Tawas Point State Park
Michigan State Park · East Tawas, Michigan
Tawas Point State Park occupies a curved sand spit that hooks into Lake Huron beside East Tawas, sometimes called the Cape Cod of the Great Lakes. At its tip stands the 1876 Tawas Point Lighthouse, a tower of about 70 feet with a restored keeper's house, open for seasonal tours run partly by docents. The spit has swimming on both sides, with a calm, shallow Tawas Bay on one and open Lake Huron surf on the other, plus a campground, a sand shoreline and a nature trail. It is also one of the best places in Michigan to watch bird migration, especially warblers in May and shorebirds in autumn. It suits families, birders and photographers; ticks and mosquitoes are a nuisance in season. Allow half a day, or a night camping, and expect the sun and wind to be stronger than they look. Confirm tour times, passport rules and festival dates before you go, and bring repellent, binoculars, water and a warm layer for the cool wind off the lake.
686 Tawas Beach Road, East Tawas, Michigan, 48730, United States
The park is open year-round, with the beach, trails and lighthouse grounds reachable in daylight and posted park hours usually running from early morning into the evening. The lighthouse itself is the seasonal part: tours and the keeper's house run mainly from late spring to early autumn, often with docents and set tour times, and the tower may be closed in bad weather or when staff are short. The campground is open mainly in the warm months, and winter use is limited to walking and cross-country skiing. A May birding festival usually brings extra events, but dates change. Confirm tour days, tower access and current park hours with the Michigan DNR before a long drive.
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