Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park sits on the east arm of Grand Traverse Bay, about two miles from downtown Traverse City. The Michigan DNR calls it a 75-acre urban park with a modern campground and a day-use beach across U.S. 31. 1

What to see

The day-use area has a quarter-mile of sandy shore, a buoyed swim area, a beach house and a picnic area. The DNR asks people to use the pedestrian crossing when they walk from the campground to the beach. Fishing is popular at the mouth of Mitchell Creek. 1

The 10.5-mile TART Trail runs parallel to the park, a paved urban path between Acme Township and Traverse City. It links to the Leelanau Trail, another 17 miles of pavement toward Suttons Bay. 1

North of town, Old Mission Peninsula splits Grand Traverse Bay. Old Mission State Park sits on the 45th parallel at the tip: the DNR puts it at 40 acres of forest and former orchards with several miles of trail, managed by Peninsula Township under a DNR lease. It is adjacent to Mission Point Lighthouse Park. 2

The Coast Guard history page dates Mission Point Light to 1870, a white wooden square tower on the keeper's dwelling, and says the station was deactivated in 1933. The page also notes the light sits on the 45th parallel. 3 Peninsula Township lists hiking and walking trails, ungroomed cross-country skiing, a swimming area and the historic lighthouse at Lighthouse Park. 4 Whether the tower is open for a climb belongs on the township's lighthouse page.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is the national lakeshore west of town. 6

Best seasons

Summer is the beach and trail season the DNR writes for. 1 The township lists Lighthouse Park as a year-round park, with ungroomed ski trails in winter. 4 This page does not name a cherry-harvest week or a wine-trail calendar.

How to get there

The DNR address for Traverse City State Park is 1132 US-31 N, Traverse City, Michigan, 49686. 1 Mission Point Lighthouse Park is at the north end of Center Road (M-37) on the peninsula. 4

Tips

  • The campground and the beach sit on opposite sides of U.S. 31. Use the pedestrian crossing the DNR marks. 1
  • Old Mission State Park and the lighthouse park are next to each other at the tip. 24
  • We do not have a Traverse City listing in the shop. The nearby place we print is Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Safety

Grand Traverse Bay currents and the highway crossing are the hazards the DNR names at the state park. This page does not report today's flags. Check the Traverse City State Park page, the Peninsula Township parks page and the DNR beach safety page before you go. 145