5 Beaches That Might be Clothing Optional in Michigan
Are there any spots around Michigan that you can go swimming au natural? Maybe. Here are 5 possible clothing-optional beaches in Michigan.
NOTE: We should say right at the outset that this list is for entertainment purposes only and you should be aware of Michigan's public indecency law, which provides that indecent exposure is a crime punishable by up to 1 year in jail and/or $1000 fine.
- 1
Otter Creek Beach
HonorOtter Creek Beach near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is likely the best known 'unofficial' beach for all-out sunbathing and skinny dipping in all of Michigan. Some people say the National Parks Service staff may just 'look the other way' if the bathers are not bothering anyone.
The beach at Aral Rd and M-610 in Benzie County at Otter Creek near the old ghost-town of Aral is/was an unofficial nude beach for many years. The NPS has posted signs all over the place telling people to keep their clothes on.
- 2
South of Silver Beach
St JosephSt Joseph has three public beaches on Lake Michigan, Tisconia Park, Sliver Beach and Lions Park from north to south. According to reddit user clean_plate_club, there is a nude beach on private property south of the three public beaches.
- 3
South Manitou Islands
Sleeping Bear Dunes National LakeshoreSouth Manitou Island is a now uninhabited island managed by the National Park Service and part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. User StrangeTripper reports on a TripAdvisor forum,
if you're willing to take a ferry, get out to south manitou island and hike away from the maid dock and ranger station area..... there are plenty of secluded and remote beaches on the island.... thing is, if you make it a day trip, you'll only have maybe 4-5 hours on the island to hang, so to speak....
- 4
Christmas Cove Beach, Cat Head Bay and Good Harbor Beach
Leelanau CountyThe Leelenau Peninsula near Traverse City has lots of beaches that are rather secluded. Bobo-Mamo wrote on TripAdvisor,
If you are looking for secluded beaches on Lake Michigan, then the further North you go in Leelanau County, the fewer people you'll likely have to contend with. Christmas Cove Beach & Cat Head Bay are both pristine beaches West of Northport that you would probably find much less populated; a short walk from the main beach areas are lots of secluded spots if there happen to be people around.
A 2007 article in the Northern Express also lists Good Harbor Beach in Leelenau County as a location where
Skinny-dippers, nude bathers and naturists have been spotted from time to time at other remote beaches in the region, including Wilderness near Mackinaw City.
- 5
Noordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area
LudingtonNoordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area is north of Ludington and part of Manistee National Forest.
A commentor on a truenudists.com forum said,
The directions I had read said I needed to go further but the day was wasting away and I was beginning to tire, so I headed up into the dunes and shed those uncomfortable clothes. Oh the freedom, soaking up the rays surrounded by sand makes the sun seem much more intense. A strong lake breeze, partialy blocked by the dunes, kept me from feeling too hot. Then after careful checks up and down the beach, there was the lake for swimming and it felt great skinny dipping in Lake Michigan.