When you first enter, they check if you have a recreational passport. If you do, it is free. When…read moreyou drive in there's a turn for the canpground. We went straight to the beach. They had a volleyball tournament. It was still a little cold so we had jackets and pants on the kids. It was their first time at a beach playing in the sand. The water was freezing and my kids wanted to put their feet in. The beach was nice and empty. We have been coming here for years. We love rock picking here.

Not much more to say except that this is a very well kept park. I could've sworn I was in the…read moreCaribbean with the beautiful, clean, white sand and pretty clear lake that just goes on forever, the water sparkling in the sunshine. I can't wait until it's open again because this is the best park I've seen in this area. I plan to camp, swim, and have all kinds of fun here.

This is a fun walking/biking path near downtown Petoskey that makes you feel as if you have left…read morethe city for the woods also instantly. There is a creek/river running through the middle of the trail so you can walk in either side and get plenty of nature experience. The trail is quite lengthy so choosing how long to go is the only tough choice as each bend in the trail provides a new vista. I loved how the rushing water masked any city noises, and it did feel as if you were out in deep woods. It was nicely shaded and yet the sunlight streamed through for a gorgeous view. We have been here several times and highly recommend a visit for a short or long walk!

Husband loved fishing here. He waded into the shallower part of the stream but loved fishing off…read morethe rocks near the deeper faster rapids! I sat with a book and enjoyed the atmosphere. Feels like you're in a forest, the river and trees drown out any traffic noise! We'll definitely come again on our next visit up here.

I'm not much of a nature walking person, but it's been a very long time since I've been up to this…read morepart of Michigan. We discovered this place while on our way to the tunnel of trees, and I said "hey, let's stop here and check it out!" So we did. Pulling in, the parking and area isn't all that huge, but it's cute none the less. It's kind of an off shoot of the Tunnel of Trees, and we also wanted to catch a glimpse of the water if possible. There was a nice gentleman who greeted us and told us about the paths. He said to stay on the trails, check out the water and it's about a mile and a quarter of a walk. So, off we went. There's a nature center at the front with bathrooms and some educational stuff, but we skipped it and went right to the trails. They have a little map area at the front, but basically this place is one big circle and a designated path so you can't really get lost here. While it is cool to look at, it's also a lot of dead and down trees. They have signage throughout about what you're looking at, and tells you a little bit about it. Things like flowers, trees, bugs and birds. It was pretty busy even for a cooler September day, which was impressive. The coolest part of the walk was getting to see Lake Michigan. It was really super cool and you walk right onto the beach. It's not a huge area at all, literally enough to have one person at a time. There's some great photo opportunities along with a view of the lake and boats, which was fabulous to see. Overall, the place is a good stop to get some exercise at if you've been cooped up in the car and start getting antsy like me. LOL. There is a bathroom along the trail, but it's not a flushing toilet one of those holes in the ground with very little privacy. No doors just walls. Kind of weird because I was afraid someone was going to walk in. Anyway, go check it out, you can do this in less then an hours time!

Our family never tires of visiting Thorne Swift. The pathways are easy to walk, some are wood and…read moresome mulch. There are steps down to the beach area and an overlook of the dunes. The pond is lovely. If you are fortunate, you may catch a glimpse of some wildlife, today there were a number of cedar waxwings at the pond. All the paths are mostly shaded. Caretakers are on hand to answer questions and give information. The nature house features some interesting animal facts and specimens. Monarch butterfly releases are scheduled and an aquarium with the caterpillars is just inside the door. A variety of classes and talks are offered. Informative signs are scattered along the trails, some with photos. Many of the trees and plants are labeled with signage. There is a donation box in front of the nature house, and ample parking.

I've been visiting up here for a while now, and Nice open area followed by a long strip of beach…read more They even have a floating dock in the swimming area designated for diving and jumps! Quite open, but can get insanely crowded during the summer months. One thing that I'm not too crazy about is the new playground on the beach. The city recently replaced the old metal slide and play equipment, but now it is geared more for toddlers and small children to play on. The play area is smaller and more artificial, instead of installing it on the sand of the beach, it is placed in a designated area close to the restrooms, set atop faux grassy turf. Disappointing to say the least.

i really love this place, but i'm very confused as to how they got the picture of the sunset. i…read moretook that picture for my instagram, but my account is private, so how is it on here???

