P.J. Hoffmaster State Park
Michigan State Park · Muskegon, Michigan
P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is a Michigan state park on Lake Michigan just south of Muskegon, near Norton Shores, with a mailing address on Lake Harbor Road. It protects about 1,200 acres of high forested dunes, a long public beach and a campground set back in the trees. It is quieter and more wooded than the big beach parks at Grand Haven or Holland, and it is the better pick for people who want to walk as well as swim. The Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center explains dune ecology, and a dune climb of stairs and boardwalk leads to a lake overlook. Expect sand in every shoe. It suits families, walkers and campers more than anyone wanting nightlife, and there is little food on site, so pack lunch, ice and water before you leave town. The lot, not the sand, is the usual limit. Summer weekends fill the lot by late morning, the water stays cold, and rip currents are real. Ticks and poison ivy grow along the trails. Allow a half day to a full day, and confirm visitor center hours and Recreation Passport rules before you go.
6585 Lake Harbor Road, Muskegon, Michigan, 49441, United States
Michigan state parks are generally open daily, year-round, from early morning until late evening, with typical hours of roughly 8 AM to 10 PM, but confirm current hours with the Michigan DNR before a long drive. The Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center keeps shorter, seasonal hours, usually fullest in summer and reduced or closed in the colder months, so check before building a plan around it. The campground has its own reservation windows and a seasonal core with limited winter use. A Recreation Passport is required for each vehicle, and the sticker is usually added when you renew your Michigan plate. Winter brings snow and fewer services, with groomed cross-country skiing in good seasons and some facilities shut.
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