Saugatuck Dunes State Park
Saugatuck Dunes State Park
4.5
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
About
The park's 850 acres include a beach, dunes and cross-country ski trails.
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See what travelers are saying
- K. Nock It OffDetroit, Michigan135 contributionsThis park is excellent for both hiking and the beach. It is on a smaller side, one of the smallest state parks in the area. It was not super packed even during 4th of July weekend. We took the longest trail (Southern?), completed it in about 2 hours, and then returned back to the beach. There were fewer people on the beach in this park than in other state parks on lake Michigan shore, maybe because this park lack "real" facilities. There are a few vaulted toilets, this is it. Trails are marked, scenery is great, dunes are fun. Will be back.Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten July 22, 2024
- Katherine KLittle Egg Harbor, New Jersey278 contributionsThe red trail was a bit strenuous and not marked too well. But the views of the lake and dunes made it worth it. It was still very hot in September, so you might want to check the forecast. There was a school group enjoying the park. $11 to get in.Visited September 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten September 15, 2024
- Debbie O4 contributionsSaugatuck and Douglas are both charming, clean, walkable towns. Many great restaurants, galleries, and shops. No fast food, no chains! Loved Oval Beach! Had a nice stay and visited Fennville where all the wineries are. Loved it and plan to go back.Visited May 2024Traveled with familyWritten June 2, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
375 reviews
Excellent
236
Very good
108
Average
21
Poor
9
Terrible
1
Nick
Round Lake, IL127 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
The hike through the forest was peaceful and not overly strenuous. The first view of the lake as you walk out of the woods makes this hike worth every effort. The only reason it doesn't get five stars from me is that the $11.00 entry fee is fairly steep for just trail access. I'd still visit again.
Written October 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dallas A
Chicago, IL148 contributions
Sep 2022
Beautiful Beach and surrounding area! To enter the State Park, there is a $10 fee for non-residents for the day. It is collected at the gate via an honor system. We arrived around 10:00am and parking was not an issue. When we left just after noon, it seemed to be packed. Be aware, from the car to the beach, it is a little over 3/4 mile hike. The path leads through a beautiful wooded area, but it does have some up and down hill to it. We just had ourselves and some towels, so it was nice for us. However, the Park and Beach are dog friendly, and we had our senior dog Watson with us. He made it like a champ, but if it was a hotter day (only 70 degrees when we went), the hike might have been too much for him. Once you reach the beach, it is clean and beautiful. Even as more people arrived, we did not feel too crowded and very much enjoyed a peaceful and relaxing morning. However, there is not much in the way of restroom facilities once past the parking lot.
Written October 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MI_BRDNRD
Michigan474 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
We love Sleeping Bear dunes but hate how far away it is from us. After doing some research, I found Saugatuck Dunes which is only 2 hours from us. We planned a day trip and absolutely loved our visit. We had lunch on the beach and even made friends with a Ring-billed Gull that we named Benny. I feel like this State Park is a hidden gem because there weren’t a ton of people there. Our favorite part of this state park is that you have the best of both worlds: hiking in the woods and walking along the Lake Michigan shoreline. The trails are well kept, clean and everyone we passed was friendly. There are numerous trails to explore with the Beach Trail (yellow marker) being the easiest and fastest to the shore. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and will definitely be back!
Written October 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lithlith
Michigan950 contributions
Sep 2022
Saugatuck Dunes State Park is lovely. There are several hiking trails and nice beach!
The shortest and easiest trail is the Beach Trail which is mainly through the woods to the beach. It is well marked from the parking lot area. We have also hiked the North trail, which is longer and more difficult with more hiking through sand dunes, but you can also reach the beach from that trail. Outhouses are located in the parking lot/picnic area only.
The shortest and easiest trail is the Beach Trail which is mainly through the woods to the beach. It is well marked from the parking lot area. We have also hiked the North trail, which is longer and more difficult with more hiking through sand dunes, but you can also reach the beach from that trail. Outhouses are located in the parking lot/picnic area only.
Written October 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
loretta8315
Conover, NC252 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
Wonderful time spent at the park. We chose to do the hike down to the beach..I would rate the hiking easy to moderate depending upon where you go. Our trail to go down to the beach of Lake Michigan had a steep incline but otherwise it was pretty easy. Getting down to the beach waters edge also could be a bit difficult if you are not accustomed to hiking as it has a steep hill down or at the path we chose did. I did not use a map so there could have been a much easier path. Overall we throughly enjoyed our hike and the view we had of Lake Michigan was well worth the hike. Nice parking area and my husband and I felt safe.
Written May 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TripPhotographer52
Cincinnati, OH1,945 contributions
Sep 2020
I liked the hike through the woods before you got to the dunes better than the dunes and beach area. The hike through the woods was very tranquil with very few people with many mature trees. We walked along the beach shoreline, but the lake water has been rising for the past few years, resulting in signifiant erosion of the beach, I was informed. The beach erosion is unfortunate, as it is a very pleasant.
