Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes · Small town
Northport
The last village on the Leelanau Peninsula, a harbor town on Grand Traverse Bay close to a state park, the Grand Traverse Lighthouse and beach trails.
About 4 miles away (straight line)
State park · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Leelanau State Park
The state park at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, with the Grand Traverse Lighthouse, a rustic campground and the Cathead Bay trails to a sandy beach.
Leelanau State Park is the end of the road on the Leelanau Peninsula: more than 1,550 acres on Lake Michigan, split into two sections a few miles apart. Know which one you want before you drive up.
The northern unit is the lighthouse end. The Grand Traverse Lighthouse stands here, built in 1858 and one of the oldest on the Great Lakes. A nonprofit museum runs it, and you can climb the tower for views over Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay, then see the Fog Signal Building and exhibits that include a World War II story about aircraft carriers that trained on Lake Michigan. The museum is seasonal, so check its schedule.
The rustic campground, mini cabins, playground and picnic pavilion are in the northern unit too.
The southern unit is for walking. The Cathead Bay trail system starts here, and the Lake Michigan Trail leads to the park’s sandy beach. In winter the park lists cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
You need a Recreation Passport on your car (see licenses and passes). Northport is the closest town.
Practical information
- Managed by
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Season
- The lighthouse museum inside the park is seasonal, listed from April through November, with weekends only late in the season. Check its schedule before you go.
- Grand Traverse Lighthouse
- The lighthouse museum is run by a nonprofit on land leased from the state, separate from the park. Tours include the tower climb and the Fog Signal Building.
- Official website
- michigan.gov
Location
Map of Leelanau State Park
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Nearby towns
Also nearby
Straight-line distances, not driving distances.
Beach
South Beach (Northport)
Northport's village beach on Grand Traverse Bay, just south of the marina on Bay Street, with a sandy swim area, restrooms, picnic tables and a playground.
About 4 miles away (straight line)
Lighthouse
Mission Point Lighthouse
An 1870 lighthouse at the northern tip of the Old Mission Peninsula, with a climbable tower, a small museum, a beach and trails around it.
About 15 miles away (straight line)
Beach
Van's Beach
Leland's public Lake Michigan beach, a short walk from downtown at the end of Cedar Street, joined to Hall Beach and Fishtown by the shore. A local sunset spot.
About 15 miles away (straight line)