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    Petoskey State Park

    4.2 (52 reviews)

    Petoskey State Park Photos

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    Liz P.

    This beach was super nice. We went here today to lay out and go into the lake. First off, you need a MI rec pass - if you don't have one, I believe they make you pay the $12 or whatever it is now to get one; luckily my friend has one, and we were in her car. It was pretty windy out today but still nice, around 70-75 degrees out. There are bathrooms on-site and apparently changing rooms. There is also a concessions area and I think I saw some Dippin' Dots for sale too. Overall this was a really nice beach and I'd return when in the area.

    AJ M.

    We hiked through Petoskey State Park on Dec 30, 2023. While it was a bummer there was no snow this season and we weren't able to ski, a hike in this state park was a perfeft substitute. We were lucky enough to walk the trails while it had flurried in the morning so we had some white on the ground. Perfect spot to go on a quick pavement-walk in nature with the family, or take the dog on a woodsy hike. Our puppy had a blast. Excited to come back in the summer and future winters!

    Beach
    Julie B.

    Great place you can swim with the minnows. The waters are clear and cold.you can rent bikes and canoes I think you can also rent paddle boards. cleanish beach (some stupid people littering banana peels, cigarettes butts and a few food wrappers I saw but not many). Tom's of ROCKS and shells to find.

    Dune/beach at sunset
    Becky N.

    This is one of my favorite state parks to camp in Michigan, but I really wish they would find the funds to renovate the campground shower/bathroom facilities as they are terrible. Buy your state park pass each year and help them out, Michiganders! The sites are spacious, feel somewhat private from your neighbor unless you don't want them to be, and are wooded. The beach and dunes that are just a short walk away are gorgeous. There is a swimming area with a bathhouse and kayak rentals, but there's plenty of space down the beach in both directions to have a little more room to spread out! The shore is typically clean though it was a little dirtier this last trip a few weeks ago, possibly owing to a recent storm (keep your garbage out of Lake Michigan, people). You can spend the time hiking, swimming, kayaking, boating, sunbathing, or head into town for ice cream and fun shopping. Plenty of good restaurants, farmer's market, and a brewery nice and close. Expect some traffic in the summer months and if you have to choose between a weekday to be in town vs a weekend maybe go with the weekday! There is a marina in town as well and a water sport rental place on the main drag. And ohhh, the sunsets. Now the shower facilities - gross. Old and gross and why I bought my own camp shower tent. The shower spigots are chest height. Cleaning efforts even at their best (and they are not the best) couldn't make these facilities look much better. The bathroom ceiling is typically a maze of cobwebs and bugs, with dirty stall doors and walls. I know you are camping and I'm no stranger to the general baseline dirty that comes with that but these facilities are beyond that. Many other state parks are much better in this regard. That aside - easily fixed with a shower tent and lugable loo- this is one absolutely beautiful spot to spend your days.

    Petoskey State Park Beach
    Anita G.

    Beautiful, big, clean, sand beach. $9.00 car entry fee. Small park. Went here to search for Petoskey Stones. Water was a bit chilly the end of September, but tolerable for stone searching. A lady nearby was kind enough to let us use her kitty litter scoop for searching.

    My friend trying to look for petoskey stones
    Jessica P.

    Such a beautiful and well kept park! My friend and I visited the beach before we began our long journey back home and we had an amazing time. The beach is beautiful and the bathrooms are extremely clean (which is appreciated during these times!) I plan on coming back and spending a few days here to really explore, rather than a couple hours!

    Carolyn G.

    Great beach, sandy, clean, clear, huge and just plain beautiful. Turquoise water, big sand bar you can walk out for quite a long while.

    K D.

    We went here on a family getaway and fell in love with the area. The highlight of our visit was the breathtaking sunset over Lake Michigan from the beach. We then spent tome playing in the surf and hunting for Petoskey stones. The area around the beach is just as beautiful and we can't wait to return!

    Petosky stones
    Rose S.

    The park itself is beautiful and we loved the beachfront area. We came up here because I was on the hunt for Petsoky stones and wanted to cross it off my Michigan bucket list. Ran across the friendliest people when I was getting discouraged because I didn't see any stones. They gave me a good tip on where to look and when I walked over that way I found tons of stones just laying there, waiting to be collected! The area is clean and well kept, the campsites looked really nice and from the shore you can see the fireworks on the 4th of July. Loved it!

    Megan K.

    Beautiful view. Beautiful beach. It was $11 for an annual pass to get into here. For all you non-michiganders: it's an all access pass to all Michigan State Parks. We stayed at this beach for a few hours. It was peaceful when we walked more to the right. Less crowded.

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    4 years ago

    Pretty water and small, nice beach area. Tried to find Petoskey stones but had no luck

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    7 years ago

    The beaches are quite nice. The water is beautiful. Also, the park has small sand dunes.

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    5 years ago

    Beautiful view! A little piece of Heaven. God does wonder work!! Well worth the visit!!

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    Thorne Swift Nature Preserve

    Thorne Swift Nature Preserve

    (15 reviews)

    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.

    Fisherman's Island State Park - Sunset at the public area right before entering park

    Fisherman's Island State Park

    (16 reviews)

    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.

    Avalanche Preserve Recreation Area - Trail

    Avalanche Preserve Recreation Area

    (6 reviews)

    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.

    Petoskey State Park - beaches - Updated May 2026

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