Little Glen Lake Picnic Area

Little Glen Lake Picnic Area is a grassy shore stop on Little Glen Lake, across M-109 from the Dune Climb. I'd use it for a meal or a leg-stretch before or after the climb, not as the main beach day. There are picnic tables, parking and a vault/composting toilet.

Most of the shore is grass, with somewhat rocky sand where you reach the water. This suits a wade or a short pause by the lake better than a long swim on a broad sandy beach.

You can launch a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard here, but you'll need to carry it from your vehicle to the water. Factor that carry-in into your plan, especially if you're bringing more than one craft or gear for a group.

Visitors report a view of the Dune Climb across Little Glen Lake, a quieter angle after walking the dunes. The lake also has yellow perch, smallmouth bass, northern pike, brown trout and lake trout, giving anglers a few different fish to try for without promising a catch.

The nearby mill pond across M-109 is another place to look for birds. Herons and egrets are around there through much of summer; treat that as a pond-side possibility, not a guarantee at the picnic shore.

For a deeper look at Glen Lake's history, the separate Glen Lake Sugarbush site tells the story of a longstanding Odawa camp and village. Lodge frames were made with maple or willow saplings and covered with birch bark; that history belongs to the Sugarbush stop, not the picnic tables.