Indian Valley Campground And Canoe Livery — Hotel in Thornapple Township

Only rated a one star because you have to give at least one. One star is beyond too many stars for this dump. This campground is by far one of the worst campgrounds I have stayed at. I have been camping for 25 years and it is ridiculous that this place is considered a nice place to stay. My family took a trip for the weekend here and we had nothing but problems and rudeness. They lock you in/ out of the campground at 10pm. You can rent a key to the lock for $5 if you want to enter or leave after that time. In order to use the pool you have to pay $2 in order to get the key code to the door. There are showers both at the north and south ends of the campground but only those who have used the pool are allowed to use the showers at the north location, this leaves 3 showers for the entire 100+ site campground to use at the very back of the campground. If you want to have visitors they have to pay $4 in order to enter the park per day. They are quite expensive for the sites. An electric site is $34 per night and it is just electric. My family reserved 3 sites and my father in law was going to sleep in his truck parked on one of our sites, they wouldn't allow more than one vehicle per site so he needed to rent an entire site just to park his truck. Only one tent is allowed per site so if you have older kids be prepared to get extra cozy in the one tent you are allotted. 8 our site was riverside and there was a tree hanging over the river, other campers decided to trespass on our site through the the entire weekend and use the tree to jump in the river and even though we complained multiple times nothing was done by management to rectify the situation. After going tubing with other family members that lived near they were harassed to get a visitors pass for simply trying to drop us off at our site. They weren't staying and were in the campground for all of 5 minutes but the older man riding his golf cart hit my relatives vehicle and told them they needed to turn around and get a pass before they could drop us off. If you are wanting to have a good time then DO...

Overall the experience was wonderful! We camped riverside right across from the park, which was nice because we were able to watch our kids play from the campsite. The staff was mostly kind and helpful. Showers are clean and well maintained, but keep in mind they’re campground showers. We only used the bathrooms and showers at the main building, so I don’t know the condition of the others. Pool was clean and well kept, but quite cold. Not what I expected for an indoor pool. The pond definitely isn’t something I’d feel comfortable with the kids swimming in, but they had a great time hunting for frogs. The campsite could have been graded and had stumps and sticks removed, as it’s not great for tent camping, but it’s not the worst. All in all, we had a very pleasant experience. There was a guest who had two dogs that barked incessantly, starting at about 7a.m. And well into the late hours of the evening. I didn’t contact the office though, so I’m not sure how they would have handled it. The kids really enjoyed the stay! We had children of all ages from 2 to 14 and there was plenty for all of them to do.

If you’re going tubing and renting tubes, keep in mind that even if you ask the brunette (not sure of her name, but I do know she’s the owners daughter) for tubes with a bottom for your young child, she will tell you they don’t have them. I can’t speak for how the other employees will handle it, but the older man and his daughter definitely don’t seem eager to accommodate their customers. Their cooler tubes are standard inner tubes that have a bottom, so rent one of those if you have a little one coming along. I was told they simply don’t recommend bringing a small child on the tubing trip, which was silly because the current is almost non existent and my 2 1/2 year old had a great time! The trip lasted about an hour and a half with no stopping and was overall a great experience for the children and adults. If it were an adults only trip, I’d say it went too quickly, but the timing is perfect if you are bringing littles. We definitely plan to...

Sure, here's a draft that captures your experience:

As a seasoned traveler who has stayed at hundreds of campgrounds across the country due to my line of work, I’ve encountered a wide variety of experiences—some good, some bad, and a few downright unpleasant. Unfortunately, this campground falls squarely into the “avoid at all costs” category.

First off, the sites are cramped and lack any sense of privacy. It feels more like a parking lot than a camping area, with little space between sites and hardly any separation. It’s not ideal for anyone who values a bit of peace and quiet or space to stretch out.

The children’s play equipment is also in dire need of attention. It's poorly maintained, and it’s clear that safety isn’t a priority. I wouldn't feel comfortable letting my kids play on it, which is a major letdown for families hoping for some downtime while their little ones burn off energy.

What truly made this experience unbearable, though, was the campground owner. He is not only rude and dismissive, but she also has an overwhelming need to micromanage every aspect of guests' stay. I’ve stayed at places where there are rules, but this place goes above and beyond with unnecessary surveillance and an obsessive focus on policing the smallest of details. If you don’t mind being constantly monitored and harassed, then this might be the place for you. But for anyone who values a little freedom and respect during their stay, I would strongly caution you to look elsewhere.

The only redeeming feature of this campground is its location. It’s conveniently close to the river and the livery, which is great if you’re looking to get out on the water. But sadly, even that can’t make up for the overall experience.

In the end, I would never recommend this campground to anyone. There are far better options out there, where you can enjoy your stay without feeling like you're being watched every second. Save yourself the headache and find somewhere...