P. J. Hoffmaster State Park

Took a day trip out to the west side of the state with my dog. We enjoyed the Walk-a-Mile trail and the extensive beach area. We timed getting lose in the woods with the beautiful sunset over Lake Michigan. It was truly breathtaking and that alone will have me remiscing and eager to return. There was some construction leading on the direct bath to beach access. There were temporary walkways and they were easy enough to navigate.

Probably the prettiest beach we've seen. The sand is beautiful the water is clean and the beach is real long so it's possible to escape the people when it's 95 degrees weather and everyone is at the beaches. There's lots of parking too.

State parks are supposed to make you feel relaxed and inviting but it doesn't feel like that here, the park attendant came up to our rig (truck & travel trailer) first thing telling us that they don't have trailers like this in here, so... please if your going to be up there park so you can pull out cause it gets packed up there... so, we pull in and find a big motorhome up in the top parking lot and their not packed facing out... why are you discriminating our rig? Not friendly at all here, came to grill out and enjoy our afternoon as a family! Everyone is speeding and it looks like all they hire is children

We sure enjoyed our camping here! We had perfect weather and there was no mosquitoes. The water was refreshing and the camp host was so friendly! The newly rebuilt, bathrooms and showers were wonderful to use. This is our favorite place to go camping and we look forward to our yearly weeklong camping at Hoffmaster State Park!!

This park is clean, well-kept, with a modern and well maintained restroom. The beach area is spacious and clean as well. One of the best beaches to visit along Lake Michigan. Definitely the best in the Muskegon area.

Tall trees make for shaded sites, most sites seem to be a close enough walk to the trail to the beach. Pretty large state park overall but didn't feel overcrowded with most sites filled. Will be back someday from MN!

P.J. Hoffmaster is the crown jewel of West Michigan parks. As locals, my family and I have been coming here for years—and it never disappoints. Always clean, peaceful, and just plain beautiful. They recently finished renovating the long driveway (finally!), and it is smoooooth now. The parking lot looks great too. I’ll update once the rest of the upgrades are complete, but so far it’s looking amazing. The trails are our favorite part. They feel almost otherworldly—quiet, shady, and magical in every season. And nothing beats jumping into Lake Michigan after a long hike. Those legendary home shores of Hoffmaster are something special. If you haven’t been yet, do yourself a favor and go. This place is a West Michigan treasure.

Awesome state park for camping. Great, safe community. I have been twice and will absolutely be back. There is a lagoon to float in when the water is higher, beach access, hiking, playground, nice showers and bathrooms.

Had a wonderful visit to PJ Hoffmaster State Park! We went on a Saturday morning, and hiked the short (~2mi) but fabulous Homestead Trail. Highly recommend checking this trail out for a casual but beautiful hike! Easiest way to get to this hike is to drive to and park by the Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center. The trailhead is just along the path there. We walked out through the woods first, and it was peaceful and beautiful. For a Saturday morning on a holiday (Labor Day) weekend, it was too busy at all. We definitely saw people here and there but a lot of the time we had the trail to ourselves. Then to my surprise, it opened up directly to a beach! I thought from the trail map that the trail was going to be overlooking the water but it was super nice to walk directly along the water, listening to the waves crash and getting my feet wet. Super calming. There are a couple areas where the trail gets slightly steeper (including at the start and then getting back into the woods up the sand from the beach feels like a mini mini sand dune climb), but they are short. Otherwise, it's a pretty flat and/or gently rolling trail. And know this trail was just a tiny fraction of all that this park has to offer. Looking at the trail maps, there's quite an extensive network! Would make for nice camping. Dog friendly as well!

The trails at this park are fantastic! We walked a really nice one through the woods that led us to the beach, to finish the walk along the shore. However, as soon as we reached the sand we started getting bothered by flies. It got worse and worse as we walked down the dunes to the beach, and when we reached the water it was no better. It was so awful that we had to go back up the hill to the woods and walk the trail backwards to get back to our car. It was a beautiful trail, a great view of the lake, loved the big parking lot and easy access to the trails.

