Green Point Dunes is an unexpected and quiet gem; tucked away in the lush forest with a magical beach reached only by foot. My kids know this hike like the back of their hand; one mile through dense forest, down the stairs, and onto the treasured beach with Lake Michigan the only sound we hear.
White sand beaches, the crystal clear mysterious waters of Lake Superior, beaches covered with some of the most spectacular stones you’ve ever seen, and towering cliffs, arrayed with blues, greens black, browns and white – bleeding out from the earth and streaking it as though with nature’s paintbrush.
Empire Beach was where I rediscovered my love of the water. At some point in my late teens, I had stopped swimming due to a variety of reasons: a strong aversion to bathing suits, the ordeal of changing clothes twice, having to fix my hair, dealing with contact lenses, and so on.
Outside of having lots of treasures to search for, this beach offers clear blue waters, public restrooms and picnic areas. I do want to note that while there is a nice sandy bottom of the lake to rest my toes on, I did have an “ouch ouch ouch” moment as I made my way out there, so if you have sensitive feet, water shoes would be a nice perk.
Oval Beach is tucked away through some trees and once you find it, it opens up and there is an overlook out to the lake. You can choose to watch the sunset from your car or head down the small sand mound and get closer to the water and soak up the last bit of sun while dipping your toes in the water for a taste.