Hoffmaster State Park campground + camper’s beach! Camping near Lake Michigan 🌳 Michigan travel blog

Hi there!

 

So you’re planning a camping trip to Michigan!

What’s a perfect way to spend your time in Michigan?!

Camping near Lake Michigan!

PJ Hoffmaster State Park is one of the many state parks in Michigan in which you will be camping near Lake Michigan.

I went camping at Hoffmaster State Park, and below are some pictures, reasons you might like camping here, and things you need to know about the Hoffmaster State Park campground!

 

 

 

First, some quick things to know about the PJ Hoffmaster State Park campground.

Then, a bit on how to make camping reservations.

 

 

Things to know about camping at PJ Hoffmaster State Park

 

 

1. Hoffmaster State Park is a Michigan state park that’s located along Lake Michigan.

Explore the map.

 

 

2. There is a camper’s beach.

A trip to the camper’s beach means a trip to Lake Michigan!

 

 

Lake Michigan water levels were said to be high in 2020, and that means less of a sandy shoreline.

 

 

3. There’s a trail to the camper’s beach directly from the campground.

The Hoffmaster State Park campground is kind of big, so depending on the location of your campsite, it’s possible that it could take 10-15 minutes to walk to the beach. There are many people who bike to the campers beach from their campsite. Or at least, most of the way! The trail becomes a sandy trail that’s not suitable for biking.

I went camping at Hoffmaster State Park in July 2020. At that time, the “original” camper’s beach was blocked off due to erosion. Instead, there’s another small beach area down the shoreline that’s the “new” camper’s beach. At least for 2020… and possibly 2021!

 

 

You’ll find a portable toilet along the way so you won’t have to go all the way back to the campground to use the bathroom.

 

 

 

4. There are no lifeguards at camper’s beach, or at any of the beaches in Hoffmaster State Park.

 

Lake Michigan is a big lake, and it can act like an ocean in many ways, so take care!

 

 

 

5. You can watch a Lake Michigan sunset from the camper’s beach!

 

 

6. As you drive into the campground, you’ll see a sign for the water temperature at Lake Michigan and camper’s beach.

👆 On this July 2020 day, Lake Michigan water temperature was in the low 70s at Hoffmaster State Park.

 

 

7. There is a playground at the campground.

 

 

8. There is tent camping and RV camping at Hoffmaster State Park.

 

 

9. The Hoffmaster State Park campground is a “modern” campground.

As opposed to a “rustic” campground.

 

 

10. There are regular bathrooms along with hot water showers.

 

 

11. You can get electricity at your campsite.

 

 

12. There are faucets around the campground for drinking water.

 

 

13. You can buy firewood at the campground.

To prevent the spread of invasive species, it’s always best to buy your firewood locally. Bring cash!

 

 

 

14. You can buy ice at the campground.

This is located at the campground office.

 

 

 

15. There’s a garbage dumpster for campers.

Leave your campsite free of trash the way you’d like to start your camping trip!

 

 

 

16. There’s an RV dump station.

 

 

17. The other main areas of Hoffmaster State Park are about a 5 minute drive from the campground.

One area is the Gillette Visitor Center and Dune Climb Stairway.

 

 

Also from the Gillette Visitor Center, you can walk a hiking trail for 15 minutes to another Lake Michigan beach.

 

 

A couple minutes drive away from that is the main Hoffmaster State Park beach area, which is the day use area. This is where to go if you want to basically drive to the beach without walking 10-15 minutes. There’s a short beach path to get to the beach, and it’ll likely be the most crowded beach in Hoffmaster State Park. This is also the main day use area of the park.

 

 

 

18. There are a number of hiking trails in Hoffmaster State Park.

Aside from the Dune Climb Stairway and the trail to Lake Michigan from the Gillette Visitor Center, there are hiking trails of dune loop trails that go throughout the park.

The 2 main named hiking trails are the Walk-a-mile Trail 👇 and the Homestead Trail. These can both be a hike to Lake Michigan and sand dunes.

 

 

You can pick up a map of Hoffmaster State Park (that includes the hiking trails) when you check in for your campsite. The campground is on the north side of the park.

 

 

Or you can print off this Hoffmaster State Park map (pdf) from Michigan State Parks.

 

 

19. Summer days are long!

 

In June and July, there are days where sunrise is just past 6am and the sunset isn’t until nearly 9:30pm in Muskegon MI, the nearest “big city” to Hoffmaster State Park.

That means time for lots of outdoor activities!

 

 

Read the reviews of the Hoffmaster State Park campground.

 

 

🌳

 

 

 

Now…

How to make Hoffmaster State Park camping reservations

 

This is the official website for making Michigan State Parks DNR camping reservations.

You can choose Hoffmaster State Park, and then go from there. 

You’ll be able to find an updated campground map too that shows current availability of individual campsites for your dates. This can give you an indication of how soon you may want to book.

If you click on an individual campsite, it will also give you notes about that campsite.

 

 

 

Cost of camping at Hoffmaster State Park campground

 

In 2021, the cost of camping at Hoffmaster State Park is around $33 per night. There is an additional reservation fee. See here for updated camping fees.

Also, as a Michigan state park, a Michigan recreation passport is required for entry.

If you’re a Michigan resident, hopefully you already have the annual recreation passport, in which case there’s no additional fee.

If you don’t have the recreation passport, or you’re from out of state, for Michigan residents the annual pass is around $17 when purchased at a state park and for out-of-state residents it’s around $34. See current fees here.

 

 

Checking in to your campsite

 

Then, once you arrive at Hoffmaster State Park, you’ll stop by the campground office to check in and get your camping permit!

 

 

Then off you go to find your campsite!

 

 

 

And finally… not to be THAT person… but I will totally be that person right now…

Don’t forget to look around before you leave to make sure you “leave no trace” at the beach!

You probably don’t want to arrive at Lake Michigan to find someone else’s trash. So take care to make sure someone else’s Lake Michigan experience won’t be downgraded by YOUR trash!

 

👆 Not very sightly…

 

And that’s a bit about camping at Hoffmaster State Park!

 

While you’re in the neighborhood, you can also see about visiting Muskegon State Park that’s another Michigan state park that’s located along Lake Michigan. You can also see about camping at the Lake Michigan campground here. This is about a 30 minute drive from Hoffmaster State Park.

And if you want to break up your drive on your way back down south along Lake Michigan, then the South Haven beach town is 1 hour south of Hoffmaster State Park.

Looking for more camping near the Great Lakes?

You can also make it a Lake Superior camping trip in Michigan.

Or you can make it a greater Upper Peninsula camping trip in Michigan.

 

HAPPY CAMPING AT HOFFMASTER STATE PARK!