Campsites	185
Modern/Semi-Modern	Yes
Cabin/Tent	Cabin
Picnic Area	Yes
Picnic Shelter	Yes
Playground	Yes
Beach Area	Facility and Concession
Boat Launch
Swimming	Yes
Fishing
Hiking	Yes
Horse Trails
Hunting	Yes
Visitor Center

Introduction Warren Dunes State Park provides 1,950 acres of recreational opportunities along the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan in southwestern Michigan. The rugged dune formation rises 240 feet above the lake and offers spectacular views and excellent Hang Gliding. The park has 21/2 miles of shoreline, 6 miles of hiking trails and is open year-round. 

Camping and Day Use The park has 180 modern dune campsites. There are several picnic areas, a picnic shelter for rent and a great swimming beach. A concession stand is open from Memorial Day thru Labor Day, with food, beverages and a gift shop. Please note that dogs are not allowed in the beach area at any time and alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the park from 3/1 thru 9/30. These rules are strictly enforced. 

Mini-Cabin Three mini-cabins are available at the dune campground. They have electricity and sleep four on bunk beds. 

Location The park is located 2 1/2 miles south of Bridgman on the west side of Red Arrow Highway

Warren Dunes Nature Trail Length - One Mile Time to Walk - 30 Minutes 

1-Dune Formation: Magnificent sand dunes - the trademark of our state park - were formed over years of geological time. Receding glaciers, thousands of feet thick, scraped the continental bedrock of Michigan. The tremendous weight of the ice scoured the material, reducing it down to what we see today. A combination of wind and water deposited the sand grains, composed of 90% quartz, along the western shore of Michigan, forming the majestic dunes of today.

2-Hardwood Forest: The wooded dunes host a diverse selection of flora and fauna. Oak, maple, ash, tulip tree and cottonwood dominate the dune forest, offering food and shelter for many different species of wildlife including deer, fox, raccoon, opossum, and squirrel. A multitude of wildflowers abound in the rich woodland soil, such as white trillium, Dutchman's breeches, jack-in-the-pulpit, and trout lily.

3-Stabilized Dune: Wind moves the dunes inward from the lake. If the sand dune is stabilized by vegetation such as this dune slope, movement is halted. Roots of herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees hold the sand, preventing its slow, steady creep inland. 

-Eastern Cottonwood: The cottonwood is one of the first trees to gain a foothold in the shifting sands. It is a highly adaptable tree, relatively drought resistant by its tolerance of the dry sands, but also can endure the moist bottom land soils of the woods. The cottonwood liberates large quantities of silk-haired seeds which may travel by air or on the surface of water for many miles. 

5-Mt. Randall: A spectacular view of Lake Michigan to the west and the surrounding countryside to the east is the reward to the one who climbs to the top of this sand dune. Because of foot traffic up and down the hill, vegetation, critical to dune stability, cannot take hold. As a result, this huge dune is very slowly creeping eastward, aided by westerly winds and energetic climbers. 

6-Painterville Creek: This stream of water that meanders through the park is really a county drain that empties into Lake Michigan at the south boundary of the park. Less than a foot deep in most spots, it is a vital part of the park's local wildlife. It is host to many forms of aquatic animals including frogs, turtles, snails, clams, and crayfish. These, in turn, are an important part of the food chain for the parks' most popular critter, the raccoon, that regularly makes nighttime visits to the stream, searching for a juicy morsel. 

7-Old Sewage Lagoon-Plant Succession: The open area in front of you is a prime example of the first stages of plant succession. This previously had been the location of the park sewage lagoon. In 1986 it was filled in leaving a complete area of bare dirt. In the first two years, the dominant vegetation that invaded the area were a variety of annual weeds. After the second year, perennial plants established themselves along with annuals. Eventually, a shrub stage will evolve and soon after, the first of the trees will show and this young field will mature into the forest that surrounds it. 

8-The Raccoon: Perhaps the most popular four-legged creature that roams the park is the mischievous raccoon. Mostly active at night, this ringed-tailed bandit is often found not far from water. A misconception is that a raccoon washes his food before he eats it. Actually the fingers of his front paws are highly sensitive and he uses them in his underwater search for food to identify and "taste" his catch, much the way a person uses his tongue to taste his food. Included in his diet are wildberries, eggs, crayfish, frogs, and he is also a notorious nighttime raider of campsites, searching picnic tables and coolers for anything to satisfy his appetite. 

9-Paw Paw Tree: This unique tree, a native of North America, grows only in the southern 1/3 of lower Michigan, it is the only member of the tropical custard apple family that lives outside of the tropics. It rarely grows over ten feet tall and has large lance shaped leaves, up to one foot long. Its reddish purple flowers appear in May and June, and produces a three to five inch long green fruit resembling a stubby banana. The fruit ripens in October, and its taste may be described as a mixture of banana and pear, hence its nickname of Michigan banana. Its fruit is difficult to find, since it is eaten by opossum, squirrels, raccoons, and even foxes.

10-Sassafras: This tree grows in well-drained sandy or stony soil as far north as Grayling, but is more common further south in Michigan. It favors hedge rows, abandoned fields, sunny sites, and seldom grows to over 60 feet tall in Michigan. The leaves have irregular lobes, which may be entire or from 2 to 5 lobes on the same twig. This useful tree is occasionally used for lumber, the seed is good for bird food, sassafras tea, soap perfumes, and the dried root bark, which has the aroma of root beer, is used for flavoring and a source of volatile oil.