Petoskey State Park

Nestled along the northern shore of Little Traverse Bay in Emmet County, Petoskey State Park packs a remarkable amount of natural beauty into its 303 acres. The park is best known for its stunning Lake Michigan beach, where visitors hunt for Petoskey stones — the fossilized coral that serves as Michigan’s official state stone. Few places offer a better chance of finding these distinctive hexagonal-patterned treasures than the shoreline here, especially after a good storm churns up the lake bottom.

Two well-maintained campgrounds anchor the park. The Tannery Creek campground sits in a wooded setting with modern amenities, while the Dunes campground places you closer to the beach with a more open feel. Both fill quickly during peak season, so reservations well in advance are essential for summer weekends.

Beyond beachcombing, the park offers a mile-long trail through a rare coastal dune ecosystem, where wildflowers dot the sandy ridges in spring and early summer. The Old Baldy Trail climbs to a panoramic overlook of Little Traverse Bay — one of the finest views in northern Lower Michigan. In winter, the trails convert to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing routes through snow-draped dunes.

The park sits just minutes from downtown Petoskey’s Gaslight District, making it easy to combine a day at the beach with shopping and dining. Visit between late June and mid-September for the warmest water, or come in early October when fall color transforms the surrounding hardwoods into a blazing canopy.