This is probably one of the best playgrounds up north, the only real downside is the location…read more Kalkaska is a humble and honest small town, but beyond grabbing a bite to eat there isn't much else to do in town... this is only relevant if your traveling to the area from down state. Not much touristy things to do if you plan to come to this park.... downtown is cool but there isn't really shopping... back to the park: this park is tucked behind some buildings and easy to miss if you are driving through. The structure is completely wooden and connected completely through bridges, tunnels, and monkey bars. There's a sign with rules and restrictions and beyond guardians and parents the playground is meant for 12 and under in age. I brought my sister in law and nephew after we grabbed lunch at the up north grill in town (only 5 minutes away so highly recommend for lunch) my nephew is almost 2 years old but there was still tons of interactive stuff for him to do which was unexpected based on the size of this huge castle themed park. There's about 5 different slides so age shouldn't restrict enjoying. The structure is very well built and laid out so, as adults we were for the most part able to maneuver it with our little guy. A bouncy tire contraption that reminded us of a bull was a win as well as a swing that allows an adult to swing with your baby which was SOOOO COOL. Better that just pushing because it adds safety and gives you a chance to do something enjoyable with your baby while making eye contact. Wyatt was all giggles. The park was busy when we visited but it never felt crowded because how it's designed. It's both 40 minutes from my sisters house in grayling but left enoug of an impression that she plans to take Wyatt with my brother this weekend again!

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.

Two parks for the price of nothing! The north entrance leads to a very nice beach with great views…read more Their are some great rocks for people into rock collecting. Their are places to park and trails to hike. At the south entrance you park then there are trails to hike. 1 leads back to the north park. The other one leads to about a 5 minute hike to a stream view area. You'll see the stream almost right away, but in the distance and between foliage. It's a very nice stream, though nothing epic. There is then a 3 minute hike to the beach where the stream meets Lake Michigan. Again here the views are spectacular. Thetrails could be better marked and better upkept to get rid of low branches. The trail connecting the two parks is about 0.8 miles. Overall a 5 star review.

Well, this was a delight of a park - though the hike didn't work out too well. We came here for the…read moretrail/hike, but the trail was mostly washed out from rain and it became impassable the further in we went. This is actually right along a gorgeous little stretch of beach though, a nice spot for looking for charlevoix and petoskey stones. Gorgeous shore, plenty of distance to walk, dog-friendly - what could be better? Lots of fairly rocky shoreline, but some areas that were pretty sandy as well, for folks wanting a place to lie down. I will say the main area right near the parking lot was very crowded, but the further down you walked you could get to some pretty quiet areas. You can also go partly down the trail and connect to another stretch of beach that is very quiet.

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.

Located on Grand Traverse Bay just north of Torch Lake. Barnes Park is open year-round offering an…read moreextensive Lake Michigan beach, playground, and trails, with additional seasonal camping and pavilion rentals (Memorial Day through October.) Various outdoor recreational activities including Lake Michigan beach access, trails, and playground. Electric and rustic campsites. Dump station & water fill station. They have a well stocked camp Store offering ice, firewood, beverages, candy, etc .. Each campsite is outfitted with a fire ring and picnic table. There were two bathhouses with shower facilities that were clean and ADA accessible. Showers are coin operated ($0.50 for 5 minutes of hot water, quarters only). Also two spacious pavilions with electrical outlets. Each pavilion has 10 picnic tables and 4 BBQ grills (You can reserve a pavilion for the day by using our online reservation.

All ways a great place for camping Nice beach and showers…read moreto clean up after. Staff is way better cleaning then they have been in the past they make hourly rotation cleaning 2 things they need to fix one make it Easter to schedule other than some day in March at midnight absolutely stupid 2nd the fire wood has roaches and they get in your camper and vehicle then you bring them home they should spray and bug bomb that and the camp ground mosquitoes and roaches were thick I understand it's camping but man just hire a spray serves to spray the area once's a week

Recently visited the speech while I was in the area. After visiting all the shops in the area I…read moredecided to visit the beach that was nearby. The beach was easy access from the street. The beach was pretty busy too with plenty of people with their boats out close to shore and people just playing volleyball into sand nearby. The water was actually pretty warm too. Overall, this beach is great for strolling up and down in or just casual sitting

This is a small little park that delivers a huge amount of what you might want -- very close to…read moredowntown, but right on the water with beautiful views -- and it has a tidy little playground that is a mix of nice climbing structures and fun splash park, making it the perfect place to spend an hour or two in the summer while passing through Traverse City. (I tried to think of a good "clinch" related wordplay, but I couldn't, so I'll just say it does the trick.)

A short walk from the parking lot to the lake. Maybe a 1/3 of a mile. The wide open beach is a…read morewonder place. there are also miles of trails. Their trail maps are a little confusing, a you are here would be helpful. I took a wrong turn and ended up going on a 2 and a half mile hike. The dog truly loved it though. Honestly so did I. Overall definitely a 5 star review and would highly recommend this place for people looking for a nice beach with a small wall or people looking to go on a hike.

Beautiful! Lovely nature area as well as views of the lake!…read moreRemember to bring bug spray if in bug season!

Any place we visit with our kids we always find or 'owe them' some park fun. There are a few…read moreparks in the area but the F and M park from what I found definitely is the best. Our kids loved it. Wide open for them to run around. A very cool playground and I appreciate the old school metal slide that our daughter got to experience that so many parks have removed. Everyone around was really friendly. Easy walk from the main strip. If youre visiting TC with kids, definitely check this Park out.

Nice park with a train themed play scape area. There was a pavilion, basketball courts, swings and…read moreslide. Only street parking though.