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Covert Park Beach & Campground
Overview
Covert Park Beach & Campground is a scenic coastal retreat nestled on 50 acres along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Known for its tranquil environment and lush forest canopy, this township-owned park offers an authentic Michigan camping experience. It serves as a gateway to the region's natural beauty, providing a balance between rugged outdoor living and essential modern conveniences. For decades, it has remained a cherished destination for those looking to escape the hustle of city life without sacrificing access to one of the world's most beautiful freshwater coastlines.
Location & Surroundings
Located in Van Buren County, the park sits just south of the popular resort town of South Haven. The surrounding landscape is defined by the iconic sand dunes and the rolling hills of the Michigan fruit belt. Staying here means being surrounded by towering hardwoods and pines that provide ample shade and privacy. The primary draw is the quarter-mile of private beach, accessible via a winding path through the dunes, offering stunning sunset views and soft sands that characterize this portion of the Great Lakes region.
Amenities & Park Features
This campground leans toward a rustic, nature-focused experience. RVers will find sites equipped with 30-amp or 50-amp electrical hookups, though it is important to note the absence of on-site water or sewer connections. The park provides centrally located bathhouses with hot showers and clean restrooms for guest comfort. On-site facilities also include a camp store for essentials, a playground for children, and well-maintained picnic areas. The wooded layout ensures that most sites feel secluded, allowing guests to truly immerse themselves in the forest environment.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
The park’s location makes it an ideal base for exploring the Southwest Michigan shoreline. A short drive north brings you to the vibrant downtown of South Haven, where you can explore the Michigan Maritime Museum or enjoy local dining. For those who enjoy the outdoors, Van Buren State Park offers additional hiking trails and high dunes. The area is also famous for its agritourism, with numerous u-pick orchards and wineries located within a twenty-minute drive, making it easy to sample the local harvest after a morning at the beach.
Who This Park Is Best For
Covert Park is perfect for nature enthusiasts and families who prefer a quieter, more traditional camping atmosphere over a high-traffic resort. It is ideal for RVers who are comfortable with partial hookups and value direct beach access and wooded privacy above all else. If you are looking for a place to disconnect and enjoy Lake Michigan’s natural rhythm, this park provides the perfect setting. It is also a wonderful choice for birdwatchers and photographers looking to capture the unique dune ecosystems and lakefront sunsets.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
User Reviews
Tori Jean
Stayed here for 3 nights and loved it! Volunteers, Colby and Carmelita went out of their way to make our stay even better! They are both very friendly and great people. The location is awesome! Short drive to south haven and under a 5 minute walk to Lake Michigan. Camp sites are close to one another but as you get to know the campground you can pick a site that is more private. Perfect girls weekend camping on the lake!
pattie bradley
This is the best campground EVER, and the manager, Austin has made this so. If you want family atmospheres, where everybody knows your name, this is it. Great camp sites, great beach and dunes, and all is super clean. Grab a hand-scooped ice cream cone from the Amish-made ice cream truck on your 500-foot walk to the beach for the most spectacular sunsets. Enjoy a lovely swim in the pure sand lakeshore waters. Clear, clean water and shallow enough for all to enjoy. Take the kayaks for a paddle, fly a kite, toss the Frisbee around, or build sand castles for a lifelong memory. And don't forget to bring the s'mores.
Steve Peters
Best hidden gem campground I've found in all of Michigan! For $50 a night, which includes water/power at your site, you’re a matter of feet from one of the best (freshwater) beaches around. Each campsite is unique, unlike state parks! A majority of their sites are perfectly shaded/wooded. The water conditions are always changing. Sometimes calm, sometimes super fun 6-8’ waves! Great sand, not rocky, and there’s a sandbar. We always meet great ppl. They have decent bathrooms that are cleaned daily, recently renovated pathways, and even a permanent food trailer that serves fantastic ice cream (and food eventually). Cannot say enough about their staff! Very helpful, and welcoming. They are constantly cleaning, adapting to campers’ various needs, and accommodate camp setups of all kinds. Would recommend this campground to anyone!
Cassy Good
We really enjoyed our stay here! The primitive campsites are secluded, private, and truly primitive, which we appreciated. There’s a short hike through uneven terrain to reach them (manageable, but having a cart was a huge plus). The campground manager, Austin, was incredibly helpful and friendly. When we needed firewood, it was delivered quickly. When we requested a grate for the fire pit, he came through. The private beach is a short walk away, and we took full advantage of being on the west coast to enjoy breathtaking sunsets. The bathrooms, with private locking shower stalls, are modern, clean, and just a few minutes from the sites. The group campground was very well maintained—we saw Austin working hard throughout our stay. There’s a covered common area with picnic tables, grills and a playground. The best part was that it wasn’t filled with tourists, but other respectful campers. Things to keep in mind: primitive sites are in the woods—store food in your vehicle or animal-proof containers (not provided), and dispose of trash at the group campground before nightfall. Keep a deterrent nearby (air horn/whistle/flashing light/bear spray, etc). Bring decent lighting—under the tree canopy, it gets extremely dark at night. The large fire pit could only provide so much lighting when you can barely see your hand in front of your face dark. Bug protection is a must during warmer months. Cell service with AT&T was spotty but usable. Parking is nearby but requires a short walk. Fire pits don’t have grates; bring your own or a cooking alternative. Grills are available only in the common area near the restrooms. We’ll most certainly be back to visit this special gem.
Veronica Vincent
I’ve camped at Covert Park Beach and Campground multiple times and enjoyed my stays, but this last trip was elevated by the new management. Aubrey was very helpful and welcoming, even switched out sites to better accommodate our families needs. Austin was nonstop working and problem solving all around camp! Both were very personable and present, making the camp environment a positive experience. You can tell they’re passionate about maintaining the campground well and it shows it the beautiful space they’ve helped create. Cute little playground for the kids, clean bathrooms, great beach access on the wonderful Lake Michigan, firewood delivery to site, activities for kids, and ice cream for sunset viewing. Sites don’t have good service; which was a great way to be forced to unplug. If you need service, it’s a short drive into town or bring a mobile hotspot. A lot of the sites are very unleveled and hilly, but not the end of the world and was able to make it work regardless. 10/10 recommended this cute little hidden gem of a campground!
Karry Quinn
This place is so nice. So clean. The bathrooms are kept very clean. Park managers were very accommodating. We forgot our hose, they did not hesitate to lend us one. Went out of their way to bring us wood for our campfire. From the time we got to the camp they were kind, considerate, and helpful. Very friendly atmosphere. The beach is beautiful. Thank you to all the park managers. We appreciate your efforts to keep our environment clean!! Great job!!!
Hailey Huffman
The campground at Covert is one of the best places we've camped. The showers and bathrooms are clean we camped at T5 and it was spacious and private. The staff was also very friendly and helpful!
Sarah Turner
Incredibly clean campground and great hosts. Beach was amazing with easy access from campsites.
Nicole Waugh
NEW PARK MANAGERS and they are great! After reading the reviews from 2023 we were pretty apprehensive when we pulled in but all that has changed! The new managers are super friendly, helpful and ensure the perfect balance of keeping the park a happy place for all campers! The firewood is excellent and delivered to your site. Camp store has the basics of what you need! Sites are small and not really private, but nature is all around and the beach is a 100 yards away. Bathrooms are large and clean, and everything is maintained well. We loved it and will be back!
Danielle Buhrfiend
This beautiful park is well maintained and has the most breathtaking views of Lake Michigan. The park is tent or cabin. Lake access, beautiful tree lined trails. Quiet but close to town.