Hoffmaster State Park Campground, near Muskegon, Michigan, is a fantastic spot for families looking to enjoy the great outdoors. With its beautiful Lake Michigan beach just a short walk away, it’s a prime location for swimming, sunbathing, and building sandcastles.

The campground offers clean facilities, including well-maintained bathrooms and hot showers, which visitors appreciate after a day of hiking or beach activities. Many campers have noted the tree-covered sites that provide nice shade, although some mentioned that the sites are quite close together, so don’t expect a ton of privacy.

For those who love to explore, there are miles of trails nearby, perfect for hiking and enjoying the natural beauty of the area. The campground is also family-friendly, featuring a playground that keeps the kids entertained. As one camper put it, “Great Michigan life,” highlighting the overall vibe of the place.

If you need to stock up on supplies, grocery stores are conveniently located just a few miles away. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, Hoffmaster State Park Campground is a solid choice for a fun and relaxing camping experience.

Located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, Hoffmaster State Park is 1,200 acres of wooded sand dunes and 3 miles of sandy beach. The park is named for P.J. Hoffmaster, considered to be the founder of Michigan’s state parks system. Located just a few miles south of Muskegon, and 40 miles west of Grand Rapids, this park offers an outdoor reprieve where you can swing in your hammock under shady pine and hardwood forest, and enjoy pleasant lakeside strolls while peeping for migrating sparrows and hawks. One of the park’s must-do activities is climbing the winding wooden stairway to the Dunes Overlook for great views over the lake, and the fascinating dunes that have developed along the lakeshore. 

Open from April to October, the campground at Hoffmaster State Park offers nearly 300 wooded tent and RV campsites on either side of Little Black Creek. Sites are equipped with electrical hookups, picnic tables, and fire pits; restrooms and water faucets are located throughout the campground area. Sites can accommodate trailers and RVs up to 50 feet; a dump station is available near the campground entrance. A kids’ playground is located near the creek, between the two camp areas, and there are two trailheads for accessing the beach. There are also several picnic areas and a concession stand inside the park. Dogs are permitted in the campground area and on the trails, but must remain leashed; they are not permitted on the swim beaches. Campsite rates range from $25–$37/night.

If you need a break from sunning and swimming on the beaches at Hoffmaster, you can visit the Gillette Visitor Center. You can learn about the park’s sand dune ecosystem, see exhibits about the park’s flora and fauna, or attend a nature program about native birds, bugs or beasts. The center also offers guided, interpretive bird walks, dune hikes and night prowls. If you’re ready to strike out on your own, pick up a trail map and start roaming the park’s 5 miles of hiking trails. On the 1-mile Dune Overlook Trail you can climb 100 stairs into the park’s “quiet area” for a panoramic view over the dunes and Lake Michigan. Bring your birding guide with you, as the park is known for a wide variety of residential and migrant songbirds and raptors.

Hoffmaster State Park Campground

Looking for the best campgrounds near Norton Shores, MI? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Norton Shores and user-submitted reviews.

Norton Shores

The Best Camping Near Norton Shores, Michigan

Hoffmaster State Park is a great campground. Drawbacks for me, there are only 4 sites that are semi modern to choose from. So get in early or you'll get stuck with modern. There are a ton of trails which is great. But the longer the trail the less signs you will see, so take a map and plenty of water as you might be out longer than expected. I'd recommend this camp ground early in the season if you want privacy, otherwise it'll be packed and far less enjoyable! I prefer rustic sites so camping on top of other people doesn't appeal to me. 

Hoffmaster State Park

Good family friendly campsite. We always go with a larger group. Lots of creek access for the kids to play around in. Fairly crowded. Definitely not a place to"get away" because you will almost certainly have neighbors on all sides of you. Great place to get a lot of people together but be sure to reserve a few months in advance for the summer season! Beach is always fun and a fairly easy walk

Hoffmaster

Staying so close to the big lake(lake Michigan) is always great because you have a nice constant breeze to keep cool throughout the hot summer days!!   Swimming in the big lake is and always will be one of my favorite fresh water sources. Beautiful sunsets over the lake each and every evening! 


Hiking along the lakeshore

Great family campground - Paired with the area offers many options! 

