Warren Dunes State Park

Warren Dunes is a well-located State Park with easy access to Sawyer, Three Oaks, New Buffalo and everything Harbor Country has to offer. The Mt. Randal 4-mile, dog-friendly hiking loop combines the beauty of the dunes and the beach and is easily accessible from the camping loops.

Like most Michigan State Parks, the sites are really close together with little privacy. With the campground half-full in late October it still felt tight. Highway noise is very noticeable in both the semi-modern loops, if available I'd pick the sites closest to the beach trail. The sites don't have traditional pads, you're parked on grass/dirt.

New Buffalo Explored (newbuffaloexplored.com) is a great resource on the area.

Warren Dunes is a quiet state park on the west coast of Michigan. The semi-modern campsites only have electric hook-up but are well shaded and about double the size you will get at a typical campground.

The private showers and restroom were kept well and the water was hot with great pressure even after waiting in line.

It is a mile walk along the trail to the beach which is awesome and the dunes are also fun. The sunsets are almost worth the trip.

The campground was only mildly busy and there was a fairly even split between RVs and tent campers. The sites are hit/miss during heavy rain. Our site was mostly dry but some sites were covered in 1-2 inches of water.

Our Sunday arrival gave a modest taste of the infamous crowds this state park is known for in Summer. Kids ran freely between sites, most of which were occupied. It was vibrant and fun for the afternoon. Come Monday the entire campground was as serene as you'd expect from a much more remote location.

Our site in the modern loop included electricity, picnic table, and fire ring with NO grate on which to cook. Plan on bringing your tripod, grate, or camp stove. The packed sand surface made for a delightful foundation for our tent and the unusual luxury of having two outlets was appreciated for charging phones. Our site was neighbored on one side but didn't feel crowded, and once the grounds cleared out after the weekend we didn't have neighbors as far as could be seen from camp. The restroom/ shower facilities are modern and well maintained with individual private showers. It is worth noting that we had intended to stay in the "semi-modern" loop but upon discovering that the only available facilities are vault toilets and water spigots, the seven dollar difference was well worth it for access to the "modern" facilities alone.

The dunes are an experience unto themselves. Deceptively exhausting to climb but well worth the effort upon reaching the peak. Panoramic views of the dunes and Lake Michigan are beautiful.

Non Michigan residents note that there is a $9 daily access fee in addition to the cost of camping, or an annual pass can be purchased for $31.

We stayed two nights at Warren Dunes State Park in the modern loop in mid-October 2015. The park was nearly empty, and the sites are nestled into the woods and dunes. We loved that the hiking trails are accessible directly from the campground, and we took advantage of two different trails.

Our site was #171, and it was bordered on the back and one side by trees, so it had only one neighboring site, which fortunately for us, was empty at the time. Leveling was easy and the site was super easy to back-up into for our 17' trailer.

The campground is absolutely gorgeous in the fall with the leaves turning, and the view from atop the dune Mt. Randall was stunning--forest in one direction and Lake Michigan in the other.

There is also a fun little camp store that sells basically anything the average person would need while camping and had good hours too. There are two playgrounds, one in each loop, and bathrooms with separate shower rooms (which we didn't use, but looked clean.)

The only downside was that if we listened hard enough, we could faintly hear the highway when sitting outside. This wasn't a big deal for us though.

Overall, a really nice stay, and plenty to do in the area: wineries, apple picking, antique shops, hiking, etc.