Silver Lake State Park Field Report: Dunes, ORV rules, camping & lighthouse guide.

Pull up a chair and enjoy the view. This park offers unexpected amenities, plenty of privacy and epic sunsets.

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Crack open a cold one and buckle in. Silver Lake State Park is all about fun in the sand and sun.

Top things to know about Silver Lake State Park

The TLDR on Silver Lake

There's a lot of fun stuff to do, including dunes, dune ride, climbing a lighthouse tower and fun in the water
The park is popular, busy and often crowded
You can drive your SUVs and ATVs in a designated area in the dunes.

Sound like your thing? Keep reading.

Silver Lake State Park located on Silver Lake and right next to Lake Michigan, between Ludington and Muskegon.

Silver Lake State Park is the place to go if you're looking for plenty of activities. Climbing dunes, driving across the dunes, fun in the water, lighthouse, etc. the only motorized sand dune riding opportunity east of the Mississippi River

The kids and I spent a few days mid week in August and had an absolute blast exploring, playing in the water and riding across the dunes on Mac Wood's Dune Rides. We loved it, we'll come back, but it was a bit crowded, even during the week.

Let's get into it:

Overview
Plan your visit
- When to go
- Visiting Silver Lake for the day
- Camping at Silver Lake State Park
- Getting to and into the park
- Where to eat
- What if it rains
Buddy's take: Dogs in the park
Further reading & Resources

The lowdown on Silver Lake State Park

We visited this park during the middle of the week in the middle of August. The park was crowded and lively, though not as swamped as it would have been on the weekend.

What's the deal with the dunes?

The dunes at Silver Lake Park are split into three separate zones:

The 450-acre ORV Scramble Area is on the north end.
The Pedestrian Dune Area where you can walk, sandboard and play is in the middle.
The Mac Wood’s Dune Ride leased zone is on the east side.

Are there beaches?

Heck yeah there are beaches a Silver Lake State Park.

There's a beach on Silver Lake in the day use area of the State Park, with a beach house (modern bathrooms and outdoor shower for rinsing off sand). The water is shallow quite a ways out, making this a great beach for kids.
Silver Lake Beach is just down the road, across from the Silver Scoops ice cream spot. no bathrooms, though.
The Little Sable Point Lighthouse beach on Lake Micigan is beautiful and roomy, with clear water and a lighthouse you can climb for an amazing view.

*Left - the beach at Lake Michigan near Silver Lake; Right - The Silver Lake State Park Beach*

How's the park store?

There isn't an official park store, per se, but there are plenty of convenience stores, souvenir shops and ice cream stands close by, the closest being Parkside Store.

Where to get firewood

Speaking of Parkside Store, that's also the easiest place to get firewood, though it was a bit pricey during our visit at $7 a bundle.

Note: Please source firewood locally to prevent the spread of invasive insects and plant disease.

Is there a playground?

There's one playground, in the day use area near the beach.

The bathroom situation

Silver Lake is a crowded park and between 200 campsites there are two modern bathroom facilities, plus the "beach house" in the day use area. With that in mind, it's not surprising that these bathrooms weren't super cleaned.

Each loop of the park has one modern bathroom (multiple stalls, showers, family bathroom).
There's a "Beach House" in the day use area of the park with modern bathrooms, and an outdoor shower.
There are also modern bathrooms in the parking areas for the ORV and pedestrian areas of the dunes, though we can't speak to their cleanliness.
Cleanliness 4/10, or 6/10 right after cleaning. There were definitely cobwebs and spiderwebs in the corners.
There never seemed to be a line for the showers, though I had did have a little voyeur in my shower (see images below).
Of course, there are also pit toilets throughout the park if that's your jam.

How far off the grid are we talking?

Mobile service at Silver Lake State Park is hit or miss.