With mostly modern sites situated in hardwoods, pines, or a mixture, we stayed in the hardwoods area; however, my kids would have enjoyed the pines better for it appeared to have hammock hanging at almost every site. Well-maintained and clean restrooms had soda vending machines. 

Children's play area with equipment and activity field, where several kites were hoisted high into the air, were great. Gillette Visitor Center in the State Park area about 1/4 mile away offers Explorer and interpretive programs Tuesday through Saturday, with topics ranging from nature history/preservation to information on wildlife. We enjoyed the spider and bear presentations most, but maybe that is because I have all boys! The campground beach, only a 5 - 10 minute walk from any site, was awesome! While there wasn't a lifeguard, I appreciated the "flag system" advising how safe the water is each day. Unfortunately, a red flag was flying on our visit, so we only waded at the water's edge- but - still cool to lay out on the sugar-like sand and walk its 3 mile length! I do regret not making it back to the beach for sunset as our camping neighbors RAVED about it the following morning! 

My favorite part of this campground was the trails. In addition to several trails within the campground (the one along the creek was especially loved!), many more can be accessed in the state park, which contains over ten miles of trails in its 1,200 acres. Trails to dunes, beach, and other parks as well as dune preserve: all well-marked and vary in difficulty, weaving through pine and hardwood forests nestled among dunes. Plus, the adjoining North Ottawa Dune Preserve offers an additional ten miles of trails! OMG - what a phenomenal place for a walk in the woods or trail running! One of our walks was up a 5-story staircase near the nature center, leading to an observation platform with expansive views of majestic dunes and Lake Michigan. I was impressed that a portion was barrier-free. 

Some family ventured into nearby towns of Muskegon, Spring Lake, and Grand Haven to experience what they had to offer: shops, museums, World War II boats, piers to walk, and several craft breweries - all 15 minutes away! Our dogs enjoyed the visit to the unleashed dog park at Coast Guard Park that is a ten-minute drive or a five-mile walk through the trails. 

Logistics to note: Campground sells ice - $2/7# bag and wood/$5.50 a bundle. We quickly realized that residences outside the park sold it at $5 for larger bundles. Area grocery stores include a Meijer superstore and Leppinks grocery. We preferred Leppinks for the quick trip and Meijer for items beyond groceries, such as that forgotten bathing suit or a propane tank for the grill. While we don't have a big rig, I did notice the backup of campers at the two campground dump stations Sunday before 1pm checkout. Being a state park, Hoffmaster requires vehicles have a recreation passport to enter ($11/year -residents and $32/year -non-residents or a daily rate of $9). No alcoholic beverages between April 15 and Labor Day. 

I talked to a ranger about coming back later this year, and he told me it is best to book months ahead for weekends because they fill up at the beginning of summer; however, cancellations are not uncommon, so watch the DNR site for openings. Weekdays usually have availability, especially the first half of the summer. He added that a great time to visit would be the weekend before Halloween as they encourage people to decorate their sites, wear costumes, and participate in trick or treating on Saturday night.

Woods & Water Wonderland!

This campground is nice and shady in terms of sites. Not enough hiking trails in my opinion and the beach is rapidly disappearing. Each year it's half the size of the year before. This year there was nearly no beach. Also, WAY to long and annoying of a walk down to the beach, making it a bit of pain in the butt than an enjoyable experience. We go every year in July.

Just ok. 

Had a great time. Ample camp space. Clean facilities. Only draw back was no real concessions at the beach. Had a broken vending machine. This was end of August.

Lovely park and beach

This is a beautiful campground, if you are traveling in the area and need a place to stay for a night or two or 10, please do not hesitate. This is a hidden gem!

This is stunning!

They have the best swimming area for small children. The river that runs through the campground comes out to Lake Michigan. There are dunes on one side and a flat sandy area on the other. We always swim with our kids in the warm river water at near where the river ends and the lake begins and have an amazing time. The campground itself is wonderful too. From a great play ground to a large field there are tons of things for the family to do together.

