P.J. Hoffmaster State Park

P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is a beautiful park with much to offer. It has picnicking areas, a nicely kept campground, beach, and a diverse set of hiking and skiing trails.

It is a state park, so you either need a sticker or need to purchase a day pass, but it is certainly worth it.

I have carried my kayak from the parking area down to the beach many times and it will make you pretty tired, but the staff told me that it is fine to launch from the beach outside of the swim areas. The whole shoreline in front of Hoffmaster is undeveloped, so the paddle is really nice on a calm day. There are three miles of beach available and the excess space makes this a more comfortable and roomier option when Grand Haven's beach is packed. Plus, if you want to do some walking, there are a few scenic overlooks that give you a great view of Lake Michigan.

My friends from Grand Rapids love to come out here to hike at P.J. Hoffmaster because of how extensive the trails are. If you drive into the park, you need to go all the way to the end of the main drive. This is not clearly expressed in the signage, but you will pass the Visitor's Center sign, picnic areas, and a sign for the park office. At the end of the drive is a loop and there are large, colorful signs for the ski trails and the hiking trails. The trails themselves feature meadowland, hills, old-style Michigan forests, beach areas, and hind-dune forests. Some of the trails are flat and easy while others are hilly and more difficult. The sign at the beginning of the trails has a key to tell which ones are which. I think there are more trails that begin when you first enter the park; check with park staff for more information.

The trails are kept clear, which made me feel like I was not really "in the wild," but sometimes it is pleasant to take a hike and not have to find your own path. The cedar forests are not like anything I have hiked before and the experience is definitely worth the trip if you do not live in the area.

Plus, I found this guy! I was hiking alone in the rain and did not see other hikers, so I left him to finish his path undisturbed, but I had to take a picture. My mascot: a creature that comes with its own backpack.