Hoffmaster State Park Reviews

A day pass to a state park is $9. There is a visitor center but it was not open when we were there. Small wildflower garden in front of the visitor center. Camping and picnic areas. There were also wild flowers on the hike to the beach. Huge sand dune named Mt. Baldy. We took a trail which comes out at Lake Michigan. The trail was fairly easy, a lot of it was boardwalk. The view of the lake was worth the walk. There is also a trail with a lot of steps up the dune.

I go here a lot during the off season for hiking, beach walking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The views are terrific, lots of wildlife and plenty of space to roam.

Where the campground is nice, you are actually camping in the woods (with trees) unlike some other campgrounds, the beach is beautiful and private and lots of hiking and bike trails. There was some oddities that made this campground not one of my favorite state parks

#1
NO alcohol permitted~ so if you are the type that likes to have a few drinks after the kids go to bed or are planning a weekend with friends this is not the place for you, Now i did not see anyone driving around enforcing this rule but i have not had to snick a drink for 15 years and would rather not start again

#2
A lot of the lots were covered in gravel. This made no sense to me. Who wants to pitch a tent or hang out on gravel. I spent over a hour racking away a place for my son to sit a play on the ground without having to worry about him getting hurt on the gravel. And trying to dodge the gravel lots are like playing Russian roulette. There spread out and there’s no way to know before booking if you’re getting one of them.

#3
The beach is a bit of a hike up and down sand. So hauling your children and all their things can be exhausting

And when booking STAY AWAY from the bridge leading to the playground. It a magnet to the kids and is VERY noisy. Now i do not mind the kids at all but you will not have a moment of silence till it goes dark to relax and read or take naps. It’s not happening at the sites around that bridge and creek

I would probably go back to this park because it was pretty but i think i would like to try other in the area before I do.

I live just down the road from here so I have to admit bias in the review. If you want to see if the most pristine shoreline on Lake Michigan this is your place. You can hike from here all the way down to Kitchel Dune Preseve. The beach is never crowded and if you are willing to walk a trail and then head to the beach you will most times find your self alone.

Hoffmaster State Park has beautiful and clean sandy beaches. A lot of people do not know about all of their amazing nature trails as well. My friends and I enjoy walking the trail with all the tall old pines. Another favorite is the trail that leads you to the beach. Have a hike before swimming!!

Best lake beach experience I've had to date. Beautiful water and clean beaches, nice facilities for changing. Nice variety of hiking trails.

Great hiking, wonderful views of the lake and sand dunes. Very long beach allows for long walks alongside the lake.

Many trails and spectacular views of lake Michigan and the rolling dunes. Early morning or a sunset visit is best in the middle of summer as the parking fills up, but some how still not as crowded as many other beaches in west Michigan. Good family beach as well since there are some more guidelines around state parks than some of the county parks. We always see deer on the dunes and enjoy spotting additional nature.
There are nice handicap accessible trails and a nice nature center that has different family geared events. Remember sun screen and watch for rip currents as there are no life guards on duty and the lake should be respected. :)

This is the families favorite beach. Easy parking, bathroom and changing building could use better lighting the walk to the beach can seem a bit long with all the stuff you tend to bring. Beach is very nice!

Pros: Beautiful beaches and hiking trails.

Cons: No alcohol, you’ll pay for electric whether you want it or not.

Stopped in for a short one-nighter during the first week of June 2014. Frankly was not expecting any vacancies, maybe something right next to the bathroom, but we lucked out. The layout of the park seemed a bit weird. The visitor center and group areas are separated from the campground by the main road. There is a trail that connects these two areas with about a 30 min hike from one area to the other. One nice point to this fact is that the ‘visitor beach’ is separate from the ‘campers’ beach.’

This happened to be the same weekend as the annual Tin-Can-Tourist Rally. The Tin-Can-Tourists is a camping club with a vast history and camp in vintage tents and campers. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this group. It was actually a delight to be able to see so many vintage campers and tents in one area. The group did seem to cause an influx of visitors into the campground on the day of their open house, but most visitors were gone by dinnertime.

The ‘ALCOHOL PROHIBITED’ notes everywhere seemed a bit unnecessary. I understand that state parks are intended to be for the enjoyment of everyone. It also makes sense that the park would not want to be liable for some drunk to light himself (or herself) on fire. However, preventing a responsible person the opportunity to have a glass of wine with a steak dinner or crack open a nice cold Michigan brew by the side of the campfire after a long relaxing day at the beach seems excessive. If this is a deal breaker, I suggest looking at the DNR's website for Alcohol friendly alternatives.

This place is the perfect campground for a weekend family vacation. If you’re expecting a secluded getaway, this is not your place. On the other hand if you’re looking for a short weekend getaway to the beach and hiding your alcohol in a red plastic cup by the fire, look no further than P.J. Hoffmaster!

This park is totally awesome. The dunes, the sand, the sun, water and just a good time. There is an activity center to go to first right inside the park. There is a lot to learn about the trees, flowers, animals, insects and the dunes too. We really enjoyed this. You can spend 15 min. to an hour here. You have about 1/2 mi. to get to the beach. There are stairs until they were washed away and you have to walk or run down the dune. Would not recommend for small children or elderly. Tough climb up too. Just soooo beautiful.

We took a wrong turn and found this park. What a pretty place! We walked out on the pier and really enjoyed the sights.

Had great hopes for our day at the beach. Beach was clean and not over crowded...but...black biting flies ended our day much sooner than expected. The swimming was great until you got out of the water and then they attacked. Just bad timing we guessed. After returning home and doing a little research we now know there is little we could do but stay in the water or hope for a change in the wind direction. Would definitely try to go back...just keep swimming. Make sure to take all the beach gear. Note also bathrooms are kind of a far walk from the beach especially if you venture down the beach a ways.

I live nearby and have camped and day hiked there many times. Beautiful beach and dunes. Dune hiking is excellent and can take you to more remote beach areas.

The Nature Center is decent with a lot of information on sand dune ecosystem and big lake (lake Michigan) information. Very good slide show there.

Not a great place to camp. They have about 300 spots. While some are decent, most are very small and close together. Last time we camped there our pop up trailer was about ten feet away from our neighbor's fire pit. The Rangers there are very strict on rules like keeping dogs on leash and prohibit alcohol. They patrol at night to catch people taking a leak in the dark. There always seems to be a lot of kids riding the loops and running around, so kids could easily find playmates. Batch/shower facilities are excellent but no clothes washing machines. No internet. No bicycle trails. I think Muskegon State Park is much nicer.a

Worst campground I have ever been too in all my life never going back. Camp sites to close, lights out at 11, no alcohol. DNR SUPER STRICT. Apparently they were spying on our campsite which seems like harassment to me and creepy to say the least. All in all 7 of us got tickets and they threatened to trespass us when we were being compliant and respectable. They go around and harass anyone who is trying to have a good time. Beach is beautiful though

I went camping there for the weekend. It's a bit of a hike from the campgrounds to the beach/dune area. Bring bug spray, there are lots of mosquitoes. The area is vast and you can spread out on the beach without being on top of someone else. I went in late August. It was very family friendly. There is lots to explore and hike. Give yourself plenty of time.

This was an amazing 3 day weekend getaway! We stayed at PJ HOFFMASTER'S STATE CAMPGROUND. We reserved online, using the Michigan DNR website. It was a great place to get all the details, campground maps, site pis etc.. Our choice was 2sites near the main beach access trail. It wormed out great, with just a short walk down a shady sandy path to one of nature's wonders. From arrival, we were greeted with smiles and knowledge by the DNR reps. The facilities were spotless from the groomed trails to the restrooms and showers. Our 30ft camper was a breeze to set up, as the site was spot on to the last detail we noted wile making our reservation online. Shady trees, level, and plenty of room to fit our group of 6 and 2 large dogs. There is a huge activity field that was perfect for disc golf! A bubbling creek runs through the campground that our dogs loved to explore. The camp hosts were friendly and knowledgeable with tons of local information, and daily weather posted on the board. A great place for good conversation, hot coffee and the camp news to start the day. Beautiful Lk Michigan, family, sunsets, sand dunes, hiking, great times... You get em all at PJ HOFFMASTERS ST CAMPGROUND.

Muskegon State Park is a beautiful,setting. The campsites are well defined and very well maintained. The shower and rent rooms are very clean well maintained also. The trails are wonderful for short or long holes. Even with the high water this year the beach is b auto fuel and sunsets spectacular. The Harriet Gillette Nature Center is wonderful for children of all ages.

Based on some recommendations from friends, I made a reservation at Hoffmaster State Park for the first week in August. Was somewhat concerned with close proximity to large city (Muskegon) but that was unfounded. Park is beautiful, very well maintained and staffed by friendly people. Restrooms were very well maintained and are fairly new. Beach is great, and the walk through the dunes to get there is a relaxing experience.

I was visiting from Alaska and made a wrong turn into the park on the 6th before close. Girl at the booth let me through but the two young boy rangers or more like kids I'll put it, made sure to come find me and tell me I should leave even though I was let in. I was waiting for my girlfriend that i was visiting to show up and there were a few other people in the parking lot talking so what was the big deal? They agreed to finally let me stay but the harrasment wasnt worth my time. I met up with my friend at Pere Marquette and loved it. Won't go back to little boys who think they're copsmaster park again if I come here. Jerks!!!!!!

Stayed here for 2 weekend nights in Aug. Great facilities: free hot showers, camp hosts , weekend coffee, electricity, good fire rings, LOTS OF TREES, reasonably quiet, very short walk to private beach on Lake Michigan, very clean and well maintained, firewood available at fair prices, dogs allowed. Good hiking, beautiful creek and spectacular sand beaches. Bought our firewood outside of park at lower prices. Multiple small tents allowed in one space. Although outside city, close to shopping and grocery stores - made a wonderful campfire dinner! A wonderful experience. Will be back!

Clean, fun, great hiking, and beaches. Lots of shade for camping. Situated ideally between Muskegon and Grand Haven. Twenty five minutes to MI Adventure and 15 to Grand Haven shopping and additional beaches.

Definitely underrated beach in Michigan. Not too crowded. Entrance fee is $10 and $~36. Beach have good waves and has medium walk from parking lot to the beach.

We've been camping to PJ Hoffmaster state park since 2007 almost every year. When we were in our 20's with no kids we didn't quite like this park because it was too quiet, not too modern, boring with lots of kids running around and in the middle of nowhere. The beach is nice but we were craving for a beach party with a DJ, drinks, music, beach sports and water sports. However, evenings are dark, dead quiet and no alcohol is allowed. Park is populated by mostly retired people and groups of families with lots of small children. Rarely did we see teenagers and young adults.
Now that we're in our 30's and have kids, we appreciate parks like this and we realize how valuable is some quiet time for relaxing around a camp fire, on the beach or in your tent/camper. In the past years we got to experience other parks in Michigan where there was no quiet time, no rule enforcement and alcohol was permitted and they were a lot noisier and attracted large and loud groups of people overpopulating their sites and abusing every privilege they had.

Positives:

#1. No alcohol rule. I am actually a responsible drinker and do enjoy a few drinks now and then. I believe that this rule is not for those like me, it's to discourage those that can't find other ways of having fun other than getting drunk every night. I actually feel safe to bring my family in this campground knowing that there won't be any drunks that will do stupid things.
#2. Awesome beach. The beach is a very nice long stretch of pure sand that sits at the bottom of a sand dune. The water is shallow and warms up quickly on hot days. The beach also has a small creek that flows from the woods in to the lake where small children are safe to play.
#3. Even more awesome sun sets. Because there is a sand dune sitting between the lake and the campground, watching the sunsets from the top of the dune is absolutely gorgeous and very romantic. If you plan to propose to your loved one (especially if she likes nature), this could be a good place to do it.
#4. Some sites are private. Not all camp sites are equal. You will find many campsites that are large and private. Just look at site 36 next time you're there. This site is close to the beach and has no other neighbor sites. Good luck trying to reserve it through!
#5. There is plenty of shade offered by mature trees which can be very nice on hot summer days. The downside it that the trees may be dropping cones and needles on your tent and car and it gets dark sooner than on the beach.
#6. Modern restrooms with private showers that have hot water. If you ever camped somewhere where they have rustic restrooms with no light, you will appreciate the restrooms and showers in this campground.
#7. There are about 4 camp sites that are tent-only. Not long ago, these were non-reservable and you had to get them on a first-come first-served basis. We actually liked this because we are always camping with a tent and don't need electricity hook-up and those sites were always available. Now, they too need to be reserved but they are most of the times available if you don't mind the limitations. I recommend site B2 that is surprisingly big and has plenty of privacy. It may be a little too close to the dumpster. Also sites C1 and C2 are nice but we had lots of mosquitoes when we used them. They can also get flooded quickly when it rains.

Negatives:

#1. Not modern enough. While there are restrooms and showers and a welcome desk that sells ice and firewood, I've been camping in Europe where the campgrounds had a restaurant with a porch with live music, a store selling clothes, beach accessories and necessities, lighted pathways and better security. The beach at Hoffmaster could use some amenities such as a paved pathway, a dock, more stairs, more restrooms and showers. This is a problem that's omnipresent on Lake Michigan beaches. I am not saying that it should be a 5-star beach, but "Pure Michigan" does not need to be "Wild Michigan", they can improve access to the beach, provide beach sports, sell food, rent dry towels, umbrellas, swim gear and lounge chairs, etc.
#2. Reservation is a nightmare. If you are not flexible with the dates and you want a decent campsite, you may need to log in the reservation website precisely 6 months in advance at the exact time the reservations are open for the date you'll check in. I've tried booking sites 34 or 36 on a weekend in August, 6 months ahead at exactly 9:00:00AM (when reservations opened for that weekend) and could not get either. Good sites are very popular and a lot of people will try to reserve them at the same time as you. To increase the chances of obtaining a site on a busy weekend, lots of people reserve the sites for a week or more and then at a later time they cancel the dates they don't use and keep only the weekend. This allows them to place a reservation 6 months ahead on a week day which may not be that busy as a weekend. It's a little bit of a shady tactic if you ask me. Best is to keep trying your luck with a fast internet connection.
#3. Not enough showers and restrooms. This is a big campground that can host close to 1800 people when full (300 sites multiplied with 6 persons per site). There are only 3 buildings with restrooms available. Often times there is a wait line for the showers. Expect no soap and toilet paper. Expect that some toilets and showers may be out of order.
#4. Placement of the fire pit is inconvenient for most sites. The layout of a camp site is like this: on one side you have the electrical hook-up and on the other side is the fire pit. Your site's fire pit is close to the edge with your neighbor's site. So, you won't have too much privacy when enjoying the firepit.
#5. In fact, there is very little privacy in general because the camp sites are too close to one another. Don't be fooled by the low-res pictures on the DNR website, the sites are actually smaller than they appear to be. And the campground map is also a little inaccurate. If you plan to reserve more sites for a large party, it may be better to reserve sites that face each other across the road rather than adjacent sites. Check the internet for pictures.
#6. Not necessarily a negative for this campground but in general it's good to know that T-Mobile has very weak cellphone signal in this part of the state.
#7. This is a fairly large campground that's split in two sections. If you want to camp here, study the map carefully and choose a site based on your priorities. For example, every day we used to go out and eat for breakfast and lunch and we also drove to other nearby state parks. A site near the exit made this a lot easier for us and we didn't mind the extra walk to the beach or the restrooms. If you have a site that's far from the exit, keep in mind that the road goes one way and you may need to drive around the entire loop before getting out. And driving through this campground with so many kids running around and riding their bicycles can be frustrating.
#8. That being said, the walk to the beach can be a very long one for some. Plan a good 15 minute walk or longer if you have kids and carry beach gear.

