Family-Friendly

Lake swimming at Kensington Metropark

Martindale Beach is a Kent Lake swimming destination in Milford, Michigan. The park lists family changing rooms, outdoor showers and a mat across the sand. Check the official conditions page before travelling, since beach facilities and seasonal attractions can close separately.

Plan your visit

A daily vehicle or boat pass costs $10; annual passes are also available. Splash 'n' Blast is a separate attraction, so confirm its admission and operating schedule if it is part of your plans. Call the park about seasonal beach wheelchair reservations and assistance requirements.

About the Farquar-Metsa Park Swimming Hole

Tucked into the dense, cathedral-like forests of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Farquar-Metsa Park offers one of the region's most quietly rewarding natural escapes. The swimming hole here sits along the East Branch Escanaba River, where cool, clear water winds through a corridor of birch, pine, and hardwood — the kind of landscape that makes you feel genuinely far from the rest of the world, even if you arrived by car just minutes ago. This is an unofficial swimming area, meaning you won't find a lifeguard stand or a roped-off lane, but what you will find is honest, uncrowded river swimming in one of the most beautiful corners of the Midwest.

The Setting and Landscape

The Upper Peninsula has a way of slowing everything down, and Farquar-Metsa Park is no exception. The East Branch Escanaba River moves with the unhurried pace of glacially carved country, its water running surprisingly clear over a bed of rocks and river stones. Surrounding forest presses close to the banks, casting dappled shade across the water on warm summer afternoons. You're likely to hear birdsong before you hear anything else. In the warmer months, the canopy is a deep, saturated green; come September and October, the same trees ignite into amber, red, and gold — making autumn visits a genuine treat for photographers and foliage lovers alike. Wildlife sightings are common throughout the seasons, so keep an eye on the treeline.

What Swimming Is Like

The river's cool, clear water is the main attraction, offering refreshing relief during the warm stretch of June through August. Because this is a natural river environment, water depths and conditions will vary — and the riverbed's rocks, while part of the charm, can be slippery underfoot. Approach entry points with care and consider water shoes if you're bringing younger swimmers. The setting rewards those who take it slow: wade in gradually, feel the current, and let the cold clarity of the water do what Upper Peninsula rivers do best. This is easy-to-moderate terrain overall, accessible by car with the swimming hole located within the park itself.

Practical Visit Information

Farquar-Metsa Park includes a campground with full hookups for RVs, making it a genuine destination for those who want to linger — spend the evening listening to the river and wake up to morning mist rising off the water. All facilities are located at the campground. Fee information is not confirmed, so plan to carry cash and check locally before your visit. Because this is an unofficial swimming area, there are no staffed safety services on-site. Visitors are encouraged to use good judgment, especially with children, and never swim alone.

Plan Your Visit

Farquar-Metsa Park serves the communities of Marquette and Gwinn, both within reasonable driving distance and worth building into your trip. Marquette, the largest city in the Upper Peninsula, offers restaurants, lodging, and access to Lake Superior's shoreline. Gwinn is a quieter stop with small-town character. Whether you're passing through on a longer UP road trip or setting up camp for a few nights, this stretch of the East Branch Escanaba River offers a genuine taste of Michigan's wild, unhurried north.

About Miners Beach at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Few swimming destinations in the American Midwest can match the sheer drama of Miners Beach, a pebble-and-sand shoreline tucked within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on the south shore of Lake Superior. Here, towering sandstone cliffs — some rising more than 200 feet above the waterline — display vivid streaks of copper green, iron red, and manganese black, the result of millennia of mineral-rich water seeping through ancient rock. Standing at the water's edge, you'll understand immediately why this stretch of Michigan's Upper Peninsula has captivated travelers, artists, and Indigenous peoples for generations.

The Setting: Cliffs, Forest, and Open Water

The landscape surrounding Miners Beach is nothing short of cinematic. Dense boreal forest — a mix of birch, maple, and pine — presses close to the shore, and the clean scent of pine mingles with the cool, faintly mineral air blowing off the lake. The beach itself is a pleasing blend of smooth pebbles and coarse sand, comfortable underfoot and satisfying to walk. Gulls wheel overhead, and on calm mornings, the water is so clear you can see the rocky bottom several feet down with ease. The visibility in Lake Superior's famously clean water gives the shallows a luminous, almost Caribbean quality — though the temperature quickly reminds you this is the northernmost of the Great Lakes.

