MLive says: “Yes, Newaygo State Park is another state park you should visit. You'll find large, private campsites on the scenic, forested land next to Hardy Dam Pond. You can rent a kayak and paddle around in the water or hang out on the beach. You'll find a boat launch and a disc golf course. There are also picnic areas for day use. The park looks especially lovely in the autumn months when the numerous oak and poplar trees change colors.”
June 30-July 1, 2021
I took off after work on Wednesday and headed an hour north to Newaygo State Park to kick off a five-day holiday camping trip, where I’d be meeting up with Bill. I’d hiked at Newaygo State Park before, on a random fall day back in 2019 - I was excited to head back to camp!
Newaygo State Park has great campsites: they’re spaced out with massive tree buffers between them so they feel a little more private than most public campgrounds. I found my spot and decided to hammock-camp instead of setting up my tent: I slung up my hammock and bug net on the backside of the campsite, and gathered some wood for a fire later.
Making the most of the daylight, I set out for little hike around the Hardy Dam Pond. I found myself walking some of the same trails as my last visit, and enjoyed how different they looked in the summer compared to the fall. The water was adequately spotted with pontoon boats and fishing boats, and the trails were full of wildflowers. I found an awesome spot to drop off the trail and down to the pond (lake?) and made myself cozy with my feet in the water.
After a significant amount of time relaxing by the water, I climbed back up the trail and kept making my way down the path. It runs along the park’s disc golf course, but luckily no one was playing (or hiking) so I had the trail to myself. The sun was setting and the light peeking through the branches was beautiful. I was having a great time spotting wildflowers and bugs on my way. Eventually, though, the trail petered out and I turned around to head back to my campsite.
Before actually making it to the campsite, I found myself at the “beach” and took a little dip in the water. The swimming area was remarkably small, and the beach was super shady and buggy - I didn’t stay long, but hopping in the water felt great.
I finished off my night with a campfire - I made spicy corn on the cob for dinner (corn on the cob doused in butter and salsa verde, wrapped in foil, and charred on the campfire) and s’mores for dessert. I drank some riesling and journaled the rest of my night away, while my fire burned down. By 10:00 I was nestled in my hammock for an awesome night of sleep.
The next day, I headed out of camp early and hit the road for the next stop.