St James campground news!

St. James Township Campground to Start Renovations in the Spring The St. James Township Campground, located just off Donegal Bay Road on Beaver Island, will begin a major renovation and addition of facilities this Spring. Currently the campground is for rustic camping only with a policy of “first come first served’; has three pit toilets; and a manual water pump which services 10 lovely rustic camp sites on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.

​Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. In March, bids will go out for the addition and development of a full-service bath house with flush toilets, sinks and showers for both men and women. Six of the campsites will be upgraded to electric. While the rest of the camp sites will remain rustic, there are future plans to expand the number of rustic campsites to include a group gathering site which can house multiple tents and campers. The campground will be renovated with the plan ...Click below to read more...

---

  to have the buildings and sites completed by the end of year, 2020. In the meantime, current rustic sites will be available throughout the summer. Construction of the electric sites and bath house will begin after Labor Day and the campground will be shut down to camping at that time. In 2021 then, there will be a new process instituted for the reservation of sites. Additionally, a Campground Host will be on site to assist campers as needed. The campground already has a Picnic Area with picnic tables and grills with some planned access to the Lake Michigan shore for swimming and small boating. Due to the high-water issue in Lake Michigan, plans for the Beaver Island Water Trail, for pulling out kayaks and canoes at the campground, may be delayed until waters recede. It is also the perfect location for Dark Sky viewing as the view to the north is unobstructed. Plans for a Dark Sky viewing platform are also in the works for future implementation. Located just one mile from the town of St. James on the Beaver Island Bike Trail, it is an accessible location for campers visiting the Island – well within walking and biking distance to shops, restaurants, museums, the ferry and other community attractions. Go to www.stjamestwp.org for more information. The current rate for a rustic camp site is $10 per night and this will not change until all renovations are completed. Kathleen McNamara St. James Township Supervisor mcnamara.stjamestwp.bi@gmail.com 231 448-2014

---