I've known about Hoffmaster State Park pretty much my whole life, but never went camping there until this summer. I loved it! It's definitely a busier park with lots of families and kids, but I like to mix up our camping trips with a few nights at more remote spots and then a more bustling campground like Hoffmaster. We were on site 50 with our friends and their camper, and it was plenty of room. You're pretty close to the surrounding sites, but we felt like we had ample privacy due to the barriers created by the campers. Checking in was easy - they seem a little rule-heavy at this campground versus some others I've stayed at, but if you're considerate of others and not being obnoxious, you should be fine. We did see the DNR truck drive by a few times at night while we were there, but overall the noise level at night was just fine. Quiet hours start at 10 pm. I was impressed by the bathroom and shower facilities - sooo clean! I never even saw one bug in there. The host campsite had activities and postings about daily events, as well as brochures about the area, which was really helpful. The beach is just a short walk away from the campground, down a small dune and out onto the water. There was plenty of space for us and we enjoyed seeing all the families and dogs enjoying the last bits of summer. The lake was super refreshing! I really liked this campground and we had great weather, which always helps. I'm looking forward to camping here again next summer.

This state park is north of Grand Haven State Park, about three or four miles and it's quite a place to visit. Many things to do for the outdoor enthusiast, hiking in the dunes, you've got a stair walk to a balcony area overlooking Lake Michigan ( it is quite the climb, the view worth it) , and you have a large beach area for swimming, No lifeguard on duty! Beware the flag colors for swimming. You need a State Park permit to enter, license plate type, daily permit, or you can purchase a yearly permit for your window. I suggest paying extra money on your car registration /license plate getting the permit that way. PJ hawkmaster has plenty of parking and it overflow parking lot. Weekends are very popular at PJ Hoffmaster, so we're going to check it out during the week here and see what it's like.

This state park (with its beaches and camping) is a joy to go to! They have decent signs if you are walking around (such as camping) and the beaches were decently clean with facilities to wash your feet and bathrooms. I went camping here and it was nice. They are mainly just chunks of land by each other but the squares of land are clear. The staff was very kind too since I had some logistically questions when I went here. I definitely would recommend this state park (I did get engaged here this past weekend so I may be a little bias--but it's a beautiful spot). Definitely plan to camp and attend here again. :)

P J Hoffmaster State Park is probably my favorite state park in ALL OF MICHIGAN! It has some of my absolute favorite trails, perfect blends of variety, diversity, wooded bits, sandy bits, slight dune climbs, but nothing major, and tons and tons of beach access galore. All my favorite sunsets from my entire life have been experienced at Hoffmaster, so I definitely have a lot of fond memories here. It's not highly trafficked and many of the times I've come here, I've had the entire trail and beaches to myself. I absolutely love it here! The Hoffmaster campground is also INCREDIBLE! It's your quintessential Michigan State Park campground with a recent modern update to their bathrooms, which I appreciate. This is always a must-visit camp spot for me in the summer and is quickly becoming a tradition of visiting and hiking whenever I'm on the west side of the state!

Awesome trails and beach! It was one of my favs in Norton Shores. It costs $11 for a day pass, and it is worth it!

Another secret that someone shared with me and I had to share on Yelp...lol well I don't know how much of a secret Hoffmaster is. Thank God I'm an early bird. If we hadn't gotten there at 10AM, we wouldn't have found parking! Oh, if you have the recreational passport, you're good to go :) This park has a little bit of everything. The hiker, the beach bum, and the lover of scenic views will be in heaven! There are at least 3 different trials to chose from. I wanted to hit a few trails through the woods but didn't get a chance too. I did, however, climb up that hidden dune which was challenging but worth it! I was so proud of myself when I reached the top. My burned feet from the blazing hot sand didn't phase me! I can't complain, I definitely was not wearing the right attire to climb up a hot sand dune lol This place is awesome, please come for a visit at least once. Hoffmaster won't disappoint! SYOY!

Hoffmaster State Park is one of my favorite parks. We have only camped here in the early off season, (May) and it wasn't as busy at all. There were no DNR trucks going through and there wasn't an attendant to check in. I have heard that this park can be more strict in regards to noise and alcohol though. Either way, Hoffmaster is a great escape to the outdoors. There are miles of trails for every skill level. The beach is so, so clean. I love this park for snowshoeing in the winter too! It is a great park all year round.

