Petoskey State Park Reviews

A yearly stop for our family. Great place to enjoy the beach and search for petoskey stones. Also has a campground that looks really nice but haven't tried yet.

Cost $9 for non michigan residents per day or $5 for Michigan residents per day. Annual passes are also available. Park has lovely view of Lake Michigan. In summertime, there are kayak rentals and concessions that are sold. Bathrooms available during the summer. Beach is clean from garbage. Also, there are large sand dunes to climb. Bring an umbrella, beach tent and your favorite book to read while enjoying a calm and peaceful escape.

We loved this park. Beautiful and very serene. It was a great way to spend an afternoon. We would definitely recommend it.

Great day there. Clean beach and the bathrooms were not disgusting! The sandbars, which I am sure move around, were tricky. They can't do anything about that though.

I'd give more stars if there wasn't an entrance fee. The only thing here is camping, hiking and the beach. I didn't see any picnic pavilions and there were no scenic drives through the park but there was a concession stand on the beach. The beach was ok and there were some Dunes and trails to explore. We found a few tiny Petoskey stones. Overall, I expected more from a state park that charges admission. Maybe if the weather was better I'd have liked the park more. I wouldn't pay to go back.

We were right next to the lake and really enjoyed the search for the Petoskey Stones. I cant believe that we actually bought them before arriving here when they are all over the beach.

We had been to Fisherman's Island and decided to do a hike and beach comb at Petoskey State Park as well. We did two hikes, one up the dune to the overlook, which was a lot of stairs but not too bad. The view was fabulous. Then we did another hike that took us through the forest and out to the beach. We spent a lot of time on the beach -- started out rainy, then the sun came out and made a world of difference. There was a very nice beach house/restroom area. In season it looks like they have concession service, but it was not open when we were there. It was very clean, and the beach was very nice.

We absolutely love Petoskey State Park. We come with a large group of our family and friends for our summer vacation. However, this year, we did not throughly enjoy our get togethers at the camp fire because we were told every night just after 10pm quiet hours from the park rangers walking around we were too loud that they could here us talking at the campsite next door. They did this every night and would come back several times to tell us we were loud. Quiet hours are a bit early considering it is not even dark. We have never had that happened before just sitting and taking around the fire at 10:15pm on a Holiday week. Very disappointing in the way we were treated by the aggressive young park rangers.

Nice beach area surrounded by sand dunes and woods. There is camping available as well. I was there on a weekend afternoon and the beach was not too busy, but it was after Labor Day. Some folks were looking for Petoskey stones along the shore and few children in the water. The public restroom was clean and the camp sites were a bit close together, but they did have access to the beach. Be sure to get your park passport in advance to visit this State Park.

If you go anywhere this year make it here - it's awesome------ if you get a chance get up there and experience just how wonderful it is

Very clean park with camping areas. Great hiking dunes and forest, beach front access. Enjoyed watching the sunsets each evening; beautiful area!

We have stayed at this state park many times. We are here over Labor Day weekend and are disgusted by the lack of care to the restrooms. Soap dispensers empty, toilet paper gone. This needs to be better maintained with so many guests. The park itself is beautiful and we love the beauty of the bay.

Beautiful place. Best beach in the area. I would recommend. Beautiful sand. Water is always cold but great.

This was our second time visiting Petoskey State Park. We only stayed for a few hours but had a lot of fun searching for various treasures along the beach. Several family members found sea glass, Petoskey stones, feathers, shells and driftwood. The Ring-billed Gulls are very friendly. Highly recommend planning a stop here as it’s a beautiful beach!

spent a whole sunday lying on the beach front, swiiming in the gorgeous clear waters of lake Michigan , the park as all of them has all the facilities to make your getaway perfect , right outside runs the wheelway .

I enjoy the State park for a few different reasons, there are many things to explore! From camping, to paddle boarding, to volleyball, to lying on the beach, the Petoskey State Park is a family friendly place for you! There was also a concession stand recently added to the beach front that serves a generous scoop of ice cream along with other snacks.

It's been quite a few years since we've been camping at this state park. I made a short trip here to check out the newer beach area. Wow, lots of great improvements! Wonderful new, large, well planned out parking lot, picnic areas, and the beach, as always is gorgeous. One of the best on Lake Michigan.

The campground has some larger, newer sites also, and bathrooms. They've kept the natural rolling terrain intact, thank goodness. The gorgeous shade trees remain, the roads have improved immensely. New playground equipment, too.

A great place to spend a day at the beach. Consessions. Daily use rate enforced.

Highly recommend.

This is an awesome beach for kids! Well-defined swimming area stays shallow for quite some distance. Found some Petoskey stones, too! Unclear which dunes are "ok" for climbing as we kept running into "do not climb" signs but had previously read that there were dunes here... Has bathrooms, but concessions not open mid-week in late August.

First time at this site and enjoyed it very much. There is a lot of commuter traffic that goes to the beach - and that beach is far down the beach from the campground beach! We thoroughly enjoyed not being stuck in a parking lot type campground like so many other state parks. The beach is easily accessible, and even wheelchair friendly to the viewing platform about 100' along the wooden platform path. There are so many Petoskey stones we stopped picking them up! The edge of the shore is rocky but after about 30' it is pure sand in lovely Little Traverse Bay (no rip tides here either).

There are plenty of walking and biking trails in the woods, and one bike trail goes about 1/2 mile or so on an earthen path before jumping onto the Little Traverse Wheelway, and that takes you right into downtown Petoskey with no fear of peddling alongside cars on the road. Going back:)

This beautiful park has an awesome beach to walk. We found lots of interesting rocks. The restroom area was clean and we'll maintained.

My 8 year old was determined to find a petosky stone and this was the perfect place! It was $9 to enter the park. Loved seeing the kite surfers!

This park has some of the best trails in the state. There is one with a lot of steps but the the overlook is amazing. The perfect spot to watch the sunset. You will probably be the only ones up there. I the beach is also very nice

Park offices/concessions/part of campgrounds closed for season. No fees to enter. Beach beautiful. Clean. Fall colors gorgeous. Wonderful time.

We decided to check out the beach since in the area. The park is really nice. The beach was great. It was very windy with a red flag, so we just walk in the water. We did find a few a Petoskey stones in the dunes.

It's a beautiful location for camping. We keep going back.

Being that it's on Little Traverse Bay, the beach is rarely rough. We love it. The town of Petoskey has a lot of things to do. It is also close to Charlevoix, which is also beautiful.

Michigan has great state parks and Petoskey State Park is no exception. Nice sand beach, fairly clean restrooms, some hiking trails, camping, picnic area and usually a concession stand, but this was closed due to virus. I visited mid June 2020. Very scenic park with some smaller dunes.

Weather was wonderful so we had many days at the beach. Water was clear though very refreshingly cold. Beach was clean enough though a little rocky when you first step onto it. Bathhouse was clean.

Stopped in for a quick beach walk on a hot day. This State Park has a gorgeous beach, with plenty of close parking. There are also picnic areas and camping areas too. I just wanted to stick my toes in the sand, and it was a perfect visit.

A nice beach among the dunes. The views are terrific and the dunes picturesque. We saw some camping and paddle boarders.

Living in the area lets me take advantage of this beautiful beach as often as I can. A staple in the area. Nice camping. Has bathrooms and small "snack shack" along with covered area with picnic tables. Kid friendly.

Day visit to the beach. Beautiful, wide beach at the eastern end of Little Traverse Bay. Surrounded by impressive dunes. Great view of Harbor Springs to the northwest and the whole bay. Sandy bottom swimming. Restrooms/changing rooms. $9 day use entry fee if you’re not a Michigander with a recreation passport.

Wonderfull Fall Colors...clean and well maintained! A Must stay in UP Michigan....Sites are first come first serve...

We had a quick family getaway up north for a few days during the week of July 4th. The state park wasn't busy at all. We loved it! Hint: avoid the crowds in Traverse City during the Cherry Festival and head a little farther north - it's worth it!

This is one of our favorite state parks to camp at. The sites in the first loop (1-75) are separated by natural vegetation offering fairly good privacy, and are not gravelled or concrete like some places. There is a nice beach with a beach house and adjacent parking. The park staff do a good job monitoring/ checking on the campground several times a day (from early morning to late at night).

The campground could be improved by replacing the old restroom/ shower building with a modern facility meeting current handicap code. The toilet stalls are very cramped and do not meet requirements for wheelchair access. The hand blowers crowd out the area by the lavatories. The shower plumbing is poor and does not provide consistent hot and cold water!

The beach has two very old pieces of playground equipment (from about 1949) which do not meet current play equipment standards. The old slide does not have high enough sides which meet current standards and is not installed properly (is leaning and the exit from the slide is too low).

The DNR should also build a bike path adjacent to the entrance road to access the Little Traverse Wheelway path (which goes from Harbor Springs area to Charlevoix) on US 31. Right now the bikers have to share the entrance road to the park with bikers and walkers resulting in a very unsafe condition!

Spent the day at the beach. NIce beach, water was cold though. I would have like to check out the campgrounds but they were closed due to covid 19.

Nice woods and beach but city noise and camp sites close together. Would have been real nice in the old days

Pure Michigan???? I don't think so, water was filthy and looked like something you would find in a third world country. Trash everywhere, shower not functional, garbage floating everywhere, trash cans overflowing. Being a taxpayer in this state, I'm disappointed in the lack of maintenance and attention given to our parks in recent years. Some advice, stop with the cheesy Pure Michigan TV ads that cost us millions of dollars and put that money to maintenance of OUR parks.

Beautiful sand dunes. We could see with the winds off the lake, the parking it has to have the sand “swept” off so it doesn’t disappear!

Many people hunting along the shire and into the water a bit. We did fine one Petoskey stone. For us, searching is as much fun as finding!

We went to this side of Michigan Lake to look for Petoskey stones., Never thought they're hard to find but they are! However, we found a little alcove and enjoyed a little walk on the pebbled beach. Beautiful clear water! Will be coming back next time. :-)

I really enjoy this park! It’s super clean and the campground was fantastic! I had a great time and I will be back!

The beach is beautiful. A lot of families are on the beach. Nice to see small sand dunes and campground nearby.

It's a nice enough park though, to be honest, it's a bit on the small side. It was clean. Parking was good. But there's not a lot there.

Magical fresh 8 inches, wonderful. Nicely laid out park. Close to town and right on lake Michigan! Come up here often and never tire of yhis parks natural busy. Remember skiing here 40 years ago and its still amazing.

Stopped just for a quick walk on the beach. Ended up picking up quite a few petoskey stones. Very clean.

Visited here in June with family and had a great time at the park, which is beautiful. While the water was quite cold (it hurt to put our feet in), the beach was beautiful. The kids enjoyed playing in the sand and climbing up and down the small dunes. There was a volleyball area, as well as boat rentals, which we didn't use. Would definitely visit this part again if we are in the area.

Petoskey State Park is a beautiful place to visit and enjoy. We had a great time walking and talking. Just taking in the scenery.

