Camping near the shores of Lake Michigan with sandy dunes and beaches, beautiful landscapes, and sunsets that light up the sky is an purely memorable experience. Ludington State Park in Michigan offers all of this and so many more amazing features and there is something there for everyone! Our family was fortunate enough to have a reservation for Labor Day weekend camping and we are already planning our next trip back. In this post I hope to share all of the awesome experiences and breathtaking scenery that this gem of a park in Michigan has to offer.
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Ludington State Park has 5300 acres of sandy dunes, shady forest, the Big Sable River, Lake Hamlin, Lost Lake, and miles of trails to explore. Also on the property is the historical Big Sable Lighthouse which visiting is a great experience, it’s only accessible by trail and climbing to the top gave breathtaking views of the lake.
Driving into the park on M-116 offers an immediate glimpse into the beauty of the park. Visitors can park all along the entry route for a day visit to the park, or keep on driving straight into the park entrance. The check-in and water fill/sanitation area are about 1 mile before the entrance which I thought was a nice feature.
There are 3 campgrounds on the property: Pines, Cedar, and Beachwood. Our site was in the Beachwood section at the very front. The site had 50 amp service and a big empty grass lot next to us, perfect for the kids to play soccer and use their fun stomp rockets in! The sites can be a bit tight in some areas so be sure to check what size trailer is allowed, but even with the full campground we never felt over-crowded. Enjoying the campfire each night after a full day of activities and seeing a bright sky full of stars was very relaxing. There is a nice little camp store in the park to get firewood, ice, and some camping essentials as well as a great selection of souvenirs, hats, hoodies, toys, and even a window serving ice cream!
Now let’s explore all of the wonderful activities to discover at the park. There is the beach of Lake Michigan, of course. The Lake Michigan Beach house is near the park entrance and the structure which was built in 1935 greets visitors to the lakefront. There are no lifeguards on duty, swimming conditions are displayed via a flag system. Red flag means no swimming due to rough conditions, green means ok. The upstairs of the beach house has interactive nature displays, the downstairs has concessions.
The Big Sable River runs right through the park, leading salmon and steelhead fishermen here for the fall run. The fish attempt to jump up the Hamlin Dam on their journey, so the Sable River Boardwalk is a great place to get in on the action.
Hamlin Lake offers even more recreation in the park with more great fishing for bass, walleye, perch, and bluegill, as well as a peaceful beach away from the big waves of Lake Michigan, perfect for families. There is a wonderful playground there put in by Friends of Ludington State Park, a boat launch, concessions, and rentals for kayaks, paddleboards, and tubes that can be used on Hamlin Lake or a float trip down the river.
One of the best features for me was the awesome trails throughout the park. There are 18 miles of trails including a wonderful paved trail that will take you take many parts of the park. I explored this trail with my daughter in our Burley bike trailer and got to wander through lush forests to the beach and all around the park.
This led us to the Skyline trail which runs along a sand dune ridge and is completely elevated. If you are looking for a stair work out this is it! Once you get to the top the boardwalk trail leads you to awesome look-out vistas of the lake.
Other trails include the Coast Guard trail, Ridge Trail, Island Trail, Sable River Trail, and the Lost Lake Trail. There is also a canoe trail on Hamlin Lake for those who want to explore by water. Though we didn’t have time to cover all of the trails we did get to check out the Island Trail and Lost Lake trails which were full of wildlife. Visiting at the beginning of September was perfect timing for the Monarch butterfly migration and they were everywhere in the park.
The Lighthouse trail is definitely an adventure! This 1.8 mile trek on a sand and gravel path takes a bit of effort, but along the way you can view the shoreline, run around the sand dunes, and arrive to the historic Big Sable Lighthouse. The impressive 112 ft. structure was built in 1867 and you can learn all about the amazing history thanks to the volunteers from splka.org. From May through October, you can visit the lighthouse, learn about it’s history, and climb all the way to the top. This was so much fun to do with the kids and to see the view from the top was worth all of the hard work. There is also a gift shop inside the Keeper’s Quarters.
If you are looking to venture outside of the park, downtown Ludington is a very nice town full of shops, dining, marinas, and parks. The lakeshore vibe is all around this town and there are some great spots to visit. Waterfront park is nestled among the beautiful marinas of the town and is full of unique sculptures and art. After a visit to House of Flavors for epic ice cream, a walk through this park along the lakefront on a beautiful summer day was a great way to see the area. Also nearby is the Sandcastles Children’s Museum which is a nice attraction for families to explore.
Our family will definitely plan a trip next year to this park and hope to spend more time enjoying this gem of Lake Michigan. Ludington State Park is absolutely wor
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