Like most Michigan State Parks there is no park WiFi.
Our mobile service (AT&T) came and went
Verizon is supposed to be the most reliable
T-Mobile, meanwhile, is rumored to be sparse to non-existent.
You can increase your chances of decent mobiles service with cell signal boosters like weBoost Drive Reach Overland.

What to do at Silver Lake State Park

A map of Silver Lake State Park with notes

Play in the sand

The dunes are definitely the main draw for this particular park, and there are a lot of dune centered acivities available. One of those activities in the middle section of the park, which is open for walking, hiking, and playing in the sand on foot.

Drive in the sand

There's a 450-acre section on the north side of the dunes set aside specifically for off-road vehicles like ATVs, UTVs, and 4x4s to drive directly on the sand. Our visit fell during Bronco Week, so there were a lot of Broncos around town.

Learn more about driving your off-road vehicle on the dunes at the offical DNR website.

Hop on a Mac Wood's Dune Ride

We did this and can definitely recommend it. The tour takes about 40 minutes and includes some fun drops down steep dunes, a driver who doubles as a tour guide multiple stops, including one on the shore of Lake Michigan. Get there early and check out the gift shop and mini-museum while you wait for your ride.
**$25 ages 12+, $15 ages 3-11, free 0-2. **

Climb the Little Sable Point Lighthouse

You'll find the lighthouse about 3 miles south of the campground, and it's totally worth climbing for the views, if you're up for the stairs.

Little Sable Point Lighthouse climbing hours

Summer: Mondays: 1-5 pm Tuesday – Sunday: 10am – 5pm
Fall: Thursday – Sunday: 10am – 5pm
$8 for adults, $5 17 and under.

*Little Sable Point Lighthouse at Silver Lake State Park*

Do stuff in the water

As I mentioned earlier, there are two great beaches. The warm and shallow beach at the day-use area of Silver Lake State Park, and the gorgeous, refreshing beach at Little Sable Point Lighthouse.

If you're into boating or other water sports, Silver Lake is a great place to do that, too. There were a lot of boats in the water during our visit.

Go horseback riding on the dunes in November

After October, ORVs are no longer allowed on the dunes and the equestrians take over during the month of November. You can learn more about that here.

Ride fat tire bikes on the dunes all winter

Dec. 15 - March 15 is fat tire bike season at the dunes. Get more details here.

For a full list of available activities, check out the official Silver Lake State Park Park site.

Who is this park for?

Yes, Michigan parks are for everyone. But here's who might get the most out of Silver Lake State Park:

Families

There were a ton of families during our visit, including some large groups that took up several adjacent campsites, and it's not hard to see why. There's a lot for kids to do without getting bored.

Fun Seekers

Between Mac Wood's Dune Rides, off-roading on the the dunes, water sport and more, there's a lot to do at Silver Lake if you're looking for fun.

Lighthouse Aficionados

If you're into lighthouses, you might already know that Little Sable Point Lighthouse is considered one of the most beautiful lighthouses in Michigan (a state that's full of beautiful lighthouses). It's one of the five lighthouse managed by the Lakeshore Keepers in western Michigan, and for a fee you can climb it for some amazing views.

The stairs at Little Sable Point Lighthouse at Silver Lake State PArk — *The Stairs at Little Sable Point Lighthouse*

Boaters

Put your boat into Silver Lake, and if you're lucky enough to score a campsite along the shore it's just a short wade through the shallow water away.

Boats at Silver Lake State Park Campground — *The boats of Silver Lake State Park Campground*

Extroverts

If you're looking for solitude in nature, Silver Lake might not be the best park to visit. This is a busy, bustling park with a party atmosphere.

When to go

When to visit Silver Lake State Park really depends on what you want to do. Here's how the seasons break down:

April-Early June

It may be too cold to swim, but the temps will be cooler and the crowds will be more manageable. Off-roading opens April 1st, but you'll need a hotel if you're coming from out of town because the campground doesn't open until April 15th.

Late-June thru mid-August

Peak summer season, which means peak heat and peak crowds. You'll deal with longer lines at ORV staging areas, packed campgrounds and hot, hot sand on the dunes.