We drove up to Petoskey State park while staying in Boyne Mountain. On our drive along the shoreline we could see how pretty it was. It was similar to a Caribbean beach. The beach wasn’t crowded at all. We weren’t able to find any Petoskey stones, although we only stayed for about 20 minutes. The water was so clear and pretty. The beach was free of litter. We’d love to come back for another visit.

Very beautiful park and beaches. Deep sand and well maintained area! Has restrooms right at the beach too!

The park has a great beach and dune area. We had a wonderful time looking for Petoskey stones and playing in the water.

The beach at this state park has a lot of 'Petoskey' stones. It was fun to collect them along the shore while the waves hit the sand. However, after having stopped at a lot of other beaches in Upper peninsula throughout the week long trip, I found this beach to be crowded. But the water was more soothing than the chilly shore of Lake superior. So that was a positive!

we went to the park after a recent fall storm, hoping to find petoskey stones. we didnt find any, ( water was to cold for wading,) but there were quite a few people there despite the windy cool conditions. park seems really nice, will be coming back when its warm. trails are really nice for short hikes

Wonderful and peaceful and clean park to drive; to walk; to sit and watch the water; the dunes; and explore

We camped here for three nights in mid-September, at the Tannery Creek campground. I'd always camped at the Dunes campground before, but it was closed for the season. Still close to the beach. The campground was very uncrowded while we were there. Good thing, because we'd reserved a site online and the previous occupants hadn't bothered to vacate it. Thankfully the site next door was available. Nicely maintained park. Helpful staff. Can't speak for restrooms; didn't use the ones at the campground. Really nice beach: wide and sandy at the day use area, more wild and secluded near the campgrounds. Great rock hunting.

We just went for a couple of hours. It was a nice afternoon. $9 to get in for the day. If you want to hike you need to follow signs to campground. Hikes not marked until at trailhead. No dogs on beach but dogs permitted on trails. Old baldy is LOTS of steps then windy path with roots. Very pretty. Very short hike. We left our dog home. May be too many steps for little dogs. Beach has changing rooms & concession stand.

Park had closed for the season when we got there. DNR and State ranger said we could park and walk in so we did am I glad we did we saw the most spectacular views of Lake Michigan that I have ever seen. The colors on the trees where magnificent. Would highly recommend this stop

In addition to walking the beach (and collecting lovely rocks) there are trails in the dunes and trails in the woods. A truly great local place for a 2-4 mile walk, all year round.

This has some of the most beautiful views you will find in the area. Easy walking and fun to visit. Don't miss the lighthouses in the area. It is a location with a lot of historic sites.

We were at Heartside RV resort & just site seeing & saw sign for state park, so we went in & the water was beautiful & the wooded area was pretty. We enjoyed driving through, did not go to beach.\

The park is beautiful however, be warned that it closes at the end of August when school returns so the beach is open but there are no services like food or drink. The change areas and bathrooms are open.

Surprising array of sand dunes bordering Little Grand Traverse Bay. Beach extends for a long ways in either direction. Water too cold to swim in this early in the season but found lots of Petoskey stones. Day pass is $9.00. Plenty of parking.Wife had difficulty walking through the sand to the waters edge but then noticed they had a paved walkway by the shelter building.

We took a day trip here to go to the beach and will definitely be coming back to camp. Park has a very large beach and nice campground. Will edit review once we have camped here!

I'd give more stars if there wasn't an entrance fee. The only thing here is camping, hiking and the beach. I didn't see any picnic pavilions and there were no scenic drives through the
park but there was a concession stand on the beach. The beach was ok and there were some small Dunes and trails to explore. We found a few tiny Petoskey stones. Overall, I expected more from a state park that charges admission. Maybe if the weather was better I'd have liked the park more. I wouldn't pay to go back.

We came here for a quick stop to look for the coveted Petoskey Stone. Yes, we had to look hard for them, but we were successful. Once we got the stones I was ready to go. This beach is not one I would come to for a relaxing day in the sand. The sand is rocky in many areas, but the biggest deterrent was the garbage. Lots of plastic and random scraps mixed together with moored seaweed isn’t my ideal beach day.

Stopped here on the way to the UP- water is beautiful but it was to rough to swim. Beach well maintained, plenty of parking. Concessions and bathrooms were clean

I wish I had more time to explore the park! They have great little hiking trails. The beach was beautiful, very rocky, but you can still see some Petoskey stones! I will need to plan a return visit to do more hiking.

Stopped in for a quick search for petoskey stones. Did find one small stone, but also found a small cache of sea glass! Score!
End of season, so seaweed is washing up, but very clean beach! You need to go

This was a beautiful spot for a stop on our visit to the area. I could have stayed much longer! Breathtaking scenery and great for photos!

Very good campgrounds very clean bathrooms average clean regularly easy walk to the beach bugs where at a minimum that was very surprising. GREAT TIME WITH THE FAMILY.

Petoskey state park is a great place for camping (tent or camper). It is also a great destination for a day trip to the beach. Beautiful beach with picnic tables. Nice trails to explore around the park too! Camping here you feel like you're in a remote location, yet you're 10 minutes from Petoskey and Harbor Springs.

Great spot equal distance between Harbor Springs and Petoskey. Great sand and sand dunes. Petoskey stones abound if you know what you are looking fo. Nice sand bottom. Shallow for the kids.

I was shocked to see such a beautiful beach treated so poorly! There was SO MUCH PLASTIC washing up on shore I did not want to swim. I began picking up bottle caps, straws, trash, etc and quickly became overwhelmed. There was no way to keep up as it was all down the shoreline. Shame on people. How is this beach rated so well? I was disgusted. I’ve been to beaches all over the US and was really surprised to see Petoskey State Park as one of the dirtiest yet. Pick up your trash people!!

We spent the day at the beach in the state park. The beach was very clean with very close and convenient parking. There is even a small concession stand with restrooms right on the beach next to the parking lot. Excellent place to spend the day

I read it was difficult to find Petoskey stones on the beaten path, but I found 3 within a 1/2 mi walk! Sure, not the "museum quality" pieces, but good for souveniers!

Beautiful park and beach but it is not dog friendly. Petosky State park does not allow dogs anywhere on its one mile of beach front. You can't even walk behind the dunes with your dog to a non park beach area. This park is not dog friendly as the web site claims and it spoiled our visit. Surely they could allow dogs on a small portion of the beach. State parks accommodate hunters, fisherman, off road vehicles, cyclists, and many other interests but they can't find even 100 feet of beach for dog lovers? Not happy.

If you dont have dogs you will love the park. One other caution is that the place has a lot of poison ivy particularly along the trails.

I am from Chicago and cannot even fathom how this beautiful clear water is the same lake on as the shores of Chicago! The water was sooo clear and only as deep as my midsection for at least 100 feet! Such a great beach and place to play catch or water games! Some small dunes are around here for kids to run up and down as well but the money shot is the crystal clear water!

There are two separate campgrounds at this park. One more suitable for RVs and the other for tents and pop-ups. The sites are mostly separated by vegetation which provides for privacy. There are shower/ restroom buildings (which have been renovated not too long ago) at each campground. The buildings are small and old, but are kept clean most of the time. Firewood is available inside the park.

The sandy beach is large and clean with a bathhouse/ restroom building. It is available to both the campers, and day-use people. Nice sunsets from the beach.

We were there after Labor Day and before fall leafers, so it was an idyllic spot to spend the day. No shade! My husband was riding the Little Traverse Wheelway, so this beach was perfect as a meeting spot. Bring beach shoes, as the shoreline is rocky.

Stayed one night in the campground. Nice park, lots of trees, and space for camping. Showers had hot water. Nice trail and short walk to the beach.

My husband and I camped here for one night as a part of our Lake Michigan circle tour. It was a nice place to camp, but what we enjoyed the most was the beautiful beach! It was cool, clean and one of our favorite beaches along the lake.

Stopped here after lunch and some quick shopping downtown. A short drive from downtown via 31, even with the Summer traffic.

Another great Lake Michigan beach via a state park. Not too crowded (visit was a Monday afternoon around 2pm), found a parking spot, changed into our suits (decent changing area in the pavilion) and went straight to the water.

We even were able to find some Petoskey stones.

Would recommend a visit.

We were visiting the area for a few night and wanted a little time out in the sun at a beach and this was perfect. The water was crystal clear, a wide, white, shady beach close to paved parking and restrooms. My wife, like a number of other people, spent some time looking for Petoskey stones and delighted in finding some. We were a little disappointed by not being able to drive through the camping area to scope out future camping locations but they appeared to be short handed in staff so maybe that was the reason they turned us away.

I was impressed that the Beach had a white ramp all the way to the water, as well as handicap parking . It is a nice sandy beach with small stones , the water was cold, but there were swimmers in on the 4th of July. We spent the day and then went back for the sunset -- beautiful view of the sun sinking into the water with some sailboats in the distance. They do have several small marked trails closer to the campground with some shade. The beach has a concession stand and picnic tables under a roof for shade.

I loved that there was no charge if you rode in on a bicycle. But there was so much garbage that had floated up on the waves,that it was off putting, especially since there are so many other beach choices on the lake. The garbage isn't huge, mostly small shredded plastic. I think it all collects here because of the beach's geographic location. The view from the beach is stellar and many people were enjoying looking for Petosky stones, so it is a nice stop but not the best beach.

I love this campground. It’s the best state park in the state of Michigan. The lake is the best because you have - huge park. The beach. And the dunes for tents. And the main big camper park. There are 200 sites. And 2 cabins. You can find petoskey stones on the beach if you look for hours we found about 10. There are miles of walking and hiking paths. Good for dogs and kids walking. We have 2 kids and they love meeting other kids here. The showers are hot water and bathrooms smell nice.

The sites are huge and they have electric. No full hook ups. I wish they did.

Make sure you fill up your fresh water tank. There is a faucet you can fill up jugs but that’s a pain if you have a camper.

The fire pits are nice and cement pad for camper. We brought our own wood but honestly don’t buy any wood. Go into the hiking trails and pick up all the wood you need. We had a fire all day for 3 days long. Bring a hatchet and ax or saw so you can just cut up what’s on the Forest ground.

There are probably 300 acres of wooded forest.

We visited the first week of August and, unlike other reviews, had a great time.

We got there around 10am and the beach was maybe 10pct full. Bring exact change or a check to enter ($9 non-residents).

The sand was combed - the water was clean. There is a stand where you can use restrooms, purchase “beach” food, limited toys and rent kayaks.

Perfect place to go.

Beautiful beaches and trails- rocks along shoreline mixed with sand. Crowded but still nice atmosphere

Absolutely to busy went on weekday had a hard time getting a spot . Campsites are very close together. Though it's a wonderful park in Michigan hence fours star reviews . Staff was friendly and helpful.

WOW sandy beach, and the 2 days we went the beach was very open. It was great. Did not go look at the 2 different campgrounds but the beach was a great UP north beach, Wife walked the beach and found LOTS of small petoskey stones.

A beautifully clean beach on Lake Michigan's Little Traverse Bay. Nice dune complex and forest upland. And yes you can still find and collect many small petoskey stones here. Free entry if you have a State Park Pass, on bike, or walk in, otherwise a small fee.