This past weekend was our second time camping here. The check-in process was friendly and quick, which we appreciated. Our sites were well maintained with fire pits (taller ones, which was nice for those of us with toddlers), and picnic tables. The bathrooms were close enough, and well maintained ( well maintained also means they close a few times a day for about an hour or thorough cleaning, have patience!). It is a hike to the lake, but this beach is worth the hike. You can tell they are trying to comb the beach to keep it nice, but recent rainfall made it rocky and sticky. Sandals make it easier, no biggie. Looking forward to our trip there next year! !

Great trails. Beach is kept up pretty nicely and dogs are allowed all day. There's also a fun rope swing tucked away behind the dunes at the beach.

My bliss... when I lived 10 minutes away, I'd come here nearly every day after work. Hoffmaster is a beautiful State Park. Now that I live 2 and a half hours away, it's still where I dream of being every day. Beautiful Beach, Gorgeous Woods and Wonderful Hiking Trails. For those of us lucky enough to be from West Michigan, we know what a perfect area Muskegon County is and never take for granted this nature (23 miles of the sugar sand beaches of Lake Michigan in Muskegon County alone) and Hoffmaster State Park is truly a gem.

Miles and miles of sand. This is a dynamite beach... great walk. This beach should be voted one of the best in the country. Sooooo much bigger than nearby grand haven beach and cheaper. Good Job Muskegon!!

Great State Park cheap wood, Amazing Trails and so much fun!!!!!!!!c Ghjjhxbdkgdjkcjh

We camp quite a bit and usually park campgrounds are too cramped and neighbors are too close. Here we had a little more room to spread out and the ranger made sure green space was left open between sites. Only 15 minutes to downtown Grand Haven and walking distance to the beach. A nice nature center is maintained in the park illustrating dune growth over the years. Be sure to take the trail to the top of the dune, the view is awesome.

Wasn't looking forward to this trip due to the negative reviews I had read concerning the DNR officers who can be mean. I'm quite certain, for the nine days we stayed there, we only saw the DNR truck drive by one time. Just once. I think the issue is the people who reviewed the park. Don't be obnoxious or a jerk, and the officers won't be mean jerks back to you. Simple. Quiet time (or lack of) wasn't an issue, no-alcohol (or lack of) wasn't an issue, people were polite and helpful. The park itself is very nice, with tons of extensive hiking trails. If you're camping, be prepared to be crammed in with other campers as the sites are very small and there are usually trees planted in the middle of sites. Bathrooms are cleaned at stupid times - 9:30am? Really? And the roads are in desperate need of being repaved. Nice park, would return again.

Wonderful facilities, friendly staff. We stayed on lot 222 for two nights and we're very impressed by the campgrounds. The bathrooms were nice and clean. The beach is not far and it was an overall great camping experience. There was a good mix of tent campers and RV-type campers. Will definitely be back!

I know that Michigan's beaches are heralded for their fine sand and beautiful sunsets. I thought Hoffmaster State Park deserves particular accolades. It is far enough up the coast, and near enough to Muskegon that the vacationing crowds of St. Joseph / South Haven are not driving up there. There are impressive dunes and walking paths. The water this June was still below 57 degrees, following the brutal polar vortex winter. This is one of the last places on the coast of Lake Michigan that it's possible to see the natural landscape for its true self.

Beyond breath taking views of Lake Michigan!! They have great hiking trails that are beautiful. They also have helpful staff!

Most Michigan State Parks get a high rating rom me. This one has many desirable qualities. The primary beach parking is in a bowl surrounded by woods. After you pass the changing rooms (which were clean) it's a short stroll down the boardwalk to the beach. No trouble at all with our bike cart converted to a sand buggy. No lifeguards, but a marked swimming area. There are at least two very nice group picnic areas in the woods, with pit toilets nearby. The visitor's center was staffed by helpful folks, with very interesting educational exhibits detailing the history and ecosystem of the area. We had a great time walking to Mount Baldy, the big dune behind the visitor's center. Another day, we also accessed the part by a trail toward its southern end, and found it just as lovely.