After Labor Day through mid October is best, if you can swing it

The crowds die down but the weather's still nice, and you can actually walk on the sand after noon. The campground closes Oct 15, but you can still go off-roading through the end of October.

November-April

The campground and off-roading shuts down until Spring, but you can still visit the pedestrian area of the dunes and the Little Sable Point Lighthouse Ground if you're in the mood for a quiet walk. November is horseback riding month, and you can ride fat tire bikes on the dunes all winter.

Visiting Silver Lake State Park for the day.

Visiting the state park beach

Parking is to the right of the West camping loop, past the contact station
The beach is open 8am to 8pm
There's a "beach house" (modern bathrooms and an outdoor shower to rinse off)

Visiting the pedestrian area of the dunes

The parking lot for the pedestrian area of the dunes is about a mile and a half north of the state park campground on Shore Drive.
Visiting hours are 8am to 8pm.
During the middle of summer, the sand can get quite hot for bare feet by noon. Plan accordingly.
* Bring a sandboard for a fun ride down the dunes.

Off-roading on the dunes

With a 450 acre scramble area, Silver Lake State Park offers the only ORV riding experience of its type east of the Mississippi.
You can drive the dunes in your ORV April 1-Oct 31. Hours are:
- April 1 - 3, 9am to 8pm
- May 1 - Sept. 15, 9am to 10pm
- Sept. 16 - Oct. 31, 9am to 8pm
- Access stops half hour before closing time
If you're bringing your own vehicle, make sure it's ready.
In addition to a Recreation Passport, you'll need a valid ORV license and trail permit.
Every vehicle driving on the dunes is legally required to mount a 10-foot international orange safety flag (front bumper/frame for 4x4s, rear for ATVs). Grab that here, if you don't already have it.
You're required to air down your tires to around 10–15 PSI before hitting the sand. With a quick-set Brass Tire Deflator Kit and a heavy-duty 12V Portable Air Compressor, you can drop pressure at the staging gate and air back up for the drive home without waiting in long lines at public air stations."
One Holidays and Weekends, you'll need to get a Silver Lake State Park Dune Voucher.
You can rent ORVs from Silver Back Offroad or Silver Lake Buddy Rentals.
Take a guided ride at Mac Wood's Dune Rides, mid-May through October

Horseback riding on the dunes

You can ride horses along a predetermined route Nov. 1-30
- Riding hours: 8am to 5pm
- Parking hours: 8am to 5:30pm
The cost is $10 per horse per day
Reservations are required. You can view the full schedule on the Michigan DNR Equestrian Dune Riding Portal.

Fat tire biking on the dunes

During the winter, you can ride fat tire bikes in the ORV area
- Dec 15-March 15
- 8am to dusk
- See more details and rules here.

Camping at Silver Lake State Park

Dates & rates

Open for camping April 15 - Oct 14
Reserve up to six months in advance
200 modern campsites with 30 amp service
$45/night

Campsite intel

The Silver Lake State Park campground is split into two sections. The North Loop (sites 1-84) and the South Loop (Sites 101-237).

The North Loop is close to Silver Lake, has less shade and definitely felt a bit more crowded, with smaller sites.
The South Loop, located across the road from the North Loop and the lake, felt a little more spacious, and had more shade.
Silver Lake Rd separates the two loops. If you have kids or dogs, you should know that this road can get a bit busy.

Ideal sites

For the best views

Sites 2-11 are along the lake, with great views of Silver Lake and the dunes behind it.

For big RVs and/or bad parkers

Sites 1,12, 162, are pull-thrus
Sites 162 and 204 can handle an RV up to 50' long

We ended up in site 119

Other than the fact that our fire pit was awkwardly situated right next to the neighboring campsite, we have no complaints. For our 20' camper it felt quite roomy and it wasn't hard to level it out.

