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    Warren Dunes State Park

    4.1 (193 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 5:30 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Dog beach, very clean, dogs on leash
    Apurva C.

    We love coming here with our dog. They've recently added couple of food trucks which is always nice after trekking back. The tacos were unbelievably delicious and fresh, we got al pastor, chorizo and asada with everything on them and they gave us some hot salsa on me asking. The restrooms near the beach are clean whereas those inside the park near trails are basically portable toilets. The beach itself is very clean, clear water, pebbles in places.

    Walkway to the bath house.
    Laura F.

    If you grew up in Illinois you probably came here once as a child when you didn't have to think about things. Come back now and bring the fam! It's great. Entry fee $25 which is good for a week *unless* you have a fourth grader in the car!! Search Every Kid Outdoors for more on that. The pass is good for 1 week. Bathrooms and showers are available. Also a little shop with floaties and probably other necessities.

    Vincent D.

    As someone who was born and raised in Chicago, one of my favorite places to go is Warren Dunes. I first came here when I was 17 visiting my cousins who were raised in Union Pier, and I pretty much raised my kids at this beach as I would bring them here every year as they grew up (except for that one year I took them to North Avenue Beach....never since then). Now, my kids bring their young families here! So over this past weekend, though the weather was not as hot as we were hoping, my wife and I went anyway and had a wonderful time. This is a pretty clean beach, and what I have always loved is that no matter how crowded it gets, it's still never as crowded as a Chicago beach. I had good parking, plenty of space to enjoy the beach and go ankle-high in the water, and enjoy the same as we did when the kids were growing up. The water is nice, people are nice, the vibe is nice, I still love it after all these years! So, it's about an hour or less (depending on traffic) from the IL/IN border on I-80/94, and very much worth the trip. They also have food trucks there on the beach as well, and surprisingly decent bathrooms. No lifeguards, but they do patrol the beach. One last note: if your car has out-of-state plates, then it's $11 to get in. Considering that the fee was $10 when my kids were growing up in the 2000s/2010s...that's still a damn good bargain. Food....................................................N/A (we did not eat there) Ambiance/overall vibe.......................A Price.....................................................A Crowd size..........................................A

    Stephanie K.

    There was a line of cars waiting to get into the park on a hot Saturday morning in the summer. But parking was easy, and despite the enormous amount of people at the beach, everyone minded their own space and there was plenty of lake for everyone to swim and play comfortably! Where my family was at there was a taco trunk on one side of the parking lot and an ice cream truck on the other side. There were bathrooms, that were clean aside from being covered in wet sand (to be expected). Outside the bathrooms there was an outdoor shower, with a shorter spigot to wash off your feet. As I read in other reviews, the sand can get HOT HOT HOT, so plan your footwear accordingly. We had a tent and the shade provided much needed relief for our feet in the sand. The park employees drove around on 4-wheelers all the time, and didn't seem friendly but whatever. There were a lot of signs about no alcohol so if you choose to not follow the rules, at least do it discreetly. We were allowed to grill in the parking lot. Climbing the dunes was tiring, and hot so bring water!!! Overall, great family-friendly beach!

    Lake views
    Van F.

    We love coming to this state park and we also enjoy camping here. It's a beautiful state park along Lake Michigan and you can't forget about the Dune. It takes me about 20 minutes to climb the dune and you get spectacular views at the top. Worth the visit and camping trip!

    Stuff you aren't allowed to do!

    These people really need to figure out how to be more welcoming to visitors. All of their signs basically tell you what not you can do. There is zero hospitality in any of the signage and it really turns people off as you're driving through. The hostess at the Opening gate was quite accommodating, but I'll never be back because it really turned me off.

    Firewood and ice for sale
    Katy C.

    Warren Dunes State Park was the spot for our annual friend camping trip this year! We wanted somewhere a bit closer as we our friends were traveling with their baby. It's pretty easy and convenient to make reservations through the DNR website. Once you arrive, the first little pavilion is just to make sure you have a recreation passport - if you don't, you can purchase it there. Then you need to go to the actual check in area for the campsites if you're camping. It was a little confusing but the person working there was helpful in directing us. We were camping in mid-May, so it was a little chilly at night and the lake was definitely not swimmable, but we had a lot of fun! We hiked up the dunes and into the forest, which had some awesome views. It's a pretty strenuous hike so be aware. The beach was big with lots of parking! The restroom facilities were always clean and well stocked with toilet paper. The campground is close to some breweries and restaurants which is always nice. We also had fun bird watching at our campsite - we heard tons of birds and saw a few including orioles and red breasted grosbeaks! There is a cute general store at the campground that sells firewood, ice, some grocery items, ice cream snacks, flip flops, beach toys, etc. - it was fun to check out and handy if you forgot something.

