Ludington State Park

Ludington State Park suits a trip where you want to swim, paddle, fish, hike and camp in one place. It fills the land between Hamlin Lake and 7 miles of sandy Lake Michigan shoreline north of Ludington, and dunes cover much of it. Drive in at the end of M-116 with a Recreation Passport on your car.

Families get two swim beaches, on Lake Michigan and on Hamlin Lake, each with buoyed swim areas, a beach house with restrooms and food, and floating beach wheelchairs. If you bring the dog, use the pet-friendly stretch of Lake Michigan beach between the beach house and the Big Sable River; most of the shoreline is closed to pets to protect piping plovers.

On the water, the park lists swimming beaches, a boat launch, a fishing pier and paddlesport rentals. Hamlin Lake is listed at 5,000 acres, and a one-mile stretch of the Big Sable River runs through the park for fishing, paddling and tubing.

On land, the park lists 21 miles of marked trails and bike rentals. The popular walk is the one to Big Sable Point Lighthouse: a 1.8-mile sand and gravel path, open to walkers and cyclists, with little shade along the way. For a break indoors, exhibits at the historic Lake Michigan Beach House cover Great Lakes and dune ecology.

Stay in one of the three campgrounds, in a mini cabin or at the rustic walk-in tent area.

One tradeoff right now: the Skyline Trail and the amphitheater are closed. Work on the trail began in September 2026 to protect the dunes and improve safety, funded largely by a $3.3 million Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund grant.

In winter the park is listed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.