Really great state park in dire need of updating to the restrooms and showers. Great location in Little Traverse Bay, great beach and sites, just a little tired facilities.

While you must pay to park ($9, I think), the park offers a nice stretch of beach for beach combing -- particularly for those who like to seek out the prehistoric fossil rocks known as the Petoskey stone. It also is a nice entry point to Lake Michigan, whose refreshing waters will wash over you and make the world right again -- especially if you're hot from a bike ride or beach combing.

We spent the afternoon here. The concession stand isn’t much. The beach has quite a bit of rocks & debris making it hard to walk barefoot but the views are gorgeous. Plenty of parking options and lots of trash cans help keep it from seeming too overcrowded & trashy.

The water is a stunning blue & the park pass was $9 since we are from out of state so well worth the visit.

Just tried to look at the Petoskey campground and the OMgrey haired man at the campground checkin informed us - this park is already WAY TOO DANGEROUS with too many children. THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW- we will go to a SAFER PARK! STAY AWARE FROM THIS PARK - it’s VERY DANGEROUS

We spent a very pleasant morning hiking in this park. There are a few trails which cris cross the dune from the beach.

The old baldy trail has been rebuilt with all new stairs. we also did the portage trail. There were almost no bugs.

The park has a very nice beach with lots of parking available.

I traveled to Petoskey to see the red sun set on Lake Michigan. Wow, that was great. I also had the chance to hunt for Petoskey stones. First time seeing such stones that looked like the back of tortoises. I got about 20 of them.

We stopped at the state park to look for Petoskey Stones. We searched and searched and didn't find any. We did find a beautiful sandy beach, very clean changing room and restrooms, and a great place to relax. It is definitely worth the visit as it's not as busy as the beaches in town.

You have to pay for a recreational passport from the state (it is a state park), but the $16 is for a full year, and works at any Michigan state park. We enjoyed digging in the sand and looking for different rocks and shells.

Fantastic beach area surrounded by Sand dunes and forest. Camping is available as well. I was there on a weekday morning and the beach was quiet. Just a fee people walking around looking for Petoskey stones along the shore. The public restroom was super clean and odor free! Not like most state park facilities.

Beautiful setting and a clean campground with pretty decent showers and restrooms. Beach is fantastic. The only negative was that the sites didn't seem very private to me.

My wife is from the Philippines so this was her 1st time to see a sand dune. i explained what we used do as kids when we played on the sand dunes and walked around and go some great pictures before heading to the beach. Everything was clean and well kept. There were lots of people walking along the beach looking for Petoskey Rocks. My wife & i were lucky enough to have a little girl give us one of her Petoskey Rocks. Wished we would have had more time to spend as it was a beautiful day and gorgeous setting.

Nice place to take some chairs and watch the sun move or look for Petoskey stones. Park has bathrooms, changing areas and concessions for Ice, snacks and Kayak rentals. Take a cooler & some chair and relax. Fairly large parking lot.

Beach is easy accessible, very close to the parking lot. Not a lot of shade but beautiful sandy beach. Water not as clear as in Harbor Springs across the bay.

We stopped to kill some time and play in the sand. Very beautiful and serene. There are camping areas and sand beach areas to play, swim, or shell.

Nice location, wide beach with decent sand & kayak rentals. Water was so murky and dirty, we would not go in! So disappointed.

We stayed at the Dunes campground 5 nights during the September long weekend. We chose it because it was somewhat central to Sleeping Bear Dunes (1 1/2 hr drive) and Mackinac Island (40 min drive to ferry).
When tent camping we don't expect a lot of amenities, however, I expect toilet paper and soap to be a basic. We were disappointed that the cleaning staff would only fill half of the toilet rolls which left all the stalls empty by 7pm until their return around 9am the next morning. This happened repeatedly.
There are 4 showers for the grounds which were pretty clean, and had adjustable temperature.
There are no grills for cooking on the firepit.
The electrical sites have one plug per site so bring a multi-outlet outdoor plug if more is needed.
There were no racoons to worry about at night and didn't hear of any bear sightings.
For best overall site in our section of the Dunes, I would recommend site 30 for privacy, size, level lot and being close to the washrooms and beach access. We didn't have this site but wish we did.
The campground is close to towns with shops and restaurants.
Also, FYI there is a state park fee per car in addition to the camp site fee. This is charged whether you are a resident or not and is good for any State park in MI (not National park) for the year.
Overall, we've camped in worse parks and better parks so we gave it an average rating. Most likely won't return simply because we like camping at different locations.

Hidden gem.
Petoskey State Park is beautiful. The sandy beach surrounded by dunes and woods is a perfect way to spend a day.

It costs $9 for a day pass during the week. It was worth every penny. This is the cleanest American beach we've been to. There is plenty of room on the beach so even when it gets crowded it doesn't feel crowded. We spent the day swimming and looking for Petoskey rocks. There are many to be found.

Went for a hike around the trails with a friend just to stretch our legs after a long car ride. Trails were small but scenic. Camping looked a bit cramped but lot was full. Park looked clean & well cared for.

Clean beach and well kept .Spent a good whole day enjoying there.Water was cold as usual for Michigan beaches

Great place to relax, splash in the lake or just sit in the sun. Plenty of sandy beach area and places to swim.

We didn’t camp or use the beach at the park, but came just to spend a few hours hiking. The moderately difficult trails gave us just the challenge we needed! Some pretty steep uphill climbs and then downhill ascents. The easy trails were just that, with wide paths and small hills. All the trails were in completely wooded areas with lots of shade.

A perfect place to play in the water and look for Petosky stones. The sunsets here are worth the trip

Wadded through the waters and spent lunch on the beach. The water was crystal clear and not as busy as many of the other beaches in Michigan. The shoreline was kept very clean and the bathrooms were also well kept.

Clean beach with pretty views, concessions, some rental options for things like kayaks, area to wash off, etc. Great stop.

What a nice park. I was surprised how large the beach was and how clean it is. It looks like a fun place to visit in warm weather.

Hopefully we'll be able to return.

I love this place. It's beautiful. I try to go in the off-season to avoid other people. The beach is awesome.

Only spent time at the beach, water and sand was great. I'm going 5 stars because bathrooms were so clean.

Petoskey State Park has a nice beach for lounging and searching for Petoskey stones. The beach has a small concession stand and bathroom facilities. The park also has camping, but I have not stayed there.

Petoskey State Park beach is too wonderful for words. The only flaw is that you have to pay a "passport" fee which is higher if you are out of state, but that passport gives you free entry to any state park FOR THE REST OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. This does NOT mean that it is good for an entire 365 days, rather, that it is good ONLY until the end of that year. Anyway, there are two parking lots that lead to a clear water Great Lakes beach that is so clean and lovely. The beach is sheltered within the Little Traverse Bay, so you don't get high waves. There is a swim zone that is marked off by bouys, and that keeps boats/canoes/etc out of that zone. Of course, you can swim outside of it, but if you have little ones, you might feel safer having them within the zone. The park closes at 10PM, but that gives you plenty of time to watch the sun set and the stars come out. I can't recommend this park highly enough.

If you are looking for a beach with a beach equipment concession (in case you didn't bring your kayak), sand dunes, cozy campsites, group picnic areas, hiking trails AND a nearby town for convenience, look no further than Petoskey State Park. When I arrived in Michigan in 1979, it was the first state park I camped at in the north woods and could not believe my good fortune for finding it. Since I now live up north in Michigan, this park is now only 6 miles away from my house and this is MY beach. I use the day area when I go to the beach. When the family with the grand children visit from out of state, we head to Petoskey State Park where they can run and swim forever. Little Traverse Bay is really the star of the show, but the hikes to Mt. Baldy lookout (not so bald anymore, and not a really tall mountain) it is a good hike for the kids. After that, you can climb and role on the dunes. Wild flowers in the spring, quiet winter snow shoeing in the winter, beautiful leaves in the fall, it is one of our favorite 4 season areas and we are fortunate to have such a wonderful place saved from surrounding encroachment by civilization. Nested between Harbor Spring and Petoskey at the east end of Little Traverse Bay, this park is situated in an area where you can shop, get a great meal, go to museums and bike on the Little Traverse Wheel Way. A destination state park which has everything.

Nice wooded campsites and quiet. Beach on Little Traverse Bay seemed sheltered from big waves compared to beaches on the lakeshore such as Ludington, Grand Haven or Muskegon.

Couldn't do the trails due to ice, but I'm sure they are great in the summer. We ended up going towards the beach and omg! How beautiful of a view! The water was frozen and it was super cold windy but we sure had fun on the dunes. I'd recommend a good pair of shoes made for climbing and sand because let's just say it's much easier going up than down lol. Some of them are ginormous. And the view from the biggest one is breathtaking :) They also have camping here and picnic tables! Highly recommend especially if you have kids or are adventurous....climbing the dunes is an amazing experience!!!

We're from Michigan's Upper Peninsula and we camped at 3 state parks on our trip downstate. First, 1 night at South Higgins Lake, 1 night at Aloha State Park, and finally, 2 nights at Petoskey State Park. We brought our kayaks and our dog with.

We camped here for two days in a tent in the dunes section of the campground. The staff was friendly when checking us in and gave us directions to our campsite. We turned into Dunes campground and I immediately slowed down because the road is narrow and there were kids everywhere. I noticed that many of the people camping in this section were in tents or small campers. For how packed all of the sites are together it is decently private.

We camped at site 28, which is right next to the pathway to the beach. I booked this site so that we could bring our kayaks down to the beach and my dog could reach the water to swim. The site was sandy, which is what I preferred because it doesn't get muddy and sand is easy to clean up in our tent. However, the site number on the ground was covered with sand and the electric outlet with the site number was not visible from the road. We had to get out of the car to find the outlet to ensure we were at the correct camp site. All of the electric outlets at other campsites were all visible and placed closer to the road, so it was a bit odd that ours was further back hidden in the trees. Since our outlet was in the woods, it made our tent placement closer to the woods as well. I typically don't like putting our tent under trees because then we get more bugs, bird poop, and tree sap on our tent. I really ended up not liking where our tent was placed because our tent quickly became a hangout for daddy long legs and there were these caterpillars that would hang from their webs and randomly drop down from the trees. There were also a tonnnnnnn of chipmunks, which was fine because it kept our dog entertained.

After setting up, I noticed noticed that there was literally no wind or breeze at our campsite. We decided to check out the beach and discovered that it was not possible to carry our kayaks to the beach from our campsite. The beach path took us slightly uphill and lead us to the top of 2-story tall sand dunes, followed by a valley, 1-story tall sand dunes, and then the beach. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement, since I booked 2 days at this park specifically so we could kayak.

The fact that the campsites are surrounded by sand dunes means that the nice breeze produced by the lake doesn't actually reach the campground. It's both a blessing and a curse. The blessing being that it gets super windy on the beach, which is very refreshing when it's hot out. The curse being that none of the wind actually reaches your campsite and it gets super hot sitting in stagnant heat. We actually ended up not kayaking because the waves were white capping, which made me even more disappointed. Plus dogs aren't allowed on any part of the beach at any time.

