Has anyone been to Silver Lake Sand Dunes?
 

If so, what are your thoughts of it, and do have any pictures?

Thanks Stampede.

I started going last year when I had a Suburban. All you need is an ORV license (which you can purchase there) and a flag or two (and of course a place to mount them). You can also purchase those there at a store. I aired down to around 8-10 lbs in all tires and just kept it in 4 low and the trans in 1st or 2nd--no aerial acrobatics for me, I had to drive it home!

When you first get all the way into the park you'll see "test hill" over on your left. Looks pretty steep at first, and it is. I had to make two runs to get to the top, mainly because I didn't want to push the 'burb too hard. You can drive all over around the place, it's fairly big and then park on the beach by Lake Michigan and cook out or hang out. The weekends, especially holidays, get really crowded and I think you need to get a special entrance permit before the actual day, but I could be wrong.

Bottom line--it's a lot of fun, especially with friends! I can't wait to get my '94 F150 up there real soon!

Jalampi has some pics of his truck at silver lake in his gallery.

I've been going there for about 26 years now. Favorite spot to offroad . . . and not only because you can also sit and watch idjuts in new trucks knock off bumpers into the face of a dune :)

<img src="http://www.oldfart.com/smileymobile/wardog.jpg" width="600" height="393"">


http://www.oldfart.com/smileymobile/Dunes.JPG


http://www.oceana.net/Oceana/jumptrck.jpg



http://www.oceana.net/SilverLake/

besides the orv, what else is needed to try out the dunes? I have 35" 12.50 tires that have about 50% tread left. do i need better tires or will this work. can you have alcohol down by the shore?

Air down the tires, put a flag on it and go.

I have some pics. in my gallery.

There is NO alcohol in the park. You can make it up there in just about anything, I have seen vans, cars, snowmobiles just about everything there. Just air down to about 15 psi and go.

Smiley Love the picture of Quagmire (sp) I think I still have both those issues.

I have a couple of pictures in my gallery, I will be adding some more soon. Been going to the dunes for 20 years and how it has changed. Rules, crowd, shape and lay out of dunes. Lots of fun, you can race up "test" hill, "drag race" on flat ground, jump, sunbath, swim, you also see some very nice , rare,equipment there. it's a great get away for a week end. If you go on a major holiday week end be careful it gets real busy. Air your tires down to atleast 15 psi. the lower you go the better traction you will get, but you also risk the chance of 'poping" a bead of the tire off your rim. The DNR has closed all water sections, so there is no longer any "mudding" at the dunes.

live there, love it
 

stampede,
these guys are all right on the money. i have grown up and still live in silver lake. your tires will be great air down to 8 to 15 psi depends on the thickness of your sidewalls. get a flag, orv sticker, and a voucher to get in on busy days. just a note though it real easy to break things. when you do come visit me at work at mears service center on fox between silver lake and mears. we are now open 9 to 2 on saturdays. no promises we will have time but we might be able to help. also not only have i seen snomobiles on the dunes but a rear wheel drive olds. got pulled out a couple of times but went on and came off. also a good thing they closed all the water sections. too many static looked engines including a hummer or two. engines don't like to run on water.

have fun dunein
tjbeggs

This place sounds fun, but what is it exactly I assume it’s a state park since you need ORV sticker is this right? Is it a bunch of guys tearing up the place or after where done off roading can you go down to the water and bbq? Any other information about this place or a web site would be great. Thanks guys.

Also from the area,
 

and been going to the dunes for years. (Been a few since I was last there though.)

FX4-Fan, yup it is a state park and so the ORV sticker. One more thing, they do random exhaust checks and if you have a straight through system they will most likely find it and not let you on the dunes. (They run a flexible rod up the tailpipe to see if it has baffles or not.)

Be careful on the hills and don't get to wild and you can have a LOT of fun, watching a sunset from the dunes over Lake MI is great.

I also work for Mears Service Center so stop in and see us!

Silver Lake is a blast. I haven't had the chance to take my truck up there since its not done yet, but it will be heading that way. Just need to get it in (exhaust might not make it in :( ) but one way or another its all good. I take my YZ250 up there with my friends and we have blast flying all over the place. The drag spot is a great spot to stop and watch the rails, quads, bikes, trucks, sleds and just about anything else you can think of. Don't let test hill scare ya either. Its a big hill but go big or go home! If your taking an ATV take some extra cash with ya though, flags tend to break really easy if ya happen to crash :-wow (it does happen, you forget some hills drop off and some don't.) But its all good cause sand doesn't really hurt to crash in! :)

So go to Silver Lake and have a blast!!!