For Halloween camping in Michigan, Walnut Hills Family Campground in Durand runs three Haunted Trail Weekends in late September and early October: a site-decorating contest, trick-or-treating on closed roads, a haunted trail that gets scarier as the night goes on, and a DJ dance party at the pavilion. Our sister park, The Oaks Campground in Munith, holds one Halloween weekend on the last weekend of September. After the Halloween weekends, October at both parks is quiet, discounted and full of color until the season ends October 20.
Here’s what the Halloween weekends include, how the two parks differ, what fall camping is like once the costumes are packed away, and the best places to visit in Michigan in fall within a short drive of each park.
Halloween camping at Walnut Hills: three Haunted Trail Weekends
Walnut Hills started with one Halloween weekend, added a second the next year and a third the year after that, because the weekends kept booking out far in advance. Each weekend follows a similar schedule, but the staff change the activities and the trail every weekend, so no two are the same. The 2026 dates were September 19, September 26 and October 3; check the Walnut Hills events page for the current year.
| Saturday | What happens |
|---|---|
| Daytime | Pumpkin painting and carving and Halloween crafts at the pavilion, a candy search in the hay pile |
| 5 PM | Family costume judging, with prizes |
| 6 to 7 PM | Trick-or-treating site to site, with the campground roads closed to traffic |
| 7:30 to 9:30 PM | The Haunted Trail |
| 8:30 to 10:30 PM | DJ Dave’s Halloween dance party at Pavilion 2 |
The campground staff spend weeks before the first weekend decorating the whole park, so the Halloween atmosphere is there when you pull in, not just at the pavilion.
The haunted trail campground experience
The Haunted Trail is the biggest hit of the weekend. It launched a couple of years ago and the team adds more to it every season. The scare level is deliberate: early in the evening, while it’s still light, the trail is mild enough for young kids. By the end of the night it’s a different place, with costumed actors, strobe-lit scenes and people running chainsaws (with the chains removed). As one campground employee put it, “it starts moderately scary and by the end of the evening it gets truly terrifying.” If you have a mix of ages, send the little ones through first and come back later with the teenagers.
While the trail runs, DJ Dave pipes spooky sound into the woods, then moves to Pavilion 2 for the “Spooktacular” dance party. He has built up drop-down lighting in the pavilion rafters over the years, adds smoke machines, and mixes classic Halloween hits with current music. It’s one of the best-attended dance parties of the year.
Site decorating contests and trick-or-treating
The decorating contest is what makes the whole campground look the part. Seasonal campers compete for first, second and third place each weekend, with sizable prizes, so there can be nine winners over the three weekends. To be eligible they have to take part in at least two of the three weekends, including handing out candy at trick-or-treat time, and many upgrade their displays between weekends to beat the sites next door. Weekend campers have their own contest, and the winner each weekend gets a free Halloween weekend the following year.
Trick-or-treating runs in the early evening with the roads shut down. Parents tell us it’s the safest trick-or-treating their kids do all year: no cars, hundreds of decorated sites within walking distance, and everyone handing out candy already knows the drill. Dog costume contests show up on Halloween weekends too, so bring the dog’s outfit.
Want to enter? Our RV Halloween decorating ideas cover what tends to win and what holds up in a campground.
When to book a Halloween camping weekend
Book early in the summer. The Halloween weekends are among the highest-demand dates on the calendar, and rates reflect that. The three weekends also fall at the end of the main season, so you get warm afternoons, cold campfire nights and the first fall color. Current pricing is on the Walnut Hills rates page.
Halloween weekend at The Oaks Campground
The Oaks runs one Halloween weekend, on the last weekend of September going forward, and our team hopes to add more as it grows. The structure is similar to Walnut Hills: a Halloween craft, a family scarecrow contest, a candy search in the haystack, costume contests for kids, families and dogs, trick-or-treating in the early evening with all roads closed, a kids’ costume dance party followed by an adult one with DJ Dave, and best-decorated-campsite judging for both weekenders and seasonals.
In 2026 The Oaks built a haunted pavilion, with temporary walls turning the pavilion into a haunted house. The plan for future years is a haunted trail around the fishing pond. With about 120 acres of trails to work with, our team expects the Oaks version to grow into something special in its own right. The new Kangaroo Jumper (a bounce pillow by the store) drew hundreds of kids on the 2026 Halloween weekend, and it’s free for campers. Dates and details are on The Oaks events page.