We'll be going there again this year.

We thought that the park had sand dunes however we could not see any other than stairs leading to nowhere. If you have extra time this park might be worth it.

A terrific place for hiking and walking. Miles of easy trails to follow, great views and beach walking and impossible to get lost. Trails are not maintained but are safe and we'll marked. The visitor center is very informative with all facilities. 2,3,and four mile walks can form round trips. Side trips into the large dunes are real adventures but strenuous even for those with strong legs!

Hoffmaster has beauty and a beach that is fairly accessible for most people regardless of ability or fitness level.

Longer walk to the beach from parking through woodsy path, stairs down the dune edge to the wide beach. Much less crowded than the more well known beaches in Grand Haven, Holland etc but probably more beautiful and spacious. Nature walks through woods dunes and quiet hollows are worth a separate trip all by themselves at most any time of year. If you have your park sticker from Michigan license renewal, entrance is free, otherwise you out-of-staters or non-park supporters should be happy to pay a day or week fee to enjoy this park. Nearby State campgrounds are regularly full. Plan ahead.

The beach was beautiful, although it’s a bit of a hike to get to it. That’s about all I can say that’s positive about this campground. The sites are tiny and crammed together. Cars are parked all over the place making it hard to park a trailer amd get it out. This is the only campground in MI that prohibits alcohol, which was strange. It seemed like mostly IL people at the campground, which made it feel noticeably less friendly than other campgrounds we’ve stayed at. MI state campgrounds aren’t very nice, in general, but this one is one of the worst ones, IMO. This was our first and last time we will ever go to this campground. Yuck.

If you like woods and the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan, this is the place for you. The visitors Center is very good with excellent educational displays on the dunes and ecology of the area. There are plenty of enjoyable trails to hike, as well, I highly recommend this beautiful Michigan State Park.

I was impressed to see how far into the woods the accessible boardwalk gets into nature. If you are traveling with someone who has concerns about mobility, take them to Hoffmaster. They will be thrilled with the experience. A rare opportunity!

Although there is camping available at this state park, I went there for a day at the beach. It is such a beautiful area. Parking is clean and plentiful. The beach is close to parking and to restrooms. The beach is clean and gorgeous, with Lake Michigan's 'sugar sand'.

This beach was recommended to us by the hotel staff where we were staying. It was beautiful! You drive through forest like trees to get there, then walk down a small path and the opening to the beach is breathtaking! The water was cold at 62 degrees and rough so swimming was not recommended that day. We did, however, just in the sugary sand and enjoy the sun and view. It was perfect!

My family went in the fall/winter and the experience was great! We had tons of fun and with an ice cream shop around the corner, the experience was pretty good.

Great state park, modern & clean restrooms/showers, beautiful beach, nice trails, informative nature center, excellent sites with heavy/sturdy tables, fire rings, and location is very convenient to Grand Haven.

We go every year and alternate between this park and Muskegon State Park (north side of Muskegon). Both are great and very affordable!

Live 10 mins from here, best beach in the area, great sunsets, good for walking through beach or climbing sand dunes

We arrived at PJ Hoffmaster Campground after a long day on the road, having driven through a thunderstorm, and being tied up in Grand Rapids rush hour traffic. Our hearts sank as we pulled into the campground, as it looked like chaos, and we were looking for some rest, peace, and quiet. Camp sites were jammed to the max with 'stuff', so the vehicles were parked very close to the road. The road was filled with groups of kids playing games and riding their bicycles, with little regard for others. It was our first camping experience there, and, although we expected it to be busy with families during the summer, it seemed as if it might be really noisy. We had site #59, which was level, shaded and spacious, but, like almost all sites there, did not offer much privacy. (The site next to us, #61, was really nice...deep, wide, and more private.) The shower building was a short walk from our site, was clean, and had modern, free, hot showers, and nice facilities. Each site had a picnic table, and a nice fire ring made from concrete and sewer pipe, like many other Michigan state parks. People were friendly and nice, and observed the quiet hours. After dark, it was very quiet. The path to the beach was located a short walk from our site around the loop, on the opposite end from the shower house. The path was through very fine, deep, soft sand, which might be difficult for people with mobility issues to maneuver. Placed along the path, through the wooded area, are memorial benches, dedicated to family members and special loved ones. I really enjoyed reading the inscriptions on the attached plaques, and think it is a very nice idea, and a special way to honor and remember someone. Most people left their bicycles along the path, as it would be too difficult to ride them in the sand. The dunes along the shore are astounding beautiful, and fun to climb. The beach was not very wide wile we were there, but it is beautiful. It was very windy for days, so it was unsafe for swimming...there were warnings on the weather radio, and posted on the beach, but it is not always like that. All in all, it is a very nice park and campground. Lots of people enjoy camping there, but the 'congestion' and crowding during peak times just takes away a little bit from the peaceful feeling of being 'away from it all'.

Live and love to hike here in the warmer and colder months. so many trails and so many views that are AWESOME! get adventurous and seek that inner self here. Can challenge yourself or take it easy. Great park for visitors center and beach access. SO much offered never get bored. Really can see amazing wildlife if you stop a bit. Once at the beach so much to walk and see. Great! Go enjoy it and yourself. Family Friendly.

We spent 4 nights at this beautiful State Park with our 12, 9 & 5 year old daughters. We had enough room on our site for 2 Large Tents and a Screen House. Probably could have even fit a couple more smaller tents if needed. The sites are very generously sized. We were very close to the Bathroom/Shower House. One of the cleanest Campground Bathroom/Showerhouse I've ever seen. The only gripe I have with the bathrooms is: Why close the bathrooms at 9am for cleaning?!??!?! This is a PRIME time for bathroom/shower usage!

Seems to me that closing the bathroom for cleaning should happen at NON PEAK times. Perhaps at 11am? Or even an hour later at 10am?

Lot's of fun trails to explore. Very fun Dune Look out Hike up some stairs. Kids loved it. There were 2 main beaches. One you could walk to from your campsite and another you could drive a very short distance to. The one you could drive to had a bathhouse.

The Beautiful Grand Haven State Park beach is also very close. About a 10 minute drive from Hoffmaster.

The Visitor Center was an unexpected treat. The upper floor features a walk thru exhibit and an amphitheater. There are two 10 minute movies (free) you can watch upon request in a very nice air conditioned theater.

The lower floor features live animals. Sea lamprey, Snakes, Lake Sturgeon, Turtles, Butterflies, ect. Very nice and free Visitor Center.

Firewood is $5.50 per bundle in the park. It is a drop the money in the bucket pay system. Just outside of the park, you can find firewood cheaper. One house had bundles for $2 but they were always sold out. You could frequently find abundant bundles for $3-4 each. All with a drop money in the bucket system.

A bag of Ice at the Registration Office cost $2. At the Dollar General near by the same size bags were $1.77. Worth it saving your gas and buying it at the Campground.

The campsites can be private, some looked very private. Ours was not. It felt as though our neighbors on both sides were apart of our family because there wasn't much privacy between our sites. No big deal though, this can be expected at a lot of campgrounds.

The showers are all separate entrance private stalls with locking doors. I love this set up!

Had a blast at this campground and made many new family memories. Can't wait to come back next year!

The beach, plenty of camp sites, and clean facilities, all make this a nice campground. We have not been there for a while, but we camped there several times with our kids, and friends, and always had a good time

Love this place. It is clean and quiet and is a really nice campground. My family and I have been here at least 6 times over the past few years and all of us really enjoy it. It is a great family campground. It is well maintained, there is no alcohol and there is an enforced curfew quiet time so you don't have to deal with parties or late night loudness. There are hundreds of lots and a lot of really good sites. The beach could be a little bit bigger but the sand is white and the water is good. It's a great lake so it can be a little on the cold side sometimes. It does have lots of dunes, a little creek by the beach which is warmer, and the welcome center is great! Would highly recommend.

We love this beach! Today, we had 6 grandkids in tow and they all loved it. They run up and down the dunes (and will sleep well tonight) The beach isn't crowded like some of the other more popular ones nearby. It's clean. We had water 72 degrees with one foot waves at best, and so even the little ones were very happy. And of course, they love the digging in the sand and constructing whatever they can.

The showers are cleaned twice a day and there is always hot water. The showers are private and water pressure is good. There are always activities for the kids by the host family and a great playground. The campground sells ice and firewood. No fireworks are allowed and quiet time is at 10pm. The lake is a 10 minute walk and beautiful. No lifeguard is on duty so pay attention. The lake has a severe under tow and people have been pulled under.

We visited on a Saturday as a family with friends. The park was beautiful. The trails are maintained and not very busy. The walk to the shoreline that we chose was shaded with lots of elevation changes. The nature center had a informative section about wildlife the kids enjoyed.

This is a beautiful state park for camping and swimming in Lake Michigan. There is no alcohol allowed, so there are no big groups of camping adults partying into the wee hours. Lots of families & lots of kids. The trails are well taken care of and accessible. The campsites and shower facilities are clean and well maintained.

I've been camping at Hoffmaster for over 20 years. This is a great place to camp! The beautful Lake Michigan beach is within walking distance. Bathrooms are clean.

There is also a day beach if you're not camping. ** Check out nearby Whippi Dip for a yummy lunch and ice cream!

Very clean and lot to do. It is short distance from US-31 where most of the hotels and restaurants are.

Its beautiful Lake Michigan beach may not be quite as glorious as some further north, where the dunes are more spectacular, but this state park campground has one huge advantage going for it: its family-friendly alcohol-free policy. Five years ago,this was the first Michigan state park I ever camped at, and I had no idea just how atypical my wonderful experience here would turn out to be. Only after I'd camped in parks where the alcohol flowed freely did I realize that public drunkenness, loud-mouthed vulgarity, and rampant disregard for posted quiet hours is actually the more typical experience at a Michigan state park campground. Why this is tolerated I don't know. This is a public place, not a private home, and everyone who makes a reservation agrees to abide by park rules, including the one regarding quiet hours. Yet the rules then go unenforced. Which is why I so highly recommend Hoffmaster for true nature enthusiasts and families with children. Because no one should have their vacation ruined by the drunk next door.

Very nice campground located near lake Michigan. There is a small stream running thru the park that adds to the scenery. Nice trails. Stores are 5-10 miles if you need more groceries.

There are great trails to hike throughout the park. This is our go to spot for beach days, they keep it clean and its much more of a natural setting with tons more parking that Grand Haven or Muskegon. Word to the wise, they do lock the gate at 10pm so be out before that or you will get locked in.

There was a path all the way down to a beautiful sandy beach, the beach was clean of any debris and had beautiful sand, there were some sand dunes as well. The swimming area was marked off with buoys. It was gorgeous and not overcrowded.

Easy parking and access to beach. Clean restrooms and changing area. Loved our afternoon there. Close to shopping and Michigan Adventure Park.

I was here in the 'off season', and so it was very quiet. You can go here for the day, or go camping. There are tons of trails to hike on, which are fairly well marked. Some of the hikes take you onto the Lake Michigan shoreline. Views are spectacular!!

My wife and I along with another couple hiked it because snow was limited that day. The hills could be challenging if not in somewhat good shape. They can be avoided on easier trails. We did XC ski the following weekend. Again the hills can be challenging. If needed they can be avoided. Nice place with about 1000 acres of land.

I always meet nice people at this beach. The sand is not real great this year because of the spring flood. The nature center beyond the beach is a place my grandkids love to visit! They have live animals down the basement and educational info about the dunes upstairs.

Clean beach not too crowded. Plenty of parking. Bathroom/changing stations very clean and well kept.
The sand dunes are an added bonus for the kids!

Hike in the woods or along the beach footpath. Bathrooms, changing stalls, foot showers, camping...all around great place to be! Friendly and helpful staff greeting you at the entrance.

This park has it together! Fresh water fill at the sanitation station, provided dumping hose and hand sanitizer are a pleasant surprise! sites are wooded in pines with a short walk opening to a beautiful beach on Lake Michigan. They do pack in them in pretty tight tho

Great place for a hike. They have camping sights and a nature center. Wonderful beaches and great views. Trails are well kept and views are amazing.

You can tell that the poor reviewers wouldn't be happy at any state park.
This is a very nice state park but does have some lots that are close together as do most state parks. The south section has the best sites.
Lots of hiking trails, dune climbs, nature center, and beach area separate from the campground.
A little bit of a walk to the campground beach.

We were looking for a campground near Lake Michigan. The reviews for this park were mostly positive, so we reserved our campsite about a month in advance. We arrived on the afternoon of May 28th, just as the holiday campers should be leaving. According to the map of reserved sites, the campground should have been fairly empty and quiet. On arrival, there was a lady in the office complaining of a loud camp site. Then as we got near the sites we saw that the grounds are basically a cleared out parking lot. The photos on line are VERY deceiving- sites are cramped, no trees, and we could clearly see almost all of the other sites.... not inviting at all. The sites are so close together that our tent would have been touching the RVs next to us. Also, our site had a LARGE over sized RV parked in it. Whats the point of reserving a site if anyone is allowed to just over take it??? So, with the noise, no trees, small sites, and over sized RVs... we didn't even think of staying. We requested a refund and left. The positive reviews must be for the park side only and not the camp grounds.