The beach is covered with soft sand, but there's a ton of smooth tumbled rocks, so make sure you bring some type of water shoe.

The bathroom/ shower facilities are probably the worst I've seen. There was a bunch of grout missing and I just felt like they were dirty. It was probably a combination of the dim lit lights, missing grout & scuffed up walls/stalls, the stench, & sand all over the floors... it just gave me the impression that they were cleaned maybe once a day. There were several times where toilets would be clogged (one with a tampon) or there would pee dripped all over the seat. One time I went in there and found a small piece of poop on the floor (the size of a bouncy ball you can get from a quarter machine). After using the bathroom for the 3rd time that day, I finally got brave and picked it up. The shower heads are so low that I had to do the limbo to wash my hair. If you're less than 5'2", then the showers are probably perfect for you. We stayed at South Higgins Lake State Park & Aloha State Park prior to our stay here and their bathrooms/showers were very clean, at all times. There's no excuse for having dirty facilities. I will say that the bathrooms at the beach house were very clean every time I went in there.

The views from the beach are beautiful & the water appears to be a pretty hue of turquoise. All in all I don't think we'll camp here again. I'd rather just come for a day trip to the beach and shop downtown. I highly recommend Aloha State Park and South Higgins Lake State Park.

Petoskey State Park has been one of our summer stops for several years it has clean beaches and facilities. Government parks are an enjoyable part of our vacations.

We had a lovely few hours here at Petoskey state park. Lots of parking and the beach is sandy. A great place for a walk or relaxing on a beach chair in the sun. Enjoy, we did.

My wife and I loved camping here. All of the trees at the campground provided a great buffer between you and other campers. Bathrooms were clean but the water is very random temperature wise. Beach was beautiful. Will be definitely coming back.

Gorgeous day and beach ruined by DOGS..The girls were building a sand castle and one dog peed on it while walking by, then the kids are touching that sand. The other two dogs were full of energy, jumping up, digging holes taking off and spraying sand. The owners spent their time yelling at the frisky dogs who kept taking off. Question, what if 100 dogs were on the beach fouling the sand, running between towels, is this what a day at the beach for humans has come to? Very sad, the serenity, cleanliness and SAFETY of the beach is compromised. What if a child is bitten or nipped? Dogs fighting and growling at other dogs, who controls this?... Florida does not allow dogs on the beach.PERIOD..there are designated dog beaches. ..Michigan needs to reconsider their policy. For the three hours at the beach, the owners can lose their entitlement and keep the dog at home. A park employee should do an hourly check to make sure the swim area is free of dogs. Do the math. The beach is already crowded. Consider the environment, and enjoyment of families who want to enjoy the beach if dogs are allowed.

The park is well maintained and has several beach access points. Campsites are a bit small, although they offer larger sites if you have a long camper.

This state park is wonderful. The beach is the part we visited, but hey also offering campgrounds as well. The parking at the beach area was plentiful and easy to the beach. The bathhouse was clean and offered nice changing rooms. The concession stand was good as well. The snacks, hot dogs, drinks, etc were good and fair prices. You can rent beach items here as well like SUP, life vests and more. The beach was really clean. You can find the elusive Petoskey stones here as well as Charlevoix stones. Just make sure you only take a few as there is a law on how many you can collect. This makes for a great low-cost family day with a fond souvenir of your trip. If you are going to look for the stones a small colander will help you to sift them out of the sand. You can also find them on the beach if you look closely.

So - oddly - I know the Virginia State Park system better than my own here in Michigan. I love VA Parks... That phrase "you're never a hero in your own hometown..." That's kind of how I have always felt about Michigan. I always have craved getting away when I have vacation time....I finally have had a chance to try a couple of Michigan State Parks for camping. Most recently - Petoskey State Park. They were having plumbing issues in their bath house, which was a minor inconvenience...however...the incredible, views, trails, air, water...oh and the STARS...made up for it. We stayed in the Tannery Campground - my original reservation for the Dunes was cancelled due to a plumbing issue which was fixed by the time we got there...but we stuck with The Tannery. The sites are great - each was nicely treed and had electric...water was a short walk away. The Beach was a short walk. Lots of dogs and lots of friendly people.

Nice park with a great beachfront. Saw many people sunning themselves. Also, camping allowed here. Nice place to spend the day...

This place was absolutely beautiful. The beach was clean and the people were very friendly. We will definately be back!!!

Camped in a 35” motorhome. We are self-contained so cannot comment on restrooms/shower facilities. We stayed in an electric only site. No issue filling with water or dumping on the way out.
We enjoyed the beach and finding Petosky and Charlevoix stones and the nearby bike trail. Pretty close to Harbor Springs, Petosky and the tunnel of trees drive.
Pros –
- Lots of trees.
- Nice, spacious sites.
- Our site was level,
- Very quiet campground. Zero road noise.
- With a booster we had no issues with Verizon, T-Mobile cell and internet.
- Petosky right down the road to enjoy shopping or restaurants

Cons –
- No sign of a camp host.
- Very busy park – the line at the entrance gate can be very long as they check your Michigan State Park Pass. Then you drive to another booth to check into your site.

Great park with dunes and beach, nice to place to relax or play with kids in water. In the fall it's pretty much all yours to walk and chill out.

Was here a few times in our camper. Roomy sites with hookups. Located on Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. Nice sandy beach with small dunes. Showers and bathrooms are typical of state parks. Located in the beauty of Northern Michigan and close to the Mackinaw Bridge, Mackinac Island and many other fun places to enjoy.

This is a fairly busy state park in the summer. Lots of biking trails and nice hiking trails. Close to downtown Petoskey.

Well. We actually never got beyond parking our car. To start, they didn’t have anyone at the main gate to assist or sell their $10 day pass. So we actually went where the sign told us to. There, we parked our car and were actually in a conversation about if the place was “worth our time” and wanted to scope out the trail maps. While getting out of our car we got charged up on by a “ranger” who basically accosted us about parking without a pass. When we advised her we were hoping to check out some maps and discuss the park’s offering she very sternly told us “you can’t park your car if you haven’t paid”. I immediately turned to get in the car bc this negative and aggressive accusation vibe was not going to be how I started this day. I’m on vacation. If they want to come with that energy they can eat the loss. Anyway, my husband engaged and said again that we just wanted to read the trail signs. The “ranger” wouldn’t let us walk to get to the sign without rushing forward to thrust a wet paper map at us. The information was more about paying donations to the park service and where you could not have your dogs / what you could not do with your dogs. The trail info was sparse. All trails were less than a mile. The lady finally started trying to give information but damage done. We left. There was a wetlands park just a short hop up the road - short walking, but same distance as the trails at the state park, and no cost. The beaches at petoskey are free. We decided on a whim to go up to Charlevoix and the beach there was free. There are dozens of free nature preserves for hiking and a bay overlook in harbor springs that is wonderful and unobstructed. This place can rot.

Great place to take a nap after visiting the brewery! Although it was a windy day, we had no problem basking in the sun and walking along the shoreline. Very few people.

The Petoskey State Park beach area along Lake Michigan's Little Traverse Bay has a swimming area with crystal-clear water, a wide sandy strip for beach blankets and folks working on their tans, and a wonderful view of the setting sun in the evening. There are also modern restrooms and changing rooms, plus a concession area and covered picnic tables for folks who want some shade. While there's a fair amount of parking space, getting there reasonably early in the morning on weekends is likely a wise thing to do!

This park is very nice, has a sandy beach and such clear water. We enjoyed some swimming, kids played in the sand and we even found some Petoskey stones!

We have cruised by this park entrance in the trees for years. It took family visiting from St. Louis MO, to take us here at sunset, while on our annual trip "up north."
A great sand beach, wide but not too deep, gets one to the water right away.
The parking is plentiful and close. The big orange ball setting over the bay was really
special. There is also a camp ground available. An aluminum wide, long deck allows access to the shore without trudging thru the sand, for those less mobile visitors.
It is a beautiful place, so don't just drive by as we always used to do!

Loved the beach! Beach was clean and sandy. Facilities were clean and well kept! Very nice park attendee.

We loved looking for Petoskey stones here but there were so many homeless people! One of the 8 year olds we were with wandered into a wooded area and came back yelling "I found a gun!" He'd stumbled onto a blanket with pile of belongings which included a hand gun. Needless to say, we felt very unsafe and left immediately.

My family of 5 stopped here while biking from Petoskey to Harbor Springs. Although small, it was a very nice beach and very clean. Would definitely recommend spending a few hours if you're near the area.

We were here on a chilly October day, but did enjoy the lake front park. There are trails in the park and of course, the Petoskey stones.

Very nice park system. Restroom are very clean and park spotless. Must stop by for a walk about or picnic.

We stopped at this beach several times during a recent stay in Harbor Springs. It was a short easy drive in to the beach with great parking and bath house facilities. The water was an amazing color of blue and so clear. We found a bunch of Petoskey stones here once we knew what a raw unpolished stone looked like. Much easier to find when they are wet. We went back one night to watch the sun sets and was surprised that it wasn't packed. It was a beautiful evening with warm temps. So, so pretty and practically had the place to ourselves.

Great place and beautiful views of Lake Michigan. Safe to ride and lot of directions to guide you over the trail. You will enjoy with your family!!

We couldn't wait to get to the beach to search for petosky stones. Loved spending time there. Found some small stones, but went and bought a nice one. The park was fun for us all.

Beautiful sandy shoreline, ideal for swimming since just a few feet in, it’s about 2-3 feet deep with waves. Also fun to looking at rocks, although didn’t find any petosky stones.

We stopped at Petoskey State Park on our way along Lake Michigan and were pleased that the restrooms were clean, the beach was clean and it was a great beach to swim and sun. There were lots of families out in the water and the water was clean and clear. We enjoyed stopping by on our trip to Michigan.

Had fun looking at the melting "Michigan Glaciers" and walking on the sand dunes. Found some great hiking trails in the woods too.

We were visiting friends at their campsite for two days. The beach is easily accessible fro each site. Electrical hookups, access to water, a fire pit, and plenty of trees and trails. Make a reservation!

Wow what a beautiful day it was. I would definitely make sure you have exact change as you will have to pay to get into the park and there is no attendant at the park. So unless you have a state park pass you will have to pay for daily rate. The changing rooms had some stalls to change and of course stalls to use the bathroom. Food was only old as pizza, hot dogs and soda. They also rent kayaks, paddle boards and such to use on the lake. There are a few trails to walk that are easy and there is also a campsite as well.

This park has to be included in the top 5 spots in the state. The campground has wonderfully planned wooded lots that are situated to give each one a private area for your campsite. There are two main campgrounds, of which I prefer the Dunes. The second area is more suited for larger campers with asphalt pads, but is equally beautiful. The facilities are immaculate. The hiking and biking trails are well groomed and explore the beautiful forested grounds in every direction. Looking for Petoskey stones?, a very short and lovely hike to the beach and they are everywhere to be discovered. We were so impressed with the staff, the grounds and the location that I could not give this park a high enough endorsement. You have to see it to appreciate it fully.

