Michigan kiteboarding spot guide: Musekegon Pier Marquette Beach. 

Muskegon is a special place for kiteboarding. When it’s good here, it’s as good as any world-class destination I’ve ridden. This is where I learned, where I trained, and my home spot in the spring. I’ve been traveling internationally full-time for years, and I can say with confidence that this is my favorite beach in the world.

You get the best mix of waves, flat water, no wildlife, empty beaches, and white sugar sands. It’s beyond clean, and there’s so much space. The jetty here—which we call a pier in Michigan—makes for perfect flat water for advanced riders on a north or a south wind. The water between the breakwaters is always 10 to 20 degrees warmer than Lake Michigan as Muskegon Lake feeds into it.

The energy here is like nowhere else. There’s a huge restaurant called The Deck. Imagine shipping containers built into a two-story compound with live music, killer food, and people having a good time. On the beach, you’ll see people playing volleyball, local surfers catching waves bouncing off the outside of the jetty, and tons of kiteboarders and wingfoilers.

Muskegon is really a special place. This guide will tell you everything you need to know and how to respect this gem of a spot.

Spot Overview

The main beach has multiple parking lots along Beach Street. You can park larger vehicles in the bigger lots or along the road in a car. You’ll need to buy a pass to park here, but it’s well worth it. The main beach area is large, and there’s loads of white sandy beach to set up your kiteboarding gear. I recommend avoiding beachgoers and finding your own space. Keep a good distance from the powerlines and avoid the kids’ play center.

The main beach has good waves in front of the water treatment center, but you’ll be closer to the road, and the beaches here are smaller. Stick closer to the pier and meet the crew there. As you get closer to the pier, the water gets shallower near the shore, and there are smaller waves. With the right wind, though, they can stack up and get clean next to the pier. Regardless, this is often the best spot to ride.

Between the pier heads is reserved for intermediate to advanced riders. Yes, it’s shallower in here, and the water is calmer, but it also gets crowded and can be less forgiving in some ways. There’s a wind shadow, so you’ll need to relaunch well after crashing. I’ve seen a few people drift into the downwind pier and shred their kites. This is also a popular wingfoil spot, so it gets busy fast, with kiters fighting for flat water and wingers looking for easier conditions to learn.

The key is respect. Ride in a rotation and make sure everyone gets a turn to do their trick in the flat water. Be vigilant and respectful and be sure to smile and wave. We want to keep the vibes high. I especially love riding here when there’s live music at The Deck. You can hear it on the water, and the conditions on a south wind are just world-class.

A kiteboarding tutorial filmed in Muskegon

Best Wind Directions and Seasons

Muskegon works on a south, north, or west wind. For very advanced riders, you can sneak back to Muskegon Lake and ride on an east wind, but that’s another guide for later!

On a north wind, you’ll find flat water on the south side of the pier and a large wind shadow to set up. With the shape of our coast, it will be gusty but fun. Launching is a little weird, so launch with the kite near the water and get out of the shadow fast. Landing is easier, as you can drop your kite in the shadow, and it will just self-land. North winds tend to build all day and get stronger until about 5 or 6 PM. Then they get weird and either shut off or clock side offshore. If you feel it get extra gusty at 5, it’s time to come in. Otherwise, you’ll be swimming back in against the wind.

For south winds, there are two camps: riders who post up by the shack near the traffic circle on the south end of the park, or riders who go between the pier heads. This is my favorite time and place. The shallow flat water here, with a soft sand bottom, is like nothing else. There are no sharks, no shells—it’s just smooth flat water. Nothing is better anywhere I’ve ever been.

Be sure to follow the rules of navigation and check with the locals when using the slick. Space is limited and you need to get in a circuit so everyone can do a trick.

Local Challenges

Summers get very crowded, so you need to use discretion. I don’t ride here much when the beaches fill up on holidays. It only takes one bad line break to close the beach access for us. Weekdays are fine, but avoid summer weekends if you can’t find open space to launch. Alternatively, you can drift-launch and ride on these days. The key is to never put yourself in a situation where the kite could fall on someone.

With The Deck here, more people visit this beach than ever. It used to be a sleepy beach town with only a few kiteboarders, and I’ve watched it grow into a watersports and tourist metropolis. I’m happy to see more people enjoy the beach, but let’s be sure we’re smart and respectful.

Vibes and Community

This is the heart of West Michigan kiteboarding, and you’ll see up to 30-something kites and wings on the water with a good forecast. Be sure to introduce yourself and make some new friends. The Midwest is so friendly, and you won’t meet a nicer group of real people anywhere.

Riders of all types come here. The conditions are perfect for kitefoil, with the deeper waters inside and outside the breakwater. Wingfoil is popular here, big air is popular here, and you’ll even see some freestyle riders. The conditions are too good to ignore the unhooked kiteboarding potential.

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I teach here in the summer with Stoke Riders, and I come here for my own sessions. If you want to know more, sign up for our newsletter or book a lesson with me!