Saugatuck Dunes North Outer Loop is a 2.2 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Holland, Michigan that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
A day-use park along a secluded strip of Lake Michigan shoreline, Saugatuck Dunes State Park offers 1,000 acres of land with 2.5 miles of shore line. The Lake Michigan beach is a 0.6 mile hike from the picnic parking area. In addition, the park has fresh water coastal dunes that are over 200 feet tall. The park's terrain varies from steep slopes to rolling hills. The park, located in Allegan County, is relatively undeveloped. The land for Saugatuck Dunes was acquired in 1971 from the Augustinian Order, who used the buildings as a seminary. When the state took ownership, the structures were used as a prison and state police offices. The park's major attractions are the long sandy beaches and the 300-acre natural area, which contains a coastal dune system, as well as three endangered plant species. Nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and hikers are the predominant day users.
Large parking lot with lots of spots available on most days. Only on holidays is the lot full. But you can usually park on the grass when that happens. Also, there are 2 portable bathrooms next to the lot. Note: These are the only bathrooms at the park.
From Holland going south: Turn-by-Turn Directions 1: Turn right onto US-31 S (3.4 miles) 2: Keep straight onto I-196 S / US-31 S (3.3 miles) 3: At exit 41, take ramp right for CR-A2 toward Saugatuck / Douglas (0.4 miles) 4: Turn right onto Blue Star Hwy / CR-A2 (0.1 miles) 5: Turn right onto 64th St (1.1 miles) 6: Turn left onto 138th Ave (0.8 miles) 7: Bear right onto State Park Dr (0.0 miles) ARRIVE AT SAUGATUCK DUNES STATE PARK (0.0 miles) Total distance: 10.1 miles Total time: 12 minutes
January 24, 2021
January 23, 2021
January 23, 2021Little icy. Hiking poles are a good idea.
January 17, 2021January 17, 2021Super cool due to many different surroundings. Start in wooded area, great climb up a dune to an amazing view of Lake Michigan. Walk along the beach and end with a shorter trip back down to parking lot. It was very chilly/windy by the water, but pleasant in the woods.
January 13, 2021Lovely path surrounded by pines with many little side trails that eventually lead to a lovely view and walk on the shore of Lake Michigan. The sun shines and you can get out of the wind in some of the dunes and watch the waves roll in for hours. Would be a great place for a challenging run!
January 10, 2021Icy! We wore crampons and had no issues. Saw people walking with tennis shoes and they were slipping. No snow cover at beach.
January 6, 2021January 6, 2021great trail, plenty of loops, enough snow to make it fun and just a tad challenging as we got closer to the beach up the dunes.
January 5, 2021January 2, 2021Bring sleds in the winter!
December 13, 2020Mixture of woods and beach. The trail isn’t marked very well so make sure you look at the map ahead of time.
November 29, 2020November 26, 2020November 21, 2020November 8, 2020November 8, 2020Beautiful trail and perfect lake/dune access
November 8, 2020October 9, 2020October 3, 2020Tough, hilly, but lovely through the woods. Dunes are not my favorite, but they’re good training. Cool day. Blue Lake Michigan with storm clouds on the horizon.
September 27, 2020Fun hike. Some elevation changes in soft sand (hint: find other hiker’s footprints to step in - makes it so much easier to ascend). Beautiful (small) beach. Trails weren’t too crowded.
September 26, 2020September 26, 2020Nice hike through the forest. Lots of sand so you’ll get the heart rate up. Views at the end are quite nice and the beach is popular but clean.
September 20, 2020Outer loop of the trail is moderate, not easy. Walking uphill in sand is not easy. Also wasn't well marked on the sand/dunes portion.
September 12, 2020September 6, 2020September 1, 2020September 1, 2020August 28, 2020
