Petoskey State Park

Great beach! You can park in the parking lot and literally take your shoes off at your car and walk straight into the sand! Can get busy. But we have visited here last year on a day it wasn’t easy at all. Clean restrooms and showers as well as outdoor showers, volley balls court, and bike rack. Lots of beach shoreline to walk and walking trails in the dunes in the trees. Lots of parking and easy in and out access. Great place to watch the sunset. And swimming beach. Find soft touching rocks.

Great experience here! Less populated, slightly quieter than West Michigan beaches.. but amazing views looking straight at the Little Traverse Bay! The water is shallower and very blue. Easy to swim due to the protection of the bay. Snack bar and restrooms very clean and the parking was easy. Will 100% be back!

Great place for an overnight stay..Has electric only in the sites 😔 so fill your tanks up.. Walk the beach,,look for rocks,, sorry NO sea shells here !! The Sand dunes are hard for walking,hope you are in shape!!! The black squirrels are fun... didn't see to much of the park,,I bet it's has more to offer than we seen so give it a shot you like it.... PS.. we don't like the registration fee for the out of state campers..$11.00 sucks!!

Even though I didn’t go swimming, I absolutely loved my time at the beach in Petoskey State Park. The scenery was peaceful and beautiful, especially during sunset — truly a breathtaking view over the water. The beach was clean and well-maintained, with a relaxing atmosphere perfect for unwinding and taking in nature. A great spot for a calm evening by the lake!

A real nice park on little Traverse Bay. Clean modern bath house. Easy access to the beach. Nearby hiking and biking trails. I stayed on the Tannery Creek side but drove through the Dune campground and actually like that a lot better as the dunes keep the wind at bay. (pun intended)

Park only had beach open this time of year(September). Walked the beach hoping to find Petoskey stones. Didn’t find those but found some other beauties.

In search of Petoskey stones. First went to the beach, did not even park because of crowd, and didn't think there would be many rocks on the beach. Drove to campsite entrance and walked .5 mile to boardwalk. We found several stones pretty quick. We also realized we could have much easier walked to rocky areas from the beach.

We had a lovely time camping here the week before Labor Day weekend. Most every campsite is very well shaded with lots of trees and privacy. The beach was beautiful, and the beach bathrooms were large and clean and included changing areas. The beach also offered kayak and SUP rentals (though goodness knows when Little Traverse Bay would be calm enough to go out on one), and they also sell ice cream and snacks. There are two separate campgrounds: Tannery Creek and Dunes. We strongly recommend the Dunes, as it is a short walking distance to the main beach. The campground bathrooms/showers were perhaps a little dated, but they worked fine and were cleaned regularly. But the park will also be closing after Labor Day to improve the facilities, so that may be a moot point. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. One note: there was no camp host, and the staff stopped patrolling at 10pm. They’re surely doing the best they can with the budget they have, but it’s worth noting that late night partying isn’t policed. It may be just because we were there the week *before* Labor Day weekend, but we probably saw more young people hanging on their own and partying than we did families at the campground. It wasn’t a total party park, but it wasn’t serene either. But the natural beauty of the area and the kindness of the staff more than made up for it.

Not much more to say except that this is a very well kept park. I could've sworn I was in the Caribbean with the beautiful, clean, white sand and pretty clear lake that just goes on forever, the water sparkling in the sunshine. I can't wait until it's open again because this is the best park I've seen in this area. I plan to camp, swim, and have all kinds of fun here.

When you first enter, they check if you have a recreational passport. If you do, it is free. When you drive in there's a turn for the canpground. We went straight to the beach. They had a volleyball tournament. It was still a little cold so we had jackets and pants on the kids. It was their first time at a beach playing in the sand. The water was freezing and my kids wanted to put their feet in. The beach was nice and empty. We have been coming here for years. We love rock picking here.

Beautiful park with a long beach that we walked around - even though there were plenty of people visiting, it's large enough that it didn't feel crowded. Plenty of parking and restrooms/shower areas. Entrance fee per vehicle.

We hiked through Petoskey State Park on Dec 30, 2023. While it was a bummer there was no snow this season and we weren't able to ski, a hike in this state park was a perfeft substitute. We were lucky enough to walk the trails while it had flurried in the morning so we had some white on the ground. Perfect spot to go on a quick pavement-walk in nature with the family, or take the dog on a woodsy hike. Our puppy had a blast. Excited to come back in the summer and future winters!

