Laketown Beach — Attraction in Laketown Township

Sadly someone had my past review removed yet it was truthful. I have been a Michigan resident for a few years now. My mom sister and nephew came up about two years ago from Kentucky for a visit. It was in July. We tried to get into Ottawa Beach in nearby Holland but parking was full and it was packed to the gill so we came here. After driving all the way there and packing all are stuff down the stairs and through the hot sand we set up on the beach (the public part mind you. A sign clearly identified the public side from the private.) Well within about a hour a lady from the private property next door (she owns it evidently) comes walking up beach and taking pictures and complaining about people on her side. I did indeed see some people on her side but my family was not one of them although they were close to the property line but clearly on the public side and not across it. Well she proceeds to call cops and they show up. Not only did the cop ask people to leave her side (which was private property) but the cop also comes over to the public side and tells some of the people including my family they have to leave to as well and then he tell boaters in the water near her property they also have to leave. This lady dont own the water or actual lake itself and this cop had no legal right to ask the boaters in the water and people on public side to leave. I have 4 witnesses who can confirm this anytime (one left a brief review about this experience on here actually) plus other people on the public side witnessed it happening to. My family and i left but before pulling out from the parking lot i personally witnessed several that were on the public side which he had no right to ask to leave returning after he had left. As far as the people that were on her side which i also did see, well they were just on the edge of the water not really hurting a thing. They were a long distance from her home and not on the dunes belonging to her. Just barely on the sand from the waters edge. This lady is very fortunate to have the wealth to own lakeside property she could be a little kinder to the little folks just out with their kids and family enjoying the lake. One thing she and this officer should keep in mind is that lake Michigan is for all to enjoy not just for the wealthy. It is my belief that she may have personally knew this officer. She needs to count her blessings that she is able to afford such property and that officer clearly needs retrained on the difference between public and private property. I know my family was not on her side and mine was not the only ones from the public side he ask to leave. I really wish i would have got his name and badge number but insulted and shocked I did not think to at that moment however i did call the police department and complain the next day. Let us not forget tourists bring in the state of Michigan money and also help local businesses. My personal feeling is that she may know elected folks in the township personally and maybe even the cop himself and i think that maybe some of them flagged my former post and had it removed due to it being an embarrassment to them. But this did happen and she and the cop absolutely ruined not only our day but part of our vacation. She and he also painted a bad image of Michiganders to my family. Sadly they left with a bad impression of them. I do however know most are not like these two though and are indeed nice and most cops do...

It pains me to write a four star review of this beach, but I just want to make sure people understand:

Access: The walk to the beach is very difficult. The walk back from the beach to the parking area is five times as hard and physically taxing. People with VERY MINIMAL LIMITS to their mobility SHOULD NOT TRY to access this beach. The path to the beach will require you to navigate up sand-covered stairs, up a sandy dune, then down a moderately sloped sand dune. I watched a lady with a child struggle because yes, sand is hot and it's not an easy walk/stumble down. The walk back up (then down) is a series of long wooden staircases. At some point the dune has overcome the stairs and you're walking on drifting sand dunes that have overtaken the wooden stairs. The descent back down the stairs is also tricky and you have to gingerly navigate the stairs. The high school kids we had with us loved the challenge of all of this - awesome adventure. The parents had to stop for breaks a few times during the walk back. There were no grandparents on this beach

Beauty: The draw of the beach is the utterly beautiful dunes, wonderful sand and perfect lake. The water is shallow and easy to enjoy with kids. Really, it's idyllic Lake Michigan. My overwhelming feeling on the walk back up was... "wow... this is amazing - I love Michigan.... could any view be more perfect?"

Caveat: This is not a state park. There are some port-a-potties near the entrance. There is no footwash, no playground, nothing except what nature has provided - and that's part of the draw. You're there for the beach and the dunes and the lake. It is truly beautiful.

Parking: There was limited parking at the staircase entrance to the dunes, and people were parked all along the road on both sides leading to...

I am physically fit. I can hike 10 miles no problem. But the hike back up this dune was intense. THERE ARE NO STEPS BACK UP!! There are reviews mentioning steps but the steps are GONE. It's just a straight hike back up similar to the dune climb at Sleeping Bear. Add 95 degree heat and scorching sand that will blister your feet with socks on and you probably won't come back. There is a rope you can pull yourself up with. The water was green and filled with algae. There are also illegal signs from neighboring property owners saying "private beach" and to stay out. There are no private beaches on the Great Lakes. You can walk any shoreline up to the ordinary high water mark (where the greenery begins). Look up Great Lakes Riparian Rights. The shores are owned by the people of Michigan. You don't have to be crammed together on that tiny spit of sand. Just an FYI if you still want to visit and struggle up that dune.

It is very beautiful though. Gorgeous spot on...