Campsite 119 at Sliver Lake State Park — *Campsite #119 is a solid choice, other than an awkwardly placed fire pit.*

Our pick for the best site

Site 12 seemed to have the best combination of view, space and privacy.

Sites with potential problems

Some of the sites in this park has quite a slope, which could be especially be an issue in the rain.

Sites 118, 120 and 122 in partcular has this problem. The front of the camper in site 120 couldn't have been any closer to the ground.

If you do end up with a sloped site, these heavy-duty leveling blocks would come in handy.

*Site 120 sloped down so much their RV's hitch was almost on the ground.*

Reserving your site

Reservations open six months out. Book your site as far in advance as possible to increase your chances of getting a good site (or getting a site at all).

If you're feeling lucky, you can just show up without a reservation, but be warned: the campground tends to fill up fast, especially one the weekends and during the peak summer months.

Reserve your site at Michigan's DNR website

What to bring

This isn't a full camping supply list, but an idea of what you might want to bring to Silver Lake State Park.

Beach stuff
Bring your inner tubes, kayaks, paddle boards, etc.

If you're looking for swimsutes that are uniquely Michigan, our good friends at Lookabout Swimwear offer prints inspired by a lifetime in the Great Lakes.

Getting groceries

The type of stores where people in online reviews say they were "surprised at the selection," which is another way of saying they'll do in a pinch but don't rely on them for fresh produce or good prices.

We grabbed some slices of pizza at Silver Point General Store, which is just down the road from the campsite.

Hansen Foods is a 15 minute drive and it's not bad, but if you're looking for a proper grocery store you might want to drive the 30 minutes to Montague or Whitehall, where you'll find Montague Foods, Aldi and Walmart.

Getting to and into the park

Gassing up

Silver Pointe General Store is just a half mile from the campground and, believe it or not, had the best gas prices in the area last time I checked.

Checking in at Silver Lake State Park

Stop at the Contact Station to check in, grab a park map and get your parking pass.
If the station is closed, go ahead and find your campsite. You can check in tomorrow.
If you're in the North Loop, you'll drive to your left after you go through the contact station. If you're in the South Loop, you'll need to loop back around and cross the main road.

Stop at the sanitation station for water if you need it

If you have an RV and need to fill your tank with potable water, the sanitation station is located in the South Loop, across from sites 167 and 161.

There's an overflow lot for boats and trailers

It's in the South Loop, past the sanitation station.

Where to eat when you're not cooking at camp

This being a tourist town, there are a number of spots to eat nearby, and they're not hard to find. We only ate out once while we were in town, and we can definitely recommend it.

Michigan Base Camp is a camping supply store and coffee shop with several dining options.

Indoors there's coffee and espresso drinks, donuts, really good breakfast, flatbread pizzas and sandwiches.
Outdoors there's plenty of seating, a food truck serving burgers and a food truck serving tacos.

What if it rains?

You can only read books, play cards and nap for so long. Here are some activities in the area for rainy days.

The closest movie theater is a half hour drive north at the AMC Classic Ludington 8
Also in Ludington is the Sandcastles Children's Museum, if your kids are on the younger side.
Enjoy coffee & Wi-Fi at a Michigan base camp
Hang out at the arcade at Craig's Cruisers.
Hit the souvenir shops along Silver Lake Road

I would love to be able to give you a take on Silver Lake State Park. I really would.
Problem is, I wasn't invited. The man took the kids, but he didn't take me, and I only got to see the park for 10 minutes while the lady and I were meeting them there. I did notice a few things, though:

There were a lot of dogs at the campground. They were being taken for walks, they were meeting and sniffing and barking, and I had to stay in the car.
Dogs were not allowed at the day use beach that was close to the campsite.
Dogs were allowed everywhere else in the park, including the parts of the small lake there weren't in the day use area, along the shore of the big lake and in the pedestrian area of the dunes.

I think I would have had a blast at Silver Lake State Park, and they damn well better take me next time.