Cherry Beach
Three Oaks, Michigan · on Lake Michigan
Verified · 2 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $15
- SEASON
- May
About Cherry Beach
Cherry Beach is a public swimming hole on Lake Michigan in Chikaming Township near Harbert, Michigan, deeded to the township by the Warren family in 1922. It is the township's largest public beach, with roughly 657 feet of sandy shoreline reached via a stairway from a small bluff-top parking and observation area.
The beach sits below a low bluff on Lake Michigan's shoreline, accessed by a stairway from a small parking area that includes a handicap-accessible observation deck with lake views. Sources describe the shoreline as sandy and relatively secluded, framed by the tree-lined stairway approach typical of Harbor Country's Lake Michigan beach access points.
Swimming at Cherry Beach
Swimming is in open Lake Michigan water off a sandy beach; there is no lifeguard on duty, and the Swim Guide water-quality program monitors the site weekly (late May through early September) for E. coli and advises swimmers to watch for hazards such as currents. No official swim-designated area, buoys, or facilities are described.
How to get to this swimming hole
Cherry Beach is located at 3897 S Cherry Beach, Harbert, Michigan, within Chikaming Township, reached via a road-end parking area with stairs down to the shoreline.
Parking: Small public parking area at the beach; parking is limited but open to the public daily. A paid parking fee ($15) applies via credit-card kiosk from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and the township also offers a separate Cherry Beach parking pass program (pricing not confirmed).
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up beach: park in the small bluff-top lot (with handicap-accessible observation deck), then take a stairway straight down to the sandy shoreline. No hiking trail leads to this spot.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
No lifeguard is on duty and the Swim Guide program explicitly warns swimmers to watch for currents in this open Lake Michigan water. Access is a stairway down a low bluff to a small, secluded stretch of beach (not stroller-friendly), so young kids need close supervision rather than being ideal for very small children.
Parking
Paid, $15 (credit-card kiosk, Memorial Day through Labor Day)
Small, limited public parking area at the bluff-top road end with a handicap-accessible observation deck; chikamingtownship.org describes it as 'limited but available to the public every day.' A separate Chikaming Township Cherry Beach parking pass program also exists as an alternative to the daily kiosk fee, but its price could not be confirmed (linked PDF unreadable).
Restrooms
None on site
No restroom or changing facilities are provided on-site; harborcountry.org lists Cherry Beach among Chikaming Township beaches with 'no lifeguards, facilities, pets, ground fires, or alcohol' permitted.
Hours
No fixed gate/closing hours were found; the parking area and beach appear accessible to the public daily year-round, with the $15 paid-parking kiosk only operating Memorial Day through Labor Day.
On the water
No source states an explicit rule either permitting or banning kayaks, canoes, or paddleboards at Cherry Beach. The site has no boat launch or ramp - only a stairway down a bluff to the shoreline - so any hand-carried small craft would need to be carried down the stairs, and there is no practical way to launch a motorboat or larger craft here. The nearest formal launches are on the Galien River in New Buffalo (~6-7 miles south) and at Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer (~6 miles north).
Rentals nearby
Single and double kayak rentals and stand-up paddleboard rentals (life jackets included), May through October; also sandboard/sand-sled rentals at their Warren Dunes location (May-September)
Prices: Starting at $25 per hour for kayaks or paddleboards
Nearest pickup point is their Galien River site in New Buffalo, MI (200 Marquette Drive), roughly 6-7 miles south of Cherry Beach; the company also runs a location at Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer, MI (12032 Red Arrow Highway), roughly 6 miles north of Cherry Beach. No location is directly at Cherry Beach itself.
Backstory
Deeded to Chikaming Township by the Warren family in 1922; a more recent 3-acre expansion (the "Cherry Beach Project") added to the original parcel, making it the township's largest beach.
Cherry Beach: FAQ
Does Cherry Beach charge a fee?
$15 parking fee Memorial Day through Labor Day (credit-card kiosk); a township parking pass option also exists but its price could not be confirmed from available sources.
Is Cherry Beach kid friendly?
No lifeguard is on duty and the Swim Guide program explicitly warns swimmers to watch for currents in this open Lake Michigan water. Access is a stairway down a low bluff to a small, secluded stretch of beach (not stroller-friendly), so young kids need close supervision rather than being ideal for very small children.
Do I need to hike to reach Cherry Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Cherry Beach?
Small, limited public parking area at the bluff-top road end with a handicap-accessible observation deck; chikamingtownship.org describes it as 'limited but available to the public every day.' A separate Chikaming Township Cherry Beach parking pass program also exists as an alternative to the daily kiosk fee, but its price could not be confirmed (linked PDF unreadable).
When is the best time to visit Cherry Beach?
Memorial Day through Labor Day (matches the paid-parking season and the Swim Guide's May 29-September 3 water-quality monitoring window).
What are the rules at Cherry Beach?
No lifeguard on duty; no pets, ground fires, or alcohol permitted; personal items may not be stored or locked at the base of the beach stairs, and all items must be removed from the beach at day's end (unclaimed items held at the Chikaming Township office).
What water body is Cherry Beach on?
Cherry Beach is on Lake Michigan, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
