Higgins Lake Beach
Roscommon, Michigan · on Higgins Lake · North Higgins Lake State Park
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Higgins Lake Beach
Higgins Lake Beach is the designated day-use swim beach of North Higgins Lake State Park, on the north shore of Higgins Lake near Roscommon, Michigan. The beach is an official, buoyed swim area within a 449-acre state park built on the former site of the world's largest tree seedling nursery. It is a developed, drive-up facility rather than a backcountry swim spot.
The beach sits in the day-use area of North Higgins Lake State Park, on Higgins Lake's north shore, about 9 miles west of Roscommon in Crawford County. Higgins Lake is Michigan's 10th largest lake, stretching roughly 7 miles and reaching depths of up to 135 feet in places, and is popular with anglers, paddlers, and boaters beyond the swim area itself. The park also contains the Higgins Lake Nursery and CCC Museum, commemorating the Civilian Conservation Corps' work here from 1933-1942.
Swimming at Higgins Lake Beach
Swimming happens in a buoyed, designated swim area directly off the park's day-use beach, with an accessible walkway into the water and a beach wheelchair available to borrow at no cost. This is a developed, family-oriented lake beach (sandy shoreline, shallow marked swim zone) rather than a wild or remote swimming hole, suited to families and casual swimmers rather than those seeking an undeveloped natural experience.
How to get to this swimming hole
The park entrance and beach are at 11747 N. Higgins Lake Drive, Roscommon, Michigan 48653, about 9 miles west of the village of Roscommon; downtown Grayling is also within about a 15-minute drive of the park.
Parking: Motorcoach (bus) parking is available at the park per the Pure Michigan listing; the day-use area with the beach, beach house, and pavilion implies standard vehicle parking, though no lot size or capacity is specified in sourced material.
The hike in
The beach is a drive-up facility directly off the day-use parking area, no hike is needed to reach the water. The park separately contains three short nature/hiking trails (North Higgins-Upland Nature Trail, North Higgins-Bosom Pines Trail, and North Higgins-Beaver Creek Trail) plus a segment of the statewide Iron Belle Trail, but these are recreational trails elsewhere in the park, not an access route to the swim beach.
Walk from the parking area to the beach is minimal (typical state-park day-use lot to shoreline distance); no source gave an exact walk time.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Designated, buoyed swim area on a sandy lake beach (not a river or waterfall), with an accessible walkway into the water and a free-to-borrow beach wheelchair, no currents, cliffs, or scrambling involved. No lifeguard presence is documented in any source found, so supervise kids as with any unguarded designated swim beach.
Parking
Paid
Standard vehicle parking serves the day-use beach area, and the park additionally offers motorcoach (bus) parking per the Pure Michigan listing. Entry requires a Michigan Recreation Passport for the vehicle; the specific dollar cost of the passport was not stated in sources found this session.
Restrooms
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are in the beach house at the day-use area next to the swim beach. Vault toilets are also available at the park's modern campground.
Water clarity
Clear
The Higgins Lake Property Owners Association (HLPOA), which runs long-term water-quality monitoring on the lake, describes Higgins Lake's clarity as 'exceptional,' attributing it to the lake's low nutrient levels; the same source cautions that visual clarity does not by itself indicate the water is bacteria-free. No firsthand visitor reports on this specific beach have been located.
Hours
Park operates year-round per Pure Michigan's official listing; exact daily gate-opening/closing hours were not published in any source found this session.
On the water
Restrictions: Per Higgins Lake Property Owners Association boating rules: all motorized vessels and personal watercraft (jet skis) must be registered with the Michigan Secretary of State and keep to slow, no-wake speed within 100 feet of shorelines, swimmers, and other boats; one Coast Guard-approved life jacket is required per person; operators born after July 1, 1996 need boating certification; personal watercraft may only be operated sunrise to sunset, cannot be operated by anyone under 14, and ages 14-15 need certification plus supervision. No lake-wide motor-size or electric-only restriction was found. No specific rules for non-motorized craft (kayak/canoe/paddleboard) were stated.
The park has its own boat launch with skid piers and channel markers (per prior dossier), and Higgins Lake is broadly described as popular with anglers, paddlers, and boaters, so kayaks/canoes/paddleboards can reasonably launch from or near the swim beach area, though the designated swim zone itself is buoyed off from open-water boat traffic.
Backstory
The park was established in 1965 on the former site of one of the world's largest tree seedling nurseries. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked here from 1933-1942, planting hundreds of millions of trees statewide and building trails, bridges, and structures; the on-site Higgins Lake Nursery and CCC Museum, with interpretation from the Michigan History Center, documents this history.
Higgins Lake Beach: FAQ
Does Higgins Lake Beach charge a fee?
A Recreation Passport (Michigan state park pass) is required for vehicle entry into the park.
Is Higgins Lake Beach kid friendly?
Designated, buoyed swim area on a sandy lake beach (not a river or waterfall), with an accessible walkway into the water and a free-to-borrow beach wheelchair, no currents, cliffs, or scrambling involved. No lifeguard presence is documented in any source found, so supervise kids as with any unguarded designated swim beach.
Do I need to hike to reach Higgins Lake Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Higgins Lake Beach?
Standard vehicle parking serves the day-use beach area, and the park additionally offers motorcoach (bus) parking per the Pure Michigan listing. Entry requires a Michigan Recreation Passport for the vehicle; the specific dollar cost of the passport was not stated in sources found this session.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Higgins Lake Beach?
The park has its own boat launch with skid piers and channel markers (per prior dossier), and Higgins Lake is broadly described as popular with anglers, paddlers, and boaters, so kayaks/canoes/paddleboards can reasonably launch from or near the swim beach area, though the designated swim zone itself is buoyed off from open-water boat traffic.
What are the rules at Higgins Lake Beach?
Pets are allowed only at a separate designated pet beach east of the main day-use area, must be on a 6-foot leash at all times, and owners must dispose of pet waste in trash receptacles. A Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry.
What water body is Higgins Lake Beach on?
Higgins Lake Beach is on Higgins Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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