Blue Lake Park

Holton, Michigan · on Big Blue Lake

Verified · 4 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: $45 per night
SEASON: May

About Blue Lake Park

Blue Lake Park is a 25-acre Muskegon County park in Holton, Michigan, with about 600 feet of frontage on the southeast shore of Big Blue Lake. The county park system operates it seasonally (mid-May through mid-September) as a campground and day-use area with a designated swimming beach, making this a straightforward county-park swimming hole and an easy lake to swim in during the warm months.

The park sits on the southeast shore of Big Blue Lake in rural Blue Lake Township, northern Muskegon County, a wooded lakeside setting the township describes as home to boating, sailing, and canoeing recreation on the lake.

Swimming at Blue Lake Park

The county describes a day-use swimming beach at the park with picnic tables and grills alongside it, on the clear water of Big Blue Lake; suited to casual, family-style lake swimming rather than a whitewater or hike-in experience.

How to get to this swimming hole

The park is located at 10701 Nichols Road, Holton, MI, on the southeast shore of Big Blue Lake. The related Deremo Boat Launch is 1.5 miles north via Nichols Road North and Fruitvale Road, on the lake's north shore.

Parking: No parking fee at the park, per the official park page.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up day-use park; the swimming beach is a short walk (well under 5 minutes) from the parking area, with no trail or hike involved.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

There is a designated day-use swimming beach next to the picnic area, but no lifeguard, water-depth signage, or roped-off swim zone is mentioned on any official page. The same lake is used for boating and water-skiing, so families should keep young kids close to shore and watch for boat traffic beyond the immediate beach area.

Parking

Free

No day-use or parking fee at Blue Lake Park, per the official Muskegon County Parks page. Lot capacity/size is not specified; camping is separately priced ($45/night) but day-use parking is free.

Restrooms

Yes

A modern restroom building with flush toilets and ADA-accessible showers serves the campground/day-use area; exact distance from the swim beach to the restroom building is not specified on the official page.

Water clarity

Clear

Muskegon County's own park page describes 'crystal-clear waters' at Big Blue Lake. No independent first-hand visitor accounts of clarity were located for this specific park, so the clarity rating rests on the official description alone rather than visitor corroboration.

Hours

Open May 15 - September 15, 8:00am-10:00pm; closed September 16 - May 14 (per muskegoncountyparks.org and Muskegon County's general parks page).

On the water

KayaksCanoesPaddleboardsMotorboats

Blue Lake Township's recreation page lists fishing, boating, and water-skiing as activities on Big Blue Lake, indicating motorized watercraft (not just electric/no-wake) are permitted lake-wide; no horsepower limit or no-wake-zone language was found on any official source. The nearest formal launch is the Deremo Boat Launch/Deremo County Park, a paved ramp about 1.5 miles north of Blue Lake Park via Nichols Rd. North and Fruitvale Rd., open 6am-11pm year-round (winter access limited by snow removal). Blue Lake Park itself is a swim beach, not a boat launch, so kayaks/canoes/paddleboards would need to be hand-carried in from the beach or launched at Deremo.

Blue Lake Park: FAQ

Does Blue Lake Park charge a fee?

No day-use/parking fee; camping is $45 per night, available only May 15-September 15.

Is Blue Lake Park kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Blue Lake Park?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Blue Lake Park?

No day-use or parking fee at Blue Lake Park, per the official Muskegon County Parks page. Lot capacity/size is not specified; camping is separately priced ($45/night) but day-use parking is free.

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Blue Lake Park?

When is the best time to visit Blue Lake Park?

Park is open and staffed May 15 through September 15 (8am-10pm); closed September 16 through May 14.

What are the rules at Blue Lake Park?

Dogs must be leashed (six-foot maximum) and are prohibited from beaches and buildings except for service animals; full ordinances are referenced as available through the park website.

What water body is Blue Lake Park on?

Blue Lake Park is on Big Blue Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.