Saugatuck Dunes State Park: What You Need To Know
- Updated: 04/12/2024
- Janice
On the picturesque shores of Lake Michigan, Saugatuck Dunes State Park stands as a testament to the beauty and ecological diversity of the Great Lakes region. From its towering dunes to tranquil forests, this park is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, nature lovers, and beachgoers. In this guide, I share all the essential information you need to plan your visit—including how to get there, things to know before you go, and safety tips.
Table Of Contents
Why Visit Saugatuck
By happy accident, our family of four settled on an annual tradition of visiting the pretty western Michigan coastal town of Saugatuck in the fall. We have been going every year since 2015—except one—and have already returned this year for another terrific visit.
It all started with our first trip to the town—which blew away our expectations and made us ask the question—as non-Michigan natives, why we had never heard about the wonders of its west coast before. After all of our years of travel, we quickly recognized Saugatuck, and its surrounding area, as a special place. So, every year we kept coming back for more. And unsurprisingly, on each visit, we discover more wonderful new things to do.
Interested in reasons to visit Saugatuck in the fall? Check out loads of them in this article.
Discovering Saugatuck Dunes State Park
The first few years we visited Saugatuck, we had no idea Saugatuck Dunes State Park existed or was so close to town. And it was a shame because with over 13 miles of pretty wooded and sandy hiking trails, and 2.5 miles of stunning shoreline, a visit to this park, which is less than a 10-minute drive away from town, is worth it.
Quick Facts
Here are some quick facts to help you plan your visit.
- Location: 6575 138th Avenue, Holland, MI, 49423 (Yes! It is technically in Holland, MI)
- Cost/Parking: Day passes cost $9/car. Cash only. MI Recreation Passport holders do not need to purchase a day pass. When lot overflows, ranger directs cars to park on grass.
- Restrooms: Vault toilets (pit style) at trailhead next to parking lot.
- Picnic Area: There is a picnic shelter at the trailhead next to the parking lot.
- Concessions: None. Bring your own snacks and refreshments.
- Dogs: Dog-friendly. All dogs should be on 6-foot leash and in the owner’s control.
- Alcohol: Permitted for guests 21 and older. No glass bottles.
- Lifeguards: None.
- Hiking Trails: Explore the 13 miles of sandy dune trails on four main hikes. The 1/2 mile Beach Trail is the most popular.
How To Get There
This excellent park is only a short drive from the town of Saugatuck on local roads. And for cyclists, there is even a paved pathway—the Beeline Trail—that will take you from the edge of town to almost all the way to the park.
With over 13 miles of pretty wooded and sandy hiking trails, and 2.5 miles of stunning shoreline, a visit to this park is worth it.
Driving. Driving is the best way to access Saugatuck Dunes State Park from the town of Saugatuck. Expect a 10-minute drive following Holland street northeast, turning north on 64th street and west on 138th Avenue/State Park Drive. View parking info below.
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Biking. Pick up the paved Beeline Trail, which connects Saugatuck and Holland, north of the town of Saugatuck, on the northwest corner of the intersection of North Street and Holland Street.
The trail runs northeast following Holland Street, paralleling it on its west side until it turns north at 64th Street, and follows it, running along the east side.
Follow the trail for just under three miles before leaving it at 138th Avenue. Turn to continue west along 138th Avenue to reach the park. View this portion of the Beeline Trail map in this section.
For intermediate and experienced mountain bikers, check out the one-way loop single-track trail at Shore Acres Township Park, next to Saugatuck Dunes State Park, while you are in the area. Or check out their Facebook page for more information.
Things To Know Before You Go
Saugatuck Dunes is a gem of a park—offering ample parking, toilets at the trailhead, picnic tables near the parking, dog-friendly trails, and remarkable views. However, there are a few key things you should know when planning a visit.
Parking
Although it is free to visit the park, it is not free to park. Be sure to bring cash to pay for a day pass on site as credit cards are not accepted. At the time of updating this article, day passes cost $10/day. Holders of the annual Michigan Recreation Passport need not purchase a pass. Your Passport will cover your parking fee.
Beach Access
Reaching the dunes and the beach entails a ½ mile walk down a pretty sandy wooded trail—via the southern portion of the Beach Trail Loop, which is the shortest route possible to the beach. View the map here. And once you reach the end of the trail, expect to walk north along the shoreline to find the beach site you want to sit.
Accessibility/Visiting With Small Children
For parents with small children or families with accessibility requirements, to help you plan, it is good to know a fair amount of walking, with a mild elevation change (~50 feet) is required to access the beach. If hills are an issue, view this contour map of the trail on AllTrails, to see if your crew can tackle the up and down.
You may want to consider walking the southern portion of the loop out and back only if distance or hills are too much for your family. This part of the trail is the shortest and flattest route to the parking lot. Follow the “Beach Trail,” signage on the park maps, and the way posts along the way. For families with little ones, you may also want to bring your hiking carriers if you have them. Or, bring along an all-terrain wagon or stroller that will not struggle on sandy trails.
