Ludington State Park is incredible, so I guess it makes sense that it would be packed with campers. We got one of the few sites left, in Pines, for our first visit last week and arrived to find campers squeezed in like sardines. Our site was a patch between a huge RV and a little pop up camper with all the bells and whistles, on a corner near a restroom. It was a far cry from the remote areas we’ve enjoyed at other parks and we were at first a little dismayed by lack of privacy and the traffic — people walking dogs, kids on bikes, etc etc. But everyone was friendly and well behaved— no blaring music or rude teens, just the bustle of families.

We did find the rules were rather loosely enforced— we encountered a few bikes on the trails, dogs off leash, kids out past 10, etc.— but no one really causing any trouble so our impression was people know they can bend a little but they don’t push it.

The bathrooms were fine, electrical service worked great, and the trails were immaculate and well maintained— steps, handrails, etc.

There was no cell service in Pines though we did get a couple of bars on the beach, so that’s something to consider.

We were able to walk to the lighthouse, but didn’t— we got about halfway and decided to walk to the beach instead. It was beautiful, sandy and nice for kids to swim. We were not expecting the lavish bathhouse, with nature displays, board games, benches for beach viewing, etc.

We checked out several of the other trails— all accessible on foot from Pines campground.