For residents of Grand Rapids who want to explore the great outdoors, the state of Michigan gives them plenty of choice.
Established in 1919, Michigan’s state park system boasts 101 state parks, and covers over 306,000 acres.
Incorporating such diverse landscapes as soaring mountain peaks, lush forests, rampaging rivers, beautiful meadows, deep caves, picturesque creeks and stunning lakes.
Featuring over 900 miles of trails, these park collectively house 14,100 campsites in 142 campgrounds. They also receive over 26 million visitors a year. Most of whom engage in activities like swimming, fishing, hiking, boating, biking and camping.
If you would like to partake in any of these activities yourself there are a plenty of state parks near Grand Rapids you can go to.
Below is a selection of five of the best of them we are happy to recommend.
Map of State Parks Near Grand Rapids OH
Here is a map of the Michigan state parks covered in this post:
List of State Parks Near Grand Rapids
Outlined below are 10 state parks near Grand Rapids. All of them can be reached within an hour and 40 minutes of driving from the city. They also offer plenty of camping and other overnight accommodation options too.
1. Bass River State Recreation Area
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 19 miles west of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: 13806 104th Avenue, Robinson Township, Michigan 49417
Bass River State Recreation Area is a 1,665-acre (674 ha) recreation area, located in Allendale Charter Township and Robinson Township, Ottawa County, Michigan.
Highlights associated with Bass River State Recreation Area include beach access, lake recreation, and river access.
See our full Bass River State Recreation Area guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
2. Yankee Springs State Recreation Area
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 26 miles south of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: Hastings Point Road, Yankee Springs Township, Michigan 49333
Yankee Springs State Recreation Area is a state-managed protected area located in Yankee Springs Township in Barry County, Michigan.
Highlights associated with Yankee Springs State Recreation Area include waterfall scenery, beach access, and coastal dunes.
See our full Yankee Springs State Recreation Area guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
3. Ionia State Recreation Area
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 27 miles east of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: Berlin Township, Michigan
Ionia State Recreation Area is a 4,500-acre (1,800 ha) recreation area, located in Ionia County, Michigan.
Highlights associated with Ionia State Recreation Area include waterfall scenery, beach access, and coastal dunes.
See our full Ionia State Recreation Area guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
4. Grand Haven State Park
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 30 miles west of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: 1001 S Harbor Dr, Grand Haven, MI 49417
The Grand Haven State Park is another gorgeous state park that is set along the shoreline of Lake Michigan.
Reached via a 40 minute drive west from Grand Rapids, this 48-acre park maybe small but it enjoys a stunning lakeside setting.
Running along a half-mile long sandy stretch of Lake Michigan on its west side, while its north side is located on the fringes of the Grand River.
The main attraction of the park is its beach, which is great for walking and sunbathing on. However it also has a lovely pier, with a boardwalk that is great for fishing, as well as two stately lighthouses, that are Instagram photos waiting to be taken.
Home to a modern campground that has 174 campsites, many of them with 50 amp service, as well as an overnight lodge, the park also has several really cool picnic spots and a quaint beach pavilion.
Grand Haven State Park: Michigan’s Premier Lake Michigan Beach.
Highlights associated with Grand Haven State Park include waterfall scenery, beach access, and coastal dunes.
Visitor facilities listed for the park include a campground, a designated swimming area, a marina, and playgrounds.
See our full Grand Haven State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
5. Saugatuck Dunes State Park
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 32 miles southwest of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: Saugatuck, Michigan
Saugatuck Dunes State Park is a public recreation area covering 1,000 acres (400 ha) on the shore of Lake Michigan between Saugatuck and Holland in Allegan County, Michigan.
Highlights associated with Saugatuck Dunes State Park include waterfall scenery, beach access, and coastal dunes.
See our full Saugatuck Dunes State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
6. P.J. Hoffmaster State Park
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 32 miles west of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: 6585 Lake Harbor Rd, Muskegon, MI 49441
Discover Hoffmaster State Park.
Highlights associated with P.J. Hoffmaster State Park include waterfall scenery, beach access, and coastal dunes.