This beach was super nice. We went here today to lay out and go into the lake. First off, you need a MI rec pass - if you don't have one, I believe they make you pay the $12 or whatever it is now to get one; luckily my friend has one, and we were in her car. It was pretty windy out today but still nice, around 70-75 degrees out. There are bathrooms on-site and apparently changing rooms. There is also a concessions area and I think I saw some Dippin' Dots for sale too. Overall this was a really nice beach and I'd return when in the area.

The absolute best beach in northern MI. Been coming here for 15 + years and it's amazing

From entering the park to leaving, our experience was great. There was plenty of handicap parking available and an accessible ramp down to the water. The beach was well maintained and the view was fantastic. We came back later to watch the sun set. Very nice.

Great clean area. We stopped here thinking we could go rock hunting, we found sand :) so kids got in the water and it was great. There are decent bathrooms and a little beach front store for necessities.

Great place you can swim with the minnows. The waters are clear and cold.you can rent bikes and canoes I think you can also rent paddle boards. cleanish beach (some stupid people littering banana peels, cigarettes butts and a few food wrappers I saw but not many). Tom's of ROCKS and shells to find.

The first time I went here was in December and we were looking for something to do. It was a great option! There was lots of parking and some other people out. It is easy to take a short hike or longer one. Taking a trail to Lake Michigan is a must! We took our dog and she loved it! We saw sever other dogs on leashes as well. I wore hiking boots and was glad with that decision as it was pretty muddy!

First the positives: Beautiful park, tons of hiking and biking opportunities. Beach is beautiful and Petoskey Stones are plentiful. Staff and fellow campers are all very polite. We've camped there in the past and look forward to doing so in the future. Main negative is the bathrooms. The bathrooms themselves have separate faucets for hot and cold. This is something I hadn't seen since getting assigned to the old WWII era barracks at Ft. Custer. And just like the old McDLT the hot stays hot and the cold stays cold. In fact the only thing the cold faucet is good for is being able to put cold water on your hand immediately after getting 2nd degree burns from the hot faucet. The showers are spider infested which, I can understand as it's a park but it REALLY creeped out my wife and daughter. The main issue I had with the showers is the height of the shower heads. I kid it you not, they're no more than 4ft high. As a 6'4" man I'm used to most shower heads being too short, but there are ridiculous. Even the cast of Little People Big World would have issues with these. In fact, unless you're a toddler or leprechaun - good luck. Showering while squatting isn't exactly my preferred method. However, other than the bathrooms, the rest of the park is great and I would still definitely recommend.

Pretty water and small, nice beach area. Tried to find Petoskey stones but had no luck

It was decent till they let assholes with bright lights and making noise come in late after quiet time ! Wtf ! People fighting ! Not fucking good at all. The cut off for setting up should be 8:00 pm period! A couple people unplugged and left the park at 12:30 am.

This is one of my favorite state parks to camp in Michigan, but I really wish they would find the funds to renovate the campground shower/bathroom facilities as they are terrible. Buy your state park pass each year and help them out, Michiganders! The sites are spacious, feel somewhat private from your neighbor unless you don't want them to be, and are wooded. The beach and dunes that are just a short walk away are gorgeous. There is a swimming area with a bathhouse and kayak rentals, but there's plenty of space down the beach in both directions to have a little more room to spread out! The shore is typically clean though it was a little dirtier this last trip a few weeks ago, possibly owing to a recent storm (keep your garbage out of Lake Michigan, people). You can spend the time hiking, swimming, kayaking, boating, sunbathing, or head into town for ice cream and fun shopping. Plenty of good restaurants, farmer's market, and a brewery nice and close. Expect some traffic in the summer months and if you have to choose between a weekday to be in town vs a weekend maybe go with the weekday! There is a marina in town as well and a water sport rental place on the main drag. And ohhh, the sunsets. Now the shower facilities - gross. Old and gross and why I bought my own camp shower tent. The shower spigots are chest height. Cleaning efforts even at their best (and they are not the best) couldn't make these facilities look much better. The bathroom ceiling is typically a maze of cobwebs and bugs, with dirty stall doors and walls. I know you are camping and I'm no stranger to the general baseline dirty that comes with that but these facilities are beyond that. Many other state parks are much better in this regard. That aside - easily fixed with a shower tent and lugable loo- this is one absolutely beautiful spot to spend your days.

