State park · Ludington & Manistee

Charles Mears State Park

A small Lake Michigan beach park at the edge of Pentwater, with a buoyed swim beach by the harbor pier, a campground and a trail up Old Baldy.

Charles Mears State Park is Pentwater’s beach: about 50 acres on Lake Michigan at the edge of the village, with a buoyed swim beach next to the harbor pier. It is known for its sunsets, and you can walk into town for dinner afterward.

It is small and popular, so on a warm summer day get there early; the lot can fill by afternoon. You need a Recreation Passport on your car to drive in (see licenses and passes), and the park lists a beach house, modern restrooms, a playground and a fishing pier.

For the view, take the interpretive trail up Old Baldy, a wooded, windblown dune. The walk is about a mile and looks out over the Lake Michigan shore, the village and the boat harbor.

Campers get a modern campground with sites set in the sand, plus a lodge and a hybrid camper to rent. The land was a gift to the state in 1923 from Charles Mears, one of Pentwater’s founders. One thing it does not have is a lighthouse, so do not come looking for one.

Practical information

Managed by: Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Best months: May to October
Location: 400 West Lowell Street, Pentwater, a short walk from the village.
Park pass: A Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry. The chamber lists passes as sold at the park.
Parking: The lot can fill on summer afternoons, so arrive early on a nice day.
Facilities: The DNR lists a buoyed swim beach, a beach house, a fishing pier, modern restrooms, a playground, a picnic area, a concession or store, a metal detecting area and an EV fast-charging station.
Old Baldy trail: An interpretive trail of about a mile winds to the top of Old Baldy, a wooded, windblown dune with a view of the Lake Michigan shore, the village and the boat harbor.
Camping: The park lists a modern campground, the Dune Grass Villa lodge and a hybrid camper. Book through the state's reservation system.
Lighthouse: There is no lighthouse in the park or visible from it.
Official website: michigan.gov

Location

Map of Charles Mears State Park

4 places on an OpenStreetMap map

Nearby towns

A lone motorboat crossing calm gray-blue water beneath a heavy bank of storm clouds.

Ludington & Manistee · Small town

Pentwater

A laid-back Lake Michigan village on the channel to Pentwater Lake, with a state park beach, piers, a marina and a dune trail a short walk from downtown.

Under a mile away (straight line)

Also nearby

Straight-line distances, not driving distances.

Trail

Hart-Montague Trail

A 22-mile rail trail state park between Montague and Hart, through woods, orchards, farms and the village of New Era.

About 7 miles away (straight line)

Attraction

S.S. Badger

A 1953 coal-fired steamship and National Historic Landmark that carries passengers and vehicles across Lake Michigan between Ludington and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

About 10 miles away (straight line)

Beach

Stearns Park Beach

Ludington's free city beach on Lake Michigan: 2,500 feet of sand, a playground, mini golf, accessible paths and the pier to the North Breakwater Light.

About 10 miles away (straight line)

Town guidePlan your Pentwater visitWhere to eat, where to stay, day plans and what is close by.