Hike the Silver Lake Sand Dunes

This is a very simple day hike from the Silver Lake State Park to Little Sable Point Lighthouse, about 4 miles total over sand dunes and along the Lake Michigan coast.

Start off at the State Park entrance on North Shore Road in Mears, MI. You can park inside the park or simply around town. From there, climb the flight of stairs at the park to the top of the first dune, from the top you will be able to see both Silver Lake to the South and Lake Michigan to the West. Start hiking the dunes. Following the ridges will be easier but who doesn't want to roll down a sand dune every once in a while? From there, hike about 1.5 miles to the Lake Michigan coast, taking you from the high dunes to the sandy forest as you get closer to the water.

Once you make it to the coast, begin hiking south for about 2.5 miles to the Little Sable Point Lighthouse, a simple hike entirely on the shore (I recommend a sandal with a bit of support for the hike, barefoot also works perfectly). Stop at any point along the hike for lunch or a snack, there's no need to rush unless you're planning on seeing the sunset at the lighthouse. After arriving at the lighthouse, you can stick around for the sunset over Lake Michigan or head back into town - Mears is quite small and the distance seems shorter than it is. Dine in town or head straight back to your car to finish off the day.