The perfect spot to relax in Northern Michigan in the summer. This beach always has a decent number of people but is never overly crowded. The water is always chilly, so you never get too hot by simply laying in the sun. There are sand dunes you can climb, and we love climbing down the ones in the shade - the sand is so cool on your feet back there. The water is usually very clean (sometimes there's a decent amount of seaweed) but is the perfect height to wade in. You're supposed to park at the beach but there's not a hut at the entrance, so we're never quite sure how.

Very nice and clean beach. We searched and found some of the famous Petoskey stones. Can't wait to polish them up. No life guard on duty. There are restrooms to use. A small swing set to enjoy while at the beach. You can climb some mini sand dunes. Water was clear and beautiful.

Beautiful, big, clean, sand beach. $9.00 car entry fee. Small park. Went here to search for Petoskey Stones. Water was a bit chilly the end of September, but tolerable for stone searching. A lady nearby was kind enough to let us use her kitty litter scoop for searching.

Such a beautiful and well kept park! My friend and I visited the beach before we began our long journey back home and we had an amazing time. The beach is beautiful and the bathrooms are extremely clean (which is appreciated during these times!) I plan on coming back and spending a few days here to really explore, rather than a couple hours!

Great beach, sandy, clean, clear, huge and just plain beautiful. Turquoise water, big sand bar you can walk out for quite a long while.

We went here on a family getaway and fell in love with the area. The highlight of our visit was the breathtaking sunset over Lake Michigan from the beach. We then spent tome playing in the surf and hunting for Petoskey stones. The area around the beach is just as beautiful and we can't wait to return!

The park itself is beautiful and we loved the beachfront area. We came up here because I was on the hunt for Petsoky stones and wanted to cross it off my Michigan bucket list. Ran across the friendliest people when I was getting discouraged because I didn't see any stones. They gave me a good tip on where to look and when I walked over that way I found tons of stones just laying there, waiting to be collected! The area is clean and well kept, the campsites looked really nice and from the shore you can see the fireworks on the 4th of July. Loved it!

One of the best beaches at a state park in Michigan. I want to give it 1 star so no one else goes. Not perfect, could use slightly better amenities at the store, and be open whenever the park is open (it's not always). But that is nit picking, it is a great place to relax and enjoy what Lake Michigan has to offer.

I weep for those who come to Petoskey and do not make it out to this fine beach. Beautiful. Big freaking lake. Plus, they have a game room. With a Pac Man Jr. machine. No change machines though, which meant I had to go for a long walk on the beach. And seriously... I do like long walks on the beach... I just don't get to do it all that often. And let me tell you, for a guy who has always been around oceans and bays... walking in a freshwater lake, and not getting all itchy from salt, is Incredible. Seriously. Who would have thunk it. Costs a car full of people from out of state $8 for the day. Don't forget a coverup, because it can be chilly in the summer wind.

Beautiful view. Beautiful beach. It was $11 for an annual pass to get into here. For all you non-michiganders: it's an all access pass to all Michigan State Parks. We stayed at this beach for a few hours. It was peaceful when we walked more to the right. Less crowded.

Very pretty area. There are plenty of recreational type things to do at this park, and the view is just beautiful! If you are in the are, you must stop here!

One of my favorite parks in Michigan.! Definitely deserves better ratings except the bathrooms are In Dire need of updating! One great addition would be consistent warm, possible even HOT showers! A picture is worth a thousand words. I have been camping here for 20 years and never do I get sick of the beach and the views.....but the bath houses need some attention. I have sent letters to the DNR prior to posting this in an effort to keep this off social media.

The park could be amazing but there is trash all over. Out houses were flat out gross, garbage needed to be emptied. Water and views were great, nice sand (if you ignore the garbage).

Was a nice beach and campground, but we were sad to see so much trash and debris on the beach. We didn't even want to stay and play on the beach. Could be so awesome. :/ Hopefully they clean it up!

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.

We like this park for it's beach. Very good parking, nice beach. You can walk farther south down the water for more privacy and better rocks...although the sand gets slimmer. We are going to try out the camping at some point (state park, so not full hook up, just electric with a dump fill station.) There is a nice changing room/rest room. There seems to be bike and kayak rental...but it isn't clear how to actually do that. there was no staff on the beach. Also there seems like there is a concession area, but it wasn't open when we were there...seems like it should be during the summer.

