Grand Haven State Park and the south pier lights

Grand Haven State Park is a 48-acre park on a half-mile of sandy Lake Michigan shore, with the Grand River at its north side where the river meets the lake. The Michigan DNR manages it. Downtown Grand Haven is within walking distance. ¹

What to see

The park is mostly beach sand. From it you can see the Grand Haven pier and two lighthouses on the pier along the park's northern boundary. ¹ The DNR also lists a designated swim beach, picnic areas, a beach house with restrooms and a boardwalk along the river that anglers use. ¹

Best seasons

The beach and pier are used in every open season. Swimming is in a buoyed area when the DNR has the buoys in. Those buoys are typically in from around Memorial Day through Labor Day; after they come out, the DNR no longer treats the water as a marked swim area. ¹² Winter ice on the pier is a photograph, not a forecast. Check the park page and the flag system before you walk out.

How to get there

The DNR address is 1001 S. Harbor Dr., Grand Haven, Michigan, 49417. ¹ A Recreation Passport is required for motor vehicles entering Michigan state parks. ³

Tips

• Read the beach flags before you go in the water. Green, yellow and red mark hazard; two red flags mean the water is closed. ²
• Do not swim near the pier or jump from it. The DNR says so on the park page. ¹
• There are no beach guards at state parks. ²
• For water-quality postings, EGLE's BeachGuard map is the place local health departments update. ⁴

Safety

Lake Michigan currents change through the day. This page does not report today's flags, waves or bacteria counts. Check the Grand Haven State Park page and the DNR beach safety page before you go. ¹²