We stopped in at three or four State Parks along the Lake Michigan Shoreline. This was by far the nicest and least crowded. If we had it to do again and could only stop at one - this would be it!

We planned to Hoffaster State Park for some hiking. Then we have learned that this park offers variety of activities: camp, beach, sand-dune,hiking tails, etc. Their visit center was a good start-point. There's a small museum inside with lots of information on this area. Due to limited time, we hiked to the overlooks. We definitely would come back again.

My husband and I visit Hoffmaster several times a year to hike, sometime with our dog and sometimes without. We usually get lost and always enjoy ourselves! Last year we ended up taking a trail that ended up at a beautiful beach. I'm not sure if we can replicated it, but Hoffmaster is always wonderful!

Regarding dogs in the park I have mixed feelings. We have encountered several off-leash even though they're supposed to be on a six-foot leash and it seems several also take them on the beach but you will be ticketed if caught doing so. We keep our dog on the trails and are often times warned when we run into rangers not to take them on the beach, so they must also be aware of these problems.

The visiting center seems to have bad hours as we've yet to catch it while it's open! But overall we love having Hoffmaster such a short drive away.

We stoped there on the way back from Silver lake to Rochester, and was really hard to stay just 2 hours as planned.
The beach has a very clean water, you can see al the fish , the sand is very clear and clean and the depth is perfect to play with kids without worries.
The bathroom are clean and well preserved, and if you forget to bring the life jacket, just get one over there, yep they are available to use.

Big, beautiful beach! Warm yellow sand and cold blue water -- pretty typical for western Michigan. The tides can occasionally be strong, watch for flag signals about swimming conditions. There are dune paths and a great nature center. The facilities are very clean and very nice -- bathrooms, hot showers, etc. The path down to the beach is a big hill, so travel light or bring a wagon or something. Trips back and forth to the car can be tiring if you're hauling too much stuff. On weekends it's common to see wedding pictures being taken, and you can spot eagles soaring above. Totally idyllic, we love going there.

I will probably not be back after the first visit. First of all, there were a lot of mosquitos when we went during the last weekend of May. Then, parking lot and the beach had quite a distance to walk. Lastly, there are a lot of 'trashes' (sticks, feathers, grass) on/in the sand. It's just not kept up and such an obstacle to walk on. The only positive part is the view of the water. I didn't enjoy it one bit nor did my husband.

Lots of beach to walk on. Lots of trails in the dunes. Huge campground with just the dune separating you from the beach. Picnic areas. Get the yearly pass and come back again and again. It's worth it

I've reviewed this park earlier this year based on my experience from last year, but we've been there again in June '19 and to our disappointment we found that there is no more beach at the Hoffmaster State Park Campground. We didn't even bother to see how the day-use park's beach looks like. People said that it's like that everywhere due to high water levels of Michigan Lake. Water has reached the dune and there is only a very narrow stretch of sand on which you can walk to get to the creek where you'll be able to lay your beach towel. The campground remains a nice attraction and we'll go again in August because we have a reservation, but if the water levels don't drop we'll have to look for another campground that still has a beach.

Went to this beach on Memorial Day. It was busy everywhere else but this beach was relatively quiet. Beautiful walk through the woods to get there. Water was nice and clear, and shallow for a while. We had a good time laying in the sun and going in the water to cool off. We would come here again. Overall, nice beach with restrooms, tables, hiking trail, and nice quiet beach. Really seems secluded

This is the finest Michigan State Park that we have visited. All facilities are updated, clean, and well maintained! The park is heavily wooded, and the beach was a moderate walk (but well worth it)! The water was COLD, but this is Lake Michigan . . .

My wife and I spent one day and night here with our two young children. The facilities were organized and clean. The campsite was as pictured on the Michigan DNR website. There were loads of other similar families, which made for a great time for our children. It was sufficiently quiet at night and in early mornings, which was also great. it was a very short walk up a sandy path to the beach, which felt very private; the coast guard/DNR monitors it to make sure conditions are safe for swimming, and they even leave life vests for people to use on an honor system. I would absolutely come here to camp again for a longer period of time. It is perfect for families and is close enough to civilization that you don't feel isolated. Lots of places to hike, bike, swim and explore in the surrounding areas.

First time staying at Hoffmaster. My husband and I enjoyed the park. I like how the spots for camping are set up. A lot of them are huge sites but with two spots. So you and another share it. We liked it because it gives you a lot of room. We reserved a spot that could accommodate a 30ft trailer, I was nervous because we have a 5th wheel that is right at 30ft. We had plenty of room! All kinds of room for our 3 slides also.

Let me tell you about the shower house. It was great! You had your own room. It was just a shower but how nice! No barely there shower curtain with 4 or 5 showers all in one room. Plenty of hot water also. We went late at night as this place is super busy! I had to wait one night for the shower, but not real long.

The beach from the campground is not much to talk about but the lake levels were up. The beach from the main park is better. They have restroom facilities and changing areas at this beach.

The only reason I didnt give it a 5 is because they have no camp store and the campground sign is poorly marked. The sign is small and hidden until your right up on it. We like camp stores because we like a sticker or coffee mug from places we camp. So this probably isn't a big deal for most. There is firewood and ice available for purchase.

Alot of young people working the check in and cleaning around the park, but super friendly and helpful! Most friendly people we encountered. We are used to camping in southern locations were everybody talks to you. The only draw back camping in northern areas, people aren't as friendly.

On the rainy days we went junk/antique shopping, a lot of great little places in surrounding towns. All reasonably priced!

One more thing, you have to get water for your rig at the dump station.

Looking for a break from crowded beaches? Than this is the Lake Michigan experience for you. After a lovely wooded walk you are treated to a beautiful beach. Don't miss climbing the stairs for some unique dune views and visit the nature center to see just how these dunes were formed. Lots of wooded campsites with several trails running through the park. Nothing like walking through a beautiful natural forest to renew your spirit.

We just love this campground. We live in the northern suburbs of Chicago and drive all the way around the lake to camp here. Full disclosure is that we have fallen in love with Michigan camping facilities and frequent 6 different campgrounds. Hoffmaster has the best taken care of facilities. Our favorite campground is Ludington 60 miles north. But both are great and you will enjoy the area.

I have never camped here, but but often go hike the trails and enjoy the beach. Gorgeous park. Lots of wildlife, if you are quiet and look.

Loved our hike with two kids and our puppy! Kids had fun discovering nature and our dog enjoyed seeing all the other dogs!

PJ Hoffmaster state park offers miles of beach and dunes along the Lake Michigan shoreline. It is the most scenic and authentic beach experience in south western lower peninsula. One can find a secluded part of the beach and dunes to spend the day with family, friends and picnics. There are campsites further in that lead to the beach, most shady and spacious. Also for the day hiker, there are well groomed trails and board walks that lead to the shoreline. Protected Picnic areas with grills are available.
I've recommended this park to my out of state or country friends and it has been loved by all.
I grew up there, traveled all over the country and came back to Michigan to be near the best beach.

Great state park! Will definetly return :)

Pros: good bathrooms, nice beach, very close (15 min) to many shops and stores, close to grand haven, trails, playground.

Cons: some sites do not have much privacy between them, walk to beach is 5 to 10 min at campground with part of the walk on a trail through the woods that goes from packed dirt to sand. The sand makes it difficult to pull things through.

We were just passing thru the area and stopped for a night. The Campground setting itself is really beautiful in the trees. My wife took the short ( 1/4 mile or less ) to the beach and it's a nice walk too ! Very quiet Campground.

This is such a great place to go camping,hiking,exploring & swimming. There are 297 sites to camp on with clean restrooms. The staff is friendly and helpful. A great beach for swimming and the sunsets are amazing!!

We visited here in December, and although it was an unusual time of year to visit it was still amazingly beautiful. We had the trails nearly to ourselves, and the snowy landscape was incredibly peaceful and beautiful.

A few nice hiking trails, small visitor center with a few turtles and fish to see. Very nice beach, restrooms and changing areas available, no lifeguards. Out of state costs: $11 per day (or $39 annual pass) gets you into all state parks. Note for dog owners: we were told that state park beaches allow dogs 100 feet from the swimming area which is marked by buoys. Nice place to spend the day!

We decided to go to one of our local state parks, do some hiking and take some nature photos. This is a really great recreation area that is not used as much as it should be. If your looking for a bunch of steps to help get your heart up, then your in luck. When you get to the end of the staircases in either direction you are treated to a great view.

My husband and I luckily snagged the last open spot last weekend and took a Friday - Sunday trip to Hoffmaster State Park. The campground was quite large and very shaded, which was nice considering it was 95+ degrees. We stayed at site 242, close to bathrooms and beach!

Pros: The bathrooms seemed to be regularly cleaned and kept up, DNR came around every so often to make sure everyone was good, campsites were spacious, the beach was a ~5 minute walk and was Beautiful!

Cons: No alcohol policy - though we saw some drinking (didn't bother us), we assumed the policy was to keep rowdy teens/adults away. With that, there are a LOT of kids and families in the park which meant kids crying, screaming, playing, etc. If that's not what you want, this isn't the park for you. The park was also mostly campers/RV's which can make things a little less "rustic".

Overall, we had a wonderful weekend and got to visit nearby Grand Haven and Muskegon. Beautiful beaches all nearby, shopping, restaurants, etc. We would come back! *TIP: Get your state park pass from SOS for $11, rather than $16 at the park

We loved the Hoffmaster State Park, all you need is a State Park pass which was $11 and you have assess to a fun filled day of sightseeing, climbing, sand dunes, and the beach was picture perfect.

Loved it! The kids love to run up and down the dunes. the Lake is beautiful and the water is warmer then the IL side.

Hoffmaster's main beach is kind of a trek, it's all down hill to the beach but a steep climb back up, this can be a pain when its really hot and you're lugging kids and beach stuff. We are fans of the hiking trails and pavilion for picnics in the fall and winter (there is a fireplace in the pavilion, bring your own wood). Camping at Hoffmaster is fun too, the rangers to a great job of keeping everyone happy, no wild parties or anything, great family atmosphere.

This review is based on the Campground. It has nothing to do with the beach or day use area. Let's face it Lake Michigan Beaches are amazing all around.

I camped with my family; we selected PJ Hoffmaster based on seeing good reviews and the location being central. The operations of the park are terrible, talk about DNR on a power trip. The main woman in the front office is rude. They are very strict about 2 cars per campsite, but they have no overflow or alternate parking available, they recommend that you go park at Wal-Mart but they can't really tell you that because they don't have permission from Wal-Mart. They do allow visitor passes prior to 10pm but work to ensure you are out by 10pm or else. Wood is available for sale at the front, cash only with a payment tube, so requiring exact change, but they are unwilling to make change in the office because it's against the rules. The DNR patrol the campground, if you are awake after midnight expect a stop, a cooler and campsite search. It is harassment. The sites are small with neighbors basically on top of you. They have removed most of the trees and any low branches from the trees that do exist, so good luck hanging up a clothesline or garbage bad. The beach is a long walk from the campground at least 10 minutes and about 15 to the nearest bathroom from the beach. There are porta-jons by the beach but they were about 1 inch from overflowing sewage.

I would not recommend camping here to anyone; the sites are small, staff horrible. There are tons of other campgrounds on the coast of Lake Michigan. I will never be back.

This review is primarily for the cg. I wouldn't call this wilderness camping as you can see dozens of other campers from your site, but it is clean, very family friendly and relatively quiet at night. Pay attention to where your site is located- mine was B2 (tent only)- turned out to back up to the main park road which is only a few yards from the main local road- car noise early and late was a problem for me (but not for the more heavy sleepers in my tent). Place had a very laid-back family atmosphere, loads of happy grubby kids on bikes having a blast, easy walk to the beach which was not very crowded (we were there on weekdays), clean bathrooms and showers, friendly staff. In the park there is also a public beach with nice facilities, but we liked the cg beach more-it's longer and has a creek that empties into it. A short drive down the main road is a hamburger/ice cream stand, across from that is a gas station/convenience store. A little further on is Hwy 31. One exit north and you're at a small mall as well as Target, Meiers, etc. All in all this cg is a good place to hang out with kids for a few days.

we were here in early fall so the weather was a little cold however it was a beautiful day and clean water. Some beach combing.

This is one of the most poplar parks in the state, so if you want to camp - reserve early! Nothing beats sitting on the dunes at sunset or even late at night under the stars. The museum is perfect for a brief rainy day activity.

We traveled from Northern Indiana to camp and swim. We spent 2 nights and 3 days with an electric site. The park is clean and nice. Our girls were able to swim at two different beaches. It was nice and warm. The water was great. We enjoyed our time there and recommend it.

We spent the weekend camping at the state park. The campground is beautiful with spacious campsites. We stayed at site 100, it was nice and shady with a wooded hill behind. The Lot was quite sandy but I noticed that is not the norm throughout the campground.

The bathrooms and showers are tended too and clean (with the exception of the usual insects you find in all campground bathrooms).

There are hiking trails connected to the campground. It's nice to leave right from your spot for a walk.

Lake MI is also accessible right from the campground. The beach at Hoffmaster cannot be beat!

We brought our golden retriever. The campground and hiking trails are dog friendly. However, dogs are not allowed on the beach. Kruse Park is a dog friendly beach which is just a 15 minute drive!

Highly recommend!

gorgeous state park. Nice wooded sites, but stairs down to beach open up to sun and Lake Michigan. Make reservations early and view sites prior to stay on DNR website.

Easy to find but still hiding from the world, PJ Hoffmaster will give you many moments to pause and enjoyment. Camping sites are fairly level, miles of walking paths between the dunes and along the shore, and the Lake MI beach...this is how you find relaxing fun. Actually any beach on Lake MI makes me happy, but this spot really is a beauty! And don't forget your camera, the magic hour here is amazing!

This is one of my favorite State Parks along Lake Michigan. It is beautiful and has everything you would expect from a really nice state park.

Beautiful beach in a natural setting. Short walk from parking lot with restrooms and changing rooms. Powdery sand and gorgeous shoreline perfect for a long walk. Also enjoyed the 1 mile wall loop trail through the forest.

Spring time bring Trilliums to the forest floor. Many groomed trails allow for exploring and discovery (watch for poison ivy). The beach and sand dunes are always fun, too.

I would skip the 100+ stair climb to dune and Lake Michigan overlooks. the trees are so overgrown that you can't see much. The beaches and hikes are nice.

