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Ludington & Manistee
Ludington
A Lake Michigan harbor town for beach and lighthouse trips, with the S.S. Badger car ferry and a big dune state park just north of town.
About 3 miles away (straight line)
River · Ludington & Manistee
Big Sable River
A one-mile stretch inside Ludington State Park for tubing, paddling and salmon and steelhead fishing, with paddlesport rentals in the park in season.
Photo: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
For most visitors, the Big Sable River means one mile: the stretch inside Ludington State Park, where you can tube, paddle or fish, and picnic on the bank across from the Cedar Campground. It is an easy add-on to a park day.
The park lists paddlesport rentals in season, so you do not need to bring a boat. Anglers come for salmon, steelhead and trout, and the DNR stocks brown trout and coho here every year.
Upstream, the river feeds Hamlin Lake in western Mason County, passes the Hamlin Dam, and then runs through the park to Lake Michigan. The map pin marks the location the DNR lists for Ludington State Park.
The lower river has been reshaped more than once. It was a narrow, fast stream winding through wooded dunes until the dam failures of 1888 and 1912 widened it, and the Civilian Conservation Corps rebuilt its banks in the 1930s.
One safety note matters here. The river mouth lies outside the park’s buoyed swim area, and the current there has carried swimmers into Lake Michigan. Enjoy the river upstream and swim only in the marked area on the beach.
On the water
Public access
A 1-mile stretch of the Big Sable River runs through Ludington State Park and is a good place for fishing, paddling and tubing. You need a Recreation Passport to drive into the park.
Paddling
The 1-mile stretch through Ludington State Park is good for paddling and tubing, and picnic areas line the river across from the Cedar Campground.
Stocking
Brown trout every year from 2015 to 2026, coho salmon each year from 2017 to 2026, and chinook salmon in 2015, 2016 and 2023 to 2026.
Public boat launches
Upper Big Sable River access site
Shore-fishing access upstream of Hamlin Lake, with a carry-down spot and parking for about 10 trailers. Vehicles need a Recreation Passport at state boating access sites.
Boat, kayak and paddleboard rentals
- Dune Grass Concessions (Ludington State Park)
The park lists paddlesport rentals, with kayaks, canoes and paddleboards at the Hamlin Lake beach house in season.
Listed because their own sites say they rent on this water. Not an endorsement, and we have no ties to them. Check with them for what is available.
Fishing, launching at a state site or parking at a state park? See licenses and passes for what you need before you go.
Anything not listed here is unverified. Do not assume public access across private riverbanks. Check the Michigan DNR boating access listings and the current fishing regulations.
Through the seasons
Summer
Summer is tubing and paddling season on the park's stretch of river. Swim only in the park's buoyed swim area. The river mouth is outside it, and people have been swept into Lake Michigan there.
Location
Map of Big Sable River
2 places on an OpenStreetMap map
The pin marks one well-known point on the river, not its full course.
Places to stay near Big Sable River
Riverfront homes and cabins are listed by the local rental managers and booking sites below.
Hotels and inns
Upscale
Cartier MansionFeatured by the Ludington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau in its bed and breakfast guide
Mid-range
The Fresh Coast Inn at LudingtonFeatured by the Ludington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau in its bed and breakfast guide
Budget
Ludington Pier HouseListed by the Ludington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau · Listed by Pure Michigan, the state travel bureau
Listed as open May through October.
Search all hotels in Ludington: Booking.com · Expedia · Hotels.com · Google Hotels
We don’t take bookings or earn anything from these links. Rates, availability and any booking problems are handled by the booking site.
More places to stay in Ludington
- The Lamplighter Bed and Breakfast · A five-room bed and breakfast in an 1894 Queen Anne Victorian on Ludington Avenue, a few blocks from downtown Ludington.
- Pure Ludington lodging directory · The Ludington visitors bureau's list of hotels, inns, resorts, cabins, cottages and campgrounds in the Ludington area.
Vacation rentals
- Jaqua Vacation Rentals · milakeshorevacations.com
The rental arm of Jaqua Realtors, offering Lake Michigan shore cottages and homes in areas that include Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Ludington.
- Michigan Lakeshore Rentals · michiganlakeshorerentals.com
A rental manager along the Lake Michigan shoreline from Silver Lake and Pentwater north to Ludington.
- West Shore Vacation Properties · myludingtonvacation.com
A local company managing vacation homes and cottages in Ludington, Manistee, Onekama and the surrounding lakeshore.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances from the map point.
State park
Ludington State Park
A big dune park between Hamlin Lake and 7 miles of Lake Michigan shore, with three campgrounds, 21 miles of trails and the walk to Big Sable Point Lighthouse.
About 3 miles away (straight line)
More lakes and rivers nearby
Lake · Ludington & Manistee
Hamlin Lake
Ludington State Park's big all-sports lake: ski and tube the open water, swim at the park beach, paddle the marsh trail, and ice fish for bluegill in winter.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals
Lake · Ludington & Manistee
Pere Marquette Lake
Ludington's harbor lake: a city marina with fuel and transient slips, a four-lane launch, open water past the no-wake channel, and the S.S. Badger dock.
- All-sports
- Public launch
Lake · Ludington & Manistee
Pentwater Lake
An all-sports harbor lake at Pentwater with two marinas and a channel to Lake Michigan. Swim at Mears State Park; ice fish the lake in winter.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch