This is a hidden beach that few know about, mostly because you need to drive toward the Portage…read morePoint Inn (be sure to fill your water bottles at the artesian spring, just past the camp), and then keep going right past it on a VERY dinky, one lane road. Head past the marina and yacht club, take a right, and up the dune to the parking lot (free). There's a single room changing area with a pit toilet (needs must), well lit. There are two gazebos and a wooden walkway at the south end of the small parking lot, and a gazebo with benches at the north end of the parking lot. There are dog bags, if you're walking your dog (thank you for cleaning up after them!). I especially love the new addition this year of a barely inclined wooden walkway, with a handicap mat (not sure what to call it, but it is plastic netting that is a stable place for you to walk or wheel down). There's a pier, and a lighthouse at the end. There are 4 fire rings, if you are inclined to have a lovely beach sunset fire (bring supplies). This is my favorite hidden beach in Michigan, and the swims - and sunsets - are glorious.

One of our hands-down favorite places to hike. There's tons of hike-in camping spots along the…read more11-mile hiking trail, which largely follows the shoreline of the Manistee River with a few inland jaunts on a few of the oxbows. Despite being fairly well known, it's pretty pristine and doesn't feel overly busy but it's also never completely vacant. The river views are lovely, there's plenty of wildlife (great fishing & birdwatching), and there's a cliff swing over the water (huge adrenaline rush for this 43-year-old) on an off-shoot path just past the suspension bridge and a waterfall at mile 3.5 if you're coming from the north. You can return on the main path or on the other side of the river on a section of the North Country Trail.

What a great hiking trail! Parking wasn't bad at Red River Bridge Access…read moreOnce on the trail it is well marked. Campsites were clean and it looks like the hikers who enjoy the trail take good care of it. I didn't see one bit of trash the whole day. It was pretty busy, with folks heading both directions, everyone was very friendly and they all seemed to be enjoying the day! The views are beautiful. Absolutely the best hiking we have done in the lower peninsula. We will absolutely be back!

Lovely campground with nice level sites for the most part. We somehow lucked out and got what I…read morefigured was a handicap spot. No complaints here

Its a pretty nice spot. Located right within the city limits actually. So its not far from good…read moreawesome city fun. It was packed when we first arrived. It was labor day weekend, which was to be expected. But the site was pretty big. 2 cars and 2 tents took up only a fraction of our site. But on the next day, everybody left and it was hella quiet. Loved it! The facilities were pretty good. Although i kept hearing from 2 campers in our group that one of the shower rooms didnt have hot water. Mine was fine, but i believe them. They're like family to me. Plus the noise from the main road is hella extra. Specially when obnoxious farmers with the loud aftermarket exhausts. Fire pit was pretty dope, we cooked some of our food on it. Sausages, giant tomahawk steak, and our smore dessert. I had a pretty good time camping here. Aside from the cold shower stall that my fellow campers experiencee. I would totally camp here again. Thank you so much for reading my review. I hope this helps with your decision making experience. Enjoy your awesome yelptastic day!!!

My friends and I were supposed to go to a music festival out of the state last fall but of course…read moreplans changed, so we decided to book a camping weekend at Orchard Beach State Park instead. Located in Manistee, there is plenty to do nearby but unfortunately the weather was pretty rainy for most of the weekend we were there. The access to the beach was closed due to erosion but there are other beaches available. Checking in was easy and there is onsite ice and firewood for sale. The host site was awesome with lots of books for use and a whiteboard with local info. Our site had water and electric hookup, so we were tucked in amongst several RVs and motor homes. The campground was very quiet, which was nice! The restroom facilities were clean and functional, although one had a small set of stairs leading into the actual bathroom area which made it not so accessible. We were on spot 95, which is right near the highway. We knew this going in and could see from the photos that it didn't look that close. Well, it was pretty close, and very loud with road noise. This wasn't a big deal for us but if noise bothers you I'd skip this part of the campground. Another thing to note is that some of the sites hold water when it's been raining, so maybe not the best for tent camping. Our site seemed ok but it was mostly dirt so it did get a little muddy. Nothing too terrible, though. Overall we enjoyed our stay but this definitely wasn't my favorite of the state parks we've visited or camped at. There is a nice lookout point over the lake that made for some nice photos, and getting into town was easy.