Had a wonderful weekend at this beach, Saturday we went and watched the sunset, it was not crowded and such a beautiful walk down to the beach Sunday we spent the day relaxing on the beach and played in the water, it was a little busy but we found a spot fairly quickly. The water was clear and warm. Good family fun. I look forward to going again soon. Hidden gem!

This is a great state park for families. It has wonderful trails to walk and great sand dunes to climb! Walking along the shore is beautiful and great for taking pictures. The beach is very nice and I look forward to coming back.

Gorgeous beaches, beautiful dunes, wooodland paths for hiking and cross country skiing. Use the campgrounds or stay in a Muskegon hotel.

We liked the paths under the trees, which were in maximum color when we visited. And the shoreline was very accessible. We also like Sleeping Bear Dunes, but you get much easier beach access at Hoffmaster

lots of shade, best beach, not far from town. Little bit of a walk to the beach but its worth it .Showers and bathroom kept up nice.

I would have loved to hike the trails, but I spent lots of time at the visitors center. There are displays of the many warblers that find their way into Michigan. There are exhibits that explain the development of the sand dunes along Lake Michigan.

My husband I went for a walk on the trail. (The walk was lovely) As we came out to the beach it was unclear as to which way to go to get back to our car (this was our first visit to the park) we wandered down the beach and eventually found our way back but it left us wondering for quite a while.
The buildings we saw on the way back and the beach appeared to be well maintained as well as the parking lot. I'm sure we will be back soon to explore one of the many other trails.

Beautiful state park. Quiet, nice nature trails, nice beaches, even have the Nature display area. Donated a big Rat Snake skin I found years ago. They were very excited to see such a large skin found from the area and very appreciative. There is a campground down the road as part of the park that is very popular and usually booked up all year long.

Hoffmaster is one of my favorite places. Peaceful walking/cross-country skiing trails through the woods lead out to our beautiful coastline. Picnic areas and campgrounds are also available.

Hoffmaster State Park is my all time favorite beach!!! It is much less busy than Grand Haven State Park beach or Muskegon State Park beach. I love the quite times watching the sunset over beautiful Lake Michigan. I also enjoy the BEST SAND for playing with my grandchildren. The sand is so pure and beautiful! Climbing the sand dunes are a favorite activity with the kids too. Love, love this beach!!!

Very clean, sand is like powder. Water was calm and clean. Can't wait to go back! We only went to the beach, didn't drive through the camping area. Not too crowded at all, maybe 20 people on the entire beach so it was nice and quiet.

Very nice private beach within campground. Close to grand haven and Muskegon. Decent amenities can be crowded. Very beautiful and relaxing area of south west Michigan.

There is a nice nature center here as well as many nice hiking trails that our grandchildren love. The beach is usually not very busy.

The camping area is at a separate entrance North of the entrance to the beach area & nature center. There are several campsites to choose from in a wooded setting. Lake Michigan is a short walk through sand dunes. There are several walking trails to get to various areas throughout the park. One is on a high dune overlooking Lake Michigan. There are two part wooded/wooden main walking trails (and several other trails) off the Nature trail that lead high to a gorgeous overlook or low to the beach area through beautiful woods & hills & dunes. At the Nature Center ...there are displays, a gift shop, a theater & more..open at certain times. Check out their website online!

Hoffmaster is one of Michigan's best assets. The dunes, beautiful beach, white sugar sand just can't be beat. Also you can walk a good distance without crowds like you find at Grand Haven State Beach.

This is our favorite state park for many reasons. When the pandemic is over, the camping is incredible, the visitor and nature center is a bonus, but the beaches and hiking are incredible. Beautiful and fun for dune hiking, etc.

There is one of the best beaches I. Michigan. A ton of hiking trails. More than you can do it n a day.

This state park offers much to do. Whether you camp,swim, hike, snowshoe, cross county ski, or just want to walk and enjoy the beach this is the place to go. There is something to do in any season at the park and the Gillette Nature Center is a must to visit especially if you have family. Come once and you will come again.

Took the grandkids to Gillette Nature Center at Hoffmaster State Park. Great place to take kids to learn about nature. We did the walk to the sand dunes and climbed the stairs. Beautiful!

We stayed here after we left a very bad park. this park was family friendly and everyone was very nice.

Better than Florida thought of being. Clean fresh and beautiful. I just moved to Florida and our Michigan beaches are much nicer than here. Enjoy a sunset. The Lake Michigan perch are the best.

This is a great state park on Lake Michigan. Lots of open space, and during bumper seasons is very enjoyable with often just a moderate number of people.
I have attended yoga class here which was really fun, put on by a local yoga instructor.
Very family friendly, picnic tables & restrooms.

Wonderful place to camp , relax, hike, and swim in the beautiful Lake Michigan. The sites I’m the front half are definitely better for bigger rigs. The bathrooms are well kept and there are private showers rather than being directly with the toilets. Beautiful hikes that overlook Lake Michigan, access to beach, nice nature center. Just needs a nice camp store that sells souvenirs. Great place to go to year after year

Love this campground. LOVE. That said, typically my family (my wife, younger kids, and myself) have gone during the week, but this year we made the mistake of going on a weekend.

On Saturday, by Noon the beach was totally overrun by boaters and their families (about 25-30 boats), anchoring very close to shore (most were only about 20 ft out), running their motors loudly, creating waves, blocking the view, getting gas in the water, blasting non-kid friendly music, drinking alcohol, and taking up the area where kids had been swimming,

DEFINITELY not the scene I had planned on and one we'll do our best to avoid in the future. Totally ruined the typical peaceful, fun, experience (which I would normally give 5 stars)

Nice, Quiet beach. Beautiful sand. Nice hiking areas as well. Great place for a picnic lunch on the beach.

Go further down the road past the parking lots - if you can get a space along the road (we were there after Labor Day so that was easy) you'll find a beautiful beach!

We camped here with our camper trailer. Had a good time. The sites are a little close together. It's a short walk to the Lake Michigan beach, so that was great. There a lots of kids - lots, riding bikes and playing at the playground. There were a lot more RVs than tents. Nice bathroom/shower facilities. Great fire pits.

We visited on a Saturday afternoon, was kind of a hike back to the water but path is paved and the beach was packed! But the kids had fun running up and down the dunes and burying eachother in the sand. Bathroom facilities located by the parking lot. Requires state park tabs ($17) if you don’t have any.

We camped Monday thru Friday and found the campground along the rest of the park to be very clean. Bathrooms and grounds were well maintained. Plenty of beach for the weekday crowds. In the event you want to get away, Muskegon, Grand Haven, and many smaller communities are within a 15 minute drive. My only complaint is the lack of trails for the north end of the state park. The south end had plenty of well marked trails.

I love hiking in the moss lined trails but they are super badly marked. Bring a charged cell phone and GPS the well worn path you are on my not be the Homestead Trail.

This park is in a great location on the beaches of Lake Michigan. It is a huge campgroup that has several different loops that in my opinion helps to cut down on traffic through the campsites. I loved the really tall pine trees and how woodsy most of the sites were. The first loop was my least favorite area, although that would be a closer walk to the beach, site 36 is really large and right next to the walkway, looked like a good site. My other favorite site was 133 because it was large and had alot of those tall trees I liked. Here's my gripes. You can't bring booze into the park, which makes this a prime location for church groups, kids groups, etc. There was so many kids it was almost ridiculous, not that I can talk, I had my 2 and 4 year olds in tow. But the kids bike traffic was so aggressive that I actually had to make my kids stop playing near the road. Kids were zooming by non stop in the evening hours. The park was very busy with large groups is what I'm saying. Also, the times that they close the bathroom for cleaning are literally the exact times I needed to try to shower. Why clean them at 1030 am and 6pm?? It was very inconvenient, as if showering with toddlers is ever convenient. We had nice large sites, just some of them have trees going right where you would want to park your camper but we made it work. The beach is a bit of a walk through the woods and it gets sandy so you have to leave your bikes kind of far back so bring a lock. Beach had huge waves, and a red flag up but everyone was still swimming and having fun, no rip tides to my knowledge. Campground beach is best for sunsets and the state park beach a quarter mile drive down is better for a beach day since the beach was much larger and had a huge sand dune the kids could climb.
Overall, I really liked it, just wish it was a little quieter, and if theres gonna be that many kids then the adults should be able to have a drink at the end of the day, without having to act like they are hiding narcotics in their cups. Oh yea, the dump station has this really flimsy tubing you have to drain your poop water through. It was not sturdy at all and kept getting kinked, even had a leak in it. Prickly plastic punctured our protective gloves, that tube drains alot of poop, they should definitely switch it out!

That about says it. There are miles of sand beach when you link this park with North Ottawa Dunes Park (Ottawa County Park) to the south. The campground, like most Michigan State Parks, offers great amenities and location. Shower/Bathrooms placed well throughout centered in "Clusters of nicely groomed, canopied campsites, either modern or primitive. The sunsets over Lake Michigan are something you've either experienced or you have no clue. This is a great spot from which to view them. There are miles of trails through the dunes forests and these are open in winter for cross country skiing as well. This is your best choice along the mid west coast shoreline for wilderness camping next to the lake. You aren't in a parking lot on the beach like many of the others.

Our visit to the park was enjoyable. My wife is 7 months pregnant and did not have any trouble with any of the walking. There are 133 or so stairs to the top of the dune. A bit of hard work but a good view. Not a great view mind you. We also walked down to the beach and walked along the lake. There is a lot of sand and you will need to take your shoes off. The forest walk is very hot and humid. Overall we enjoyed our visit.

My family and I spend a lot of time out at Hoffmaster. We like it because we can bring our canine companion. You get great views of the woods and the beach.

Came here in Jan 2013. Spent a few hours hiking - the forest here is actually pretty dense. We took a few trails to see the dunes and lake - very peaceful in the winter! Nice place

Simply a beautiful piece of the Michigan shoreline. I used to live down the street from here, there is no place else like the shoreline in Michigan State Parks! We just went back there a few weeks ago, can't wait to go again.

The campground is clean and nicely kept. The trail to the lake is pretty long in deep sand which could be difficult for some with babies or small children and especially any physically handicapped ones that might be in a wheel chair to have to get to the lake. We had the same experience with the Ranger and her 2 back ups ( young men) as Rhonda M. and Nick C. mentioned. I will admit though some around the fire were being unusually loud and it was 12:00. 1 hour after quiet time.
We did not receive any tickets and we had to be told to quiet down 2 nights in a row so it was warranted. Some thought that the female Ranger said some odd things to us such as "move closer to the fire" among other things but all in all I think she could have been worse. The 2 young men also looked around our site as if looking for something (boos), but came up empty handed as we were not drinking. 1 other complaint I would have is I wish there was at least a street light at each corner of the campground as it is very dark if you don't have a flashlight to go to the bathroom. I would still come back and stay again because it is a wonderful way to experience Lake Michigan with great views and the campground is clean.

I have camped at Hoffmaster and also gone for day hikes. The campground is nice, in the woods but very close to Lake Michigan. Lots of families in the summer.
The hi kings is also very nice. Trails are primarily in the woods and some include wakes on the beach.

We enjoyed their shaded sites- plenty of trees and not too crowded. The bathrooms and showers were very clean- it was slightly annoying that the staff came to clean at 9:00 am and at 10:00 pm and shut the facilities down right as people were needing them most. But they were clean so I'm not going to complain. The beach is small but pretty and there is some fantastic hiking. Not far from grand haven either which has a beautiful beach and lighthouse.

I love going to Hoffmaster. They have seemingly endless trails to hike on. Lots of nature trails, multiple accesses to the beach, and a welcome/nature center that I haven't been to in years but definitely recommend if you have children (I am unsure of the nature center's hours). There are places to go to just enjoy a picnic and they also have a campground. I love coming here in the spring and fall to hike, and in the summer to go to the beach. In the summer, the main beach (first parking lot on right) is always crowded, but if you go to the beach from the second parking lot (it's a bit of a walk down the trail) it's a lot less crowded though there isn't as much sand area to put out blankets as the first lot, there is a TON of waterfront here so if you're looking to walk the beach or swim and don't care about laying out, I recommend the second beach access. . . the walk back up the dune to the trail is a GREAT work out! I know that people often cross country ski here in the winter though I have never done that. This is a state park so you do have to pay (I recommend the yearly pass, it's the best deal, if you're a local... if just for the day I believe it is $6 or $8).

The Northern part of this park has a campground. The central road access leads to a parking lot that is a short walk from the main beach. The Southern road lead to the Gillette Visitor center (and the park headquarters). Trails are in all areas of the park, but there is a steep stairway as part of the dune climb from the Gillette Visitor Center.
There are many sand dunes in this park. The trails give access to many of those dune areas (and to the long beach).

We did the homestead trail and here are some pointers to make this a very easy loop trail.

1. Take the trail starting from the visitor center - this is right by the visitor center to the left - it starts with a ramp like structure. You walk down it and take the direction going down to michigan beach. Benefit most of the stairs are leading down to the beach.

2. You then walk on the beach for about 1/2 mile. You must walk on the beach. While walking on the beach look to your left for where you get back on the trail. You will see about 3 or 4 benches on the dunes and thats your marker to show you that you have to get back on the trail.

3. Once back on the trail follow the orange markers.. it's an easy hike when done this way and drops you close to the visitor center again but at the end of the parking lot.

We did this trail in both directions and found that the above was the best way to do it. When we did it by starting at the trail at the end of the parking lot we found that when you reach the beach portion it says "No dogs on beach" and there is a marker that points to 8 showing the trail continues on top of the dunes. We took this way since we had a dog and my 71 year old mum found it incredibly hard on the 8th part of the walk which lead high up on the dunes. We never made it to the end .. of whatever pathway we were on, choosing instead to slide down back to the beach and turn back the way we came. Not sure why there are signs that say no dogs on the beach because on the website it says dog friendly trail. We didn't let our dog go into the water just walked the beach part. when you take the trail the way i recommended above the sign says no dogs withing x yards of water.. which makes more sense. Anyways this was a great hike enough for us to do it twice and I totally recommend it.

This is one of Michigan's Crown Jewels, however it needs attention.

The rest room buildings need repair.

1. Some of the stalls in the men's rest rooms do not close all the way and are not lockable because the latches do not line up and are not far enough apart!
2. The Mens' rest room sinks do not all have hot water (some only run cold water).
3. Some of the showers only have luke-warm water, not hot, no matter where you adjust the controls.
4. The middle rest room building corridor lights were not working all all at night.
5. The entrance roads had large pot holes which could damage your vehicles.