Perfect for families

Nice

Beach close, hiking trails, large spacious showers

Kid friendly

quiet, peaceful with extra room between sites. long hike to the beach but great for families who enjoy being active. restrooms were clean and playground was nice.

great

Kids play in large field

Great hiking trails, close to Lake Michigan

Great family park

Hoffmaster is an easy and family friendly place to camp. Site 31 and any along that path back up to a little creek and trail which was just perfect for the kids to play in. We also were not to long of a walk from the beach that had a fun hill for the kids to run up and down right next to a great spot were the creek meets lake Michigan. It's a busier campground than I usually like but it's an easy one to do with small kids. Nice bathrooms too!

Easy and Family Friendly

We had a great time here!  As with all Michigan DNR campgrounds you only get electricity. No full hookups but the camp sites are gorgeous!

Great Michigan State Park

Book early for outer edge sites with nice shade, well tended by staff, bathrooms typical for high volume, 1/2 mike walk to dunes/beach is perfect

For a busy campground, good access to lake MI, some less crowded sites

One of the best hiking spots in W MI. Campground well shaded. Short hike to beach and trails. Land and trails stretch the lakeshore down to Ferrysberg at Coast Guard Park. Name actually PJ Hoffmaster State Park. $25-37/night. DNR strictly enforce drinking and late night beach visits. 

Great hiking

This campground has a great layout and is one of the top Michigan campgrounds I have ever been to. The beach is sandy and clean. Bathrooms were great and staff was helpful. You can catch a beautiful sunset here.

We enjoyed taking our bikes here and riding around the campground. Grand Haven is a great place to enjoy for the day, visiting odd side ales, shops, and the water.

Great camping and perfect location for a West Michigan Vacation

This is one of the absolute best campsites in Michigan, in my opinion. With great access to dunes and Lake Michigan, stunning sunsets are just part of the charm. The restrooms are well kept and large enough that I didn't have to wait at any point, and there is ready access to some of Michigan's cutest towns with lots to do whether you want secluded hiking trails or to taste a flight at a local brewery.

I will say the sites on the inner circle of the loops can be a little crowded, they'd be perfect if you have a larger group looking to have a group campsite feel. If you want some space without children running through your camp, get sites on the outer ring. The sites on the "corners" of the loop are enormous!

Peaceful and idyllic

For our campsite not being ‘private’ it felt that way. We were there towards mid-late September and not too many people were there. Our campsite backed up to a creek which was nice for a little nature walk but also connected to trails leading you to the beach and dunes. It was perfect for a short little getaway! Very close to the beach!

Scenic Hikes! 

This campground is seasonal and is first come, first serve. They close up mid October. During the school season it is relatively easy to get a spot, September then is a great time to go as it tends to still be warm.

Beautiful with Lake Michigan sceneries 

Open, family friendly campground. Not a lot of privacy, beach closes at 10pm.

Family camping

Not my favorite State Park but it has lots of memories. We camp here every year with my wife’s extended family and it works well because we get about 10 sites and they are all open to each other (lots of sites crammed into a small space as is typical of Michigan State Parks). The beach for the camp ground is nice but often time boaters (who are not staying at the State Park) will park their boats off shore and add to the crowded beach. Also there is no dog beach for people with dogs. 

Extended Family Camping

It’s not too far of a walk from the beach side and it’s not located too far from town so if you needed anything it wouldn’t be a waste of gas. It’s spacious between other campground sites and very well secluded!

Very nice, clean and spacious! 

Good fun park. Some of the sites are on the small size. Had we not arrived early we would not of been able to get our 30’ trailer in our site. Also had concerns of poison ivy on our site. We had family staying that weekend too so we were able to spend our time at their much larger site. Overall was a fun park with a nice beach. Dump station moved quick which was nice. We happen to be camping same weekend as the vintage camper show so that was a great experience. 

Nice park 

We love Hoffmaster when going with the tin can tourist rally for the weekend but not our favorite for a family camping weekend. The beach is a long hike from campsites. Most campsites are small. The bathrooms are clean and well kept.  The sites we were on for a friends camping weekend were very dirty and dusty however when we went back this year I saw they did build them up and add some gravel. We enjoy biking around the campground and waking by the creek.  There is a playground area for kids.