The beaches are quite nice. The water is beautiful. Also, the park has small sand dunes.

Beautiful view! A little piece of Heaven. God does wonder work!! Well worth the visit!!

The state park in Petoskey is just...wonderful. It is so very pretty at night (but pretty much anywhere you can see the lake is pretty at night). The beaches are generally clean and even if you are staying the night in a hotel or with friends or in a cottage or a different park (Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga is great if the state park is full up, though it is off the beaten path)...you still should go to the state park for a day to enjoy the beaches. And....our city is very windy, especially in an open area like the beach, so make sure to bring cover-ups, clothes, towels, and/or blankets. I haven't actually stayed in the park overnight, but my parents' friends and even some of my own friends have stayed there and think it's a great experience. OH. Petoskey stones are pretty rare these days, but the trick is to.....get the rock wet. That's how you can tell if it actually is a Petoskey stone because that's the only way you can see the patterns that you would see on a polished/finished stone that they sell in stores.

Petoskey state park has hiking trails but it's predominately a destination for those seeking a chill day of beach laying and wave swimming in Lake Michigan. There's a seasonal concession stand and restroom right on the beach as well as ample parking and a swing set in the sand for kids. The biggest draw is right in the name, Petoskey stones! We always go to stone hunt and walk the beach. The best method is to belting a bucket and have someone scoop rock fills out of the water and dump them on shore to be sorted but that's mainly a summer method lol too darn cold otherwise. You can stroll the beach with eyes glued to the ground and find small specimen to collect or use to create jewelry pieces. We made a necklace last year after teaching our grand daughter about the famous Michigan fossil and hunting them with her! This time of year the fall colors are incredible! We have gone 5 times over the years at least and recommend this park for sure! Only 15 minutes from downtown Petoskey.

Petosky state park has one mile of beach front, and the beach is the main attraction. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed anywhere on the one mile of beach. Park policies also forbid leaving dogs unattended at any time, so you are essentially banned from the beach if you travel with a dog. I was not even allowed to walk behind the dunes with my dog to access a non-park beach area.

Great beach. Lots of sand. Fun waves. Go kayaking. Play volleyball. We found petosky stones all along the beach. View is unparalleled. Definitely one of our favorite state park beaches on Lake Michigan.

Love this place. Sitting on the beach and watching the boats on the bay and letting my little guy play in the sand. Lots of people were in the water. Felt a little cold to me, so I was good with just getting my feet wet. Hiking on the dune trails - Old Baldy - a good climb with views of the bay. Can't comment on the campgrounds here, but I have heard good things. This a a lovely state park located between Harbor Springs and Petoskey -- highly recommended!

Nice large beach with lots of room for the kids to play, but we left after 30 mins because the beach and water were filled with trash. Tons of plastic, wrappers, even a shoe insert floated by me in the water. Sad to see what's happening to our Great Lakes.

We are vacationing in Travers city and it was wildly raved about to come up here, so maybe my expectations were high. Traffic is heavy through Charlevoix and Petoskey. It's $9 to get into the state park for a day pass. The good- beach parking is plentiful and close to the beach. Flush toilets, concessions and changing rooms were all clean. The beach seems crowded for the few cars that were there. Can't imagine if the parking lot was full. The bad- the water was filthy. There was a lot of sediment and wood chips, perhaps due to a recent storm. Not awesome but tolerable. What's not tolerable is the degree of TRASH. All up and down the beach plastic, straws, cigarette butts, etc. and all over the water. We got in the water and there was so much trash it sticks to you when you get out. I just couldn't stay. My husband walked all up and down the beach and onto the dunes and couldn't find any Petoskey stones. I think it's so picked over there just aren't many left. Over all, super disappointed. We asked a few people, they said there is always a lot of sediment but it seemed a lot dirtier than last year. Pretty bummed.

Pretty shoreline, but the first 15 feet of the water was a disgusting murky mix of what looked like sludgy mulch. Not recommended at all for children who want to swim. Unfortunately the showers had no water pressure and it took a very long time to wash off the mulch.