We visited the beach. It had a very pretty view. Bathrooms were pretty clean for how busy it was. We did not visit the concession stand. The water was murky at the shoreline today, but probably not the norm.

While visiting the area stopped by to check out the beach. The beach itself is nice and sandy, but the water isn't very clean.

Right from the entrance you feel as if entering an enchanted forest. As you follow down a narrow road, it leads to a huge parking lot right on the beach. For a while, the only soul sharing the area with us was a lonely swan on the lake. We took a walk, but stopped when we came across piles of pebbles. That was it for the walk. We've spent over an hour searching for and finding Petoskey stones! We are still in the area and will most definitely head back to this beautiful park.

This review is limited to my experience at the beach. The sandy part of the beach was pretty thin, and it is otherwise mostly composed of a ton of little rocks. There are signs everywhere about staying off the dunes, and people largely ignore them-I saw kids running up and down in full view of their parents who, apparently, were unconcerned.

There is a concession stand where they rent kayaks which is a plus. If this were the only beach option in Petosky, it would be fine. But it isn't, so try another beach.

My husband & I needed to walk off all of the sandwich & beer weight we'd put on during our visit to Petoskey, so our friend recommended visiting this state park. It was a great couple of hours. It's free, easily navigable and boasts several walking trails. We did two. We saw lots of flora & fauna while preparing ourselves for our next meal. :)

Naturally, while we were in Petoskey, we had to go to the beach and search for Petoskey Stones! There is a nice beack at the park...lots of stones, but no luck finding Petoskey Stones!

We went to the state park beach two nights after 8pm it was quiet and so pretty. Great sunset spot. We walked up and down the beach looking for stones. We also spent 3-4 hours during one day. Not terribly crowded. We had a great time swimming and continuing our Petoskey stone hunt. The water is clear and nice but I’d take water shoes/socks next time. Lots of rocks to step over when getting in the water. They are smooth rocks and so it’s bumpy getting in and out. I want to return next year.

The park is small...camping area and a Beach. The beach is nice. We we there on a windy evening to watch the sunset. We watched someone wind surfing. There were people there searching for Petosky stones. It was nice they had the restrooms open, as often these facilities are closed in the off season.

The trails we intended on hiking were closed because of ice storms a couple months prior to our May visit. At the entrance station we were offered an alternative of parking there and walking along the road to the campground area, from which we could take a boardwalk to the beach and walk back towards the main beach. We had our dog with us, and we were assured this was ok as long as we turned back inland before we got to the main beach. This was probably way better anyway as we only encountered a few other people in this area compared to the crowded main beach. We had a very enjoyable walk.

By far, our favorite place to catch a million-dollar sunset in the area. The clean, sandy beaches and unobstructed view of Little Traverse Bay make this a perfect place to stop or stay for a while. The mile-long beach is a great place to swim or hunt for stones in the shallow water, and the facilities for renting equipment are conveniently located next to the abundant parking area.

My wife and I went here because it is noted as a great place to pick up Petosky stone on the beach. We were not disappointed. This park has a gem of a beach and they do a good job of keeping the park clean. The bathrooms were clean and neat and the rangers were helpful and friendly. We had so much fun that we went in when it opened and came back later and picked rocks again late in the afternoon.

The beach was clean and the parking was convenient. There are restrooms and picnic tables if you were going to stay for lunch.

We we're hoping to find a Petoskey stone but didn't have any luck. It would have been helpful to have some information at the beach about what to look for to help you find one.

Our visit was in September and later we were told the stones are usually gone that late in the season. You need to come in the spring for the best rock hunting.

It was still fun to look for rocks and we did take home some pretty ones....however we bought a Petoskey stone at a local store.

One of the best beaches I have been to anywhere..the whole park is clean and the view is unparalleled..don't miss the sunsets

Stopped to hunt for Petosky stones. Found a few small specimens, but mostly enjoyed the beach. Beach views from the parking lot or short walk in sand to the shore. Concrete wheelchair ramp available from restrooms to the shore. Lovely modern restroom & dressing facility. No lifeguard, the red flag was flying briskly on our visit. No matter, as there were no swimmers, only rock hounds in sight. Fee to enter state park.

We always visit this park when we are in the area. Since we fly to the area, we visit a local Ace hardware for some basic beach supplies and head to the park. The entry fee is a bargain for the beautiful beach, sand dunes and views of Little Traverse Bay. There are spacious restrooms with changing areas, showers, concessions and rentals for water sports. The picnic area is popular but never seems completely full. The beach and dunes provide plenty of space for children to explore. The dunes are a wonderful location for photos! The beach is very family friendly and it is big enough to have your own quiet space if needed.

A beautiful state park with a huge pristine beach on Little Traverse Bay. Modern Bath houses on the beach and in the campground... snack bar on the beach!

This place is so beautiful there really are no words to describe it. From the stones piled up along the shoreline, to the white pines in the background, to the icy-cold waters of Lake Michigan, it really is such a wonderful place. We spent most of our time looking for Charlevoix and Petoskey stones. You could spend hours and hours looking for stones here. We would recommend that you bring some shoes for walking on the stones because doing it barefoot hurts! Crocs or flip-flops would be best! We ended up coming back a second time during our stay in Petoskey because this state park was so beautiful! On our second day, we had a picnic along the lake shore on a sand dune and even though it was a colder fall day, we still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Please be sure to stop here and soak up all the beauty!

We try to walk a few miles everyday, however, when on vakay sometimes it is hard to find a nice area to walk in. This was great and scenery was outstanding. Whether you're a walker, runner or dog walker this is the place to go to.

My son and grandson swam in the lake and enjoyed the nice waves that came in from the lake. The beach was sandy and clean. The park is located just a few minutes from the center of town

Petoskey State Park is close to my home and between my home and work so it's always easily accessible to me . I'm fortunate to be able to visit the park every season, every month of the year. I have seen many positive changes over the years, it's a very well maintained park. I've been there for picnics, swimming, kayaking, dog walks, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and just walking or biking through. I enjoy the busy summer days relaxing on the beach as well as the quiet winter visits when I'm the only one there. This park is abundant with opportunities for sport and adventure but also a great place to chill out and just listen to the wind and seagulls.

Petoskey State Park has a great beach area for northern Michigan. Plenty of parking. Restrooms available. And it's a great place to search for Petoskey stones!

We are a family of 14 from southwest Michigan. Four generations ages 89 to 2. Our number one goal of stopping here was to find Petoskey stones. The beach is large, and it was not crowded. The color of the water looked like the blue/green of the Caribbean. I wish we had been better prepared with beach shoes, a shovel and a strainer. The beach has lots of little stones, and lots of stones and rocks near the shoreline, which made it hard to walk on with bare feet. I'm not sure who enjoyed it the most--the old folks, the middle aged kids, or the little kids!! We were successful with everyone finding several nice Petoskey stones. Remember to look at the wet stones, as they are much easier to spot when wet. Have to say though, that those of us over 40 were feeling the effects of walking the beach being bent over looking for that perfect stone. Oh, our aching backs!! We also saw a water rescue that afternoon. A small sailboat capsized. Had a wind surfer on shore not seen them, I'm not sure what the outcome would have been. He yelled to his friend to call 911. He already had a life jacket on, and he took off into the water. The Coast Guard came and took the two ladies to the hospital to be checked, and the Good Samaritan helped get the sailboat back to shore. A good ending to a good day!

We stopped by here last night after dinner and walking downtown Petoskey. We walked along the shore and watched the sun set. It was beautiful.

I am always glad to pay for my annual pass to Michigan's state parks. They are truly an investment. This is a great family park

We spent the Fourth of July at Petoskey State Park and watched the fireworks from the beach. It was the perfect location as you could see the fireworks from both Harbor Springs and Petoskey. The DNR personnel were very friendly and helpful, the beach was clean and it was a perfect evening. They have hiking trails and wonderful areas to cycle. Great place to visit and spend time with your family and friends.

beautiful beach with good boating access. The camping area is closed during the pandemic. Picnic areas are open.

The city is awesome! The state park was really nice but I wasn't super impressed by the sandy beach area. Hence the 4 stars. Asked the staff at the entrance some questions and he was super friendly and knowledgeable.
I would go again if I was in the area.

Nice park. The beach was sandy and very nice. Lots of parking. A few small rocks but a nice beach to walk and enjoy.

We have camped here several times and always enjoy our stay. The campgrounds are clean and the beach is only a few steps away.

We visited on a warm Monday afternoon. The beach was extremely busy and the water was not as pristine as we had hoped it would be for young children. No fault of anyone, just Mother Nature. We did not stay for long, and found another less busy beach.

This was our first time at this park, we stayed in the mini cabins which are way better than a tent. You get two bunk beds, mini fridge & a microwave. The park is clean & beautiful. We hunted for petoskey stones at the beach. Everyone found some. Great activity for people that don't have the usual camping gear.

We camped in the Tannery Creek Campground, site 143 with a 26ft camper with a 11, 14 and 16 year old. The sites are very sandy and short. Most of the sites are back to back with other sites - more private/longer sites would be: 91, 110, 133, 164, 166. There is a boardwalk at the end of each loop so very easy access to the beach from the campground. There was only 1 bathroom and it was always dirty, but there were separate/private shower rooms. The campground was very busy, loud, and full all the time. Niced paved roads for kids to bike on - no hills.
We carried our kayaks from our site to the boardwalk and kayaked in Lake Michigan - make sure waves are low. The actual public beach was packed so we stayed away from there.
We hiked the .44 mile Old Baldy Trail - walk the sandy trail down and take the steps up (148 steps). Took us 30 min. total.
We biked the LIttle Traverse Wheelway into town and checked out the Bear River Recreation Area. We have 10ft kayaks and decided that the river was too rough for our big kayaks. Very pretty though.
We found a lot of petoskey stones on the shoreline - this seemed to be our favorite thing to do here - just looking for rocks!

We stopped here in the afternoon during the week and it was fairly deserted. It is a beautiful beach, with facilities available.

We love going to this beach when we’re up north. However, going mid afternoon was a mistake. It was about 30 minute wait to get in, then we were almost turned away because the beach parking was full. They should really have a sign on the main road to tell you the beach lot is full. Highly recommend going in the early morning to search for Petoskey stones. It’s a great spot to swim and relax as a family.

We loved visiting the beach. The kids loved looking for stones and tossing rocks into the water. there is a bath house with showers to get the sand of your feet. Do not miss the views!

so we looked around briefly and left. We told the ranger we were in search of a Petoskey Stone and she suggested 2 places that were higher odds and less crowded. She also gave us a few pointers. Twenty minutes later, we had one...and an hour later, we had zero. My wife fumbled it while she was handling another small rock. After 10 frantic minutes, she recovered it and we were on our way.

Small state park with a lovely beach for a day of relaxing. The park is easy to access and requires a Recreation Passport to enter, if you don't have one you can get it at the entrance. The beach is nice and well maintained and there are bathroom facilities located there.

Hubby and I spent the day at the beach hunting Petoskey and Charlevoix stones. There is a concession stand, covered picnic table eating area and bathroom/changing rooms available for use. We packed a lunch and spent the day walking the beach and hunting stones. We also took advantage of the walking trails near the campground area. It was well worth the $9.00 single day recreation passport!