Hoffmaster 

So much to do, you'll wish you had more time

Location, location, location 

Stayed at hoffmaster with a group of kids. There was plenty to do to keep the kids busy! The playground was up to date and walk to the beach was awesome. There is a campground host/volunteer who runs activities she is very nice. We will definitely stay there again!!

Camped here summer of 2014 and 2015 for a football camping trip. I did not arrange the reservation but assume they can accommodate very large groups. We had easily over 40 in attendance. Not a huge amount of amenities at our site but no major problems arose from this.

The state park nearby has a wonderful beach and a huge dune! We made a competition on how fast we could each climb to the top. It must have been a sight watching 40+ football players run down the dune. 

Our open space, rustic campsite was perfect and had the ability to create a fire large enough for the whole team with their large rings! 

Big big groups!

So much to do and great beach! Love this campground. 

Great location! 

Love this park for hiking, not as much so for camping. Always seem to be swamped with mosquitos no matter how much bug spray or citronella you use 

Buggy 

When we arrived we were a little overwhelmed with how small and close the sites were, but it actually was an amazing experience!  

They have very clean bathhouses, the staff is super helpful and friendly, there is a great fire pit, and the grounds are extremely well kept! 

There is a small beach walking distance from the site which is perfect for watching the sunset every night over the lake!  
Other reviews stated that it was “buggy” but we didn’t experience that.  Maybe it depends on the time of year? 

We would highly recommend this camp ground! We can’t wait to go back! 


Amazing camp ground! 

Very nice campground the wall to the beach was great and was able to view some beautiful sunsets. Big thing to remember for Michigan state parks is no alcohol even in the campground. 

Loved the campground lots to do

THIS IS A DRY CAMPGROUND during the summer.  We stay at this campground once a year with friends. Most of the sites are relatively small. There are some that can handle larger rigs.  The campground is very wooded and quiet.  There are multiple beaches, but you have to drive to get to them or you can walk about 1/2 a mile to the closest one.

Nice campground on Lake Michigan

We’ve camped at Hoffmaster State Park numerous times. Entering the park off of US 31? Don’t forget to stop at Whippy Dip! The campground offers hiking, biking and access to a great nature center. Campsites are just beautiful. Reservations can be made online.

Hoffmaster is a beautiful state park

Super pretty and so much fun! Would highly recommend!

So pretty

Hoffmaster State is a beautiful campground with great views and a very cool visitor center with a live animal exhibit featuring some of Michigan’s coolest native species! The campground is very large and is almost entirely covered by trees, providing great amounts of shade during the hottest parts of the year. Hoffmaster is a pretty clean campground featuring fire pits and picnic tables at most sites, however they do not have full hookup. The dump/fill station is clean and easy to maneuver. You do have to travel a little ways to get to the beach, but it is absolutely worth the travel once you arrive! Overall, Hoffmaster is a very cool state park campground that everyone should have on their list to visit! 

Great campground with great facilities!

This was my first camping trip solo and I lived the experience! The camping spots were nice and the amenities were great: bathroom, showers, fire pit, picnic table, trails, etc. It was a full campground and it can be a tad noisy depending on neighbors. I came mid-May and it was very cold at night. The beach is nearby and the sunsets are stunning. You can bike to Muskegon and enjoy museums, breweries, restaurants, farmers market, cheese shop, etc. 

Beautiful sand dunes 

We enjoyed our stay. Great shade in the campground with quick access to the beach. Shower house was cleaned each morning. 293 sites and the CG was full during our stay. 

Ludington SP is our favorite Lake Michigan destination but this one ranks up there as well. In our opinion it’s nicer than the CG at Holland SP. 

Very nice SP

Super spot to camp 🙂 clean , fairly spaced and laid out sites, with quite a few trees that give The illusion of seclusion. Nice fire ring and table. Showers are clean with hot water an good pressure. Each camp loop has one. Good play ground for kids, along with an activity field. A short stroll to an awesome beach with dunes. Would definitely recommend this camp ground. It is about 5 miles north of a great summer resort town in Grand Haven where any and all amenities are found.

West coast of the Midwest 

The campground is completely full this weekend, many people with campers and RVs, but it is still so peaceful and quiet!

Our view outside of our tent is gorgeous tall trees overlooking a creek area with no campsites behind us, only on each side and across the drive. 

