Rosy Mound Open Door

Every time I tend to go here, it's during the of season. It offers some wonderful paths that can make an hour go by quickly if you're just out for a stroll. This park has a mixture of easy paths, stairs, and more intermediate paths. The intermediate paths are new to me and must have been a new addition. For this, there's steep inclines, narrow paths, and some that are a little too close to the edge of a steep hill. You've also got roots to watch for. It was a surprise to come across this and made my visit a little longer to explore this new area!

Definitely enjoyed my time here. The trails are beautiful, well-maintained, and attract the kindest of visitors. Fall foliage was a bonus too. I couldn’t recommend it enough. A good chunk of the trails aren’t wheelchair accessible and might require extra work if traveling with children. So keep that in mind.

Excellent signage and nicely maintained trail and stairs. If you follow Red #1 to Acorn trail it is a bit longer loop to the next sign, Red #2. If you take Jean Laug-Carroll trail (nearer to the restrooms) it is a more direct route to Red #2 then on to #3 and the beach. It is about 0.75 miles to the beach/water. With lots of stairs. The trail meanders through the woods so there is plenty of shade until the last section and beach. The beach and views of L Michigan are beautiful and the sunsets must be spectacular. Please note: some moron dropped and hypodermic needle on the beach. So watch your step! I disposed of it back at the parking lot. Also note: there is a kiosk at the trail head. The day use fee is $8 to Ottawa County. No pets are allowed and the MI state park sticker is not valid.

So.many.stairs. Worth the climb through a quiet beautiful forest. You come over the top of the sand dune and boom, Lake Michigan. I walked out at around 10:30 am and although I passed maybe three people, I was alone out on the beach. Absolutely breathtaking. Bathrooms at the beginning of the trail are closed for the season.

This is such a beautiful nature area. It's only a short walk to the lakeshore with amazing views. Thankfully there are lots of places to stop and rest with benches along the paths and between flights of stairs. Lots of trees for shade as well and there's a bathroom right at the entrance for the kiddos to make one last stop before getting on the trail. Would definitely recommend this trail if you're up for a short hike and want to enjoy a breathtaking view at the end.