Which park to pick? Walnut Hills has three chances to go, the established haunted trail and the bigger decorating scene. The Oaks is smaller-scale, more wooded and a good fit for families based around Jackson, Ann Arbor or Chelsea. Both weekends are built for kids, with the scary parts saved for later in the night.
Fall camping in Michigan after the Halloween weekends
Once the last Halloween weekend ends, both parks slow down. October is one of the quietest camping months of the year: mostly seasonal campers, a few weekend families, and rates discounted below the base rate because demand is low. Our team describes fall at The Oaks as “a very peaceful, slower-paced environment” compared with summer. A few things to know:
- Fall color. Southern Michigan color usually peaks in the second half of October and wraps up around Halloween. At The Oaks you can ride the wooded trails by golf cart or bike through the color. At Walnut Hills the old-growth trees over the sites turn, and the back-fence sites look out over a farm field where deer graze most mornings.
- Stargazing. Cold, clear fall nights are the best of the year for stars, and both parks are remote enough that light pollution isn’t an issue. Walnut Hills has a fleet of telescopes and a stargazing event.
- Sandhill cranes. Haehnle Sanctuary, which borders The Oaks, hosts several thousand cranes at its roost from late October to mid-November, best seen in the hour before sunset. Reach the public viewing area by a short drive out the front of the campground; there’s no trail from the park.
- Season end. Both parks close for the season on October 20, so the fall window is short. The water parks are a summer feature; expect a campfire-and-trails trip, not a beach trip.
- Nights get cold. Lows in the 30s and 40s are normal in October. Pack a warmer sleeping bag than you think you need, bring layers, and pick up firewood at the camp store; Michigan asks campers not to bring in outside firewood, and store-bought wood burns better anyway.
Best places to visit in Michigan in fall near our campgrounds
Most families who camp with us in the fall stay at the campground, but these are the places our guests actually go when they do head out.
Near The Oaks (Munith)
- Haehnle Sanctuary. The crane roost described above, with an overlook of Mud Lake Marsh. Open dawn to dusk.
- Waterloo Recreation Area. Michigan’s largest state park in the Lower Peninsula sits next door, with the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center, miles of hiking and equestrian trails, and Portage Lake. A Recreation Passport is required for vehicles entering state parks.
- Dexter Cider Mill. Family run since 1886 and Michigan’s oldest continuously operating cider mill, a short drive east. Chelsea and Dexter both have walkable downtowns for an afternoon.
- Irish Hills. Cambridge Junction and Hayes State Park to the south, a classic fall drive.
Near Walnut Hills (Durand)
- Sleepy Hollow State Park. About 2,700 acres around Lake Ovid near Laingsburg, with 16 miles of hiking and biking trails. A Recreation Passport is required.
- Durand Union Station. Durand is a train town, and the historic depot is its landmark. Expect to wait at a crossing or two on your way through.
- MJ Farms. A local farm market a few minutes from the campground that sells its own and neighboring farms’ produce and meat, with a focus on natural foods. Good for stocking the camper before a fall weekend.
- The Shiawassee River. The campground’s own nature trail follows the river, and the color along the banks is at its best in October.
Fall and Halloween camping FAQ
Is the haunted trail too scary for young kids?
Go early. The trail opens at 7:30 PM while it’s still light and is kept mild for the first part of the evening. It gets much scarier later, so plan the little ones’ trip before dark.
Do I have to decorate my site?
No. The decorating contests are optional, but most families bring at least a few decorations, and the weekend contest winner earns a free Halloween weekend the next year.
Are there fireworks on Halloween weekends?
No. GatherGrounds parks skip fireworks year-round, which keeps the campground calm for little kids and dogs and makes the haunted trail the main event after dark.
Can I camp in October without the Halloween crowd?
Yes. After the first weekend of October, both parks are quiet until they close on October 20, and rates are at their lowest of the season.
How far in advance should I book a Halloween weekend?
Early summer is safe. The weekends fill well ahead of time, and the site-decorating regulars rebook every year.
How late in the fall can I camp at Walnut Hills?
Through October 20. The Halloween weekends run in late September and early October, and they book far in advance, so reserve early if you want one.
Can I bring firewood for a fall campfire?
No. Outside firewood isn’t allowed at our Michigan parks, to protect the old-growth trees from insects carried in on wood. Buy it at the camp store and it’s delivered to your site.