This is a great place to just sit and relax a while. The water is a pretty crystal blue color and its just peaceful.

Take some time for yourself and sit a while.

This state park was beautiful! Lots of beach area. Plenty of places to look for Petoskey stones. Water is crystal clear. Great sunset shots.

Cute beach with ample parking. We went late in the day so it was not crowded. The water was beautiful and really warm! There is a beach house with bathrooms etc. You can walk on the beach and climb through the dunes.

We stopped by here in our travels through Lower Michigan. What a beautiful park and we had such an enjoyable day.

Petoskey State Park is a small park in size, but a gem. There a couple of short, excellent hiking (and in winter, cross country ski) trails. There is a paved road that can be biked that links to the Wheelway. Although we have not camped there, it is very popular with campers. There is access to the Little Traverse
Bay beach, an inlet of Lake Michigan.
A truly serene and beautiful spot.

No Petoskey Rocks, which was the reason for our visit. The beach was a nice sandy beach, it was pretty packed for a week day. Bathrooms facilities were nice.

Nice sand bars. The water isn't as clear as other locations.

Great little hideaway of the beach and lake! Very quiet and peaceful. It was a nice stop to take in some Michigan beauty!

I waited till I had camped at this state park twice before writing a review, because I didn't know if my first impression was truly reflective of the campground or just a one-off, but I've now had the same experience twice, so here goes... This park is beautiful, there's no denying that. And the city of Petoskey has shops, restaurants, and attractions galore. Having said that, Petoskey State Park is at the top of the price range for campsites at Michigan state parks ($31 a night and probably rising). And Petoskey is an expensive town to shop and dine in, as is neighboring Harbor Springs. Dress like you own one of the magnificent summer homes along Little Traverse Bay if you don't want to be ignored or treated like trash when you venture into either of these towns, because the snobbery is very real. And be prepared to deal with some truly heinous traffic along US-31 (the main drag through town) during the day in the summer months, when vacationers swell the population and clog the roads. (I learned to wait till evening to venture into town.) This traffic congestion, unfortunately, detracts from one of the area's main attractions, the Little Traverse Wheelway, a bike path along the bay that runs from Charlevoix to Harbor Springs. The scenery along the way can be spectacular, but again I would recommend saving this for the evening, because that part of the path that comes close to US-31 hardly makes for a relaxing trip, what with all the traffic and noise. But back to the park... Both times I camped there (in August of two consecutive years), my experience was marred by drunk and disorderly campers who ignored posted quiet hours and kept me awake till about 2 a.m. The first year, the cretin in the site next to mine not only brought his guitar, but his amp, as well, so everyone in the campground could be treated to his lack of talent! He had visitors coming and going until the wee hours, too, despite posted signs that visitors are to leave by 10 pm, and he had three times the number of vehicles parked at his site as campground rules allow. The second year, it was more of the same...loud, crass, drunks spewing obscenities in the site next to mine. And although the park office was open late (till midnight) because it was summer and the campground was full, staff never ventured into the campground, even after I called to complain. Why the state of Michigan doesn't enforce the rules every camper agrees to when they book their reservation I don't know. Maybe they should just set aside certain campgrounds, or at least a loop or two of certain campgrounds, for the enjoyment of mature adults who want to commune with nature, not trample all over it.

It's the only place around where the public can take a long walk on the actual beach so they are vigilant about paying the park pass fee at times. Buy a state park pass or " Recreation Passport" so you can enjoy all the state parks it's only $14 per year for residents and $40 for non residents. Otherwise it is $11 for a one day, all state park pass. Dogs are not supposed to be on the beach and there are signs all over that say no animals but I often see dogs off leash at least off season. Often windy 20-30 mph.

The largest stretch of public access beach on Little Traverse Bay. An amazing beach with excellent restroom facilities. With the prevailing winds, the water here is often 5-10 degrees warmer than at the Harbor Springs beach.

Great walking area! Beach is surprisingly beautiful! Great camp sites. You will not be disappointed!!

Off season is probably the best season to walk the beach here. The crowds in the summer can be off putting, and the water can be clear as crystal but can also be full of detritus and algae along the most popular swimming beaches, whcih can be a disappointment. It's unfortunate that they close the tent camping area so early... it is the nicest camping area for tenters and people who do not want to be surrounded by big busses.

I highly recommend a trip to the Petoskey State Park, especially the beach area. It is clean, safe, and beautiful! There are clean restrooms and showers available for use. There is also an area connected in the same building where concessions are available for purchase. Even during the summer, it gets a bit chilly and windy, so be sure to bring a light jacket. Very beautiful and highly recommend it!

Only one loop for today's larger RV's and campers. The beach is spectacular and faces west toward the sunset. Some of the Mid-Wests most spectacular views over Little Traverse Bay.

If you're looking for a nice beach to relax on, this would be a good spot. It was relatively busy when we went in the afternoon, but not overly so. If you're mostly wanting to search for Petoskey stones though, the beach is mostly sand with only a few rocks here and there. Go to the Breakwater in Petoskey instead. We found several Petoskey stones down there.

The area was well maintained. The beach front has several rocks on the shoreline for the treasure hunters out there looking for petosky rocks.

I love this state park I've only been here once but I'd go back. Its has nice beach and lots of sand dons and a lot of camp sites.

I love this park! It is perfect for a sunny summer day on the beach. There is a few hiking trails. The beach is huge and you can hunt for a Petoskey stone fossil to take home. The campground is very nice for camper trailer or tents. The beach parking is plentiful. There is a nice bath house with restrooms, and snack bar.

I can’t think of anything we didn’t like about this state park or the entire town of Petoskey. From the restaurants to the people and the atmosphere it is a wonderful little town!

We are currently camped here (4 nights) and love the campground with large wooded private sites and level sites. All have fire rings and picnic table and are a 2 min walk to the lake.

The park offers lots of areas to bike, hike, swim (great sandy swim beach), rock hunt for Petoskey stones, and just relax.

One of the nicer state parks we have been in and great for a day or a week.

BObK

Campground sites we are little on the small side. We were lucky to be camping when the park was not busy so it wasn't a problem. Would not like it if it had been full as the sites were close and not very private. The bathrooms were older, but clean. The showers were old, but the pressure as great and the water was hot. The lake is beautiful and the area is the best. Lots to do. Campground had lots of hiking trails. We will definitely come back.

We went to the beach after dinner and there were still lots of people on this beautiful beach. It looks like you can walk out quite a ways and still be standing.

This is a great park and different types of sites although not as many for large rigs.Lots of trees and great access to the bike path.

If you want to swim in Lake Michigan while visiting the Petoskey area, don't miss a visit to the park. The beach area is sandy and smooth, clean bathrooms and changing areas. Kids were having a blast. Really nice spot for a swim.

This was our first trip to Lake Michigan. I did not expect to see such wonderful white sand beaches, nestled amongst majestic sand dunes. I was quite impressed. Even though it was October, we could put our feet in the water. The park has a great trail system with scenic hikes. As a side activity, search for the famous Petosky stones, which are fossilized coral formed during the ice age. (Look, but don't take from the State Park.)

Came here during a visit for a morning hike. The trails, not well marked, vary from easy to quite challenging for Michigan.

First of all, the signage is just OK, so watch where you are going. We got lost during our hike a number of times. Get a map from the station. Even with it, you will be challenged to not get lost. The hiking area is not that large and bordered by lake and roads, so you won't get truly lost.

The beach looked nice but we are not beach people.

I marked down this place from 4 to 3 stars because of the odd sign-in and pay station arrangement. If you have a state park pass, please view this as a 4 star location.

Staff nice if not particularly helpful.

This park is the perfect place to watch a sunset or relax by the water. There are many trails inside the camping area to explore, with pathways rated according to difficulty.

A gem. Clean park located near lots of amenities: (1) the lake with lots of wonderful beach, (2) bike trail where you can bike to Petoskey (4 miles) or Harbor Springs (5 miles) on wonderful paved trails….or lots further if you’re feeling energetic, (3) hiking trails within the park and nearby, (4) a wonderful walking trail in Bear River Valley Recreation Area in Petoskey….and more. The sites vary quite a bit in size, privacy and level but most in The Dunes - where we stayed - were quite nice. In our camping area there were almost exclusively tents and smaller RV’s/campers….maybe because it appears few, if any, are large enough to handle the mammoth rigs. The other campers were active, generally friendly and quiet! Maybe we just got lucky - we camped during the week, not the weekend - but there were ZERO barking dogs, ZERO loud music and/or radio and/or TV’s and the entire campsite got quiet in the early evening and stayed quiet all night. The only cons: (1) there is only one rather small bathroom (a 2-seater for the men) for the entire campsite. There are a couple of outhouses which suited us just fine but, if you’re not into that, the other full-service bathroom is about 1/2 mile up the road by the other campground, (2) if you’re addicted to your iPhone/internet you’ll not be happy with the weak reception and there is no WiFi. We loved it all and have added this state park to our repeat, repeat, repeat list.

Beautiful Beach eve though it was cold. walk in the woods to see and gather a few leaves. Would love to come back in the summer.

Go to the beach parking area at sunset and you will not be disappointed. We stayed in a condo nearby and were so glad to view the sunset from our car. Arriving at 9 pm meant no vehicle pass needed to enter.

We love the large beach area at Petoskey State park. Whether you're simplying enjoying a day in the sun or walking the water's edge looking for rocks, this park/beach is an excellent choice!

Beautiful park with lots of things to do and trails to walk. This is one of many beautiful parks in beautiful Northern Michigan.

Beautiful views. Secluded hiking trails. Close proximity to town and a great bike trail. We love fall camping and this campground is one the tops on our list.

Camping now, the 3rd week of May. The sites are better on the outside loops. On the inside loops you back up to your neighbor. The bathroom and shower facilities are older and could use an update. No heat in the building either. Not the best and not the worst campground we stayed in.

Beautiful beach with great scenic beauty and not to crowded.
The coves sion rents kayak, paddle boards, etc. For a reasonable price.

We spent an entire afternoon enjoying the beach and we're delighted with the experience.

The Petoskey State Park offers many different options for snowshoeing, walking, xc skiing, bicycling and hiking year round. I went snowshoeing on a Saturday mid-morning. There are many levels of trails to chose from. From flat for xc skiing, walking and bicycling. To steep hills for snowshoeing and hiking. The trails are marked and Maps are provided. There is a trail that leads to The Little Traverse Wheelway also. The view over Little Traverse Bay and Round Lake in the winter is spectacular. You can also stand atop the beach dunes and watch the waves crash on the frozen shore. Whether it is spring, summer, fall or winter this is one of the best State Parks around.

I was so excited to finally make it to this beach and had heard it was one of the best in the country. While it was nice, I think the beach in Frankfurt is better as several others along the West Michigan coast. We walked the beach and there was a lot of garbage washed up on the shore. I am not a big conversationalist but this even left me feeling bad. We also had 2 drunk "family" guys near us that I'm sure didn't help our impression. We live out of state now and had to pay a little more to visit. I almost bought a pass to visit again, was glad I didn't after the first day, we didn't go back. I was traveling with 2 young teen boys and our daughter, they agreed that they too had seen nicer beaches and weren't impressed. Maybe we're just spoiled, but I was disappointed .

