Pretty empty in the morning (compared to other dog-friendly beaches)

We had no problem finding the tail. It went straight from the parking lot, and while there were a few offshoots, you just follow the paved/dirt path until you get to the dunes, and then you do the dune climb until you get to the beach.

The hike to the beach isn't long (my GPS said .7 miles from the parking lot), but when we went (June 28th, 2020), there was definitely mud on the path (though it had rained pretty heavy a few days before). We were able to avoid puddles, but not the mud, so I'd suggest wearing shoes with good grip that you don't mind getting dirty. The first dune is pretty steep, but we (both 29 and a 1.5 year old poodle mix) did just fine. The second dune isn't that bad. You won't feel the wind until you get the beach, so it'll be pretty warm as you trek out to and back from the beach. We got to the beach itself around 10:30, and it wasn't too crowded. Lots of room for our dog to run on the beach and through the water undisturbed.

Like a lot of Lake Michigan beaches, there isn't a whole lot of beach because the water is high (maybe 10 feet between the dunes and the water), but the water is pretty shallow and great for swimming. Lots of off-leash dogs, so be prepared for that. There also were biting flies (as can be expected on the lake), but they left us alone in the water.

There are no trash cans at the beach, and the bathrooms don't seem to be maintained (there is no staff maintaining the park as far as we could tell, which also means we didn't have to pay the state park fee). For the sake of your dog, I'd encourage you to have them wear booties on the hike. When we left from the beach around noon, the sand was already burning our feet. Luckily our dog had booties or I'm certain he would have gotten blisters.

We liked this beach so much more than the other ones we've been too (especially Kirk park - so crowded!), so especially if you get there early, you should have lots of space beach to yourself!

Jun. 30, 2020