A short drive from Chicago, you will find a sprawling 3,000-acre park in Oceana County along the Lake Michigan shoreline; it’s an impressive oasis compared to the crowded shores of North Avenue and Oak Beach.
If you’re looking for a secluded spot—and you happen to have a car—it seems that Silver Lake State Park makes the perfect weekend escape.
The state park features a beautiful beach, dune country, and acres of mature forest. Not to mention the dune ridges and valleys consist primarily of windblown sand, with few trees, scrub brush, and dune grass, leading many to compare it to a desert.
What makes this place truly exceptional—aside from its more than four miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and large sandy beach—is that visitors can actually drive on the beach.
The only sand dune riding destination east of the Mississippi
The park includes nearly 2,000 acres of sand dunes, a day-use area by inland Silver Lake, and the 500-acre Silver Lake ORV Area, which is the only sand dune riding opportunity east of the Mississippi River.
Visitors can bring their own off-road vehicles (ORVs) or rent them from local businesses.
Mac Wood’s Dune Rides operates a 40-minute interpretive dune tour. During the tour, riders will enjoy 450 acres of open sand dunes, with elevation changes of 80 to 100 feet, access to Lake Michigan, and breathtaking sunsets over the lake from the top of the dunes. The Silver Lake ORV Area is particularly popular on weekends, so it’s advisable to familiarize yourself with the entry requirements, the voucher system, and any special rules and regulations in advance.