The beach has tons of debris! Some states have beach sand cleaning machines which run the over the sand and remove the debris each day. The DNR should look into buying such a machine and at least using it once a week to remove all the bottle caps, toys, branchs, paper bags, liter, etc.

The DNR does not seem interested in providing enforcement of their rules for the safety of the patrons.

1. Although they have added some signage at the shower-rest room buildings, it is still not sufficient (they have added: "Foot Traffic Only" at the "tunnels" to the buildings, but not at the beginnings of the walkways and they have only one bicycle rack per building at only one of the four entry points! Kids of all ages ride and race their bikes up to and through the tunnels endangering park patrons. We saw many young kids almost run down older people in those areas.

2. There seemed to be no control of all the kids and teenagers racing around on their skate boards, scooters, and bicycles on the walks now marked; "Walkers Only"! Where are the Park Rangers??? Why do they not patrol the park? Who do you report problems to. The summer intern workers? We did see one skate boarder (from near camp site 133) flip over on his back and hurt himself in front of the "Pepsi" machine. We almost got run into by those guys or hit when they step on and flip their boards! They probably should have a Camp Host in each loop (they only have one for the three loops for camp sites 133-293). It would also help if the office people told camps when they enter that only "Walk Traffic" is allowed around the rest room buldings. They do tell them no alcohol is allowed.

Enjoy yourself and good luck not getting run into by wild unsupervised kids.

We booked our camping reservations Jan 2013 to stay July 3-6. The popular MI State Parks fill up quickly for summer dates. We were in site 61. Right on corner in bottom loop and next to the water faucet. That was nice, seeing as we were in a pop up and wash our dishes outdoors. The site was very shaded and big, which was a bonus with temps in mid 80's during the day. Our site was pretty much dirt, but it was packed down. Our friends were in sites across from us and had pretty grassy sites. There is quite a few mature trees in this park and offers plenty of shade. Bathrooms were fairly close. We had bikes, so took very little effort and time to get around in the campground with the bikes. Lots of kids running around having a great time. There is a small playground, but keep in mind, it is in heavily wooded area, bring bug spray. Although, I have to say the mosquito's weren't that awful in the park at all. You do have to use bug spray but it was all good. The little river that runs through was fun for kids to explore. Very shallow and clean. Bathrooms were typical for other state parks we have stayed at. Clean enough, plenty of showers and centrally located. This is a NO ALCOHOL park. We brought it, just be smart about putting it in cups, etc. so its not out in the open. The park is quiet and people go to sleep around 10pm. This is not a party campground, look elsewhere if you seek that environment. Very family friendly. The beach at the campground is quite a walk with little ones and beach gear. You are better off driving down the road to State Park public beach. Lake MI was 62 degrees when we were in it. Not too bad after sitting in 85 degree sun. Refreshing but it does take a bit to get use to. Overall, a beautiful campground and park. We prefer the State Parks over private ones. A bit more rustic and natural.

TIPS- Dollar General up the road has quite a bit stuff. Clean and nicely laid out too.
Whippy Dip ice cream was good too. Super nice playground there for the kids to play on after they eat their ice cream.

Beautiful! Loved walking on the beach and having my Floridian niece finally be a tourist!!! Will be back!

Hoffmaster continues to be one of our favorite state parks to camp in. The beach is somewhat secluded and gives an almost private feel to it. The atmosphere is welcoming and they have a vintage camper every spring which is truly a delight.

It's a Perfect place to have family reunions. Clean, beautiful, quiet , everyone finds something to do.

Wonderful beach, there are some stairs to climb to the beach, very relaxing place to take the kids or for a couple. Nice place to take walks and they have a small visitor center.

Great hiking both on and off the beach. There are also steps up to a lookout area. May choices, easy parking, and a visitor center with restrooms and limited hours.

Hoffmaster. state park is a wonderful campground with many trees for shade . The sites are good in size and are all flat. The campground is easily walkable and great for bike riding. The campground beach is small but very enjoyable for those awesome sunsets over Lake Michigan. I did prefer the larger public beach at Hoffmaster which is a short drive from the campground. It is much larger but is not as crowded as Grand Haven beach which is Less than 10miles away. Now that we have stayed at both parks We like Hoffmaster a little better due to the shade and size of spots.

Beautiful beach nice parking, pinic area and bathrooms. Short walk to beach via paved path!! Perfect for laying in sun, watching waves or just taking a walk

A beautiful stretch of white sandy beach that provides many opportunities for exploration. Usually much quieter than either Grand Haven or Muskegon but be sure to bring your own food and drinks if you desire

A nice place to walk the trails. It is peaceful escape nicely located on Lake Michigan. Many activities are available.

We were in the area briefly and made a trip out to the beach at P.J. Hoffmaster. It was a great place to play! The waves that day were good, and I think they would be good most days as there is a great sandbar that is about 20 yards out and causes the waves to break. There isn't a ton of space on the beach so if you don't get there early you may have to hike up or down the beach a decent ways before you find a spot. The beach is backed up by a great dune for hiking up and running down. Overall, this was a really great place to spend a day with kids!

Hoffmaster is a great place to camp or even just to take a day trip. Lots of great hiking trails for all different levels

I like the combo of a beach/dunes/walking trails. I never stayed in a campsite, but have spent many afternoons sunbathing and watching the boots go by. The parking area is large and the bathrooms at the entrance are convenient. No concession stands, though.

Everything from the entrance to the long winding trails make this a park with great adventure! Hiking is my favorite thing to do here and there are lots if different trails to go on. The beach is beautiful and goes on and on for miles. It is by far one if the nicest, cleanest parks in West Michigan!

Love sand dunes. Love beaches, Lake Michigan, and warm days. This is a great place to spend a day with all 3 of those things. Lots of sand makes busy days feel not so crowded. Lots of parking. Highly recommend.

My wife and I stayed at Hoffmaster State Park in June with the Tin Can Tourist group. We had a wonderful time. The Beach is close by and is very clean. The campground is run very well by the staff. We had no problems at all the entire weekend. There is much to see and do close by also. We look forward to returning there next year!

It was a great day by the beach. It was a little windy and the waves were pretty high. Made a great scene for pictures. The campgrounds were not too busy the day we stopped by the park.

We went here for family fun and family pictures. The beach was large and beautiful. The kids has lots of room run and play, lots of dunes for them to climb. We had family pictures taken on the beach and dunes, they were so picturesque. We also drove down further into the park to another picnic area that was very wooded, very nice park and many trails to walk through.

Hoffmaster State Park has a very nice public beach on Lake Michigan. The campground is also very nice. There's a beach in the campground that is separate from the public. The showers and bathrooms a well kept. We have stayed there many times and always enjoyed our stay. There is also a nature center and plenty of trails to hike on. You do need a recreational pass to enter the park.

At Hoffmaster, you have to choose your site carefully. We prefer campground sites near the beach walk, and we had plenty of room and backed up to a dune on site 43, which was perfect. The water was crystal clear and the small river coming out to Lake Michigan and the dunes make for a lot of fun for kids of all ages. We were allowed to take our golden puppy out on the beach as long as we avoided the main swimming area (*beyond the river). All kinds of trails to negotiate, it was a great weekend!

I have been blessed to grow up near Hoffmaster. With all the nature trails, wildlife, different trees, and the dunes( for those that dont know, they are sand hills). There is also a nature center. Its quite an experience to be walking down a trail then you turn a bend and you see the Big Lake(as we call it)Lake Michigan!!

Great for families not as crowed as Grand Haven or Holland. My kids love to climb the dunes and the beach goes on forever. Definitely pack a cooler with food and canned beverages. Have fun!!

Buy the state park sticker when you renew your Michigan licensee plate and enjoy this beautiful park and all the others too! I think it's only $10 for a year long pass.

Plentiful parking and a commitment to inclusion makes this a really good place for families. The beach walk and a great deal of the paths are handicap accessible. We walked the steps up to the dunes lookouts. It was cool and worth the steps. The beach here is clean and it was not at all crowded on a July weekday. This place is a gem!

Great campground and beach. We come here every year after school is out. We love camping here! We love the dunes and the beach!

we spent a Saturday and Sunday night tent camping here is late May (right before memorial day)
We stayed in site 18 which was small, but shadded near the playground, bathhouse, and beach. We reserved it and i'm glad we did. Some of the spots don't have much shade because they had to take down lots of trees because of a bug of some kind. The short walk to the beach is great and the beach is beautiful. We did the 4is mile hike out to the dune lookout and back which was quite nice, but don't expect signs to tell you when to leave the beach and head up to the dune boardwalk. Bring a map. Lots of squitos, but that's what deet is for! Clean and newish bathhouses.

So beautiful state park. A viewing platform on top of a dune.
It's 193 steps to the platform. But along the stairway are benches. There are several trailheads. Start from Gillette Nature Center. Get the map, watch movie about dunes and enjoy your day at Hoffmaster State Park.

For whatever reason you are around Grand Haven...
Well, be adventurous and instead of settling for Grand Haven State Park (which is a CITY PARK incidentally located by Lake Michigan!) drive 12 min north to Hoffmaster State Park.
There are awesome trails and dunes, but if you want to park and swim, this is your spot: a taste of wilderness 2 min away from the parking lot!

Very nice beach with clean restrooms and changing area. We only went to the beach on this trip, but the campground is also very good. The sites are large enough for most campers and the restrooms and showers are clean.

I have a Michigan State Park pass on my license plate; it allows me daytime access. I have climbed the stairs to the top of the dunes and visited the beach. the camping facilities seem to be adequate. Overall, it is a gorgeous Michigan experience.

I' m from Ohio and stay at several state parks. Hoffmaster not so much different from Ohio State Parks. One big difference, one bathhouse for the whole park....but ya no what?
The Cleanest of all parks I've ever Been too. Hats off to the cleaning crew.
Draw back, our first night we were sitting around the fire about 11:30pm just taking, only three of us mind you, when three people who did not address themselves came barging into our space, one who we "figured" to be the park ranger by the way she was dressed and two young men. the woman went to one on the men in our group while the other to men started snooping around our site. they stated that we were too loud and needed to sit closer together and keep it down. we complied. that night/ early morning we we're kept awake by a very young baby crying most of the early morning. Next night the park was very loud. this would normally not bother me but with us being singled out the night before I feel we were treated unfairly. Because of this we will not go back.

This park is mostly for great camping, but coming on for a few hours brings total enjoyment as well. The beach is very accessible, much closer to the parking lot than most. The path is quite flat to the lookout, and the way down to the beach is very easy. It's clean and quiet, small yet plenty of room for kids to run.

We love Hoffmaster. We enjoy camping in the park. Its close to our home so we go often. Clean facilities, right on Lake Michigan. You can't beat the location. They rebuild a stairway in the park and its awesome. Takes you to the top of the dunes. Highly recommend this park.

I love Hoffmaster. The trails are so quiet and beautifully shaded. Lovely way to spend part of the day.

Beaches are much less crowded than other places, and very clean. With lake levels high like they are right now, a lot of the sand is covered, but beaches still nice.

We have also skied in the winter, which is challenging, but really fun.

I have the great pleasure to live very close to this magnificent State Park. I've been there at all times of the year and enjoy the great natural beauty of all four seasons. The Nature Center is great for kids, the beach is wonderful, and here are great hiking/cross-country ski trails. There's even a dune climb that's still beautiful, but the trees have grown and obstruct a lot of te view now. Time to make it higher!

We parked at the picnic area, and we're able to follow the well marked trails through an enchanting old growth forest. My wife wished she had worn her hiking shoes, but was able to traverse the paths easily enough in her sandals. We most recently visited on a sunny day, and the sunlight beaming through the tree canopy created many magical vistas. Glad we had our cameras. We were able to hike for a couple of hours without retracing our path. The only disappointment was the trash that others had left behind.

Went away for a night for our 1 year anniversary. We loved it here so much we took the kids back the next weekend. Sand dunes, beach on lake mi, bike trails, hiking.. Anything you could want

Wonderful park, very clean and well looked after. Lots of great hacking tracks. And a beautiful beach.unfortunetly it was a little cold the day I visited.dogs allowed in certain areas on a lead.

Don’t sneeze to loud, the DNR might come shut you down. This campsite caters to the 8:00am-7pm crowd. We were quietly talking around the campfire and DNR came and said they could hear us from the street, at 10:00 on a Saturday. Karen next door complained about owls being too loud. 10/10 would not recommend. Pretty nice activity field though.

If you like to camp, swim, and hike, Hoffmaster is for you! The campground offers many choices of lots and the surrounding area is beautiful! There are many trails to walk or hike and the north beach is dog friendly!! When you are traveling with a dog it is nice to be able to have them join you at the beach! Although it isn't advertised, The north part of the campground beach is dog friendly!

Nicce dunes & beach. Clean & spacious.
Nature center is truly welcoming. Kids loved living creatures: snakes & turtles.
Good for picture taking at any season.

Our family of four, including our teen son and daughter, stayed in a rental next to the park. We were able to hike outside our back door into the park, leading us directly to Lake Michigan beach. The trails we used were not difficult and were marked well.

When we hiked one morning after a storm, several trees had fallen over the trail in a few spots - we were able to climb over or go around them. By the team we were done at the beach (less than two hours) and headed back, the trails had been cleared.

Beautiful state park right on Lake Michigan, 300 camp sites, very wooded, lots of hiking trails. Our family camps here every year.

This was our first stay in a Michigan State Park and our first trip to the area, and we stayed in a smallish camper with 2 young kids. The campsites vary quite a bit- we had room to the left and right but were crammed up right against the people behind us. Other sites back up to woods or water and were much more secluded. The campground was packed when we were there, but everyone was friendly and considerate.

My kids loved the large playground, riding bikes, and of course the beach. Drivers went slowly and were considerate of kids on bikes, scooters, and my little one on training wheels. The beach was a short walk away and our favorite spot in the area! It is beautiful and much more quiet and secluded than some of the other nearby beaches. Also important, the showers were hot and clean every time.

This is a great state park any time of year. The trails are used year round and pass through mature oak, beech, fir forest and rolling sand hills/dunes. Campground is a little separate from day use areas, so campers don't see the traffic from these people. Campsites are in wooded areas with lots of shade in the summer but still easy access to the beach. Awesome spot for car-camping or day-hiking or just going to the beach.