Best and most beautiful place to social distance while enjoying the seasonal views of the lakeshore. One of our family's favorite spots all year round!

This state park is so far one of my favorites toward my goal to see every Michigan State Park. Beautifully maintained, fantastic nature center, Rangers available for questions, great trails and 3 miles of unspoiled Lake Michigan beach and dunes. What could be better?

The most clean, family friendly, pet friendly, and bike friendly state park yet! We have three young kids and take them camping a few times a summer. We live along lake Michigan so we are used to amazing dunes and beaches so I won't get into the beach review except to say, the beach from the campground was a nice walk. We had a 3 yr old that insisted on walking from our site (#57) and it took less than 10 minutes. Flat and accessible by bikes too. Easy! There is a hill if you want to go to the water, but being used to lake Michigan we expect a hill about 80% of the time. As for our site...it was huge! We had one large SUV, two huge tents, four lawnchairs, the very clean and freshly painted picnic table supplied by the park, five bikes, a double chariot, a cooler and lots of wood and still had tons of space to spread out. We were shaded most of the day by huge trees. The bathroom was close enough that lugging the kiddos there every few hours didn't seem like an epic chore. The bathrooms were always clean, fully stocked and had nice hot water. I loved how kid friendly the park is. No crazy parties, people that actually drive the speed limit and watch out for kids. Plus, there is a great playground and trails and shortcuts to the playground so it's pretty quick to get to no matter where your site is. We rode our bikes to the day camp. Part of the trip on the main road and into the day camp was a bit dangerous with an 8 yr old on her own bike and speeding cars. We stumbled upon the Gillette nature center and glad we did. A 20 minute stop in to learn about the local landscape and wildlife. Kids loved it and parents learned a thing or two. We also walked the 200 steps to the lookouts. It was nice, but if you've seen one lake Michigan overlook, this isn't breathtaking. Nice, but we are already spoiled and see this at home. Bonus!?! We were at the campground the first weekend in June and got to tour about a hundred vintage campers. We try to go to a new park everytime, but I know we will be back here! Great location, good fellow local campers and nice sized sites!

Love the campground & all the trees. The roads could use a little help. A lot of noisy kids, yet everyone else has to be quiet at 10pm. All & all love this place!

This review is for the campground mainly, the park itself was beautiful and we loved the duney beach. The campground is great if you are a Glade camper (ie, you need to plug in). Almost every camp site had an outlet, so if you're an RVer, this place is right up your alley. Being tent campers, we were a little bummed about the $27/night fee because we didn't need/ use any electricity. The bathrooms are nice though, with decent showers. And beware the swarming gnats!

It's a great camping trip or just a small day visit! There are a variety of trails that are beautiful and full off wildlife. When parking remember to bring cash or register your license plate at Secretary of State.

This is West Michigan's secret jewel. Hundreds of acres of woods & trails, over a mile of sand & dunes along the Lake Michigan shoreline, wildlife galore, a super Nature Center & Gift Shop, boardwalks (some handicap accessible) though the dunes, a very large camping area with huge sites and full hook-ups, clean rest rooms & showers. Well maintained park. No dogs allowed on this beach, head north to the Muskegon doggie beach for that.

Such a beautiful beach, one of the best I've been to. You get the mix between forested hiking trails to sand dunes to lake Michigan.

Great campground. You can choose from smaller lots in the center, or larger lots on the outskirts of it all. There is a lot of space for each site, and a shower house walking distance with bathrooms. It is a very kid friendly park lots of bikes go around the road. A couple play grounds for the kids, and free coffee on Saturday and Sunday morning for the adults at host sites. Walking distance to Lake Michigan. Close enough to the local grocery store. Cant go wrong!

