One of my favorite activities is hiking. Unfortunately, Tampa Bay isn’t exactly known for great hiking trails. So, while in Michigan, I jumped at the chance to break out my hiking boots. Well… not exactly boots. More like Chacos (sandals). Western Michigan provides unique hiking trails combining dirt paths and sand trails. Sometimes you climb up dunes and other times you wander through the forest. Most people wear sneakers, but I don’t do that because mine always manage to fill up with sand. And, that isn’t pleasant to hike in. But I digress. Today was all about hiking at Saugatuck Dunes State Park.
We woke up early enough this morning that Nisheet had time to eat breakfast with me. Since I ate at the hotel’s continental breakfast the previous day, we decided to check out Wolfgang’s The Kitchen Counter. (FYI. The Kitchen and The Kitchen Counter are different restaurants. The Kitchen Counter serves breakfast and lunch in a casual setting.) It is also located in the hotel, and I think it is a better bang-for-your buck than the continental breakfast. I had a cheese and berry danish, and Nisheet had a tomato and egg sandwich. Very yummy. Great way to start the day. What’s better, the egg sandwich is so large I stole half for a snack while hiking at Saugatuck.
Saugatuck Dunes State Park
Since Saugatuck Dunes is a state park, there is a $9 entrance fee per car for non-residents. Bring cash and a pen because most likely the little office won’t be open. Instead, they have an honor payment system. You put money in an envelope, fill out a receipt, and put the receipt in your car window. [Out-of-state Entrance Fee = $9 per car]
The parking lot is on the small side, but on a weekday morning I had no issue finding a spot in the shade. Weekend afternoons in the summer could be a different story. There are 2 restrooms located in the parking lot with pit toilets. Though they aren’t the best, use them here as there aren’t any facilities on the trails or at the beach. There are also a couple picnic tables scattered around.
Saugatuck Dunes Trails
There are 3 main sections for hiking. There is the North Loop, South Loop / Livingston, and Beach Trail. Most people take the Beach Trail which is a quick half mile hike from the parking lot to the beach. I would not recommend bringing a lot of beach gear! This is not the beach to bring rolling coolers and all sorts of water toys. Save those for Holland or Grand Haven. The North and South trails also have beach access, but you will be hiking much further.
I was being indecisive on which trail to take, so I created my own large loop. It was a combination of the North Loop, beach walk, and Livingston Trail.
Saugatuck Dunes North Trail
From the parking lot, I started out on the North Trail. It was initially in a wooded area with well kept dirt paths. Further down the trail though, it became sandy and I was happy I wasn’t wearing sneakers. At every intersection, there was a well marked sign and a trail map. At post “6” I took the inner loop path because some bloggers mentioned the outer loop is difficult to follow. So, I obviously can’t comment on the outer loop, but the inner loop was a super easy trail to follow. Eventually several trails merge together as you approach the beach. Then, there is a steep but short dune to climb, and spectacular views of Lake Michigan greet you.
Saugatuck Dunes Beach
Once at the water’s edge, I took a left and headed towards the main Saugatuck beach area. It’s hard to miss as this is where the crowds gather, and there are benches near the tree line. If you want to go swimming, be sure to pack a towel. This is also a great area for a picnic on the beach or to read a book.
Pro-tip: If you are running out of energy, you can access the Beach Trail from this location. That trail leads you straight to the parking lot.
Saugatuck Dunes Livingston Trail
When I had my fill of the bench views and soaking up the pleasantly cool Michigan sun on the beach, I headed towards the Livingston trail access point. I had read that the trail is easily missed, but I had no trouble finding it. There is a well marked sandy path from the beach to where the trail starts at the edge of the woods.
The Livingston Trail was a beautiful and easy hike. It is a very well kept dirt trail that winds its way through the trees. Also, just as on the North Trail, the intersections are well marked and have trail maps.
To see the full beauty of Saugatuck Dunes State Park, I highly recommend the hiking trails. I’ve been before and hiked straight to the beach, but now I know how much I was missing out on. I’m also very happy I took a large loop that included the North Trail, the beach, and the Livingston Trail. It was a great mix of hiking through the forest, hiking on sand dunes, and soaking up sun on the beach.
Founders
After Nisheet got back from work, we headed to Founders. We have a love/hate relationship with Founders. The beer, food, and atmosphere are great. In particular, their sandwiches are out-of-this-world. The beer cheese dip is pretty good too. And, to top it off, they generally have some sort of nitro on tap. However, the loyalty to their customers is pathetic. But, we couldn’t visit Grand Rapids without going. We invited our Michigan friends and had a wonderful evening catching up with everyone.