Timeless in the Trees

PJ Hoffmaster is a modern campground with newer facilities. The bathroom/showers are very clean. Beach within 5-10min walk (dogs allowed on the beach but outside buoy area). Sites are nice but do not have pads. Many sites shallow and close to each other. Recommend trying to stick with larger sites at this location.

Very clean, close to beach

Campground with easy walk to lake MI. Beach very nice and very clean. Lots of kids at campground thus noise level during day is high. Nice playground.  Shower facilities very clean.  Campsites very close together with little privacy. Make sure to visit nature center and learn about dunes. Campsites 2-37 get loads of foot traffic as that is the main route to beach. If u are looking for a quieter camping experience avoid those sites. 

Nice family campground 

Nice campground but very tight to maneuver.  I have a 30ft class c and its hard to back in to the spots

Clean but small

A really nice campground. We stayed hier only for one night and hiked the dunes. 

Long walk on the beach

We stayed here for 3 nights shortly after Memorial Day. The campground is wooded and clean, the sites on the outside loops are well-spaced and the showers and bathrooms are clean. The beach is beautiful. We had a great time and highly recommend this park!

Beautiful beach!

Electric only. Nice shaded spot, 1/2 mile walk to the beach and Lake Michigan. Not ,much privacy between sites, but plenty of space. Close to showers which are clean and private. Rest rooms also clean. Can take a while to get checked in when busy.

PJ Hoffmaster

Sites are very close and is a typical campground outside of the beautiful trails and beach access. 

Beautiful Beach

I have camped here almost every summer since I met my wife in 2005. It’s a gem that has something for everyone. Miles of trails if you are into hiking. Excellent playground if you have little ones. Beautiful Lake Michigan beach, gorgeous dunes. Clean, modern bathhouses. Only gripes I have are the roads around the campground are in terrible shape, and the sites have zero grass, so dirt gets tracked everywhere. 

Family Favorite  

Great tree covered sites. Bathrooms nice. Site loops confusing, friends couldn’t find me. Very family friendly not for ppl that stay up past 10pm. 

Great Michigan life. 

Beach Beaches 

Not a bad place.  Pretty quiet, other than the usual occasional idiot. Decent sites.  ADA sites concrete, regular sites grass, sandy, or a combo of both.  Pretty average spacing for a state park, except when a doofus parks sideways in a back-in site.  (Wish the MI DNR would put a stop to that ). Typical MI state park sites, electric, fire ring and a picnic table.  Most sites shaded, completely to some.  Will return.

Any grocery shopping you'd want is within 2 to 5 miles. (Aldi, Meijer, Kroger) Fast food too, if you need it.

Verizon and T-Mobile service sucks here.  No park wifi.

Nice campground 

Family campground with beautiful Lake MI beach. Sites very close together with no privacy. Bathhouse clean;showers hot. Site 80 is listed as full shade but does get morning sun. 

Family campground on Lake Mi

The park is beautiful. Lovely nature trails and the Lake was incredible to see. Facilities are clean and the campground was quiet.

Clean facilities & breathtaking nature

We stayed Sunday, and Monday night of Labor Day weekend for the second time this year. This place is clean! The only negative of this place is that the water is not as clear compared to a little north &amp; south. I think it has something to do with the grand river being so close. The walk down &amp; back to the beach is pretty strenuous if you are not used to the dunes &amp; a hill. If you are elderly or not in shape you might go to the beach at an easier access point. Bathrooms &amp; showers are always very clean. They have a campground host that offers free coffee in the mornings &amp; tools you can barrow for your campsite. This is a great place for families. Well spaced sites. No alcohol allowed and pretty quiet after 11pm just the occasional person is awake. We had the site with the creek behind us so we sat our tent up facing the creek. Monday morning there was a lot of people leaving so we did get woke up pretty early w/ a lot of noise of people leaving from Labor Day but Monday night we had empty sites all around us &amp; it was very chill Tuesday morning. I was a little worried that the workers would say something to us bc we had not packed fully by 11 but we were able to finish our breakfast and pack up quickly without them saying anything to us. 

Photos of Hoffmaster State Park Campground

Real photos from real campers