Tucked away along the shores of Lake Michigan, Fisherman's Island State Park is the kind of place you want to keep secret. Not because there's anything wrong with it, but because the setting is so unspoiled, you worry that even the slightest alteration might take away the magic. Think miles of undeveloped beaches, long sunsets, and waterfront campsites with only the bare essentials.
For geology buffs, Fisherman's Island State Park provides hours of entertainment. Particularly during the fall months,
the beaches hold the promise of hidden Petoskey and Charlevoix stones. These fragments of fossilized coral are over 350 million years old and frequently wash up on the shores around Charlevoix. Fortunately, Fisherman's Island is only 10 minutes from downtown Charlevoix, an underrated Michigan beach town situated between three lakes. Yet you'll experience a feeling of complete privacy. Located in the far north of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, the park is about three hours from Grand Rapids.
If you're craving a taste of civilization — or don't want to fire up the camp stove — pop over to the restaurants and manicured boutique windows lining Charlevoix's waterfront downtown. During the non-winter months, the stretch comes alive with weekly farmers markets, street sales, and outdoor yoga, while the food scene offers everything from upscale taprooms to American grills and laid-back delis.
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Camping At Fisherman's Island State Park
During the summer months, especially on a weekend, you'll be hard-pressed to reserve a waterfront campsite at the state park. But, if you can plan ahead, securing a lakefront site via the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website is absolutely worth it. Even if you don't manage to snag a site along the shore, the walk to the beach from any of the campsites is quite short.
As the name implies, Fisherman's Island Rustic Campground is primitive by design. You won't have access to electricity, flush toilets (only vault toilets are provided), or showers, and water comes from a hand-pumped tap. However, the lack of amenities allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the backwoods setting, from the sites tucked away in the maple-covered dunes to those closer to the water. The 80 spaces are designed for small campers and tents, but there are several pull-through sites that could accommodate a compact RV.
The northern section has 11 highly sought-after waterfront sites and 23 other spots that are still quite close to the water. The southern section of the camping area is about a half-mile walk to the beach, and some of the sites don't feel as spacious or private as those found at the northern campground. Regardless of location, you'll need to secure all your food and garbage before going to bed. Otherwise, the local raccoons will have a messy party with your leftovers. The mosquitoes here can also get aggressive, so pack extra bug repellent and try this TikToker's simple hack for mosquito-free camping.
The Best Times To Visit Fisherman's Island State Park
Fisherman's Island State Park is open year-round, but the best time for camping is during the summer and early fall months when the weather is warm. However, the winter months bring opportunities for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing or nippy hikes along the 6-mile shoreline.
If you visit during the warmer months and plan to rock hound — a term hobbyists use for searching and collecting interesting rocks and fossils — along the shore, consider packing water shoes. There's a nice, sandy section, but most of the beach is quite rocky. Sturdy hiking sandals, like your typical Chaco outdoor sandal, would also do the job.
Finally, when the water levels get low, Fisherman's Island itself (a small islet just offshore from the park) turns into a peninsula. You can't camp on the island, but it's possible to walk or paddle out to it, depending on the time of year. If you decide to swim to the island, make sure someone on land has eyes on you the entire time in case you run into trouble. For another camping trip with great rock hounding, check out Lake Michigan's Petoskey State Park, a Northwoods gem of empty beaches, scenic trails, and calm sand dunes.
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Read the original article on Islands.
