Pet-friendly Michigan state park beaches: Where to take your dog swimming this summer

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(Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)

(FOX 2) - Beach weather is in the forecast - and beaches aren't just for humans.

A number of Michigan state park and recreation area beaches allow pets to swim.

Pets must be on a six-foot leash. At beaches where they are allowed, they cannot be in swimming areas or areas with signs prohibiting them.

Pet-friendly state park beaches:

Algonac State Park - entire length of the St. Clair River
Baraga State Park - entire length of the Lake Superior shoreline
Bewabic State Park - entire length of the Fortune Lake shoreline other than the designated swim beach
Brighton Recreation Area
Brimley State Park - along the Lake Superior shoreline outside of the designated swimming area
Burt Lake State Park - section of shoreline on Burt Lake
Clear Lake State Park - along the Clear Lake lakeshore other than the designated swim beach and boating access site
Craig Lake State Park - along the park’s shoreline
Dodge #4 State Park - section of shoreline located to the west of the rock jetty
Duck Lake State Park - entire length of the Lake Michigan shoreline and Duck Lake
Fayette Historic State Park - along the Lake Michigan shoreline other than the designated swim beach
Grand Mere State Park - along the Lake Michigan shoreline
Harrisville State Park - section of shoreline located on the north end of the camper's beach
Hayes State Park - along the shoreline other than the buoyed swim area
Highland Recreation Area - along the park’s lakes except for the designated swim beach
Hoeft State Park - along the entire length of the Lake Huron shoreline other than the buoyed swim area
Hoffmaster State Park - entire length of the Lake Michigan shoreline apart from the designated swim area
Holland State Park - Lake Macatawa day-use area directly across from the Lake Mac Campground
Holly Recreation Area - section of shoreline south of the designated swim beach on Heron Lake
Lake Hudson Recreation Area - allowed along the entire length of Lake Hudson except for the buoyed swim area
Leelanau State Park - shoreline in northern park unit
Ludington State Park - along Lake Michigan, located between the beach house and the Big Sable River (The Department of Natural Resources says the majority of the Lake Michigan shoreline closed to protect endangered piping plover habitat)
McLain State Park - portion of Lake Superior shoreline
Mears State Park - southernmost section of shoreline
Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area - along the Lake Minnawanna shoreline other than the buoyed swim area
Menominee River State Recreation Area - Pets are allowed along the entire length of the Menominee River
Muskegon State Park - along the Lake Michigan shoreline outside of the designated swimming area (with the exception of marked piping plover nest habitat)
Negwegon State Park - along the majority of Lake Huron shoreline.
North Higgins Lake State Park - a pet-friendly beach is located east of the day-use area.
Onaway State Park - along the Black Lake shoreline other than in the designated swim area
Petoskey State Park - along the Lake Michigan shoreline other than the buoyed swim areas and other areas marked for piping plover nest habitat
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park - entire length of Lake Superior park shoreline
Port Crescent State Park - entire length of the Lake Huron shoreline with the exception of the designated swim beach in the modern campground
Proud Lake Recreation Area - along the entire length of the Huron River and Proud Lake shoreline (other than the buoyed swim area in the modern campground)
Rifle River Recreation Area - along the park's lakes, river and stream, with the exception of the designated swim area
Rockport Recreation Area - allowed along the entire length of the Lake Huron shoreline
Saugatuck Dunes State Park - entire length of the Lake Michigan shoreline
Silver Lake State Park - entire length of the Lake Michigan shoreline and the park's inland lake, Silver Lake, in all areas other than the designated swim beach
Sleeper State Park - entire length of the Lake Huron shoreline except for the designated swim beach
Sleepy Hollow State Park - section of shoreline located 100 yards north of the Lake Ovid swimming beach
South Higgins Lake State Park - two pet-friendly beach areas, one along a section of shoreline in the day-use area (along the east park boundary) and a campers-only area (along the west boundary of the campground)
Straits State Park - Lake Huron shoreline
Tawas Point State Park - section of shoreline available on Tawas Bay between the campground and the lighthouse - enclosed by fencing.Twin Lakes State Park
Thompson's Harbor State Park - along the entire length of the Lake Huron shoreline
Twin Lakes State Park - allowed in the designated pet beach (not the shoreline)
Van Buren State Park - entire length of the Lake Michigan shoreline except for the designated swim area
Van Riper State Park - entire length of the Lake Michigamme and the Peshekee River with the exception of the designated swim beach
Wells State Park - along the length of the Lake Michigan shoreline except for the buoyed swim area
Wilderness State Park - The DNR said the majority of the park's shoreline closed to pets to protect endangered piping plover habitat; however, there is a pet-friendly beach located down a small path in the picnic area (just east of the headquarters building)
Wilson State Park - along the lakeshore except for the buoyed swim area
Warren Dunes State Park - north of the northernmost swim buoy at the designated swim beach
Young State Park - section of shoreline available east of the boat launch