Camp at Warren Dunes State Park

If you wish to enjoy Warren Dunes in peace and natural solitude, you'll arrive at the campground outside of the Summer season. You can make your reservationshere. Upon arrival you'll decide between the "modern" or "semi-modern" camping loops. The semi-modern loop provides vault toilets, water spigots, fire rings, and nothing else. After scouting out and choosing a site in the modern loop you'll find you have two electric outlets, fire ring (with NO grate on which to cook), picnic table and a wondrously comfortable foundation of packed sand on which to pitch your tent. You'll also find very well maintained modern restrooms and private, individual showers. If adventuring with family, the restroom facilities alone are worth the extra few dollars over the semi-modern loop, as the facilities in the rest of the state park are nothing short of abysmal.

A very short walk to the North end of the campground reveals the trailhead to the Mount Randall Loop trail (4 miles). Another short walk will lead you to one of the most unusual geographic features I've encountered. A narrow spit of sand reaches up through the trees roughly 250 feet in elevation in such a short distance that for most of the climb your nose will be almost as close to the sand as your toes. The climb is shockingly exhausting but upon reaching the peak, a panorama of the dunes and Lake Michigan awaits. Another deceptively long mile over multiple dunes and you're on the beach.

It cannot be stressed enough that having experienced Warren Dunes in October, I would never consider visiting in Summer. On the October Sunday of our arrival, perhaps 3/4 of the sites were occupied. The grounds were lively, children ran freely between sites, and it was vibrant but slightly crowded. Come noon on Monday there were no more than 10 occupied sites throughout the entire campground. It was stunningly peaceful for the remainder of the week.