Small compared to other state parks across Michigan, but a stunning state park nonetheless located…read moreon bluffs above Lake Michigan! The campground is wonderful and we really loved that it was one that was more underrated and less trafficked. We had a prime camping spot with an uninterrupted view of the lake and even though the weather we had during this weekend wasn't the best, we made do with cozy time in the tent, did a hike through the state park that was lovely and well maintained, and explored the nearby downtown of Manistee, of which Orchard Beach State Park is located just 5-10 minutes north! A wonderful weekend and state park in my books!

Much has changed since I came her as a small child. Now there are lovely Adirondack chairs, a fire…read morepit, a fish cleaning station, a walkway, and of course the beach. There is also an old school playground with the slides of death, as we used to call them. There are bathrooms and picnic tables, too!

Beautiful park, great for sunset. We loved the older playground equipment. We loved the river walk…read moreso close to the beach

Beautiful park and walk in the water, some people swim too. Although you need to pay $5 parking…read morefee, it's worth it.

Love this area! Just north of Ludington with way less traffic and completely different adventures!…read moreYou can walk in and camp basically right on the beach here, which is absolutely dreamy and there are just such wonderful hiking trails throughout that offer you challenges and just the most gorgeous sights as well! This spot definitely isn't for everyone and there won't be any "easy" hikes. Nordhouse Dunes makes you work for it, but the payoff is immense and completely worth it! Uninterrupted access to Lake Michigan and stunning vibes - what more could you ask for?! Love Nordhouse Dunes!!

It's crowded but the hike is nice. We were there the first week of September and I was surprised to…read moresee the campground full of campers. I got some great shots with my cannon and my kids enjoyed the hike...it was longer than we thought it would be!

So we were here the other day when the stars aligned and there was an engagement proposal happening…read moreat the same time as teenagers cliff diving and a kayaking tour floating by. Epic! Cave Point is one of those places you just have to see when you're in Door County. The views are incredible, the waves crashing into the limestone cliffs are mesmerizing, and there are plenty of spots to stop and take it all in. Whether you're hiking, kayaking, taking photos, or just enjoying the scenery, there's always something going on. We got a little bit of everything in one visit, and it made for a memorable stop. Definitely a must-see Door County destination.

I'm adding an update since my previous review was 4 years ago, but please also see my previous…read morereviews. This is a great park for just hopping out to get an amazing view if you're not up for hiking. We did a loop from Whitefish Dunes state park that included circling through this park as well; it was a great half day hike. The views of the caves and crashing waves from above are amazing. This is definitely a park that might be challenging for anyone with small children who struggle to follow safety rules as there are very steep drops and it's important to stay a safe distance from the edge. The new connection between this and Whitefish dunes is really nice and features a few blowholes which spout water from below when the waves are particularly high.

So beautiful! It was snow covered today but still worth a…read moredrive through and stop at the gorgeous beach! We will certainly return in the summer.

I'm writing an update since apparently it's been 4 years since I last reviewed this park. Please…read moresee my older reviews too since much still applies! This is a great park for finding some peace and quiet in nature including no cell service in much of the park. I mean the SOS function will still work if an emergency arose, but there will be no incoming texts or notifications to detract from the birds and sounds of the waves. All of the trails are lovely here and they're all easy so no worries if you're not a seasoned hiker. We saw some mergansers on the lake during this visit and, as usual, lots of garter snakes which are fun to watch. We usually bring a picnic lunch to enjoy by the beach after a morning of hiking and never have trouble getting a table. Pro tip: there are flush toilets in the visitor center!

Such a beautiful place to see! Great for finding sea glass. My husband and I enjoyed seeing the…read morepeaceful water with only one other couple there! Recommend 100% even saw a black squirrel

Overall enjoyed exploring this beach! There is not a staircase down near this parking lot so it's a…read moremix of walking in dirt/sand to get up and down. On the beach: There is a bunch of stuff that washes up here! You can find petotskys, beach glass, unakite, and other rocks! It really just depends on the time of day and how many other people are here