Very disappointed because dogs aren't allowed anywhere on the beach. We had to drive out to Harbor Springs where we found a great dog beach called Zoll Beach.

This was our first time visiting the park and we camped for two nights in the dunes campground. The sites are rather small and you are VERY close to your neighbors. Fortunately we didn't encounter any problems. People were really good about observing quiet hours - I was surprised how quickly the park quieted down after dark, even with many young children and pets. The restroom and shower facilities are very nice for a state park. Check-in/out was a breeze. More than ample supply of firewood available for purchase. For the stuff you forgot to bring, there is a Walgreens less than 5 minutes away; Petoskey, Charlevoix and Harbor Springs are all a close drive.
A few suggestions:
-Sites 20 and 22 back up to the hill which leads up to the sand dunes (we stayed at 22); you will likely get people cutting through your site to get to the hill. It only happened a few times though over the course of 2 days.
-Go Petoskey stone hunting in the morning while the water is calm and clear. We tried again in the afternoon with snorkeling gear and the water was rough and very murky. In the morning we found small stones and found none in the afternoon.
-Bring a small hatchet to split your firewood. The pieces available for purchase are odd shaped and hard to arrange in a campfire.
-Keep your garbage in your vehicle. Chipmunks are everywhere and quickly did a number on our garbage bag.
-The edge of our site was teeming with poison ivy - be careful.

All in all a beautiful area, we'll definitely be back!

Great little beach to spend an afternoon. There a beach to splash around in, dunes to climb on and you can even rent kayak to take out into the bay. Fun for the whole family.

We stopped here looking for petoskey stones but had a beautiful view of the lake and sand dunes. It was a very windy day and I walked along the beech but not really any stones to be found. Easy to find and easy parking. Camping area was closed but the facilities looked very nice.

We stopped at Petoskey State Park Beach on Lake Michigan for the last of our "three lake tour" of Michigan. (Huron, Superior, and Michigan) Of course we also took some time to look for, and find, some Petoskey stones.

The Beach was very nice, long, and clean, with restrooms and an outdoor shower to get off the sand, and there are some concessions. We were there mid-week, in early June, so crowds were small.

Visiting from Pennsylvania, we had purchased a DNR Non-Resident Recreation Pass ($32), which allowed us to visit the Michigan State Parks without having to paying admission at each. And it saved us some money with the number of parks we visited on this trip.

Ok for a state park beach. Felt like it was a bit squeezed in, with not enough green space buffer to ‘get away’ beachfront had condos or buildings well within view on either side, and the parking and all is right there at the beach, sos didn’t feel you could ‘get away’ and be/feel isolated.
Went for a Friday Eve sunset. Weather was blustery so not a lot of people there, but anticipate it would be packed on a good weather day. Being close to the waves crashing was nice, but having the car parking lot right behind you, was not.
Guess we prefer larger open natural spaces.

We came here for the beach. It was perfect weather when we went so there was a lot of people there but had enough space to keep our distance. Not many rocks here and along the shore it’s a little weedy or those brown sticks, but the water was otherwise clear and refreshing. We had a great afternoon here. Bathrooms are available...but could be cleaner. It’s a state park so you need a car pass but we felt it was worth it for how much we enjoyed it.

Campgrounds were clean and beautiful. Most sites had trees and brush between them, offering privacy. Bathrooms and showers were clean. The beach was gorgeous! Take your kayaks for Lake Michigan or Round Lake. There is also a beautiful bike trail that you can catch right from the campground, which made our visit even more fun! There is also a Petoskey Trolley that you can catch at several places, including the campground. It’s free and takes people throughout Petoskey. Schedule is at petoskeydowntown.com. We can’t wait to go back!

It's simply one of the very best places in Petoskey. The camping is semi private, tree shaded and we'll kept.

Beautiful place for watching a sunset.

Water is nice off the camp sites. Icky on public beach. I know its bc of the tide.

Best camping in michigan
Can hear the waves at you campsite if you're close enough.

The state park with its lovely beach and nice trailes in the woody dunes is perfact get out to those stay in Petoskey. Ten minutes from town.

Too many geese. Watch were you step. Not much to look at or experience. Except for a nice stroll, dodging Geese droppings , nothing to rush to do. Skip it.

Situated at the end of the bay this state park has a large beach area. Plenty of parking, clean restrooms, a very basic snack bar, bike and kayak rentals that are delightful

Campgrounds are ideally located. Great bike paths.

A wonderful family location.

Friendly staff, not far from town. Great place for watch the sunset and enjoy water sports and camping.

Beautiful park. Easy to get to from downtown Petoskey. Water was beautiful. You can walk the beach for a long distance.

Free beach to watch the beautiful Lake Michigan sunset. Clean facilities and a great beach for relaxation or playing. I would suggest this beach to families and/or couples.

Nice state park. Has nice camping facilities with showers etc. Has a really nice beach area (lots of room) that's generally not over crowded. Would go there again.

The check in process here took forever, apparently because we have a Wisconsin license plate. The rate was $9.50 for the day, which is fine, but we just wanted to hang out on the beach for a while. We stayed for about 30 minutes because the beach was so dirty with dead fish heads, plastic hair combs, straws, bits of bottles and plastic caps littering the beach. It was gross. We cut our losses and left. Two stars because of the view of the water, and maybe the trails are nice, but the beach is vile. Also, if you want to hunt for Petoskey stones, you’re not going to find them here. There are too many sharp shells just inside of the water line. Not many rocks.

We stopped by here on a warm, spring day. The wealth of cars driving in made us recognize we had to get out and check things out. It was worth the short walk to the beach. I can only imagine how busy this beach must be in the summer. The ameneties seemed plentiful and I can't wait to come back with the kids! My husband looks forward to camping here this year as well.

Our family loves this beach and we’ve been several times. Last time we were there mid June and there was hardly anyone there. We’ve also been late Aug and seemed about the same. I’m not sure if it was due to Covid and more car vacations, or the time of the season when we came, but the beach was packed. We did luck out and found some space away from others, but not much social distancing was going on there. There are many other great beaches in the area so after that experience we went elsewhere the remainder of the trip. Still love the beach though, just not all the people.

First time we visited Petoskey and so happy we found this state park! We were looking for a nice beach and we definately found it! Wish we would have been able to return to it before we had to leave.

The beach is awesome! They have a concession stand, bathrooms and changing rooms. They offer kayak rental along with bicycles. There is also a campground located here. Great family place!

This state park offers plenty of camp sites, expansive beach area and wooded hiking trails that in some instances, leads to the water. Also, the areas main bike trail runs to and through this park. Admission is required for beach users.

Inside beach bathroom, NO soap, NO paper towel, NO sanitizer in the middle of pandemic. I advised the employees. Two hours later, still nothing was done about it. We paid to get in. This is poor. Hopefully we don’t catch any virus from the poor managed bathroom!!

We stopped here on our way from Mackinaw City looking for elusive Petosky stones. We walked on the sandy beach with our feet in the water looking and finally found some. The water was a nice cool temp and the sand was nice and soft. They were kayaks, canoes and paddle boards for rent. The bathrooms were ok, great little, easy going beach pit stop! Check it out.

Our favorite place to camp. Bike trail can be accessed right from the park. sites are great. bathrooms are clean. Nice beach. You just can't beat walking from your camper down to the beach.

We have camped at Petoskey state park campground for over 30 years. We’ve loved this tradition but… the showers and toilets have never been remodeled. They are dark and always dirty. The shower heads are too low. The beach bathrooms are not any better. Poor lighting and usually dirty. They need to have more bathrooms so one is always open while others are cleaned.
This year there was no firewood available. Ranger said it had been months. Come on, find another supplier!
The dump station needs to be wider so incoming and out coming can pass through without going into sand.
Hoping our state will make improvements soon so we can enjoy state parks

We recently camped in a tent on site 135. It was a site as close as you can get to Lake Michigan which was steps away. All of the campsites are just a very short walk from the beach. The bathrooms are a very short walk from all of the campsites. The bathrooms are kept very clean throughout the day by a cleaning staff. There are private warm showers. I never had to wait. Book very far in advance because it is a campground that people return to year after year to stay in their RV, campers, tents and or the state park cabins. Each campsite has a fire pit, picnic table, water and electricity. The sites are separated by many large trees. This is a must on your bucket list!

Got to the park in the late afternoon. So the sun was shining too much to take any good pics and it was much too early to view the sunset. Just a bunch of sand dunes and a beach. I did pick up a couple interesting rocks. Not Petoskey stones. Pretty sure people get all of those in the early morning. Gave this review five stars because someone else said it was dog free. Good. We need to keep beaches free of nuisance dogs and their waste.

This is a campground and state park nestled into the dunes at the base of Little Traverse Bay. Sandy Beach, trails, kids programs with the local rangers, lots of firewood, showers, swing sets, a hike up over 150 stair steps to Mt. Baldy which is a wooded dune top and gives a fabulous view of the whole bay and several harbor towns, well worth the climb, especially in the evening at sunset! The camp sites are located behind the dunes so you are very sheltered from wind, rain, and even the fog that can roll in during spring and fall. We had the pleasure of hearing a very light rain in the tops of the tall pine trees, but the drops never reached the ground where our tents were set up. The park can get pretty busy around the holidays, but is delightfully quiet during the shoulder seasons. Plan ahead and reserve early, then try to get located on the far side of a loop where your campsite backs up to the base of one of the dunes. These are very quiet, beautiful, and the kids can explore right from your site. There are trails everywhere and a favorite destination is the top of an open dune during a clear starry night. Bring a blanket and watch the meteor shower which peaks the 2nd week of August. There are local rails to trails paved bike paths right at the entrance to the park which take you into town along the bay where you can go to the waterfront park and marina, history museum, ball park, gas light shopping area, lots of great little bars and Restaurants too, several of which overlook the bay. There is a large grocery close to the park, Fresh Market, and a small specialty grocery shop within walking distance called Toski Sands, which has meats, organic produce, local fish, and a large selection of wine, beer, cheeses, and party supplies. This has to be our families favorite campground of all time because of it's excellent location in a very beautiful and well maintained freshwater sea location. Highly recommended even for a day trip only!

We had Success in our adventure! Wonderful time with my son skipping stones and collecting rocks! I recommend this activity highly.

We were told of a nearby place at the Petoskey State Park where we could find Petoskey stones in Lake Michigan. We brought food for the seagulls, and spent the morning in the lake in our bathing suits finding tiny stones with beautiful markings on them. A picnic table was available for our packed lunch. The beach is a wonderful place to have a long walk and to enjoy the water and seagulls. There was a fee of around $15 to get into the park.

Even though I live near Petoskey State Park, I had never been there until family members were in northern Michigan for summer vacation. The beach is as lovely as any place on Lake Michigan, with low sand dunes. Sadly, the shore at the waterline was littered with trash, most of it plastic. I have to believe this scene is unusual, because I’ve never heard of a trash problem at that park.

