Fort Custer Recreation Area campground to close for improvement projects

AUGUSTA — Emily Harper has been camping at Fort Custer Recreation Area annually for at least two decades.

She and her husband enjoy the spacious and secluded camp sites. Roughly a 40-minute drive from their home, the campground serves as relaxing and affordable way to get away from it all.

But this fall and for at least the first half of next year, Harper will have to seek an outdoor escape elsewhere as Fort Custer Recreation Area's campground will close for nearly a year to complete two infrastructure improvement projects.

The park, located in Augusta between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, will close Sept. 11 and is expected to reopen July 31, 2024, according to a Michigan Department of Natural Resources post on the park's Facebook page.

Harper admits she's bummed about the temporary closure, but she's looking forward to the improvements.

"It is needed," she said. "I was aware it was going to be happening in the near future."

The entire electrical system in the west loop of the campground (sites 1 through 110) and both restroom and shower buildings in the park will be replaced.

"We apologize for disrupting fall camping plans but this is the best construction schedule for getting these important projects done with the shortest campground closures," the DNR said in the post.

The timing of the closure means the campground will not host its annual Harvest Festival.

Due to the ongoing underground wiring issues, electrical service is unavailable at 10 sites during the 2023 camping season.

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The east loop's electrical system was replaced in 2018 when 29 of the campsites were upgraded to 50-amp service.

"We are disappointed because we do about 90% of our camping during the fall," said Paul Sajtar, who frequently camps at Fort Custer. "Being that the campground is closed during that time this year we will probably have to camp farther north which is a bummer with gas prices so high."

Sajtar also anticipates other area campgrounds "will be more packed" due to Fort Custer's temporary closure.

Marcie Douglas, who camps at Fort Custer twice a year, said the campground's restrooms are definitely in need of an upgrade.

"If it’s gonna take that much time to make sure it’s right, I have no problem with it," Douglas said. "There are other state park campgrounds I'll get the chance to visit (in the meantime)."

The latest projects will be funded with a portion of the $250 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds that were made available to the DNR to help address critical needs in state parks and trails.

"We will certainly camp at other local campgrounds during that period and it will likely be a mixture of other state, county and private campgrounds," Harper said. "We love checking out new places but Fort Custer is always 'home' to us."

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Fort Custer Recreation Area campground to close for improvements