This review is for the beach only. The one for day use i.e. with two parking lots. There are two buildings next to the parking lot - one with bathrooms (with sinks) and one called a change court i.e. where you can change into or out of clothes. Only saw one foot shower which was outside the bathroom building. Might have been a vending machine or two in one of the buildings as well. The "path" i.e. wide walkway from the buildings to the beach is paved and the width of a car down to the overlook platform. Would guess it is ~300 feet from the buildings to the platform. (The path is on a hill i.e. not flat. Downhill to beach, up hill back of course.) Then you can either take the stairs or there is pseudo-ramp i.e. concrete "planks" down to the beach. From there another 150 feet or so to the water through sand. If you walk a ways down to either side from there, you can feel like you are on your own secluded beach. If you stay right there, there are markers denoting the swimming area. Some flies/bugs if you are close to the dune grass. Sand very fine. We arrived around 9 am on a Friday in the summer and were the 3rd group of people there. Around noon, the first lot was half full. Yes, I know this review is being picky. In all actuality, it is a gorgeous beach. Just not our style i.e. too far for us to lug beach gear.

Ive been here twice. This place is beautiful! Bathrooms and showers are clean. Water pressure for the showers are not that great but the water will eventually get hot. Theres a nice park for kids to play at. And its a short walk to the beach. The beach is gorgeous! The water is actually blue makes you feel like you are in the tropics kind of blue!

Great campground with a fun Halloween celebration in early October. Within easy walking distance to Lake Michigan and the sand dunes. Great family campground with lots to do.

This was my second time camping at Hoffmaster and I really enjoyed both times!! The beach is really nice for walking along or just sitting and enjoying the view! This last time I went, there was hardly anyone there due to it being the end of September. It was very quiet and peaceful! The bathrooms were well kept and didn't feel dingy at all. This is definitely a place I would come back to! It is also really close to Grand Haven and there are all kinds of cool things to do & see there!

A childhood favorite! I may be biased as this beach holds lots of great memories for me growing up, but after 30 years of living elsewhere and traveling to other gorgeous beaches around the world, I have to say Lake Michigan has some of the best! I particularly love PJ Hoffmaster State Park. There was no one there this past Sunday - the constant breeze and foot-numbing water temperature kept the masses away and we got a stellar parking spot. Everything was as I remembered: two parking lots; two buildings in which to change and use the toilet; the short, anticipatory walk through the hushed woods; the approach opening up to the sound of muted waves and the breathtaking blue of seemingly endless freshwater. Many of my non-Michigander friends, when I take them to see the lake for the first time, don't realize you can't see to the other side. And they also all comment on the gorgeous, fine white sand... there is a reason why Michigan ranks 3rd in the US on industrial sand production. Friends also mention the pleasantness that is swimming in freshwater - no salt to rinse off! The beach at this State Park has plenty of room, and if you get too cold in the glacier-made lake, running up and down the soft dunes is a sure cure. Great workout in the sand, and if you're too tired, pause and listen to the soft brushing of the beach grasses in the breeze. There are trails if one is more interested in exploring the land-based ecosystem along the lake. If you're looking for something away from resort town traffic, vendors, and a see-and-be-seen teenage/college party crowd, check out PJ Hoffmaster SP. I believe the daily usage fee is waived after Labor Day.

While the setting here is beautiful and access to the lake is within walking distance, there is one large problem here. It is the power tripping park rangers. From the moment we checked in we were asked to list the name and age of everyone in our party. (We camp all over and have never been asked this) the first night we arrived late, so we didn't have a fire and mostly stayed inside. The second night however, we had friends over, 2 that were staying over, and one that was visiting. We were enjoying a game of "loaded questions" and didn't notice the time, so we our visiting guest stayed past the 10 o' clock hour. We had a park ranger come and say, it's after ten, would you please move your car to a local Walmart or meijer? Ok, so we finished up our game, and our guest started packing up. She goes to the rest room, and here comes another ranger. We explain she is at the restroom then She is leaving. Which is what happened. Well today as we are getting in our car to leave, the second ranger stops by again! She proceeds to rehash last nights events, and then threatens to issue a "pretty hefty ticket" if we don't keep it in mind for next time. First of all there was maybe 25-30 minutes between ranger visits, and she left, problem solved. But to come by the next day and get an attitude like she did was uncalled for! Karen, the park ranger, has made it so we will not come back here to camp again!

