Duck Lake State Park

Tranquil Escape at Duck Lake

Duck Lake State Park offers a serene escape into nature that captivates visitors with its tranquil ambiance and diverse outdoor activities. Nestled in the heart of Michigan, this park boasts stunning vistas of Duck Lake and Lake Michigan, creating a picturesque backdrop for exploration. The well-maintained trails wind through lush forests, guiding hikers and nature enthusiasts to breathtaking viewpoints. The sandy shores of Lake Michigan provide a serene spot for relaxation or beachcombing.

The park's greatest draw lies in its vibrant ecosystem, which offers opportunities for birdwatching, fishing, and wildlife observation. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a novice adventurer, the fishing options are abundant, ensuring a satisfying experience for all. Families can enjoy picnicking areas and playgrounds, making it an ideal destination for a day trip or a weekend getaway.

While the park's facilities and amenities are generally well-kept, some visitors might find the restroom facilities in need of more frequent maintenance. Overall, Duck Lake State Park is a hidden gem that offers a refreshing escape from urban life, where the harmonious blend of landscapes and recreational options create an inviting haven for nature lovers of all ages.

The best beach!
You can swim in the big lake or Duck Lake, the channel between is perfect for kids to play, and the dunes are amazing.
If you're into rocks, you might get lucky like me and find fossils and Petoskey stones on almost every trip!
The bathrooms are simple but convenient.

It's a great State park. Beaches on both Lake Michigan and Duck Lake. Lots of parking on both. Trails and picnic areas.

A great Lake Michigan beach with roadside parking that allows you to watch the sunsets year round while in your car. Also at night, being far away from Muskegon makes it a great place for stargazing

Beautiful little state park. The trails are gorgeous and lined with wild blueberries and Wintergreen. The beach is sheltered from the big lake's wind and offers excellent parking and boat use. If you need to use Lake Michigan though be careful crossing the road. They have a nice pavilion and inland beach on Duck Lake itself which is clean and sandy. Lots of grills available around the Pavilion and the area is clean with modern restrooms and changing facilities for the lake beach.

Such a great park area to access Lake Michigan. It was clean and the beach goers were all nice. This was noncrowded when we went, but it was on a week day. There is also a little branch off that is shallow for the Littles. Oh, and there are public use life jackets located on the beach as well.

Wow what a hidden Gem. Hidden away between Muskegon and Whitehall. You pull into a nice ordinary park. Then there is a nice boardwalk path that leads to a beach area along side a Duck Lake. A very nice view in itself. Then the boardwalk travels on, then goes under a bridge and next to a sand dune, then Bam! The lake and path funnel into Lake Michigan and the path onto an amazing beach. I had no idea this beautiful public beach was here. The views are outstanding and the sand is pristine. We took the dog, yes on a leash, for a walk of the beach and had a great time.

Overall an easy 5 star review. Would I return? Absolutely! A must stop.

This place was great. It was neat how you have the lake and then a little tributaria that goes under the bridge and then out to the Lake. Michigan blue water in Lake Michigan was freezing but when you walk over to the little tributary heading back towards Duck Lake it felt like a hot tub so it was a great experience

Beautiful park, very well maintained with calm water on the east side of the bridge, and good Ole Lake Michigan on the West side of the bridge! Plenty of bathrooms

My family used to visit Duck Lake every summer growing up, and now as an adult I always make a point to stop out a few times each year. The beach and dunes stretch along the coast as far as you can see, with plenty of spots to set up for the day, whether it be towels on the beach or hammocks up in the dunes. Every year the beach on the Lake Michigan side changes, so it's always a cool little surprise to see what the beach is like after the snow melts.
On busy days the parking lot fills quick and often times people park along the road, so be prepared for that.

Boat launch, picnic area, and beach are always well maintained, very much recommended.

Wonderful park has it all! Beach on Lake Michigan and Two on Duck Lake. Launch your boat into Duck Lake. Hike in the summer, hunt in the fall, fish year round. This park is phenomenal.

Love this place. Shallow areas for kids warm water with a beautiful lake Michigan beach with amazing sunset views .

One of my favorite state parks. We always walk the trail circuit and the dogs love it. The trail is well marked and wide, but since it's not paved you're still in nature.

We camped at Muskegon State Park just down the road. Some locals recommended Duck Lake for some nice hiking. They were so right. Wish we had brought our bicycles. Nice well maintained trails and the leaves are starting to change.

This place had a great kids swimming area. The water was shallow and much warmer and there was shade. I didn’t see a life guard but it was a small area with lots of parents and kids with floaties. This was marked area 1 on the map. It’s busy in my pics because of the 4th of july weekend.

Very pretty with cool dunes and a boardwalk

We absolutely love coming here! It's great for the kids because there's a shallow area where Duck Lake connects to Lake Michigan. Cool dunes too!

Didn't really hike in the park, enjoyed the beach view outside and loved the views here.

I found a part of Duck Lake I'd never seen before! When you enter the park, follow the drive all the way back to the picnic area. There's a fabulous shaded area with charcoal grills and a beach. There's even an actual bathroom! It was lovely.

I absolutely love this place.
Always fun .
Never over crowded.
But you must be careful because waves can be extremely high at times .
But at the end of the day my family loves it there.