Dunes Sunset

Dunes Camping

Ludington Beach State Park

 

Trails meander around and among the dunes and hardwood forests near Lake Michigan. Camping is allowed on the bluffs, but not on the beach, as long as you park your tent 200 yards from the the water's edge and from your neighbor. When I was there on July 4th, 1998, I sat on the beach long after sunset and watched partiers shoot off bottle rockets and roman candles far into the night.

The next morning, wandering along the beach, I looked down and found a Petoskey stone, a fossil rock, lying along the water's edge. I took that as a sign of good fortune.

There is also a campground for campers with facilities at the northern end of the Nordhouse Dunes. Often full in summer, it is best to call ahead for reservations. Contact the Huron-Manistee National Forest Manistee Ranger District 412 Red Apple Rd. Manistee, MI 49660 (616)723-2211.