This was our first time camping in 8+ years - rented a camper from friends, picked a spot from the site map online, and off we went! Site 153 was great - good size lot, very shady, close to the bathroom and the path to the park/beach. It is a little bit of a walk to the beach from the campground, but very doable - or you can drive over to the main part of Hoffmaster State Park, where parking is a lot closer to the beach. Very friendly staff, can be quite a long line to check in, but well worth it. Our circle of camping sites was the smallest in the place, which was nice for our kids to ride their bikes around.

Nice place to spend some free time. Quiet and relaxing, plenty of room to spread out. The nature center is a plus. Trails for your walking adventure. Been going here for since 1971 but it is not as nice as it used to be. Maintenance on the roadways has started for this summer and is truly needed.....there are many potholes in the roads. Popular place in the summer, lots of wildlife. You may enjoy it, too.

I may be biased as this beach holds lots of great memories for me growing up, but after 30 years of living elsewhere and traveling to other gorgeous beaches around the world, I have to say Lake Michigan has some of the best!

I particularly love PJ Hoffmaster State Park. There was no one there that early September - the constant breeze and foot-numbing water temperature kept the masses away and we got a stellar parking spot. Everything was as I remembered: two parking lots; two buildings in which to change and use the toilet; the short, anticipatory walk through the hushed woods; the approach opening up to the sound of muted waves and the breathtaking blue of seemingly endless freshwater. Many of my non-Michigander friends, when I take them to see the lake for the first time, don't realize you can't see to the other side. And they also all comment on the gorgeous, fine white sand... there is a reason why Michigan ranks 3rd in the US on industrial sand production. Friends also mention the pleasantness that is swimming in freshwater - no salt to rinse off!

The beach at this State Park has plenty of room, and if you get too cold in the glacier-made lake, running up and down the soft dunes is a sure cure. Great workout in the sand, and if you're too tired, pause and listen to the soft brushing of the beach grasses in the breeze. There are trails if one is more interested in exploring the land-based ecosystem along the lake.

If you're looking for something away from resort town traffic, vendors, and a see-and-be-seen teenage/college party crowd, check out PJ Hoffmaster SP. I believe the daily usage fee is waived after Labor Day.

Very nice shoreline of sandy beaches!!!!! I would just wish the water was as warm as the waters in Florida is for swimming. I could not get past my waste :)

Very nice beach, gorgeous walk through the woods to get there. It was pretty crowded, but still plenty of room to sit comfortably.

We live near Hoffmaster State Park. All in all a very well kept campground. Nature walks are nice. Only downfalls I see are the beach is a short hike away and two of the camping loops are all pine trees. Other than that a great place to camp for families.

Easy to get to, good clean facility, family friendly. Perfect place for that picnic on the beach and watching the sunset.

Clean camping areas and nice beach. Be sure to adhere your Michigan sticker to your windshield. Ours was stolen from our vehicle.

We had a wonderful time at the beach. We still touched the water even though it was cold. The sunset was worth it with standing the cold.

Have been here several times and is a toss up between Muskegon state park and here because Grand Haven and Holland state parks are too crowded

We have been coming to this campground for the past three years and it is our favorite! It is clean and quiet with many nicely wooded sites. There is no alcohol allowed so it is nice for families. The campground has a great playground for kids. You can hike the dunes from the campground to spend the day on lake Michigan. The bathrooms are clean with hot showers. Awesome place to visit!

I love Hoffmaster. It is a great place to walk, hike, picnic, and/or swim. There is lots of parking. A great place to watch the sunset!

I had read reviews prior to going camping at Hoffmaster telling about how strict the staff were there, insisting that camping groups be quiet and under control, so I was looking forward to a quiet, pleasant evening. But our campsite, which was near the restrooms, became a gathering place for hoards of children on bikes, who were doing stunts and calling out very loudly to attract the attention of some nearby girls. We were trying to sit outside our travel trailer to enjoy our campfire, but it literally was as loud as a school playground. I heard an adult voice calling out to the children with threats to notify the DNR, but the noise level did not decrease. We finally had to go inside our trailer and close all the windows to reduce the noise level. I checked again later to see if the noise had lessened after 10:30 PM, but the children were still calling out loudly and telling stories near the restroom.
My other concern was with the quality of the firewood which was available for purchase inside the entrance to the campground. It costs $4.50 for a small bundle, as it does at the other parks we went to, but this wood was so old and damp that it felt spongy and wet. It never did all burn.

This was a favorite place to visit as a teen. Now a generation later, it's still great.

The long stretch of Michigan beach is still one of my favorites. Most people settle near the trails from the beach houses or the camp ground, but long stretches of sand are available if you prefer solitude. The one possible problem is that restrooms aren't particularly close, but that's a small price to pay for keeping the scenery pristine.

We didn't stay at the campground, but the sites are large. They allowed my to take a shower there for $2. The water wasn't hot, but it was warm enough. The trees tower up over the sites.

Mosquitoes infested the Black Creek Trail, but really, what do you expect along a Michigan creek? It looked like a new trail, and is probably good only for mountain bikes. The Homestead Trail through the quiet area was much more pleasant. The maze of trails was confusing at times, and the trail markers didn't seem to match anything on the map. Still, I appreciated the mature trees and the backdune hills.

They closed the Visitor's Center due to a power outage. This, on a Saturday, and no storms.

All in all, I agree with another reviewer that the beach is fantastic, and the facilities range from average to disappointing. The beach is enough to keep me coming back.

Great park for a day trip. Lots of parking, clean facilities, and decent size beach, even with the current erosion problems on the shoreline. There are two nice trails for hiking, one shorter (about a mile) and one longer. They both finish at the beach and you can either walk the shoreline back or turn around and take the trail back to the parking lot. At high tide you’d have to walk in the water to get back if you don’t return on the trail.

We have visited this park three times now, for both camping and day trips.

The campground is nestled into the dunes and is well treed. It is a large campground, but with multiple separate loops you don't feel the size of it when you're there. The sites vary a lot in size and privacy so it pays to look closely at the campground map and individual site descriptions to know what you're getting when you reserve a site. We stayed in site 77 which backs up to a dune so while it was not a huge site, it had a reasonable amount of privacy (one side had a non-electric tent only site that was empty most of the time we were there).

Hiking trails can be accessed from the campground, as can the beach but it is a bit of hike through deep sand to get out to the beach. This typically isn't a problem in the morning, but we saw a lot of tired, cranky, wet kids shuffling their way back to camp at the end of a long day playing at the beach. We never went down to the day-use beach to see if it had a more direct route down to the beach or not, but it might be worth checking out if you have lots of kids in tow.

If you want to leave your vehicle parked and access all parts of the park, a bike would be needed since the campground and nature center/dune hiking trails are quite a distance from each other. The trails that leave from the nature center are great. We've done the dune climb a couple times and the view from the top is worth the huffing and puffing. Part of the dune hike is handicap accessible and so it is a great opportunity for anyone in a wheelchair to get out in the woods a ways. Our favorite trail is a short loop that leaves near the visitor center, goes through the woods, into the dunes, out onto the beach, down the beach, and back into the dunes. It is a nice morning walk to include a picnic breakfast on the beach.

The nature center has good displays, some live reptiles/amphibians, and a great bird viewing area thanks to the water feature they built. On hot afternoons it is a perfect place to sit in cool air and watch a huge variety of colorful birds come for a drink and a bath.

This park feels very undeveloped and natural and yet it is only a short drive from the major cities of lower Michigan.

We went to PJ Hoffmaster because it's less crowded than other big parks in the Muskegon and Holland area, which is a bonus when traveling with a child with autism. Be prepared to do a lot of climbing and walking in order to see Lake Michigan. We had a little trouble figuring out how to get to the Lake and got help from some friendly visitors. The steps are a great workout but not recommended if climbing is difficult at all. Keep your hands free of poison ivy while on the trails. There's a nice scenic view on the steps where you can see the lake. You feel like you're never going to actually get to the lake because you're on steps that are over the dune and it doesn't seem like you're even climbing a dune. Then like magic, there's beautiful Lake Michigan below you. The climb down is in the sand (no more steps). The lake is very secluded and there's a nice width of beach with some forested areas too. Climbing back up is quite a chore and your feet go deep into the loose sand and it takes real effort to get traction. I dropped my camera and realized it after struggling back up the dune and back toward the parking lot. I went back and when I was approaching the sand I knew I dropped it in, a good samaritan from Wisconsin had picked it up and was hoping to find its owner. Nice visitor's center and restroom facilities by parking lot.

Clean, nice park, some bile riding, family camping. Beach is little hike or drive but bathhouse available before you hit the beach. Beautiful beach, lots of room and beautiful sunsets. The local golf course has jazz music out on the patio, drinks and hourdurves, a must for a relaxing evening.

The wooded backdune trails and Lake Michigan dunes and beach are a treat for tourists, but the Visitor's Center is an education in the ecology of the region, where the insight for the word "ecology" originated. Youngsters can immerse in nature and learn about the life West Michigan generates.

This place is so very enjoyable. The park is clean and well maintained. Alot of things to do and see as they have taken alot of time and effort to keep the place up

Staff was extremely helpful and friendly. Park was beautiful, lots of trails, well kept, clean.
Some areas of campground are hard to maneuver a camper through.

To put it bluntly, this campground sucks!! Right off the bat you have to deal with the snotty twits who have no idea WHAT they are doing in the front office, to the completely stupid setup of the campground itself, you will be wanting to turn around and leave. If you enjoy privacy do not camp here!! The sites are crammed in literally on top of each other, you can hear everything around and I am sure they hear you too. They are scammers who charge for every little thing, people's children are running wild, screaming and yelling everywhere and yet you are not ALLOWED to have quiet time around your fire at night. Ridiculous!! The scenery may be beautiful, but it is just as beautiful further up north and less anal retentive. Find yourself state land to camp on or pick a different campground, just save yourself the aggravation of this embarrassment to the state of Michigan. DNR you need to do some serious work with this park, what a waste of time and money!!!

We have been going to Hoffmaster State Park for years when we call a beach day. it's easy to get to, not to crowded, and has lots of parking. There a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the beach but it has a changing room and rest rooms as well. There are no concessions or places to buy food so bring your own. It's also a carry in-carry out park so bring a bag to take your trash out with you.

Had a good time! Not too crowded. Went to go down a trail and didn't have the easiest time knowing where to go. Overall, awesome place.

there are many hiking trails that highlight the biological diversity of this area. the dunes are home to multiple ecosystems, all within walking distance. at the nature center, you can watch informative, award winning films; observe a live animal exhibit; and learn about dune ecology. picnic areas are available and, of course, there is a swimming beach. clean restrooms are available in the nature center.

We love Hoffmaster State Park as it is 4 miles from us. We have camped there w/ kids and now grandkids camp. They have Gillette Nature Center which is great for you to learn about the lake & dunes. Their are wonderful hiking trails, the sand dunes are incredible, and then there is Lake Mi. which is magnificent! Wonderful sandy beaches in summer (lake temp can be a bit cool) & ice bergs in the winter. Come & visit. you will be back!!

This park is huge and wonderful place to get forests and beach. Located right on Lake Michigan you can go to the beach but they also have wonderful trails through the woods. Bathrooms are available.

We don't normally camp along the west side of the state due to the popularity of the parks. We wanted to love Hoffmaster as it's only 30 minutes from one of our children and really not a bad drive across the state.

This is the typical state park madness. When we pulled in on a Saturday evening my first thought was to head for home! Many of the sites appeared to have multiple camping units and vehicles on them, some with so many that the wheels of cars were in the road, narrowing an already small road to maneuver our fifth wheel. Thankfully we were able to get in our site okay but with a different parking situation it may have been tough with what we witnessed.

In usual fashion there is little to no foliage between sites, thankfully our direct neighbors were respectful and not overloaded or part of any huge groups, which there were plenty of here. With so many people packed on some sites the one bathroom for sites 1 - 132 was to say a little overwhelmed. It wasn't unusual to find no toilets available and there were shower waits at most times, even when I went at 1130 one night I was waiting.

Like many state parks there is no enforcement of rules, the most irritating one is the overloading of sites with too many people it seems to be a constant in the Michigan system. There were dogs on the beach every day, thankfully they were all well behaved from what I noticed and didn't appear to bother anyone. The no alcohol rule seemed to be a suggestion to use your coffee or solo cup, which was okay as most groups seemed to quiet things down around 1100 as I never heard much after this time and things were real quiet after midnight. I saw DNR workers drive by once or twice an evening and two personnel walked by on Friday night, one looked to carry a ticket book, but they never stopped at any sites from what we saw. I had seen other reviews talking about people hiding in the woods looking for drinking, I witnessed none of this which I was thankful for.

Dogs are allowed on the day use beach but there is no real good way to walk there from the campground so loading up Fido is a must if you follow the rules. There is a shoulder on the road but not one I felt safe walking with my dog for a 1/4 mile. For some odd reason there are no trails on the day use side that connect with the campground area. This would've been a real nice option for those of us that like to hike or walk our pups.

The beach is a bit of a walk, but with a proper beach cart with low pressure wheels an easy task. Hard wheeled beach carts will likely be left along the trail with bicycles. No big deal but with little ones may add to the work of getting to the beach. There are two porta potties near the beach.

The waters can be dangerous here and everyday we were on the beach there was a red flag warning along with beach hazard statements on the Weather Channel App. The longshore currents were strong and children should wear life vest, the park provides an honor hook with 5 vest, but they were gone often so don't depend on that. The beach is nice!

Plenty of firewood options just outside the park. The park also sells wood but seemed way overpriced at $5.50, along with that they have 7 pound ice bags for $2. You can drive 2 miles down the road to Wesco and get a 20 pound bag for $4.19 or Speedway 4.59. Meijer is also within 6 or 7 miles in Norton Shores.

Verizon worked in our site and on the beach, but not well or at all in or near the bathhouse. Some TV stations come in on a digital antenna, I believe we had Fox, NBC and CBS, they pixelated a bit at times.

I will likely return but during the off season when things aren't quite so busy.

One of many absolutely gorgeous beaches and preserves of land on Michigan’s west coast. The nature center, picnic areas, and beach accesses are unmatched. Please check it out and enjoy!!!!

We drove up from Spring Lake and would gladly do it again. Well worth the admission fee. Better waves and scenery here than a little south.

Great place to visit! Huge stairs to the top of the dunes provides amazing views of Lake Michigan and the forest canopy.

I moved to this area about 40 years ago and although my life circumstances took me to the Chicago area for 20 or so years, my heart was always in this area. Upon retiring, I moved back here and frequently visit the many beach areas finding peace and tranquility in just being there. Hoffmaster has got to be one of the most awesome beaches on Lake Michigan. I agree with everything the positive reviews have to say. My "thing" is to walk beyond the public beach to areas that are quiet and uncrowded. There are many of them! You won't be sorry if you visit this great place!

