The town of Hart, Michigan is a gateway location to one of Michigan’s popular recreation areas. This small town circles the quiet waters of Hart Lake and offers family-owned specialty shops and restaurants. Seven minutes away, giant sand dunes stretch over 2,000 acres between Lake Michigan and Silver Lake. The dunes attract dune buggy enthusiasts and beachcombers alike. Visitors rent lake cottages or camp at one of the many campgrounds. Hart's Visitor Center provides information about the many activities available.
The Silver Lake Sand Dunes feature three distinct areas of activity. On the north end, off road vehicles (ORVs) can access 450 acres of sand. If you don’t have your own dune buggy, you can rent one. The dunes’ middle section is reserved for walkers. Visitors can access the walking area from the same parking lot used by the ORVs at the north end. Many people reach the dunes by boat, beaching along the Silver Lake shore. Hikers can climb the dunes, but the best part of dune walking is the run back down. The dunes descend sharply into the lake, so you can run down the dune and dive into deep water at the bottom to cool off. On the southern end of the dunes, Mac Woods Dune Rides has been taking visitors on rides for approximately 80 years. The Mac Woods tour covers seven miles of varying scenery while drivers tell stories about area history and shifting sands that have covered homes and forests. In the winter, the dunes shut down, although you can still hike them if you can find parking. The facilities are not maintained in winter. If you visit during the colder months, dress warmly and cover your face. Strong winter winds whip sand and snow across the dunes.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, visitors pack the many beaches near Hart. The Silver Lake State Park beach has a great view of the dunes on the opposite shore. Small children enjoy the quiet waters and sandy lake bottom. Drive down a winding road that follows the Silver Lake channel out to Lake Michigan. A township park at the channel’s mouth gives you access to its shallow waters and Lake Michigan's waves. Half a mile south, the historic Little Sable Point Lighthouse towers over the beach. You’ll need a state park entrance pass for the large parking area and you can tour the lighthouse during the peak summer season. You won't want to miss the Lake Michigan sunsets. Arrive at the beach at least an hour before sunset to secure parking at your favorite viewing spot. Summer days are long in Michigan, so you can enjoy the beach until the sun sinks below the water from 9:30 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.
Beginning in Hart and ending 23 miles south in Whitehall, the Hart/Montague bicycle trail takes you through the woods, over hilly vistas and through small towns. The paved trail, which follows a former railroad bed, is open all year. Pack your lunch and enjoy one of the trail’s picnic areas. You can also stop along the way and grab a sandwich or ice cream as you pass through one of the towns. The trail accommodates bikers, hikers, skaters, skiers and snowmobiles. Biking and skating end, however, when the snow falls.
If you tire of sun, water and sand, take the kids to Craig’s Cruisers for bumper boats, go karts and miniature golf. Tour Hart’s Historic District and view a 19th century church, a log cabin, a one-room schoolhouse and a flour mill. Check out the Silver Lake Sand Dragway if you enjoy drag racing with a twist. Hart also hosts the Oceana County Fair each year in late August.
