Attraction
Arch Rock
A natural limestone arch on Mackinac Island's east side, 146 feet above the water. You can see it from the shore road or from the bluff above.
From Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to state parks beside the harbor towns, public land is the backbone of a trip up north.
Places for parks
State park
Grand Haven State Park
A 48-acre sand beach park where the Grand River meets Lake Michigan, with a swim beach, a modern campground and views of the pier lighthouses.
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.
State park
Mackinac Island State Park
Michigan's first state park covers more than 80 percent of Mackinac Island: forest, limestone formations, historic sites and 70-plus miles of roads and trails.
State park
Petoskey State Park
A mile of Lake Michigan beach on Little Traverse Bay between Petoskey and Harbor Springs, with wooded dunes and the climb up Old Baldy.
Scenic drive
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
A 7.4-mile one-way loop in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore with 12 stops and overlooks of Lake Michigan, the Glen Lakes and the dunes.
National park
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Dunes, high bluffs, beaches, inland lakes and two islands along 65 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in Benzie and Leelanau counties.
Attraction
The Dune Climb
A steep, open sand dune on M-109 in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, with a picnic area at its base and a hard trail over the dunes to Lake Michigan.
State park
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.
State park
Interlochen State Park
Michigan's first state park, between Duck and Green lakes, with old-growth pines, two campgrounds and the Interlochen arts campus next door.
State park
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.
Nature preserve
Magoon Creek Natural Area
A 97-acre Filer Township park south of Manistee with dune and forest trails, a creek, Lake Michigan shoreline and a picnic area.
Trail
Muskegon Lakeshore Trail
About 12 paved miles along Muskegon Lake from Pere Marquette Park to the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, with views of the channel and South Pier light.
Attraction
Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park
A year-round adventure park inside Muskegon State Park with a luge track, lighted cross-country ski trails and skating in winter, and a zip line in summer.
State park
Muskegon State Park
Three miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, with forested dunes, two campgrounds, a CCC blockhouse and the Muskegon luge park.
State park
Orchard Beach State Park
A bluff-top park north of Manistee for Lake Michigan sunsets, forest trails and camping. Despite the name, you cannot reach the beach from the park.
State park
William Mitchell State Park
Cadillac's state park between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac, with a campground, the Clam Lake Canal and the start of the White Pine Trail.
State park
Young State Park
Boyne City's state park on Lake Charlevoix, with a swimming beach, a boat launch, three modern campgrounds and 6.5 miles of trails.
On the map
Parks: places on the map
18 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Also with parks nearby
Lakes
River · Charlevoix & Petoskey
Bear River
A short, fast river through Petoskey, with a quarter-mile whitewater course, a canoe livery for easy family floats and brook trout above the dam.
- Rentals
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.
- Public launch
- Rentals
Lake · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Duck Lake
The state park lake at Interlochen: all-sports water up to 98 feet deep, with a beach, launches, summer paddleboard rentals, lake trout and ice fishing.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals
Bay · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Grand Traverse Bay
Traverse City's big water: a Lake Michigan bay with city beaches, five public harbors with slips, fuel at two, sailing, paddling and trout and salmon fishing.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals
Lake · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Green Lake
An all-sports Interlochen lake, 2,000 acres and 102 feet deep: lake trout, room to paddle, a rustic state park campsite and night smelt fishing on the ice.
- All-sports
- Public launch
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 · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Lake Cadillac
Cadillac's in-town, all-sports lake: 1,150 acres and 28 feet deep, a canal to Lake Mitchell, a 7.5-mile path and winter ice fishing for perch and walleye.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals
Great Lake
Lake Michigan
The big lake that shapes this coast: state park and town beaches from Grand Haven to Charlevoix, harbor towns with city marinas, and pier lights to walk out to.
- Swim beach
Lake · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Lake Mitchell
A broad, shallow, all-sports lake west of Cadillac: 2,496 acres, a state park beach and campground, a canal to paddle and crappie and bluegill through the ice.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals
Bay · Charlevoix & Petoskey
Little Traverse Bay
A Lake Michigan bay with marinas in Petoskey, Harbor Springs and Bay Harbor, swim beaches at the state park and Zorn Park, and Petoskey stones in the shallows.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
Lake · Southern Gateway
Muskegon Lake
A big all-sports harbor lake at Muskegon: ski, tube and sail, with full-service marinas, five launches, a channel to Lake Michigan and winter perch.
- All-sports
- Public launch