Go for a walk to the beach, you won't regret it. This place is awesome. Take the family or loved one.

This park is a great place to visit for the day or camp for the week. It's directly on Lake Michigan and there are miles of shoreline to walk and hike. There are also wooded trails. The park (camping and trails) are in the "back dunes" so there are hills to climb. There is a trail that leads to the top of one of the highest dunes in the park and you can see for miles and miles from the lookout on top of the dune.

The Gillette Nature Center is a small museum featuring displays on Michigan sand dunes as well as the flora and fauna found there.

Beautiful State Park! Well maintained! Long sandy beach with a view of a great sunset!
Quiet & relaxing. Will come back next summer.

I would choose the trails over the beach for this park. On crowded summer weekends, the beach looked very packed.. But the backdunes and trails were nice and quite ( I just gave out the best kept secret). Try hiking to the back dunes ( near the visitors centre). The beach is so much quieter there

All of the beaches around Muskegon on Lake Michigan are beautiful. Lake Michigan is sometimes on the cold side but on a hot summer day, especially near the end of summer, the water is refreshingly cool. Great place to spend a sunny day. Just bring your sunscreen, food and especially drinks.

A little hidden gem and great trails. RIght off the highway and easy trails to Lake Michigan. The roads in the campground and the park are both in terrible shape, potholes and uneven gravel in areas. It would be great if some of the trails were paved for and more accessible. Overall, large clean park, beautiful views, and no crowds! Signage is a bit confusing and they need more of them.

We stopped by here for a few hours over the weekend to check it out for the first time. It wasnt quite swimming weather(although there were a few brave souls) so we just hiked around and enjoyed the views. The beaches were beautiful with and only a short walk from the parking and restrooms, close enough where it wouldnt be too horrible to carry your chairs and cooler. The further down you walk in either direction the beaches seemed to get more cluttered with sticks and other debris but it wasnt horrible. We did stop in at the vistor center to see what that was all about, it was pretty neat, I'm sure young kids would really enjoy it becasue there are a few hands on things, and multipule live snakes and turtles to look at. Our biggest dissapointment of the afternoon was the hike up the stairs to see the "dune view". I'm sure when it was built the view was amazing, however now there are a few trees that have just broken the view, although it was nice I dont think we'll make the hike up the stairs again. Without a doubt we'll be back when the weather warms up.

We had an end lot across from the bathroom. Was pretty private and good sized. Overall the park is nice but they do not have a store and getting to the beach is not easy. Unfortunately once we did get to the beach the black flies were biting so bad we had to leave. Was very quiet at night which was nice.

I love Hoffmaster. I live just to the north of it. I hike it in fall, winter and spring. Cross country ski it in the winter. Sit at the beach in the summer. The camp ground can get busy in the summer, but there is enough beach for everyone, especially if you don't mind walking some. If you like to hike, there are hiking trails on the south end that hook up with North Ottawa Dunes so you can get a real long hike in. It's worth the visit. You will enjoy!

I live only a mile away from this state park,and it is annually one of the most visited state parks in the Michigan system. The beach, camping, and nature center are all first rate.

The park is clean. The beach was clean as well.
We did not have a chance to swim, it was cold. But I would come back to walk around and enjoy nature.

I pretty much grew up camping at PJ Hoffmaster St Park. My family would camp here every year for about 7 to 9 days each year. After graduating Highschool, I came back only 3 times to camp again with friends and had a great time. Now that I am an adult and have my own family, I came back and brought my husband and young girls for a week for the last 2 years. Their first time camping! I had so much fun walking some of the trails and showing my girls where my brother and I would play when we were little and camped there. My family always stayed in the ver last loop....the one farthest from the Ranger Station, so this is where my new family camped too as I am most familiar with this loop....plus I really enjoy the scenic 15 min walk to the beach.I showed the girls the mucky creek on the way to the beach that my brother and I would play in and catch water spiders, frogs and tadpoles in. I can't believe how much it's grown up now though. Can't believe that we used to play in that creek. The other creek that runs thru the middle of the campground is a little clearer and better to play in. Again, we as kids used to play in this creek catching crawfish and water spiders....oh my...so much fun! We would spend hours and hours in this water! It's fun to see kids still playing in it and trying to catch the same things we did as kids so long ago. Anyway, the campgound is CLEAN, QUIET, and has nice paved roads to walk or ride your bikes on, wonderful sized camp sites, CLEAN and NEWLY UPDATED Bathhouse facilities. These new updates are soooo nice to the bathhouses! The Rangers are wonderful as well as the campground Hosts! I love the activities that the Campground Hosts will plan for each day. Such a nice thing to have an activity for kids and parents! The beach is beautiful too! I love the BIG Sand Dune to climb up. Just something that I remember doing each day when I was a kid! The Black River creek that empties into Lake Michigan is a marvel as well! First of all, it's usually always warm, so if the lake is cold, there is a nice warmer spot for kids to play in and still be in the water. It's especially nice for those kids who can't swim yet. Perfect place to build sand castles and catch fish, water spiders and etc. Second of all, it's such a mystery as to where it will open up into lake Michigan at. I remember each year it seemed that the mouth of the river/creek would always be in a different locaton...probably just depending on how the previous winter was and how the ice from the lake carved out a new mouth into the lake. Such a cool thing! Ok, I am rambling, but can you tell I love this campground? Highly recommended to visit!!! Please check it out!!!

Please don't go here, it is a nice quiet park with a beautiful beach. No amenities, no hot dog/popcorn stands, just a quiet beach on the lake. Let's leave it that way. ;-)

The main beach area is not very big and I can imagine it would be crowded on weekends. We went there on a weekday and it was not busy and we were easily able to find a secluded spot away from the main beach. The water was very cold as you might expect in early June but a few people went for a swim anyway. There are some picnic tables and plenty of trees for shade near the large parking lot. The restrooms were clean but why no soap to wash hands? I would visit again (and bring a bottle of hand soap with me).

So much prettier than the crowded beach in Grand Haven! Just a few minutes up the road. Relax and enjoy!

Great campground. The staff can be sticklers about somethings, but our overall stay was pleasant. Good access to the beach from the campground and the public beach area is separate from the campground beach area, which is nice. Keeps the crowds down. Restrooms were very clean.

My favorite spot to visit all 3 seasons - it's great for cross-country skiers & snowshoers.. The sand is just like pictured and the footpaths are for all grades of hikers. I do miss the Trillium which covered the dunes in past years but plants have been eaten by the deer that abound. The nature center has wonderful exhibits as well as a theater to see how the dunes were formed over time.....excellent ! Nature at its best !

Our family, 30 of us, spend a week during the summer at various state parks. Overall this was spacious and clean. Lots to do in surrounding area. Camp sites were in the woods which was great with the heat. Beach is a bit of a walk though.

Great wooded sites. Excellent restroom facilities, and excellent beaches. What more do you want? We come every year.

Hoffmaster is perfectly located between Grand Haven and Muskegon and offers great beaches and hiking trails. There are two 1-mile trails and a 3-mile trail through the woods and dunes that are a lot of fun to explore on your way down to the beach. The trails themselves aren't marked very well, so it's worth taking a look at their maps online or at the visitor center. The trail we chose ended as a short walk out to the beach. The water was crystal clear and calm and we had at least a few hundred yards of the beach to ourselves. We walked along the beach back to the main beach, which still wasn't overly busy by noon. We love Hoffmaster!

This park has a lot of "beach" variety. You can go for a super long walk if you head south towards Grand Haven. You can also climb some incredible dunes and hike the nature trails. Then the visitors center with it's exhibits are a real plus.

One of my favorite ways to introduce new people to this park is to park without going to the beach. Then take the "Walk-A-Mile" trail where the lake is dramatically revealed as you cross the dune top.

It's not the ocean but hey that just means no saltwater. Had a great time playing at the beach with the family it was 9 dollars to get a day pass onto the state park but I feel it was well worth it.

Hoffmaster is a Michigan State Park so you either have to buy the recreation pass with your license plate if you are a resident or pay to enter the park.

The park has lots of hiking/running trails in and over the natural sand dunes leading to Lake Michigan. It also has a beautiful Nature Center that is worth the visit.

We enjoyed the 186 stairs up the dunes even given the 25 mph wind off the lake. Took the hike out to the beach. Well maintained and appreciated the DNRs care for the environemnt.

Hike, swim, camp, picnic, or all three...a great place for a few hours, or a day, or a week or more. The Visitor Center is a great place to learn about dune ecology.

Spent most of the day at the beach! Very clean, nice bathrooms to change in, etc. You can even borrow a life jacket down near the water area!

Enjoy an amazing natural area close to the busy commercial areas of Grand Haven, Muskegon and Norton Shores.Head to the trails thru wooded dunes on the south end of the park, you can start at the nature center and climb to the top of the a dune, go to a wonderful stretch of sandy beach or if you want to hike even further explore the north
Ottawa dunes area. There is a separate entrance to the campground area at the north end of the park, it is a distance from the beach but also has a nice trail thru the wooded back dunes area to Lake Michigan. One area not used a lot is little BlackLake which is beautiful with fall colors. One thing you will not find is a picnic area with tables etc directly on Lake Michigan or on little Black Lake. The area is popular in the winter for cross country skiing.

Love to hike the various trails here. Can stay in the
woods or walk the beach. Also, great camping.
Kids love it here

State Park includes many hiking trails, swimming, large bathrooms with changing area, X-country ski trails, picnic area, camping area, wheel chair walk, natural history museum, Wood decked lookout, and of course dunes.

We visited in late April and put up our tent for one night. There weren't very many other visitors - maybe a dozen others in RVs - so we weren't near other people and it was quiet. During the busier season, I can picture it being less serene, since the sites are fairly close to one another. We camped in spot C1 and were able to walk right over to the Ridgeview Trail/Beach area; we hiked up some dunes and came back for a sunset. Nice fire pits, very clean, warm restrooms (at this time of year), and a super hot shower.
Downtown Muskegon isn't too far and we visited a couple breweries - Unruly and Pigeon Hill. Just come to relax, enjoy and explore!
In addition: the rangers mentioned that tent sites C1-C2 may flood easier than B1-B2, due to their lower ground levels. We didn't have any issues at this time.

It's all of the best of the western Lakeshore rolled into one. There's camping, beautiful beaches and hiking trails. The dunes are fabulous and great for hiking in wooded areas that lead to a spectacular view of lake at the top of the dune.

The nature center gives information about all trails, wildlife and there are guides available to give you a plan for enjoying the entire park.

It's seasonal but you can go in off season to see the lake during winter and hike trails if the snow is not too deep. Trails are harder to follow in winter so only experienced hikers should attempt once snow is falling.

Fall is a great time to hike trails but unlikely water will be warm enough to swim.

I've been here in every season and have hiked several trails. Beach is not my favorite since you need to walk a short cement trail and take a few stairs (wheelchair accessible but then you hit sand so...) to get to beach. Picnic area and restroom building is on site so good for children and spending the day.

A lovely park on the coast of Lake Michigan and a short ride from Grand Rapids. A recreation passport that can be purchased at the park or when renewing your license gets you into all the state parks in Michigan.
The beach is small during the tide but a great retreat on a summer day . Loads of trails to hike , with shoes because the grass can sure jab you .
They have clean restrooms and changing areas but no shower. The parking area is pretty close to the beach so it’s easy to haul all the chairs blankets and toys to keep you busy on the beach

Beautiful area for family friends and couples. Great location for. Adventure and fun, close to Grand Haven.

I found the hiking trails in this park very well marked and pleasant. Not too strenuous so kids should be fine. Although I was there in summer I thought the trails (especially Walk-a-Mile) would be spectacular in the fall or winter. It had great terrain interest. FYI--if there are warnings about black flies on the beach, TAKE HEED. Just stay away from the beach areas. The woods were fine, but when we tried to walk along the beach we were mobbed by biting flies. But hey, it is nature.

I am not a "nature" enthusiast but this was a lovely hike and trails from the dunes down to Lake Michigan. I highly recommend it. The DNR staff were warm and welcoming to visitors.

Wish we could have stayed longer! Nice, clean and a kind staff. The ranger went out of his way to help everyone. He moved me to a different site while helping a guy jump his car.

We went for a quick weekend trip since we haven't gone camping since having kids & it was our camping trip w/the kids & we didn't know how they would do. We had site 288 & it was close to the bathrooms & the water was across from us. We were close to site 289 which was fine since our friends met us there & had that spot. Site 287 seemed a bit away from us so we felt the spots & privacy were good. Though we did back out to the road, didn't seem to bother us. I did like that there is no alcohol on the campgrounds, that way we didn't worry about not getting to sleep because people were being loud & obnoxious due to drinking.
We had 2 tents, our minivan, the fire pit & picnic table on our lot & still had open room to spare (unlike others where you're practically on top of one another).
I liked that they had a playground (small but my kids were happy), & an activity field (so bring a ball to throw around). We were the farthest from the path to the beach, but even w/a 5 & 3 yr old & 2 beach bags, it didn't seem that bad of a walk. We took a different way getting there on one of the trails, which made it longer, but my kids enjoyed the walk. It's a little tough going back up w/everything, but it's a dune, nothing you can do.
The beach you get to from the campgrounds is more private & there is also the Black Creek which is very shallow, my kids played in there since there was a yellow flag for the lake & very chopping waves. They enjoyed finding sticks & tadpoles & catfish in the creek.
We also did the beach from the park part of it. More people but not bad, the walk is ok, we used the stairs to climb back up to the parking lot. They have restrooms & a changing building (that did had 2 bathrooms in it). Parking can get full on a nice day but they have an overflow lot.
We also enjoyed the Visitors Center, with info on the different parks, animals & even some live turtles, snakes & fish on the first floor.

My only complaint was Sunday morning the cleaning crew closed 2 of the 3 campground bathrooms for cleaning around 9am. It wasn't pretty having a long line of women waiting for the toilets & showers.

But my kids & our friends enjoyed it so we will definitely be back!

Beautiful spot for hiking, swimming and picnics. Several hiking trails, stairs with scenic views and dog friendly (with a leash.)
One of favorite family spots!

The camground is great!! Love the scenery and so quiet! Beautiful place for sunset viewing. Have gone there last 3 years in a row.

