Esch Beach — Attraction in Lake Township

Awesome spot for everything!! Beach was very clean and free of debris. Plenty of hiking trails all around. Like birds? Then a short walk down the Beach while studying the tree line will reveal many different species of birds including Bald Eagles and many other birds of prey. Want to find Petoskey stones? If you look there are plenty to be found, in fact I’ve walked many beaches along Lake Michigan looking for these stones and by just volume this Beach has to be one of the best locations to find one. Not that I’m suggesting this but if you had the time and good at finding them you could easily fill a small bucket. Personally I would strongly discourage against this so that way future generations get to share the same joy in finding this unique Michigan treasure as we did. With that said most of the stones I came across weren’t the best cosmetic looking stones but they can be filed down and polished to look the same as any other. My only complaint and the reason for my 4 stars is since it’s considered part of the Sleeping Bear National forest and it costs to park here it should have a much better parking conditions then it currently has. I can only imagine that during the summer months parking being a nightmare here. All in all this is a must place to visit and spent a...

One of the best, off the beaten path, beaches in the area. Parking can be limited at times, so expect a short walk during peak season. The north side of the beach is pet friendly. The south side of the beach, and trails, are restricted for pets, and the park service does enforce this (speaking from experience). This is a wonderful, family friendly beach with clear water, and a shallow creek to the south. The beach can sometimes be rocky just offshore, but is clear enough to make for some interesting snorkeling or rock hunting. The extreme southern end has been unofficially considered “clothing optional”, though encounters of that sort are...

Great beach. Has a bit of a history being "clothing optional"... but really only if you go to the southern part, about a 1/3 mile down from the river outlet. It still has a bit of that vibe going on from time to time so heads up on that.

The park service usually has a sign at the entrance to the beach informing visitors to keep their swimsuits on. Most do, but don’t be surprised if you hike down the beach a quarter mile or so and see people getting a tan or enjoying the swim au’ naturel. Not all the time, but just be warned.

Anyway, the beach can be hit or miss as far as the sand to rock ratio, just depends on the type of winter we...