Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach
Gladstone, Michigan · on Lake Michigan · Van Cleve Park
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach
Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach is a 27.5-acre city park in Gladstone, Michigan, fronting Little Bay de Noc, an arm of Lake Michigan. Its Gladstone Beach is an official, monitored public swimming beach with a sandy shoreline, a shallow-water slide, and a bathhouse, an in-town swimming hole that makes Little Bay de Noc an easy lake to swim in.
The park sits on the north shore of Little Bay de Noc (part of Lake Michigan) in Gladstone, a small city in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, with a lighthouse, fishing pier, and gazebo reached by a bridge walk along the shoreline.
Swimming at Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach
A sandy, shallow swimming beach on Little Bay de Noc described as well suited to children, with a water slide positioned in the shallow water close to shore. Water quality is routinely tested for E. coli under Michigan state guidelines during the summer swim season.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located at 1224 Lake Shore Dr, Gladstone, MI, on the south side of Van Cleve Park along the Little Bay de Noc shoreline.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up municipal beach/park; swimming area is reached directly from the parking lot with no trail or hike involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Sandy, shallow entry with a water slide positioned in the shallow water close to shore makes it approachable for young kids, and the beach is an officially monitored public bathing beach with routine E. coli testing (per Swim Guide). However, no lifeguard presence was confirmed in any source, and it sits on open Little Bay de Noc/Lake Michigan water where wind and wave conditions can change quickly, so adult supervision is advised.
Parking
Lot
Van Cleve Park has an on-site, wheelchair-accessible parking lot; no fee or cost information was found in any source, so paid status is left unconfirmed rather than assumed free.
Restrooms
Yes
Gladstone Beach House, a short walk from the sand, has public showers and restrooms for changing (per Visit Escanaba).
Water clarity
Mostly clear
An aggregator page (beaches-searcher.com) describes the water as 'crystal clear,' and BeachSafe/NOAA status shown as a green (open, low rip-current risk) flag at time of research. This is a single secondary-source data point rather than firsthand visitor confirmation, so treated as mostly_clear rather than definitively clear.
On the water
The City of Gladstone's Harbormaster's office, based at the municipal marina adjacent to Van Cleve Park, rents kayaks directly (ID and credit card required). A private outfitter a few miles away also rents kayaks, including motor-assisted (Minn Kota) models, for use on Little Bay de Noc. No official documentation was found addressing canoes or motorized personal watercraft specifically at the swim beach itself, so those are left unlisted rather than assumed.
Rentals nearby
Kayak rentals
Harbormaster's office at the Gladstone municipal marina, adjacent to Van Cleve Park
Old Town kayak sales and rentals (paddle or Minn Kota-powered), including overnight rentals; paddles and life vest included
8923 Bay Shore Drive, Gladstone, MI 49837 (Kipling area, on Little Bay de Noc, a few miles from Van Cleve Park) · Summer: Mon-Sat 7am-6pm, Sun 7am-3pm (winter hours not published)
Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach: FAQ
Is Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach kid friendly?
Sandy, shallow entry with a water slide positioned in the shallow water close to shore makes it approachable for young kids, and the beach is an officially monitored public bathing beach with routine E. coli testing (per Swim Guide). However, no lifeguard presence was confirmed in any source, and it sits on open Little Bay de Noc/Lake Michigan water where wind and wave conditions can change quickly, so adult supervision is advised.
Do I need to hike to reach Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach?
Van Cleve Park has an on-site, wheelchair-accessible parking lot; no fee or cost information was found in any source, so paid status is left unconfirmed rather than assumed free.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach?
The City of Gladstone's Harbormaster's office, based at the municipal marina adjacent to Van Cleve Park, rents kayaks directly (ID and credit card required). A private outfitter a few miles away also rents kayaks, including motor-assisted (Minn Kota) models, for use on Little Bay de Noc. No official documentation was found addressing canoes or motorized personal watercraft specifically at the swim beach itself, so those are left unlisted rather than assumed.
When is the best time to visit Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach?
Summer (July-August), per local tourism description of when visitors seek relief from summer heat.
What are the rules at Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach?
A designated public bathing beach subject to routine Michigan water-quality testing (E. coli sampling weekly from late May through early September); visitors are advised to obey posted signs and official advisories.
What water body is Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach on?
Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach is on Lake Michigan, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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