Buying a Campground in Michigan? Don’t Let Hidden Problems Eat Your First Season

At A Glance:

• Buying a campground means buying every building, hookup, and system on the property — and the repair bills that come with them.
• Electrical service is the number one concern. Today's RVs need 50-amp service, and many older Michigan campgrounds still run on 30-amp.
• Septic systems can get complex fast. Some properties run on multiple independent systems, each with its own condition and lifespan.
• Playground equipment is a frequent problem area, and guest safety is your liability from the day you close.
• A state licensing inspection is not a property condition inspection. Smart buyers get both pieces of the picture.

Buying a Campground or Resort? Due Diligence Matters.

If you're thinking about buying a campground, resort, or RV park in Michigan, you're not just buying land with a nice view. You're buying cabins, service buildings, electrical pedestals, water lines, septic systems, and playground equipment. Every one of those has a condition, an age, and a replacement cost. A commercial property inspection tells you what those are before you sign — not after your first busy season reveals them for you.

I'm Scott Frakes, a Certified Master Inspector® and Certified Commercial Property Inspector. I've inspected campgrounds and resorts across Michigan, and I can tell you the issues that matter most are rarely the ones that show up in the listing photos.

Electrical Service: The First Thing I Check

When a buyer calls me about a campground or RV park inspection, electrical service is almost always the top concern. And it should be.

Today's RVs are bigger and hungrier than the campers these parks were built for. A 30-amp hookup is fine for a small camper without AC, but for the large RVs filling campgrounds today, 50-amp service has become almost critical. Guests expect to run their air conditioning, and on a hot July day in Michigan, they will. That takes 50-amp service.

Here's the problem: many older Michigan campgrounds still have 30-amp service across most or all of their sites. That's not a code violation. It's a business limitation. If you’re buying a campground that can't serve the RVs your future guests are driving, you're looking at a major electrical upgrade. You need to know that before you make your offer, not after.

Beyond capacity, I also check the condition of the equipment itself. Damaged electrical pedestals are one of the most common defects I find at campgrounds. Pedestals take abuse from vehicles, weather, and decades of use, and a damaged pedestal is both a safety hazard and a repair line item.

Water and Septic: Where It Gets Complicated

Water service at a full-hookup site is fairly straightforward: you need adequate pressure and volume. I verify both during a campground inspection. Water quality is a separate matter. The state requires licensed campgrounds to test their water supply on a schedule, and that testing is the owner's ongoing responsibility.

Septic is where things get interesting. Campgrounds often grow in phases over decades, and their wastewater systems grow with them. I inspected a Michigan campground last year that was running five separate septic systems. In this case, all five were functioning adequately. But imagine buying that property without knowing what you had. Five systems means five drain fields, five tanks, and five different points where an expensive failure could start.

Between individual site sewer connections, dump stations, and the systems serving cabins and bathhouses, wastewater is one of the most expensive things to repair or replace on a campground property. It deserves a careful look before closing.

Buildings, Cabins, and Everything With a Roof

The structures on a campground get the same attention I'd give any commercial building: foundation, roof, moisture intrusion, and the electrical and plumbing inside. Resort cabins with full water and sanitary fixtures need particular care, since the property's water and wastewater systems have to carry that load on top of the campsites.

Service buildings like bathhouses, laundry rooms, and camp stores live a hard life. They see heavy use all season and often sit closed all winter. That cycle accelerates wear on plumbing, ventilation, and finishes, so I look closely at all three.

Playground Equipment: Where Buyer Concern Runs Highest

Here's something that surprises many first-time campground buyers: playground equipment is a big deal. In my experience, it's in rough shape at nearly every campground I inspect, and prospective buyers consistently tell me the same thing: they want to know it's safe for kids.

I evaluate footings, structural condition, rusted chains and hardware, and anything leaning or close to failure. There's no shortcut here. A campground is a family destination. If you’re buying a campground, guest safety becomes both your responsibility and your liability the day you close. Knowing the true condition of the play equipment — and every other guest-facing system on the property — is part of protecting the families who stay with you and the business you're building.

Licensing Inspection vs. Commercial Property Inspection: What’s the Difference?

If you’re buying a campground, you probably already know that Michigan requires a license from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to operate a campground with five or more sites. Licensed campgrounds get an annual regulatory inspection. That inspection checks compliance with the state's sanitation and safety rules — things like required facilities and proper documentation.

What a campground licensing inspection doesn't tell you is whether the lodge roof is failing, whether the electrical service can handle modern RVs, or how much life remains in those septic systems. A campground can be fully licensed and still be carrying six figures in deferred maintenance.

A commercial inspection answers a different question: what is the actual condition of what you're buying? If you're serious about buying a campground, you need both answers.

FAQ

Is owning a campground profitable?

It can be, but profitability depends heavily on the condition of the property you buy. A campground with adequate electrical service, sound septic systems, and well-maintained facilities earns from day one. One that needs major infrastructure work spends before it earns. A commercial property inspection is how you find out which one you're looking at.

Is a campground a good investment?

A campground can be a strong investment in Michigan because our tourism economy keeps demand steady across the state. Whether a specific campground is a good investment comes down to price versus condition, and condition is exactly what a commercial inspection documents. The goal is to invest with your eyes open.

What are the most common problems found when buying a campground?

In my resort property inspections across Michigan, the most frequent issues are inadequate electrical service (30-amp where 50-amp is needed), damaged electrical pedestals, aging or complex septic systems, worn playground equipment, and deferred maintenance on service buildings.

Do I need a commercial inspection if the campground is already licensed?

If you’re serious about doing your due diligence, yes. The EGLE license confirms regulatory compliance. It does not assess the physical condition, remaining lifespan, or repair costs of the property's buildings and systems. The two serve different purposes, and buyers need both.

Do you inspect resorts and campgrounds throughout Michigan?

Yes. I inspect campgrounds and resorts across Michigan, including Traverse City, Gaylord, Petoskey, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw, Muskegon, and surrounding areas.

Know Before You Close

Buying a campground is buying a business, a property, and a responsibility to every guest who stays there. Before you close, get a clear, documented picture of what you're taking on. Call Michigan Commercial Inspections at (989) 370-3039 to discuss the property you're considering and schedule your inspection. Or, request a quote online.

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