Taylor's Beach Campground
Howell, Michigan · on Cook Lake
Verified · 2 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $59
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Taylor's Beach Campground
Taylor's Beach Campground is a family-owned private campground in Howell, Michigan, built around Cook Lake, a 20-acre spring-fed private lake to swim in with a sandy swimming beach. The spot began as an informal swimming hole: founded in 1956 by Alfred and Helen Taylor after locals were already swimming and camping on the land, it has operated as a paid campground for over 65 years and remains family-run today.
The property sits on rolling, once-wooded terrain that the Taylor family cleared and developed starting in 1956 around a 20-acre spring-fed lake described on the campground's own history page as having scenic sunset views.
Swimming at Taylor's Beach Campground
Swimming takes place at a large sandy beach on the private, spring-fed Cook Lake. The lake is maintained as a quiet, no-wake environment, and the campground provides complimentary life jackets (refundable deposit) that are required when using lake inflatables, suggesting a family/children-oriented, calm-water swim setting rather than a rugged natural hole.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located at 6197 N. Burkhart Road, Howell, MI 48855/48856, accessible off I-96 or M-59, about 10 minutes from downtown Howell.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No hike is needed. Cook Lake and its sandy swim beach sit directly within the campground property, a short walk from the parking area/campsites and office.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Marketed as a family-oriented private campground with a large sandy beach on a calm, no-wake spring-fed lake; free life jackets (refundable deposit) are provided for lake inflatables. However, no source confirms lifeguards on duty, exact water depth, or a defined shallow-entry zone, so supervision is still warranted.
Parking
Paid, $10/person day-use visitor pass; $15/person overnight visitor pass (children under 3 free)
Access is gated by a paid visitor pass rather than a separate parking fee. Per the campground's own rules page, vehicles in the visitor lot without a valid pass are subject to towing; passes must be obtained during office hours.
Restrooms
Yes
Modern bathhouses with showers and laundry facilities on-site; visitor reviews (campgroundviews.com, rvparx.com) describe the bathhouse as clean, updated, and conveniently located.
Water clarity
Clear
Visitors describe 'sunbathing and swimming in the clear lake waters,' though no independent confirmation of clarity beyond that description was found.
On the water
Restrictions: Cook Lake is a private, spring-fed lake kept as a quiet, no-wake body of water (per rvparx.com). Life jackets are required when using lake inflatables. No source confirms whether personally-owned kayaks/canoes/paddleboards may be brought in, or whether only the campground's own rental fleet is permitted on the water -- this is left unverified rather than guessed.
All listed watercraft types are confirmed available via the campground's own on-site rental operation (see rentals below), not as independently-verified 'bring your own' options.
Rentals nearby
Kayaks, row boats, paddle boats, deluxe paddle boats (swan/duck), stand-up paddleboards, and a 'Tiki Hut' pontoon boat
Prices: Kayaks $15/2 hrs; row boats $12/2 hrs or $30/day; paddle boats $15/1.5 hrs; deluxe paddle boat $18/1.5 hrs; SUP $15/2 hrs; Tiki Hut pontoon boat $95/1.5 hrs (plus $100 refundable deposit)
On the lake within the campground property, 6197 N. Burkhart Rd, Howell, MI
What regulars say
Visitor reviews consistently describe the bathhouses as clean and well-maintained, the grounds as tidy, and the atmosphere as strongly family and kid-oriented with playgrounds and organized activities (e.g., Halloween and 4th of July events). No candid complaints about crowding or water quality turned up; all located feedback was positive.
Backstory
Alfred and Helen Taylor bought the 40-acre property in 1956 for $10,000 after seeing a newspaper ad; before the business formalized, locals swam and camped there on weekdays for free, prompting the Taylors to place a collection box asking for $1 per car, which became the seed of the campground business. Jim Taylor (son) built out most of the infrastructure through the 1960s-70s; his son Alan has run the property since around 2008, modernizing it into what the site calls 'TBC 2.0.'
Taylor's Beach Campground: FAQ
Does Taylor's Beach Campground charge a fee?
Camping sites run from about $59-69/night (full hookup or lakefront water/electric) with monthly and seasonal rates also offered; day visitor passes cost $10/person and overnight visitor passes $15/person (children under 3 free), per the campground's own rates and rules pages.
Is Taylor's Beach Campground kid friendly?
Marketed as a family-oriented private campground with a large sandy beach on a calm, no-wake spring-fed lake; free life jackets (refundable deposit) are provided for lake inflatables. However, no source confirms lifeguards on duty, exact water depth, or a defined shallow-entry zone, so supervision is still warranted.
Do I need to hike to reach Taylor's Beach Campground?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Taylor's Beach Campground?
Access is gated by a paid visitor pass rather than a separate parking fee. Per the campground's own rules page, vehicles in the visitor lot without a valid pass are subject to towing; passes must be obtained during office hours.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Taylor's Beach Campground?
All listed watercraft types are confirmed available via the campground's own on-site rental operation (see rentals below), not as independently-verified 'bring your own' options.
What are the rules at Taylor's Beach Campground?
Life jackets are required when using lake inflatables (available free with a refundable deposit at the office); day and overnight visitors must obtain a paid pass during office hours and vehicles without passes in visitor parking are subject to towing; dogs must be leashed and aggressive breeds are prohibited.
What water body is Taylor's Beach Campground on?
Taylor's Beach Campground is on Cook Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