Restrooms
Be sure to have the kids (and the adults, too) take advantage of the pit toilets next to the parking lots at the trailhead when you have the chance.
There is only one additional pit toilet in the park, and it is near the beach. View the map in this section to see the “vault toilet” locations in the park. Though, if the beach is your ultimate trekking destination—there is still a good chance the lovely spot you decide to spend the day could be far from this necessary facility.
Refreshments
Plan to carry all eats and drinks along with you. There are no concessions on-site and no commercial services leading up to the park entrance. When planning your picnic and snacks, keep in mind the walking required to get to the beach. If you do not have an all-terrain wagon, or similar, to carry all your things, you may want to consider traveling light. Or dust off the backcountry backpacks to haul your feast comfortably. Just do not forget to bring treats for the pup—they can come to this beach too!
Maps & Hiking Trails
There are four trails throughout the park, varying in length from 1.5 to just over 5-miles. Three of the trails are loops, and one is an out-and-back. View route maps of the park here, or in the section above. Or view ratings, reviews, and downloadable individual maps (for AllTrails+ members) for Saugatuck Dunes hikes on AllTrails here.
Cell Service
Especially for carriers of Verizon, expect poor cell service at the park. We found our cell signals to be weak or non-existent from the moment we entered the park. Other carriers may have more luck and better signals. However, to be safe, avoid planning to rely on Google Maps or any other cell-service-dependent mapping app while you hike Saugatuck Dunes.
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Instead, take a photo of the hiking map at the trailhead. Or download a map of the area before you get there. My preferred map downloads are the contour trail maps from AllTrails, available with my annual AllTrails+ membership. For those without an AllTrails membership, a free alternative backup method is to download an area map of the park from Google Maps when you have a good connection. See the video below on how to do this.
Dogs Allowed
Dog owners rejoice! The paths and beaches of this state park are incredibly, over-joyously, dog-friendly. Even if you do not bring your favorite Fido on this trip, it is a pleasure to watch happy dogs run up and down the beach, zip down the dunes, and splash in the waves.
Dogs are to be on leashes at all times. And during our visits, we see most owners comply with this requirement on the trails. However, less so on the beach. As the owner of a dog who was thrilled to be on the water, I can attest to the difficulty of keeping a leash on a happy pup frolicking in the waves and playing catch.
Safety Tips
If you plan to swim or walk the dunes, be sure to check out Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources main website for the park before you go. Read safety tips, especially relating to shoreline erosion and its effects on dune stability. For swimmers, visit the shoreline safety information section of the same website for the latest beach and water conditions. In addition, know there are no lifeguards on this beach.
And keep in mind, as mentioned above, the cell service at the park can be poor, depending on the carrier. In case of emergency, be aware a working cell phone may not be a sure thing.
Related Reading
For families traveling to Saugatuck, Michigan, check out my related articles below to help you get the information you need to plan your best visit.
Or view my Michigan book list, including guidebooks, biographies, histories, and fiction set in place—that covers the Mitten State on Bookshop.org.
Additional Trip Planning Resources
To further help you with travel planning, I share my go-to resources for every trip below.
Google Flights. My first research stop for affordable flights for every trip. Learn why here.
Google Hotels. Use its “Where to stay” button to discover the best neighborhoods to base your visit.
Booking.com. For hotel and rental bookings, I appreciate its flexible cancellation, candid user reviews, discounts, loyalty program, and easy-to-use interface.
Viator, Get Your Guide, & Airbnb Experiences. Quickly find and book highly-rated tours and activities on these sites.
Google Travel Things to Do & Google Maps. Find more things to do in your destination on Google Travel, then record where you want to visit on a custom Google Maps list.
AllTrails. Love to hike? Me too. I religiously use AllTrails to discover hiking and biking trails and download its offline maps to manage my hikes.
Guide Along. 5-star self-guided audio tours that are GPS-compatible for US road trips and national parks. We loved the Glacier National Park tour.
Insure My Trip. I never travel internationally without trip insurance. Learn why here. My preferred place to shop and compare policies is InsureMyTrip.com.
Plus, check out the 15 travel apps I use on trips, my preferred guidebooks, and my free customizable travel itinerary template, downloadable in four file formats.
About the author: Janice Moskoff is a travel writer and blogger who loves hiking, exploring the world, and reading. She writes to inspire travel-loving families, adult friends, and couples on her blog, Gather and Go Travel. Check out her bio, learn how she became a blogger, and discover how to work with her. Sign up for her monthly Discovery Newsletter to get her latest travel recommendations and how-to’s.
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Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and companies I use. And the income goes to keeping the site community-supported and ads minimal.
Welcome to Gather and Go Travel, a blog inspiring families, adult friends, and couples to explore US and international destinations and to get outdoors. I am Janice, an experienced traveler to over 50 countries and a travel writer, book lover, and blogger. Learn more about me, read our story, and how to work with me.
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2 Responses
Thank you for the kind words, and thank you for reading.
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