Visitor facilities listed for the park include a campground, hiking trails, a designated swimming area, and a marina.
See our full P.J. Hoffmaster State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
7. Newaygo State Park
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 37 miles north of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: 2793 S Beech Ave, Newaygo, MI 49337
Sitting atop 20-foot embankments that overlook the stunning Hardy Dam Pond, the Newaygo State Park offers something for everyone.
Lying a 45 minute drive north of Grand Rapids, the Hardy Dam Pond is the result of a 6-mile flooding of the Muskegon River.
Now a haven for all lovers of water based recreational activities, the pond provides terrific opportunities for fishing and boating.
For those who prefer to keep their feet on dry land there are a number of fabulous hiking and biking trails that will take you through various parts of the neighboring Manistee National Forest.
In addition there is an 18-hole disc golf course onsite to entertain you as well as a scenic butterfly habitat that is home to the endangered blue Karner.
In terms of accommodation, the park features two rustic campgrounds which have a total of 99 sites available for you to book.
Newaygo State Park is a public recreation area covering 400 acres (160 ha) on the south side of Hardy Dam Pond in Big Prairie Township, Newaygo County, Michigan.
Highlights associated with Newaygo State Park include waterfall scenery, beach access, and coastal dunes.
See our full Newaygo State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
8. Muskegon State Park
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 39 miles northwest of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: 3560 Memorial Dr, North Muskegon, MI 49445
If you love the beach then you should make a beeline to the Muskegon State Park.
Just a 50 minute drive north west from Grand Rapids, the park is home to three scintillating miles of shoreline. Two of which run along Lake Michigan whilst the other is on Muskegon Lake.
Replete with a lovely harbor, picturesque forested dunes and a number of charming picnic spots, the highlight of the park is undoubtedly the blockhouse. A pleasant lookout structure that enables you to enjoy panoramic views of the area.
The park is also notable for the Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park. Open all year round it features a fantastic range of activities including an Olympian-designed luge track, as well as a sledding hill, a 1,300-foot dual zip line and an archery range.
In addition it has both ice-skating and cross-country ski trails too. While its two campgrounds accommodate 245 sites.
Muskegon State Park is a public recreation area located four miles (6.4 km) west of North Muskegon in Muskegon County, Michigan.
Highlights associated with Muskegon State Park include beach access, coastal dunes, and lake recreation.
See our full Muskegon State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
9. Duck Lake State Park
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 40 miles northwest of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: Muskegon, Michigan
Duck Lake State Park is a public recreation area covering 728 acres (295 ha) on Lake Michigan five miles (8.0 km) southwest of Whitehall in Muskegon County, Michigan.
Highlights associated with Duck Lake State Park include waterfall scenery, beach access, and coastal dunes.
See our full Duck Lake State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
10. Sleepy Hollow State Park
Distance from Grand Rapids: about 63 miles east of Grand Rapids (straight-line).
Location: 7835 E Price Rd, Laingsburg, MI 48848
Situated a 75 minute drive east of Grand Rapids, the Sleepy Hollow State Park is a stunning 2678 acre landscape of fields, woodland and rivers.
Centered around Lake Ovid, which was created by the damming of the scenic Little Maple River, the park is a notable year round spot for fishing, as well as kayaking, canoeing, jet-skiing and paddle boarding.
It is also a favored destination for birdwatchers, with around 228 species resident in the park including Blue Jays, the Eastern Bluebird, and even the more rarely sighted Bald Eagle, or Bonaparte’s Gull.
Throughout the year many people also come here for its excellent hiking opportunities, whilst in the winter snowshoeing is also popular.
For those who want to stay overnight, the modern campground offers 181 sites, as well as a modern and also a rustic cabin.
Sleepy Hollow State Park is a public recreation area covering 2,678 acres (1,084 ha) in the townships of Ovid and Victor in Clinton County, Michigan.
Highlights associated with Sleepy Hollow State Park include beach access, coastal dunes, and lake recreation.
See our full Sleepy Hollow State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
