P.J. Hoffmaster State Park: Trip and Activity Guide
P.J. Hoffmaster State Park
If your planning your next family camping trip to Lake Michigan, add PJ Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon to the list. This beautiful park is one the whole family will enjoy! Kids and adults will love climbing the dunes, splashing in Lake Michigan, and exploring miles of trails. Hoffmaster State Park is situated in the woods, tucked between forested dunes with Black Creek running through the middle. This park boasts three miles of soft, sink your toes in sand along Lake Michigan.
Muskegon has tons of activities and attractions nearby to keep everyone happy, including the Gillette Visitor Center, Muskegon Luge Sport Adventure Park, and a submarine museum.
Campground Sites:
The campground has over 297 modern sites. We appreciated the large well shaded spaces with mature trees, a picnic table and a fire ring. Some ideal sites sit along the Black Creek for a relaxing view. We camped with friends and opted for sites that backed up to steep forested dune inclines, site 100 & 102. This hill feature occupied our children for hours, climbing the steep hill to the top and building forts amongst the trees.
Amenities:
A shaded modern playground is located near Black Creek trail between the campground loops. Ample and clean bathroom facilities, dump station and garbages are located at the park. Although the camp office only has fire wood and ice, Meijer is conveniently located 8 minutes away.
Beaches:
The campers beach is for campers use only, we often had the beach to ourselves due to the rainy weather. The state park has over three miles of lakeshore with the softest sugar sand and numerous dunes to climb. Due to the lengthy (1/4mile) hike to the beach, we rode our bikes over halfway to the beach and then walked the remaining way due to the sand. Another path to the beach we enjoyed was taking the Black Creek Trail for a scenic and shaded walk along the creek to the campers beach. Our favorite spot was where Black Creek emptied into Lake Michigan, the creek water was warmer and it created a unique place to play. If you’re lucky enough to have clear skies, Hoffmaster is well known for it’s stunning sunsets!
The day use beach is open to the public and has a parking lot, changing rooms, restrooms and is the larger of the two beaches.
*Pets need to be on a 6 foot leash and are not allowed at the designated area for beach swimming. Area kennels, like Dog Star Ranch, can board your dog for the day or weekend.
Trails:
There are over 10 miles of trails throughout the state park. The forested sand dunes create diverse terrain. Many of the trails have benches placed along the paths and lead to scenic beach overlooks. During our stay we hiked the following trails.
Homestead Trail (2.2mi) The trail loop takes you through wooded dunes and a small stretch along the beach.
Walk-a-Mile Trail (1.7mi) (Moderate hike through forested dunes and down to the beach.)
Black Creek Trail (The trail runs along black creek and ends at the top of the dune with a stunning view of Lake Michigan.)
Dune Climb Stairway Overlook & Lake Michigan Trail (The trailhead starts at the visitors center. The beginning of the path is handicap accessible until you reach the 193 wooden step stairclimb. The remaining trail is a moderate hike through different terrain from wooded path, dunes and along the beach. The trail can connect to other trails )
Gillette Visitor Center:
Located within the park, the visitor center features exhibits on sand dune formation as well as a view of several live reptiles and fish. It is also the trailhead to the Dunes Overlook Climb and Lake Michigan Trail. The start of the trail, the Sandy McBeath Trail, is an ADA accessible trail for all visitors until you reach Dune Climb Stairway.
Nearby Restaurants and Attractions:
The Deck: A family- friendly beach style restaurant with delicious food and fun atmosphere.
Rad Dad’s Tacos and Tequilas: Best food and drinks the whole family will love!
Getty 4 Drive In Movie: Get all the nostalgic feels this summer as you head over to the drive in movie. There are ton of movie options with 4 screens, a playground and refreshments.
Pere Marquette Beach: A sandy beach with a playground, lighthouse, and restaurant.
Muskegon Downtown Library: A unique building with a glass floor upstairs and a children’s area.
Michigan Adventure: Visit the nearby amusement and water park.
Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park: If you feel daring enough, race down a 850 ft track at speeds up to 30mph.
USS Silversides Submarine Museum: Visit the submarine museum to learn about the history of Pearl Harbor and the role and mechanics of submarines. Climb aboard and tour the USS Silversides Submarine and the US Coastguard Cutter McClane to view first hand what life was like living on a submarine and ship.
CONS: I always try to be honest and include both the Pros and Cons to each state park, but Hoffmaster doesn’t have many cons.
Depending on when you camp, the wooded area may have a lot of mosquitoes so bring bug spray. We had no issues when we went in late June.
Hoffmaster is a dry campground, no alcohol. The rangers can be strict on noise and quiet hours.
The campground is spread out with a longer walk to the camper’s beach. You could opt to drive and use the day use beach if it’s an issue. I recommend bringing bikes with a bike trailer, wagon or off terrain stroller. Our family chose to limit the amount of stuff we brought to the beach like toys, chairs etc. A fun, no props needed activity children will love is making drip castles. We also enjoy hiking so every time we went to beach it was an adventure.
Oops *Takeaway Lesson
Unfortunately I learned the hard way not to leave any food in my hiking backpack. I left my pack out to air dry while we headed inside during a downpour. Some savage squirrels chewed and tore my pack apart in the middle of the day.
I have since purchased a new day pack, Teton Sport Oasis Day Pack, that I highly recommend and can be found here on Amazon. It is lightweight, durable and has multiple pockets for all the essentials.
Hoffmaster has been added to our list of favorite state parks and you should definitely add it to yours. Despite having rainy weather all 4 days, we had a memorable time and squeezed as much exploration in between rain showers. Reservations can be made 6 months in advance at Michigan State Parks Reservation.
With a plethora of outdoor activities and the beauty of the Great Lakes, it’s sure to be a memorable experience. As you plan your vacation to this beautiful destination in Michigan make sure to Pin and Save for later. Follow Discovering Anew for more campground reviews and Michigan adventures. We’re constantly producing new content and trip reviews to help make planning your next trip easier.
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