Swimming in Lake Superior: What to Expect

Lake Superior is not the ocean, but it commands the same respect. The water is bracingly cold for much of the year, and even in peak summer, you'll feel an invigorating chill as you wade in. July and August offer the warmest conditions and the most pleasant experience for swimming, though "warm" remains relative — expect refreshing rather than tepid. The water's exceptional clarity lets you watch sunlight scatter across the lake floor, and the sense of swimming beneath those multicolored cliffs is genuinely unforgettable. Because this is an unofficial swimming area, there are no lifeguards on duty, so swimmers should exercise good judgment, stay aware of water conditions, and keep a close eye on younger visitors near the shoreline.

Practical Information and Local Character

Getting to Miners Beach is straightforward — a short, easy-to-moderate walk from the parking area brings most visitors to the shore without difficulty, though some connecting trails in the broader national lakeshore require more effort. Facilities are available at campgrounds within the national lakeshore, and Pictured Rocks offers three campgrounds for those who want to extend their stay. The vast Hiawatha National Forest and State Forest lands east of the lakeshore provide many additional camping options. Entry fees were not confirmed at time of publication, so check ahead with the National Park Service before your visit.

Plan Your Visit: Miners Beach sits within easy reach of Munising, the closest town and a natural base for exploring Pictured Rocks — you'll find lodging, outfitters, and boat tour operators there. Wetmore lies nearby for those coming from the interior, and the larger city of Sault Ste. Marie to the east offers a fuller range of services and accommodations if you're planning a longer Upper Peninsula adventure.

About the Sleeping Bear Swimming Hole

Where the Platte River meets Lake Michigan, something quietly magical happens. The clear, cool river current eases into the vast blue of one of the Great Lakes, creating a natural playground that draws families, tubers, and nature lovers back summer after summer. Set within the iconic landscape of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, this unofficial swimming spot offers one of the most scenic and versatile water experiences in the Midwest.

The Setting and Landscape

You arrive to the sound of moving water and the smell of pine and fresh lake air. The Platte River winds gently through a wooded corridor before opening into the wide, sun-drenched expanse of Lake Michigan. Towering sand dunes frame the horizon to the north, their pale golden faces contrasting with the deep green of the surrounding forest. In summer, the light plays off the clear river in shifting patterns, and you can see straight to the sandy bottom. In fall, the hardwoods blaze with color, turning a simple swim into something you'll be describing to people for years. Wildflowers push up through the riverbanks in spring, and wildlife — herons, osprey, white-tailed deer — are regular visitors to the shoreline.

Swimming, Tubing, and Water Play

The Platte River is the star attraction here. Its waters run clear and relatively shallow, making it ideal for families with young children and confident for newcomers to river swimming. The gentle current is perfect for tubing — you drift lazily downstream, letting the river do the work while the tree canopy filters the sunlight overhead. Where the river spills into Lake Michigan, you have the rare pleasure of choosing your experience: the calm, warmer shallows of the river mouth or the broad, open waters of the Great Lake itself. Kayakers paddle both channels, and the sandy shallows near the confluence invite long hours of unhurried water play. Note that this is an unofficial swimming area, so there are no lifeguards on duty — swim within your abilities and keep a close eye on young swimmers.

Practical Visit Information

Access is straightforward, with well-maintained roads leading to the area near the Platte River Campground. The campground itself provides facilities for visitors, and two campgrounds within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore make overnight stays possible, along with additional options in the State Forest to the east. The best window for warm water and tubing runs from June through August. Fees for the area are not confirmed, so budget for possible entry costs and check current information before you go. The site is suitable for all ages and fitness levels — easy terrain, gentle water, and wide open space make it genuinely accessible.

Plan Your Visit

The Sleeping Bear Swimming Hole sits within comfortable reach of both Traverse City and Grand Rapids, making it an ideal destination whether you're planning a long weekend road trip or a full summer camping stay. Traverse City, roughly 30 miles to the north, offers restaurants, wineries, and lodging options if you prefer a bed to a tent. Grand Rapids, further south, serves as a natural starting point for a longer journey north through Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Give yourself at least a full day here — the river, the dunes, the lake, and the light are worth every hour.