Whitefish Dunes State Park — Attraction in Town of Sevastopol

Initial impression: A very unique state park along Lake Michigan. Beautiful access to pristine white sands (see pictures). Small, limited grilling area in the woods. Many dogs. Did I say, many pets?

I advise you lookup the park on the DNR website so you have an idea of the amenities and what is offered at this gorgous location.

The main access to the beach is very difficult to navigate for many elderly and people with physical challenges. The main access point DOES NOT provide stairs or railing and one must navigate a pretty large vertical change to get tobthe beach. It doesn't make much sense from an accessibility point of view but it is what it is and I can'tchange that. Especially when you compare it to Peninsula State Park's Eagle Tower ramp access which is welcoming. I was there earlier in the day and demonstrates what xould.be.

There is a less traveled secondary beach access point where you walk down a trail (see picture). There are many steps involved to the beach but it is easier than the main access. Make a proper ramp and have a inclusive mindset by design.

Access to modern toilets (vaults) is also less than desirable at this popular and heavily used park. If you have to go and are on the opposite side of the park, it's a long travel. One portable would be nice and heavily used.

The first section of beach front is also very unkept (debris/weeds/dead fish) as people are not supposed to swim in this area due to potential rip tides. It's kind of weird as you get here and this is what you see. It's like having a messy-unkept front yard to a multi million dollar house. This "natuarally gross area" must be left this way to keep it an undesirable place to swim as people do not follow or observe the signage.

I could go on with staffing and lack of interpersonal skills. When you enter any state park, you should be welcomed rather than the opposite. It must be a stressful job with the high number of people using this small park, traveling daily from a large geographical area and not having an appropriate setup to accommodate the great numbers.

Would be a five plus star beach if they made the entrance to the beach INCLUSIVE and...

Unexpected vistas for Wisconsin. So at first arrival it seems small, forested, rather north woods-ey but you pay the fee (or if you already have the WI parks sticker you're good) park and decide how far you feel like walking. The trails are well worn, but do have poison ivy growing at the edges so probably best to be in proper shoes. We chose the red trail to old baldy as then it's a mile ish out and you can walk back on the beach. The Old Baldy overlook wasn't all that impressive at this time of year, but I bet when the leaves are changing it's gorgeous. The stairs are uneven and there's no handrails so I would not recommend for less fit hikers. There are pit toilets available at the turn offs for beach 2 and 3 and there are restrooms at the visitor center by beach 1. We walked down at beach 3 and it was lovely, not too many stairs and the forest opens up to the grasses and then the sand dunes. It's pretty crazy that it looks like regular Wisconsin 1 way and the Caribbean the other. Beautiful soft white sand and blue water with waves crashing. Now there is the issue of dead fish. At the wave line there are dead minnows. These are alewives there's info about them inside. Invasive species, dies naturally and washes up. The smell at times in certain areas was bad, but for the most part it was fine. The water was brisk...

Cave Point is cool, but honestly it's small, the hiking is brief and scary with toddlers, it's crowded, and you can't explore much. THIS is the place to see the same kind of beautiful shoreline, but without all the people and peril. The beach looked crowded, but we went for the hiking. The brachiopod trail was perfect. We were able to explore the rocks and shore with our little ones and yes, still keep them close, but not be afraid they'd fall in and perish immediately. The trail was beautiful, shaded, and quiet except for the crashing waves. Plenty of parking on a Friday.

Other reviews mention stinky whitefish lake kill which we saw nothing of in early August '22. They're weather dependent and it hadn't been very warm for about a week. They're also normal, not dangerous as long as you're not eating it, and not something to "clean up", so let's be kind to park staff who are not responsible for making nature suit your senses.

If you have littles and are staying further north in DC, we found that doing The Farm after lunch (good nap time drive down), doing a hike here, then heading back before dinner was just...