Loved camping here! You have to reserve a spot in advance, but we were able to snag a spot for Labor Day weekend. If you aren't ready to go backpacking or even full on camping where you have to dig your own hole and everything then this is a good start. Especially for kids. I went with my husband, his cousin, and his counsin's kids. They have 4 showers with good pressure and heat. Bathrooms are kept clean (on the women's side not so much on the men's side). They have an electrical outlet for each campsite for those who can't disconnect. And firewood can be found and bought at each camping area $4 for a bundle. They recommend getting the firewood here since you don't want to introduce outside bugs, rot, etc to the area. Bring your own lighter and kindling/paper to start your fire. It is a great family friendly area. One night a bunch of adults and children on their bicycles rode through camp all aglow with glowsticks. Glowstick glasses, lined on their bikes, and more. It was a great sight. We ended up bringing a tripod to cook our food over and it worked perfectly. My husband said he had the best gourmet cmaping meals ever! We brought in steak, roasted corn, roasted tomatoes and all these you can do in foil and over the fire. Another great thing is that the beach is walkable from your camp site and so many hiking trails surround the camp area. Many things to do without having to go far at all. However, if you don't like cooking your own food you can drive a very short distance and get to a brewery, restaurants, stores, etc. I think that the people next to us didn't have any food at all. Just their tent , chair and fire. They always left for mealtimes. I would definitely come back here in a heart beat and come back with all my animals.

Wow wow wow. Visited the State Park many times because my daughter lives in Petoskey. I had a friend rent in the campground during my daughters wedding so I was able to visit her after the wedding and the campground is wonderful. 90% of the sites are quaint, flat and shaded with wonderful fire pits. Chopped wood available in campground for nominal fee. The dune access to the lake/beach is AWESOME! Beach combing was so fun and we found bags of Petoskey stones. I will definitely be back to camp. The showers we fine. I think they had bikes you could rent also.

Looking for a sandy and clean beach? Petoskey State Park is awesome. The drive is so worth it no matter where you are driving from! We took a vacation to Mackinaw City but were disappointed with the beaches there. We took a drive to PSP and were very pleased. The secret is getting there before noon to get a good spot. They have kayaks to rent and they are a decent price. If you don't want to kayak in the waves, start before 11 am. Once the waves start, it brings in algae and but it gets all washed up to shore around 2pm. Picnic areas are nice- the grills and tables are actually located away from the beach front, making both respective areas cleaner. The water is super clean and doesn't stink. And it has plenty of sand! You don't have to walk out on any rocky areas to access the water. Oh yeah, the drive ways are pretty tight! You need to be very careful when driving down to the beach because it's the bare minimum for two cars and is pretty curvy. We didn't camp there, but took a look at the camp sites and they seem like they are pretty nice. Planning on camping there next year. The RV camp sites are apparently paved so you can level your RV, someone told us. So, like I said, the extra drive is really worth it! Many beaches in Michigan have become rocky and the water has receded so PSP is a gem!

We came to this campsite in the middle of July on a Friday, worried that it was going to be full, but we came just in time! This camp ground has enough space between you and the other campers, which i liked. You could still hear the other families, but it was perfectly quiet when it got dark. Some of the campsites are nearly on the dunes, which is so pretty, but don't expect to sleep in on a hot day! There are also a number of nice, and cool shaded areas within the site. The bathrooms were clean, as were the showers! I definitely recommend this for the campers that like to not rough it too much!

Absolutely stunning!!! The white sand beaches are amazing and colors of the lake; varying from aqua to navy are gorgeous. There are long stretches of beach with a back drop of dunes. If you are looking for a quiet spot you can easily get away from the crowd at the main beach by taking a short stroll in either direction. My 1.5 year old and 3 year old had a ball running up and down the dunes and splashing in the lake. There is a bike path that will take you right into the wonderful town of Petoskey.

They have a lot of recreational opportunities here (camping, trails, etc), but I LOVE the beach here. Perfect location on the bay, nice and clean, and you can't beat watching the sunset from the top of one of the sand dunes here.

What a wonderful state park. Long shore and really clean beach. Great for sandcastles and hunting for petoskey stones. Clean bathrooms and access for around ten dollars a year is unbeatable for this park alone. Support your state parks.

Love this park the beach is beautiful and close to camp sites for walking to the beach. On 4 th of July you can see Petoskey and Harbor Springs fire works from the beach. We try to make it here at least once a year. If you like CPI g and the beach this is a great place

Spent a night camping here. Site was decent size but was sandy and on a hill. The restroom/shower facilities are not well maintained. They need paint in places. The worst though was the big lake of pee in the middle of the men's room floor that sat there for hours while two workers sat outside and talked.