Walloon Lake will always have a special place in my heart... I swam in this beautiful lake numerous…read moretimes as a kid and as an adult and I've taken all kinds of boat rides too. With gorgeous homes all around it as well as Camp Michigania, Barrel Back restaurant, and more... I am a huge fan and the view of Walloon Lake from Camp Michigania never gets old. I hope to visit again and again!

There is probably not a nicer lake in this state It is also probably the most expensive of the…read morebunch too What a surprise Kenneth S Merriman

This rustic state park is one of our favorites. The scenery is gorgeous, with miles of sandy and…read morerocky beachfront, walking trails, 5-mile road for biking and spacious wooded lots and a prized few water front lots. There is firewood and ice at the check-in station which is very convenient. T h e grounds are well maintained and the vault toilet stalls are mostly clean (though can become odiferous when the park is full). It is usually the case that visitors to the rustic parks are more respectful of the quiet. We are bird watchers and always love spying the eagles and variety of other birds in the area. Close to the town of Charlevoix, there are plenty of options for sight seeing, eating and finding supplies. Beautiful area of our state.

If you love collecting Michigan rocks, come to this lovely state park. You can take the short trail…read moredown to the water, where you will find rocks om the sand. The park is secluded, and we only saw about 5 others there during the duration of our stay. It appears that because this location is not so heabily populated, you can find some Charlevoix and Petoskey rocks in the water as wel as on the rock bed. You just have to know what to look for. I suggest finding a walking stick for the water. It helps guide you, and it helps you move some rocks. The next time I come here I definitely want to bring a sifter because I saw so many cute tiny ones with the rock pile. My twchnique was to pull the ones near the water down, and I found quite a bit this way. James used the stick to look in the water, where you will find medium to large rocks. Overall the secluded atmosphere is soothing and relaxing.

Happened upon this little city park while waiting for the sunset. Such a cute town .. the park had…read morea shelter for picnics and we walked along the river a bit .. there was rushing water that had a relaxing sound. few bridges that i thought were worth taking photos of.

Help is rude, lies, and not available upon arrival. I would not stay here. The campground is too…read morecrowded and apparently there is public parking between the campground and the "beach". Signage is very poor where the public parking.

We love coming here to rock hunt. Unfortunately, there must have been a storm of some sort because…read morethere were dead fish lining the whole beach area. It smelled really bad, and there was tons of mosquitos and flies. There isnt much you can do about this. We just happened to come at a weird time. It does suck for people camping though because the smell is awful. The bathrooms were really clean though.

This is a terrific free public park in Charlevoix, Michigan separated by Round Lake and the City of…read moreCharlevoix, Michigan. It is dog friendly, has public restrooms that are as clean as hotel restrooms, plenty of shops across the street and nice bars and pubs. The marina is beautiful and on one end and there is a huge open space for picnics and concerts.

We love this spot for a bit of a view and some great stairs! You can also choose to go the 'back…read moreway' and hike through the woods to get to the overview which is what we do! I prefer going down stairs than up them so that is my secret hiking too! Always a lovely time to hike here as there is quiet and lots of tree cover so it is cooler and restful. The hike is not too strenuous but also not just a walk which is perfect. We didn't get many bugs which was also nice and could go without a walking stick too. I love that they have separate trails for biking and hiking as well as a disc golf course that meanders through the woods. We are usually almost alone when hiking which is perfect if you want to just focus on nature. The overview tends to be a bit busier so we did meet up with more people toward the end, but everyone is very kind and friendly. Love this spot and we go as often as we can!

The hike starts off rough if you're unable to walk up 450+ steps. It definitely makes you wonder…read morehow good of shape you're in. There's plenty of benches along the large staircase to assist your travels. The overlook at the end of the stairs makes it worth it. Absolutely stunning. The view of all the house, trees, and lake blew me away. I could sit up there for hours. Once you reach the overlook, the hikes starts. It's a beautiful 2+ miles hike. Plenty of trees, animals, and plants to keep you company on the walk. I would live in the woods here If I was able.