Written September 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cassie M
Bellbrook, OH49 contributions
Apr 2021 • Solo
It was just what I wanted it to be—beautiful, quiet, peaceful, and calming. I was in town for two days and one night and I visited the park both days. The trails were a more strenuous hike than I expected—I couldn’t find the most direct route because they are not well labeled and not all shown on the map, but I forgive the park for that* because the woods are beautiful and so are the dunes, the beach, and the lake. On the second day there I had a long stretch of the beach all to myself for a while. It was perfect.
*It would be great if the map were updated and the trail markers were clearer though.
*It would be great if the map were updated and the trail markers were clearer though.
Written April 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cynthia K
Westville, IN4,513 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
This a small state park with very little in facilities. The bathrooms are pit toilets. Paying is on the honor system. We were there on a Sunday morning & there was no one checking to see if we payed. A shelter & a few picnic tables.
This is really a HIKING park. There are 4 trails. 3 are rated strenuous.
The easiest is the Beach Trail. Easy is relative because there's some inclines & some sandy areas. There's a last push uphill hiking in sand, then downhill to the beach.
I would say it's moderate. I did like the trail.
There were several people enjoying the beach & when I got back to the parking lot it was filling up.
Dogs are allowed on the trails & on the beach, but must be leashed. I saw some that weren't. I also stepped in dog poop, so yet another reason to dislike dogs on the trail (or their lazy owners!).
This is really a HIKING park. There are 4 trails. 3 are rated strenuous.
The easiest is the Beach Trail. Easy is relative because there's some inclines & some sandy areas. There's a last push uphill hiking in sand, then downhill to the beach.
I would say it's moderate. I did like the trail.
There were several people enjoying the beach & when I got back to the parking lot it was filling up.
Dogs are allowed on the trails & on the beach, but must be leashed. I saw some that weren't. I also stepped in dog poop, so yet another reason to dislike dogs on the trail (or their lazy owners!).
Written May 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lauren S
Royal Oak, MI12 contributions
Oct 2020
This was an incredible hike through West Michigan forest, dunes, and shoreline. We did the South loop, and our hike ended up being about 6.5 miles - although we did tack on some extra mileage at the beach. There were lots of other (shorter) trails and loops if you're not looking for that long of a hike. Overall, it was just so beautiful - we went at the perfect time to see all the fall colors. It rained lightly throughout the hike, but that just made it more magical with the sound of raindrops on the tree canopy overhead.
Written October 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
csul17
Indianapolis, IN105 contributions
Nov 2020
This park is so nice! The parking area is just a sandy lot and it does fill up rather quickly, even in the winter. The park has a few different trails, most are short and lead to the beach. The trail map is a bit confusing and there are many more forks in the park than are present on the map. Definitely take a pic of the map before you begin your adventure! Great for dogs and the trails are nice and wide.
Written January 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hours of operation Friday August 22
Written August 18, 2020
Do you have to walk to the beach? How far is it? Will be passing through and have about an hour. Will I be able to stop here and go to the beach to enjoy some scenery in that amount of time?
Written March 10, 2019
Do you have to walk to the beach? How far is it? Will be passing through and have about an hour. Will I be able to stop here and go to the beach to enjoy some scenery in that amount of time?
Written March 10, 2019
No, you don’t have to walk to the beach and there are several different routes you can take. The length depends on the route you choose. We opted to walk out to the beach on a more popular trek, less than 20 minutes one way. In a hour you can reach the beach, but it would be a turn and burn kind of trek. I’d recommend at least 90 minutes to soak it all in, a hour will come and go too fast.
Written March 10, 2019
Yes dogs are allowed within the park while on a leash.
Written July 11, 2018
I would not recommend using a walker out on the trails. It's well maintained but I imagine it would be difficult to to get around - especially in the sandy areas.
However when you first arrive there is a nice picnic spot for lunch/snacks!
Written June 11, 2018
How far is the hike to the beach? We are thinking of bringing two young kids (5 & 2) and they will be more interested in the beach than the hike!
Written June 3, 2018
Do not even consider it with young kids. Go to Oval Beach. I will not go back to Saugatuck Dunes National Park. Had a bad experience. Trails were not well marked in spots and it's a hard climb in some areas.
Written July 17, 2018
The park is open in the fall for hiking and beach walking it closes at dusk which is about 4:30 in the fall and winter I think cross country skiing would be fun for those that are experienced..there are some steep hills though
Written November 6, 2017
Anywhere except for the beach. Dogs are not allowed on the beach. They are allowed on the beautiful trails.
Written February 12, 2017
Is there a restroom or portapotty at the beach? Is there a restroom near the parking area? Approximately how long will the walk be from the parking to the beach? Is there a fee to enter this state park?
Written June 12, 2016
There are pit toilets at the parking lot. I did not see any restrooms at the beach. The walk from parking lot to beach is 20 to 30 minutes depending on the trail you choose. There are hills which makes this a little more than an easy walk. The fee is the usual entrance fee for a Michigan state park. We purchase the annual Recreation Pass when we buy our auto license tags. The pass has been a great bargain for visiting Michigan parks.
Written September 11, 2016
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