Very nice state park, beautiful woods with oaks, pines and hemlocks.

It is dog-friendly and we enjoyed the beach with ours. No dogs allowed on the swimming beach itself but there is plenty of beach to explore outside of that area. Dogs have to be on 6 foot leash. We were surprised that in spite of a large number of dogs in the campground, there was very little barking and most people cleaned up after their dogs.

We had read reviews that said the showers were not nice, claiming they were rusty. While there was a bit of iron stain on the tile walls, the showers were absolutely fine and kept clean. Bathrooms were kept clean as well.

Be aware, there is a lot of poison ivy along roads and other areas. Did not see any around campsites. As long as you know what it looks like, it’s easy to avoid.

Other campers were friendly and it was very quiet at night. Lots of bikes, which one would expect with all the bikes trails nearby. We rode them, the trails themselves were nice and it’s a good way to get around although we typically would prefer something further from road traffic and the noise that goes with it.

We hiked one of the trails in the campground and it was lovely. We also spent some time on the beach which is very nice. Saw quite a few species of birds and heard owls at night. The campground has many squirrels that can get into food left out if campers don’t keep their campsite clean. They were also knocking acorns off the trees onto the camper which was loud and sometimes startling but not a problem unless you don’t want to wake up as early as they do in the morning.

We were camped in the Tannery Creek campground. Campsites vary greatly in size and some have low spots that can collect water. But they had paved pads for the camper to sit on so the low areas would only be an issue for tents set up on the ground.

We were there the week before Labor Day and there were quite a few open sites but they filled up for the weekend and it was packed.

Beautiful sandy beach area! Please note there are no lifeguards and no dogs allowed on the beach. Great spot for swimming, paddle boarding, searcing for Petoskey Stones and of course one of the best places to watch the sunset.The campgroud is somewhat rustic with need of updated showers. This park is right on the bike path in between Petoskey and Harbor Springs.

Awesome hiking trails and the beach was beautiful. This is a kid friendly and mostly dog friendly place.

This is a nice little state park. We didn't stay long; we just wanted to hunt for some petoskey stones. Our daughter loved playing the water while we searched for stones. The nice thing was there were only a couple other people along the beach so it was nice and relaxing!

We just stopped at this beach to watch the sunset and it was beautiful. It has a nice beach with swimming and changing rooms with restrooms and picnic tables.

We went through the park for an afternoon hike. The park seems well maintained and the campgrounds were quite busy. We hiked a trail that provided a spectacular view of the lake. There is a beach as well which is nice as the lake is very pretty.

well We just didnt love it, lots of people so must be popular, I just didnt find it very pretty. the water was murky full of sticks on shoreline, my friend who is from area said that had to to do with water levels this year, after the murky sticks is more murk then clearer water. no shady areas anywhere so bring umbrella if you want some shade. bathrooms nice and clean, easy breezy snack bar with good ice cream, lots of kids seemed happy. for a couples outing we found a small park with a beautiful view, it cost nine dollars. we are beach people, the view and color of water is like a ordinary lake.

We went to look for Petoskey stones and didn't find any. There were a lot of people looking for them as well and the area seemed to be overpicked. The beach itself was beautiful, miles to walk, and pretty sand and water color.

If have State of Michigan Park pass, admission to the park is free. Water was pretty cold and choppy for late August. Beach was clean. Bathrooms were clean. Concession stand was closed when we were there. The seagulls were very, very annoying!!! While laying on the beach you could see them flying over you constantly. They would walk right up to your stuff and see if you had food. A ton of seagulls were flying over me at once and if I had not sat up when I did, I would have had poop all over me. The gulls pooped on my towel several times. People were leaving food unattended and the gulls were going crazy. It really made for an unenjoyable time. I have been to many Caribbean beaches and the seagulls in this park were tons more annoying here then at any of these Caribbean beaches. We left after only several hours.

We booked the last campsite at Petoskey State Park on a July weekend, and loved the rocky beach, clean water, and great facilities. The site was small but adequate. We loved biking the bike path to Harbor Springs, swimming and also watching the sun go down over the bay. A great camping experience.

Nice large beach with restrooms and concession building. The beach does get busy but its large enough your not right on top of people. Water was pretty clear but the sand did seem to have a lot of sticks in it. All in all great place for a day at the beach.

A very great camping place ! Many, many trees, and loved the paved space for your camper. Very large place.

Beautiful view of little traverse Bay. Get there early to pick out your spot and set up your chairs and blankets. We arrived at 10:30 a.m. and beat the rush. By noon the beach was pretty well packed. Lots of rock hunting and dune climbing for the kids. Water was warm enough to swim in. There were lots of people in the water. Water was crystal clear in the morning then got turned up as the wind kicked up during the day. Bathrooms and concession stand were welcomed for a long afternoon.

A very good beach on the shore of lake michigan. We went there around 10 am. Weather was so nice the day we went there. Both aged parents and kids like it.

We came to the park for a quick camping trip. Loved that there was a bike path connected to the park that led to downtown Petoskey along the waterfront. The campsites were close together and not that private. The bathrooms were clean and I liked that the showers were separate rooms. The beach was clean although I'd recommend water shoes as there are areas with lots of rocks. The water was crystal clear and relatively calm. The trails were marked well and scenic.

This park is wonderful. The beach is a great place to hunt for Petosky stones. The beach parking has a nice parking lot and a beach house with concessions, bathrooms, and water sports rentals. The campground was quite nice and the bathhouse was clean. Highly recommend time here beach, hiking and camping.

Loved the beach. The sand was unlike anywhere we had been. Slightly gritty. Water was clean, beach was clean. Found a few Petoskey stones :)

This is an incredibly beautiful area! we had a lovely picnic lunch overlooking the water and followed with a bike ride on the adjoining bike trail. The scenic beauty of this park was really lovely and a great riding trail!

One of the nicest state parks ever! The beach area is super clean with nice pure thick sand and a very nice concession stand. Beautiful area!

Very nice beach, but we came looking for Petoskey stones and only found one small piece. Still glad we came!

Amazing sunsets, great beach. Beautiful dunes near beach, good facilities, campgrounds and some hiking trails. Found some smaller Petoskey stones while searching the beach.

We visited in early August on a Saturday and then a few days later on Tuesday. It was very crowded on Saturday, but we still got a good spot near the water and didn't mind the crowds. Lots of families with smaller children and everyone was very well mannered and behaved around us. It was a calm day and the water was surprisingly warm and it was easy to float around and enjoy the sunny day. Once you get past the pebbles on the shore, there is a sandy bottom that you can walk out about 50 yards and still stand with your head above the water. No life guards are on duty.

The following Tuesday it was windy and mostly cloudy, which kept the crowds much lighter and the waves much higher. It was still great fun and we found several Petoskey Stones as the waves washed the rocks on shore. Also a great sandy beach for building sand castles, my four year old daughter loved it.

Didn't use any of the facilities but there were restrooms, concessions and boat rentals available.

The park offers many activities and amenities within it's mile-long sand beach ideal for swimming, there is a trail to the Old Baldy sand dune, picnic facilities and a camp ground. Petoskey is named after the Michigan's Petoskey stone, which can be found on the park beach.

We enjoyed the city and the camp ground a lot! Although it was a bit cold, it didn't stop us on looking for Petoskey stones around the bay. Take a bike ride from the camping to downtown, it's great.

Petoskey State Park is usually my favorite beach in Michigan. We visited on July 21 around noon and there was alot of garbage in the water all along the shoreline. There was hardly anyone swimming. I was so disappointed. I have noticed that it is getting harder to find a beach where the water is clean in Michigan. This is so sad to me.

Another summer ‘must do’ when visiting family in Petoskey! This time the kids rented a paddle board and loved it! Besides the water fun, they also enjoy climbing the sand dunes!

We camped in the Dunes section and were sheltered from the beach by the fenced dunes behind us. As a lifelong Lake Michigan regular, enjoyed daily views of Little Traverse Bay for a change. Also discovered hunting for Petoskey stones isn't just for kids. Time spent scouring that windy beach flies by - examine odd and lovely stones at the shoreline for hours and keep a few of the best. Great escape.

This is a smallish state park with a pretty beach but not as large as other places in the area. Good for families and lovely views of the lake. We found a Petoskey stone!

Spent the afternoon on a perfect August day! Long sandy beach! Water is clear and perfect. The beach reminds me of some of the many trips I've taken to the Cayman Islands!

Situated on the East end of Little Traverse bay, the Petoskey State Park is one of the most amazing beachfront areas in the Great Lakes. It's like a smaller version of Holland State Park. Miles of sandy beach, amazing water, a really nice concession stand, the ability to bring your own picnic and beverages - just wow. We visit at least a few times a summer to "get away" from it all because it is so relaxing. Highly recommend! 5 stars

We were blown away with the crystal clear waters and white sand beach. No water shoes needed as the white sand extends hundreds of feet in with amazing visibility. It was a perfectly sunny day that helped emphasize the aquamarine waters. We steered clear of the crowds in front of the main beach and set-up our spot further down the beach, which was nice and peaceful. Took a long stroll with the kids up the beach as well. Definitely an enjoyable afternoon for all :)

We wanted a good, clean beach for a picnic & to enjoy our first day of summer vacation. This was it!! We had a great spot for our lunch with a view of the lake & space for our kids to run & play. We spent hours looking for rocks up & down the beach & felt safe walking away from our basic picnic stuff. The bathrooms were clean & nice to have easily accessible. The parking lots were clean & easily accessible. This visit made it so worth getting our recreation passport through SOS this year!!

If you truly want to convene with nature this is the park for you the temperamental waves of Lake Michigan can go from Soft rolling whispers too loud Rolling breakers. The campground area is wooded and even though the campsites are close together there's a lot to explore in the surrounding area there's a wonderful bike path nearby that take you either South to Charlevoix or north to Alanson

Everything is here for the swimmer, hiker, skiier and anyone who enjoys the wonders of gorgeous wildlife. Easily one of the highlights of a trip to northern Michigan. Long, sandy beach too.

This is a nice campground with paved pads in the area we camped. In the camper it was quiet; however, you can hear road noise from 31 outside.

Beautiful area. Was able to get unbelievable photos of the lake. Sat on the beach and enjoyed the peace and calmness of the area. Extremely beautiful area.

My family and I came here to hike and go to the beach one day. Out-of-staters pay a fee to enter the park for the day. We hiked the Old Baldy Trail which went up so far that we thought it would lead to great views...not really. It lead to a view of trees. One thing I've noticed after being to a few Michigan state parks is that their trails aren't the best marked. It could be made more clear where exactly the trail was and what it did. The beach was clean but even though it was the summer the concession stand was not open during the week (no big deal to us). My wife enjoyed hunting for Petoskey stones. My kids enjoyed playing in the sand.

This is,absolutely my favorite freshwater beach! The waves are good almost everyday; on windy days they are amazing. Definitely a beach for families. Parents remember to watch little ones while in or near the water, it is one of the Great Lakes.