This is our usual beach in Muskegon. The beach is usually clean. There are limited facilities though. There are some fun hikes here. Beautiful even in the winter. I have not been to the camp ground.

If you like hiking you will love this park! There are a lot of trails plus a lot of beach to walk! The dunes are beautiful and the nature center and stair climb are great!

Just stayed at the campground over Father's Day weekend and was quite pleased with the grounds and park. Depending on which part of the grounds you're on, you'll either be in a wonderful pine area, under lush and mature oaks, or in a barren area where the sun beats down on you and there's really no scenery. Do your homework before booking a site. LOTS of families camp here, so it's a great place to bring the kids...plenty to do for all ages. The beach has a few "inland ponds" left over from high tide, which are great for toddlers. The bigger kids will love Lake Michigan. Even when it's not the best swimming weather, there are plenty of hiking trails and dunes to climb. The playground was nice, but since there's only one for 300 sites, there are LOTS of kids playing there at any given time. They surely could use another one somewhere on the grounds. I was surprised to find that this State Park doesn't allow any alcohol until after Labor Day. Not being one to camp w/o beer, I simply hid it in a coozie and made sure not to flaunt it around. I did see plenty of others drinking....I'm assuming that since this is such a family friendly place, they're trying to weed out the party crowd. All in all, a really nice place....one we'll surely visit again.

We go there every year. The campground beach has an inlet so if the lake is cold you can go in there. The campground is a great atmosphere. A++++++++++ We always stay in site #56. It's probably one of the biggest sites there.

Clean enough place for camping (excellent bathroom facilities), but I just can't get over Michigan's weird camping style: There is no privacy between camp sites, which I'm not accustomed to from my camping in other states.

Fortunately there are less tennie boppers here than Grand Haven State Park with their running, jumping, and loud "wrap" music. Unfortunately, there are bugs in the woods. I counted at least 4 bugs the last time I went in the woods. The latrine smells like doodee. Also I found the sand very difficult to walk on. The water was slightly warmer than Grand Haven State Park.

This is a review of the campgrounds. We stayed here July 2014. Checking in was painless and friendly. Proceeded to set up at site 31. Small creek behind our site. Heavy mosquitos on both days. Fire ring, electricity and table. Water was an easy walk down the road. Most of the sites were wooded. Also most were right next to each other. Nothing unusual for Michigan state parks. There is no camp store but they do have friendly camp hosts. Newer bath houses. We were just down the road from the beach entrance so we visited it the next day. 5-7 minute walk and we were looking at Lake Michigan. Nice beach but did not stay long. Had a day trip to Silver Lake and the dune rides. That evening cooked over the fire and relaxed among our fellow campers. Overnight a huge storm came through and flooded a couple of sites down from us. The DNR folks were there early A.M. in their hip waders to clear out the mess. Nice to see even on a Sunday they are around to help. This Overall Hoffmaster is a nice place to stay and very family friendly. Nothing special but nothing bad either.

This review is based on the Campground. It has nothing to do with the beach or day use area. Let's face it Lake Michigan Beaches are amazing all around. I camped with my family; we selected PJ Hoffmaster based on seeing good reviews and the location being central. The operations of the park are terrible, talk about DNR on a power trip. The main woman in the front office is rude. They are very strict about 2 cars per campsite, but they have no overflow or alternate parking available, they recommend that you go park at Wal-Mart but they can't really tell you that because they don't have permission from Wal-Mart. They do allow visitor passes prior to 10pm but work to ensure you are out by 10pm or else. Wood is available for sale at the front, cash only with a payment tube, so requiring exact change, but they are unwilling to make change in the office because it's against the rules. The DNR patrol the campground, if you are awake after midnight expect a stop, a cooler and campsite search. It is harassment. The sites are small with neighbors basically on top of you. They have removed most of the trees and any low branches from the trees that do exist, so good luck hanging up a clothesline or garbage bad. The beach is a long walk from the campground at least 10 minutes and about 15 to the nearest bathroom from the beach. There are porta-jons by the beach but they were about 1 inch from overflowing sewage. I would not recommend camping here to anyone; the sites are small, staff horrible. There are tons of other campgrounds on the coast of Lake Michigan. I will never be back.