    Dan G.

    I really like this park. It's huge, has a bunch of campsites, picnic areas, dunes, beach, woods, ample parking and miles of trails to hike. I love hiking and dunes hikes are some of the best. I usually follow the drive to the last lot along the beach. I do the woods loop, with the return along the beach instead of at the start. It's a three and a half mile loop. This trail is well marked and you'll see the trailheads and markers along whichever route you take. Pro tip-snap a pic of the trail before you set out. You'll need good boots or shoes for climbing up and down the steep dunes. Once back on the beach walk along the wet sand or pebbles and make it easier on yourself. The mosquitos were awful in the woods near the campgrounds. Bug spray and double time that section.

    Today's weather
    Eloy Y.

    At the gateway to Southwest Michigan and only 20 miles from the Indiana border, this was the best place when the temperature reached 77 degrees in late October. My partner, his family and I were so lucky! Warren Dunes State Park features giant mountains of soft sand. The backdrop was the Pikes Peak dune rising right up from the edge of the parking area where we did my birthday treat climb. The beach was clean with many sun bathers and paid $10 to get in if you are not from Michigan. We can recommend this place.

    Mel C.

    We love this state park and beach, so close to the Chicago area. Just a short drive for us from the NW Suburbs of IL. While it was still cold during our visit in April, we appreciate that this is a dog friendly place and you can find places to walk and hang out that aren't too heavily populated yet. I am sure summer will be a different story. We paid $9 to park and get in for the day and there appears to be plenty of parking here. Seeing the dunes up front is a pretty unique sight to see and there are many ways to enjoy this spot if you don't want to (or are not able to) climb a dune. If you visit, a reminder to please be respectful of others and our Great Lakes and pick up your trash.

    Warren Dunes State Park
    Amanda L.

    GREAT campgrounds, GREAT trails. This park is really huge and has tons of options for everyone! Family friendly and dog friendly for sure. Really enjoyed camping here! One of the days we stayed here, we decided to do a loop hike around the state park. We started from our campground and the hike was planned to be 5 miles, with almost half of it along the beach, which was great because we wanted to lay out along the beach and enjoy ourselves! The hike from the campground to the beach was good, very varied in elevation, with some dune climbing, but nothing too bad. As we got close to the beach, we looked over to our right and saw what I feel like is the TALLEST dune I have ever seen. I personally thought it went higher than the Dune Climb at Sleeping Bear, it truly looked so massive, but definitely more narrow. I was very thankful that our trail was not taking us there and shook my head in marvel at all those attempting that climb. Hope they had fun! Once we got down to the beach, we proceeded to lay out and enjoy the sun. It was a perfectly sunny day, this was one of our earliest camps of the summer, the water was still a bit cold, but perfect for popping in and out of when you got too hot laying there. My friends and I relaxed for about 2 hours before we decided to continue on in our hike. We walked basically a whole mile along the shoreline, which got a bit tedious because walking in sand is already difficult, but paired with the fact that one foot is always at a higher elevation than the other given the slope of the beach into the water, it was hard. Plus we couldn't always walk on the wetter sand because as we go further down the beach, it became more and more highly trafficked, so there was a lot of people playing in the water or situated very close to it, causing us to weave and bob all around them. Once our hike started to turn inwards away from the beach, we approached a whole stretch of sand that slowly sloped up into the woods. This stretch was right by a giant parking lot as well, so it was a high traffic area. I quickly realized that it was early afternoon at this point and this entire stretch of our hike in the sand was completely not shaded. As far as I could see, this stretch went on for at least a quarter of a mile before it rounded a bend and I couldn't tell if it would be more of the same around the bend or not. Either way, my dog was not happy about it. The sand was so hot on his paws and there was no shade available to him to even try and walk on cooler sand, so he started to walk weird and I knew his paws were overheating. I picked him up, but carrying him up a sandy hill for a quarter of a mile was already a bit too much to bear. At this point we were already 4 miles in and I was also overheating! Thankfully, my friends decided to hike the last mile back to our campground, get the car, and come and pick us up in the neighboring parking lot. While I waited for them to pick us up, I found a little shade next to the bathroom building near the parking lot for my dog & I to cool down. I sat there for at least 30 minutes and during my time, I saw SO many people do the same thing with their dogs. So many people were carrying the dogs because it was just too dangerous for their paw pads. There is too much open space and not enough board walk or cement or awnings leading to the beach, which allow dogs, for this to be okay. I would highly recommend that Warren Dunes look into this issue for the safety of our own feet and the wellbeing of our furry friends. Mind you, this entire experience at Warren Dunes was from this past May, BEFORE Memorial Weekend. It wasn't even that hot yet, and this was already the situation at the beach. I can't even imagine what it was like as the weather only got hotter and hotter as we actually entered the summer months in Michigan. All in all, we were disappointed we didn't get to finish our hike, but more than that, we were concerned by all the dogs that couldn't bear to walk on this super hot sand. Hope Warren Dunes/Michigan DNR can figure out an effective solution to this soon.

