Leelanau State Park
Michigan State Park · Northport, Michigan
Leelanau State Park sits at the very tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, a few miles north of Northport, where Lake Michigan meets Grand Traverse Bay at Cathead Bay. Its landmark is the Grand Traverse Lighthouse, built in 1858, with a small museum inside the keeper's house that is seasonal and run largely by volunteers. The rest of the park is rocky and sandy shoreline where people hunt for Petoskey stones, pine and hardwood woods with walking trails, and a rustic campground close to the water. It suits people who want a quiet end-of-the-road feeling, not a big beach day: the water is cold, the shore is stony in places and there are no concessions. Allow two to four hours for the lighthouse, a beach walk and a trail, or stay overnight for the sunsets. A Michigan Recreation Passport is needed for the vehicle. Confirm the museum season and whether the tower can be climbed before you drive the long peninsula road.
15310 N. Lighthouse Point Road, Northport, Michigan, 49670, United States
The park grounds, beaches and trails are generally open daily through the year, commonly from early morning until late evening, and the campground runs in the warm season with some sites open longer. The lighthouse museum is seasonal and largely volunteer-staffed, so it is usually open in summer and early fall on set afternoons, and closed in winter - confirm the dates and days before you go, as they change by year. Whether the tower can be climbed on a given day is also something to confirm. A Recreation Passport is required for the vehicle year-round. In winter the park road may be plowed only partway and the quiet is complete, so check conditions with the park office.
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