Pilgrim Haven Natural Area — Attraction in South Haven Charter Township

This was my first time visiting. This is a dog-friendly beach and my dog enjoyed digging in the sand. It’s absolutely beautiful. There were some oddities though. Despite being a dog-friendly beach, there weren’t any trash cans to dispose of poop bags on the actual beach. You have to walk uphill back to the parking lot to throw away your dog’s waste. The bathrooms are pit bathrooms. They absolutely reeked. There are no sinks so bring your own hand sanitizer. There is a hand sanitizer inside the bathroom, but no hand sanitizer came out of the dispenser when I tested it. I chose to drive to a nearby McDonald’s to use the bathroom instead for hygienic reasons.

Be aware there aren't any beach showers to rinse off sand. There were some odd green structures, however, on a sandy area that had a small faucet, but no water came out so perhaps the water was shut off. Bring your own water to rinse off if you don’t want sand in your car.

So overall, it’s a great beach, but be aware there are some...

Beautiful and peaceful spot on the lake that was the site of a camp. There are wooded trails that wind around the property that will eventually lead you to an amazing view of the lake from a bluff. You can wind your way back down into the rocky beach or you can use the roomy and wide paved path to get there. Bring a bucket or bag because there are so many gorgeous rocks here. There are public vault toilets and a spacious parking lot (where a couple rows of cabins used to stand). There are also life vests available to borrow. Make sure to check out the open areas where the camp buildings were; they were not able to save the dining lodge but they did preserve the two-sided fireplace and chimney. Behind the super informative signage are the remains of a small cement pond with a little arch bridge and stairs. Overall a wonderful spot to enjoy the woods...

Wow, this place is a treasure. A quick, easy, and scenic walk along the paved path (there are other options through the area though) and suddenly you're dumped out into this picturesque landscape. Along with our 9 and 2-year-olds, the grown-ups loved inspecting and collecting rocks, being entranced by the waves crashing, leaving footprints and drawing pictures in the sand and watching them get washed away, chasing the tide in and out, bird-spotting, and stacking stones.

Important for parents, especially: Bring extra shoes and dry clothes. Bring a bucket for the rocks you collect (wise choice - a bucket for each kid, but they can only take as many rocks as they can carry). Bring antibacterial wipes and snacks if you want to stay even longer (and you will want to stay longer). Bring bug spray - the flies bite. Now relax and lose track of your morning...