We stayed in campsite #34 which is the closest campsite to the trail to the beach. It's a lovely walk through the woods to a long beach. The trees were changing color, there were adorable squirrels and chipmunks everywhere, and the beach was deserted. I did put my hand in the water and it was cold. And yes, I was wearing hiking boots, jeans, long sleeved shirt and a jacket, but it was a great place to stay en route to see the lighthouses along the west coast of Michigan. From the beach at night, you can see the flash of the Grand Haven and the Muskegon lighthouses! Very cool!

Great Lakes dunes are unique and this is a great place to explore the dune forest, open dunes and access to a beautiful sand Lake Michigan beach. The visitor center has many exhibits on the dunes. Lot of hiking trails and there is a campground (which I have never used). Our favorite and less crowded local beach.

This place is such a gem. I used to camp here in college and enjoy the beach. This trip, we just used the day-use beach area. It was a bit crowded but if you just walk down the beach a bit, you can get a more private spot. The sand is perfect and you can explore the dunes behind you. Sitting on the beach is like looking out into an ocean of fresh water. There are no rocks in the water, it is all sand and very easy on the feet. The water is warm. Support the State parks!

Upon arrival, we were treated with very helpful staff outside the Rangers station. However, once inside the office to discuss our check in, the DNR personnel was very rude, largely inflated attitude with a disrespectful tone about the park policies. Maybe “he” was having a bad day, still no excuse. The personnel rattled off the their particular rules and regulations for this park as if I was unable to fully understand the repercussion's for violating their rules. I had no issue with their rules, I already knew full well prior to booking the park a year ago.
We have been camping for years, even at this location on a yearly occurrence. We love our Michigan state parks but this was a bit much from one person that represents and works for our State Parks.
They “he” took their position a step further than other officers that we have dealt with over the years.
In addition to this moment, while I was walking our trash to provided dumpster at night. The officers came walking out of the dark ten deep, like something from a Tombstone movie. Ready to keep the peace. This is added security I get it, but a little amusing and over the top.
Aside from the Fort Knox feel, The park is setup nicely, newly paved roads, bathrooms are clean. Small trails to walk or ride on are nicely groomed. Clean and large beach front to enjoy the water, not overly crowded(like the day-use beach) down the road. This is a great family oriented park to visit, but be aware of the personnel. They “he”will make you feel anxious and a little upset upon arrival.

This park has a great mix of beach and woods to walk in. My husband and I parked in one of the lots and walked along the beach first and then back to our car through the woods. it was very clean and peaceful. Great place for nature lovers and beach lovers.

Beautiful beach, and new restroom facilities are awesome. The new walkways on the beach are a great help in making the beach more accessible, and great for families with young children.
However, why were there so many dead fish that looked similar to catfish washing up on the beach?

Great beach area, dune lookouts, hiking trails, camping and more! Family friendly. Gillette Nature Center is excellent for rainy day activities.

PJ Hoffmaster is definitely one of the most beautiful state park campgrounds in MI, and it is clean, which is huge for a state park. Being in between Grand Haven and Muskegon is a huge draw as well. However, be prepared for one of the most anal DNR staffs in the state.

West Michigan doesn't get dark until nearly 10:00 in the summertime, and PJH has STRICT quiet hours at 11:00, so enjoy your mere hour around the campfire. Anything over a whisper will earn you a visit (often) by the golf-cart-patrolling DNR officer on duty. This year our group had a glow-in-the-dark frisbee game that we took down to the beach after dark, as to not disturb our camping neighbors. Two "rangers" booted us out while threatening $100 trespassing tickets for everyone.

I'm all for a family-friendly environment- I'm not a fan of obnoxious late-night drunken campers. However, if you want to be able to do anything after dark besides put on your jammies and read a story, then this park is probably not for you. The staff at this park takes it too far, in my opinion.

We visited here on a Friday in June. It was a bit chilly but the beach itself was beautiful. We also cooked out. It would have been ideal to BBQ on the beach, but the facilities were fine. A shower after the beach also would have been appreciated, and is not available here.

I live just down the road, but I never get bored by the lake, the hiking trails, and the amazing sunsets. I have never camped there, or even visited the "camping area", but the actual state park is gorgeous.

Located on Lake Michigan about 60 miles south of Ludington state park. We've been to about 17 of the Michigan state campgrounds. This campground is probably in the top 5 IMHO. It's pretty well maintained, with clean bath facilities. Beach is very good, just a little bit of a walk. I would recommend this campground. Get reservations early as the demand is great. Six months to the day of arrival, call for reservations. I've heard that come Nov. Michigan is going to alter their rules for reservations. If your camping in Michigan, you'd better find out what if any changes are in store for the coming year. Other activities in the area are pretty good. Shopping for anything is just 10 min. away. They have a shopping area that has everything and anything you'd want. Upscale area with plenty to offer.

Such a gorgeous place. I feel so blessed to live in a state that has so many miles of beautiful sandy beach areas. This park is one of the best.

Loved walking along the beach of this State park when we camped here in June. Can't wait to do it again next summer! We also love to head down to the ice cream shop down the road to get bbq's and turtle sundaes!

We've been up and down the beaches of Lake Michigan over the years and Hoffmaster's is one of my favorite spots. We actually camped this summer at PJ Hoffmaster's campgrounds (state park for camping) and it was extremely clean, well kept, and everyone was really respectful of each other's space. By 11pm, you could only hear the crackling of the wood over the fires. It was nice knowing we could take our young children here and not have to worry about obnoxious "neighbors".

The nature center was really nice. My kids enjoyed learning about the sand dunes and some of the bugs and animals in the area. We climbed all the steps to the top to see the overlook. I didn't realize it wouldn't be much a view once we made it to the top. A lot of the trees are overgrown and make it hard to see much.

We went to the park to see the Tin Can Travel group which is a vintage travel trailer event.
Were too late to see the trailers so decided to take a look at the park. Were surprised at the size of this park. It is in very good condition and can hold a lot of visitors without seeming crowded. It has a large sandy beach so typical and lovely on Lake Michigan.Next year we will go early enough to see the trailers too.

A few good trails in the woods, plus some along the beach. well maintained.
Visitors Center is very nice, modern building.
Several good places for picnic if you are not camping at the park.
Trail signage could be better.
Another good endorsement of Michigan's Recreational Passport. Great facilities for a very modest cost.

As a side note, a new Memorial Bench will be placed at the top observation deck in Honor of my Uncle Dick Kirk.

This state park is really pretty cool. The access to Lake Michigan is just amazing and the trails and nature center are pretty cool also.

Probably the only reason I didn't give it 5 is because personally I like to camp at private campgrounds that have less rules and a little better amenities.

Really should have a 5 rating because of everything else the state park has to offer as a whole but I guess I'm just being fussy.

The park staff from my experience is amazing and the harvest fest for the last weekend of camping is just an amazing experience.

This place is only about 1.5 miles from my house and I am always glad to know it is there. We go hiking there and to the beach there sometimes as well in the summer.

Really cool place.

My wife and I always look forward to going here. This is where I proposed to her. Clean beach, beautiful views, and well maintained facilities. Not sure why people are always so excited for the busy beach at Grand Haven when they can drive a little farther north and find this beautiful place.

Camping sites, beautiful beach with clean white sand, many hiking trails and a wonderful nature center. Great place to visit, camp, stay.

A wonderful state park with a beautiful beach and a small nature center as well. The best way I've experienced the park is with camping there however, there are plenty of nice things about the day use area too.

We had a great day walking through the woods and relaxing by the lake. Nice little visitor center with very friendly staff.

It is so much fun to walk the trails and smell the campfires burning. A relaxing getaway as well as natural beauty.

The park was pretty quiet the Tuesday before Memorial Day, with the visitor center closed and not many campers. We had our dog with us so we hiked the Dune Overlook Trail, which is a lot of steps, mostly on a wood boardwalk, but we thought it was in the easy to moderate range. We only saw one other couple at the top, where a deer down below seemed quite fascinated with us. It was nice, quiet and secluded. On our way down we met a school group, so the quiet ended there.

We camped at the park. The dunes and beaches are amazing. The campground staff are all excellent. Restrooms and showers are very modern and constantly ckeaned.

Great beach. Short walk in the sand to the water. No pets. Beach is clean. There is a dune area if you want to run the dunes for exercise. Walking trails are close by.

We have visited this campground multiple times each year for about 20 years. It is a beautiful park with a lot of campsites (make reservations...it is often full), a beach that goes on for miles, lots of hiking trails and a nature center. We've always been pleased with the helpful staff who have enforced the rules for the safety and benefit of all guests.

Sadly, I don't know if there has been a change in management, but this year there was a marked difference in the way the rules were (or were not) enforced. Having random cars parking on your site, as well as dogs on the beach, are two things that need to be addressed. Hopefully next summer these issues will be monitored more closely so this park can be top notch again.

First time camping. Friends had it booked for a group of family and we took the spot of a family who cancelled. The kids loved it. I was impressed even though I dont like the idea of camping- bugs and dirt and such. But it was enjoyable although a lot of work with 4 kids. We had a tent. Hard ground with tree trunk parts sticking out of the ground make for bumpy sleeping on a sleeping bag. Definitely will invest in a blowup bed for the future. The beach was nice, the trails were great! We were right next to a big open field where the kids played and then watched the stars at night. We went to the visitor center for a presentation, the guy was barely audible but the movie afterwards about the forming of the dunes was interesting. Playground was small but enjoyable for the kids. They monitor the park and it is safe and clean. They clean the bathrooms often. But I agree with someone else- why clean it between 8 am and 9 am primetime?? And it takes like 45 minutes to an hour to clean so it's closed that entire time.Then you have to walk to the further bathhouse. I really liked that the showers were private vs. communal. Would be great to have one additional handicap/family restroom/shower combo. There is only one in each area. I would do this again. WIth blowup beds for sure so I can sleep better!

We did the walk a Mile trail (more than a mile) and went for a swim! So much beach front, lovely experience

Recently the whole family gathered from Denver and New Orleans and hiked the cross country ski trails to the Lake MI beach. Dog on a leash, ages 6,12,30,40 and two 60 year olds enjoyed the cool quiet beauty of an hour hike.

The day we visited Hoffmaster State Park, the rain fortunately held off, the waves were terrific, and the cloud formations were dramatic and impressive. While we didn't plan on swimming, our kids decided to do so anyway and had a great time! If you're bringing stroller equipment or babies to enjoy the beach, be aware that you might want to use a backpack/front-carrier instead of a stroller. Pushing a stroller through this type of sand is difficult.

Family friendly beautiful state park. Beautiful beach and walking trails. Lovely creek winds through campsite with lots of trees. Great family atmosphere since no alcohol is allowed and the quiet time curfew is enforced.

We love all of the hiking trails that lead to a spectacular beach. Beautiful everywhere you look. Lots of parking. I have been to almost all of the beaches in Michigan and this is one of the best.

Love the campground here! Clean bath houses! Nice play ground. Large trees with lots of shade! Nice hiking trails with a short trail leading right to the beach. The beach is gorgeous! Our girls loved swimming in Lake Michigan! They also enjoyed the Visitor Center and the stairway up to the top of the sand dune. We had a wonderful time!

The trail was a bit deceptive. Our hike was only a little over a mile, but hiking through dunes is TOUGH! Also, lots of stairs and biting flies! We hiked down to the beach after walking to see the top of the dunes. The beach was beautiful and fairly empty. Only two other families, along with a couple people walking along the shore. The flies got pretty bad further along the trail though, so we decided to play at the beach for a bit and then walk back towards the visitor center. This was easy enough for my 7 and 10 year old to hike, but younger ones might be a little slower. With some help on the steps they'd be able to enjoy it!

The beach was very clean and beautiful. The restrooms were well taken care of. An over all pleasure.

went here with my girlfriends family and hiked and loved it. one of the nice parks around muskegon area. they have the park pass to get in, if you dont have that it's $9 for a day pass.

Very nice beach. Good for sunsets. There is plenty of parking. Nice wide view of the lake. Close to Muskegon.

P F Hoffmaster was hard for me to remember so I kept calling it P F Chang's. When we arrived it was nothing like the chain restaurant with all the sameness wherever you dined. It was easy to find and so breathtaking.

The park was a Super Wow and the campground was just as beautiful. We could only stay one night and that was absolutely not enough. The staff at the front gate was wonderful. They met me when I was freaking out because I thought I left my driver's license at the restaurant we had visited for dinner. They accepted a picture of my licence and cash. $28 was a little more that I usually pay, but when I saw the beach, dunes and clean bathrooms I was not bothered by the added expense.

The best part of the park was the dunes that lead down to the beach. It wasn't as big as the Sleeping Bear dunes, and that was just fine. If you have trouble walking you should not attempt a beach walk. Once you reach the beach, get right in the water. Ha, Ha, I dare you to try to stay out, it just calls you in. There is plenty of beach for laying out. Small shallow pools are formed from the sand shift. We saw many young children having a blast in these warmer waters.

The trails around the park and campground are wonderful to see nature and get a good workout. We left our campsite thinking we were going for a short hike and returned and hour and a half later. Tired, hungry and very happy that we had visited the beach.

While we were on our hike many things flew over. We saw 4 different helicopters and a group of four WWII planes practicing formations. At one point we looked up and saw a rainbow. Make sure you look all around all the time, wildlife is hiding everywhere.

The beach had a couple of port a johns within easy reach but not in view of the beach. We used them and they were nice and clean with plenty of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. This was really nice for people who see water and immediately have to go.

The park had fire pits in good repair and plenty of small twigs on the ground for starting fires. We scavenged all the wood from other pits and ended up with 4 hours of fire. Now don't steal it from other people, all the pits we pilfered were at empty sites. Partially burned wood catches fire a lot faster than unburned wood.

The campground is located near a beautiful golf course, ice cream place and small town. When you're in the camp or state park you feel like your in the middle of no where. We had a wonderful night sleep, and we were right across from the bath house.

If you're planning a weekend get away keep P F Hoffmaster in mind. In fact, get online now and reserve a site because summer sites fill up fast!

Very nice state park. The the beach, the park and the visiting center is nice. The stairs to top are painful to claim but it's a must as the view is amazing.

This is a Michigan State Park right on Lake Michigan. Great trails to explore even in the winter on snowshoe. There is a good nature center that is open every day. There are wooden steps up to the top of the dunes. The beach is beautiful and has clean sand. Water usually does not get above 70°...Maybe 3 or 4 times a summer. Call ahead to reserve camping spots. The weekend fills up fast. Beautiful gold and red sunsets.