    Lindsey K.

    Wonderful hiking and beach. Does get crowded in the summer but the beach is large and you can bring a dog. Views are stunning.

    Jacqueline F.

    Definitely not your typical beach in thre Midwest. There's so many things to do and explore here other than just swim in Lake Michigan. For instance, did you know that there is a path along the creek/river that will take you to an area where the soil is made out of clay?! Yes, soft, smooth, all natural clay from mother nature. You can grab some and slather it all over your body and make yourself look like a tribal warrior, or you can grab a bunch and mold them into whatever your heart desires. But keep in mind that in order to get to the clay pits, you must walk through a dark river with water all the way up to your waist at certain points. Watch out for fallen debris such as trees and whatever else lurks in the murky waters. Enjoy the adventure! Also, it's not called Warren Dunes for nothing. Once you turn into the parking lot you will see this huge moutain of sand towering over you. It was over 90 degrees when I was here to visit and the unfortunately the sand was way too hot for me to trek through. Plus i didnt have any closed toe shoes for climbing. Looking at the other pictures here on Yelp, the view is pretty dope as the top. The water is your typical Lake Michigan water. Definitely much cleaner than the Lake Michigan water here in Chicago though. I enjoyed my time here and can't wait to plan a trip back.

    Dunes and Beach

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    3 years ago

    Awesome views, soft sand, and cool breezes! great, fun opportunity to get a workout in!

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great place for family fun on Lake Michigan! Incredible dunes. Walkway on the sand was much appreciated!

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    Warren Dunes State Park Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Warren Dunes State Park

    Are we allowed to bring 2 small dogs?

    I have two welsh corgis and we have gone to this park several times. It's lovely, but often crowded due to it's proximity to South Bend. Dogs are allowed but I was shocked the first time we went there. First of all, there were a LOT of dogs.… Read more

    We're thinking of driving out from the Chicago burbs this week sometime. Is the water warm enough to go in and enjoy or is it still freezing cause we could wait?

    Are dogs allowed on the beach?

    Yes! You can take your dog to the beach but only north of the northernmost swim buoy and on a six foot leash. Scoop da poop!

    Are there any kayaks or quads/ ATVs to rent?

    I didn't see any being used where I was and I didn't see any place to rent.

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    Review Highlights - Warren Dunes State Park

    Love this park as it had multiple parking lots and across the dunes was the beach for Lake Michigan.

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    Rocky Gap Beach

    Rocky Gap Beach

    4.3(6 reviews)
    16.5 mi

    Beautiful beach, clean sand, clean water, wheelchair accessible ramp, lots of driftwood structures,…read moreand best of all, it's not crowded. People come here to just sit and watch the waves, look for beach glass, do zen meditation/gardening with the pebbles, clean up litter, swim, paddleboard, and chill with their dogs. (The last is technically not allowed but I won't tell if you won't.) The only drawback is there isn't much parking. Pro tip: your navigation app may direct you to a parking lot north of the parking lot with a ramp entrance to the beach, but that is great for overflow parking. Rocky Gap County Park will get you to the closest parking lot to the beach.

    My family visited this beach yesterday (Friday). We arrived around 3:30pm to a full parking lot and…read moregrassy areas with cars, but luckily some were starting to leave. The beach is very narrow, so we were worried at first about finding a space where we could be distanced enough. Not too far down we found a spot. By 4pm many families had left. By 5 there were only a few of us and the occasional individuals coming to find rocks. We couldn't believe how nice the water was! Weeks of 80+ weather has made the water cool but refreshing. Everyone enjoyed looking for pretty and interesting rocks or digging in the soft sand. The girls could go out quite a ways and it not be too deep. Because there was an advisory against swimming, we didn't try to see how far we could go. There are two latrine style bathrooms. Smelly bit could have been worse. Heads up there is very little signal to be found at the bottom of the bluff. We would go again. I'd make sure I took my water shoes as I have sensitive feet, but the rocks are mostly smooth and only go out maybe 5ft or so before it's mainly sand. Having our wagon made the short haul from the van, down the ramp, and to a spot not far from the ramp. Oh, and we'd have tools to help search more more rocks. :)

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    Arrival at 3:30pm

    Warren Dunes State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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