P J Hoffmaster State Park

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 3^rd 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.

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 3^rd 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.

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.

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!