelchair accessible? Yes, the park features a wheelchair accessible entrance and parking lots.
- Are restrooms available? Yes, there are public restrooms available throughout the park and campground areas.
- Are there playgrounds or activities for kids? Yes, the park includes a playground, slides, swings, and is considered good for kids and birthday parties.
- Are there areas for swimming? Yes, there are at least three beach areas for swimming.
- Are pets allowed on trails? Yes, dogs are welcome on pet-friendly trials throughout the area.
- Is there parking available? Yes, parking is available, including accessible parking lots.
- Are picnic and BBQ areas available? Yes, there are picnic tables and barbecue grills throughout the park.
- Are there hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, there are numerous scenic trails within the park.
- Is the park open year-round? Yes, the park is open year-round for various seasonal activities.
Reviews
Great place to spend time. It’s big and there are so many lakes and trails plus the rifle River to explore you can’t do it all in one weekend. Multiple camping style options and the rustic sites and campgrounds are nice. I don’t believe the hands pump works at spruce also it’s doubtful at ranch but there are potable pumps at Devoe and at the RV station on the way in . Vault toilets…. Nothing better or worse than other places but well maintained in my experience. No clue about Grousehaven modern because I never stay in the moderns if I can help it. They have maybe the best situation for cabins of any park I know of in the lower.
Be prepared to drive around a lot because things are really spread out. It’s a huge place. Convenient store/gas/wood at the entrance across the road and you can buy wood at the park if they are open at check in.
This is the second year in a row we have camp here. Love the walking bridge and the tower that looks out over at least 3 ponds. So many trails to go on and of course the fishing also. There at least 3 beaches to swim. If you are bored here it would be your own fault. So much to do. The restrooms are pretty clean at the modern campsites. Not sure about the outhouses. Haven’t used those one since they are at the rustic sites.
We took our kayaks out to the rifle River Recreation Area it had rained torrentially just the night before. The road was paved up to Grousehaven Campground. From there the roads are hard packed rather smooth dirt even after a heavy rain. Even so the truck got all muddy underneath. It was about 2 miles back to Devoe Campground. We pressed on all the way back to the swinging bridge at the far south end of the area. The road on the far south and turns into a one lane still fairly decent but had huge puddles from the recent rain. We backtracked to Devoe and put our kayaks in there. The water was clear we could see the bottom it was like looking into an aquarium. We saw huge turtles and many of them too. Lots of fish were swimming around but they didn’t seem to be biting. We saw huge carp over 3 ft long swimming around our kayaks. There is lots of wildlife everywhere. The shore surrounding Devoe lake it’s like a shelf that goes out maybe 40 or 50 ft shallow and then drops off dramatically from there. There are deep holes throughout the lake. DNR online descriptions say that Lakes are all “no wake”. Signs are posted everywhere though that motors are prohibited. We enjoyed our day filled with beautiful views of nature. We certainly will be returning to explore further in the future.
It’s a perfect spot if you need a few hours of adventure! Bring your fishing gear, swimsuits, and non-motorized boats. Great spot to rustic camp, the beaches were calm and easy to find. Drive along Ridge Rd to get to the observation tower and fishing pier. It’s a bit bumpy and a one-way road for about 2 miles. The DNR ranger we talked to was very friendly and gave us a park map. Definitely stop to grab one!
Very large and fulfilling campground nestled in an ideal location. As with any campground its only as nice as the worst neighbors and unfortunately we had some inconsiderate ones that carried on with generators and loud laughter well past quiet hours (which was obvious). However, it wasn’t so obnoxious that we felt the need to mention it to anyone and it appeared somebody else must have because the noise suddenly dismissed. This of course is no fault of Rifle River! We are pleased with our stays here!