Lake Access Cottage | Hot Tub, Dog-Friendly, Swim / Fish, Sunset & Lake Views

Golden Shores Retreat sits near the shores of Chippewa Lake, a 790-acre all-sports lake in the quiet lake country of Mecosta County, west-central Michigan. This custom-built home spreads comfortably across three levels, two decks, with open water views and lake access just steps from the door.

The main level opens into a bright, open-concept living, dining, and kitchen space — black counters, high end stainless appliances, and easy luxury-vinyl-plank floors made for wet feet and long weekends. Upstairs, a spacious primary retreat and a quiet office nook look out over the water; the lower level adds flexible space for the rest of your group.

With room for up to 10, a dog-friendly welcome, and the lake as your backyard, this is a home built for gathering — reunions, fishing trips, and unhurried summer weeks alike.

Book your stay on Chippewa Lake today!

★THE LAKE★

Chippewa Lake is a 790-acre all-sports lake, prized locally for its fishing and its sunsets. From this home you have lake access and open water views right off your choice of two decks — swim off the shoreline, drop a line, or head out to explore the bays under a wide Michigan sky. It's the kind of water that stays busy with boats on a warm afternoon and turns glassy and gold as the sun goes down.

★WHAT WE LOVE★

→ Directly on Chippewa Lake — lake access and open water views right from the yard
→ Sunsets over the water that turn the sky gold and pink, the reason this shoreline is loved
→ 790 acres of all-sports lake for swimming, boating, and fishing all season long
→ Bright, open-concept main level made for easy lakeside living
→ Room for up to 10 guests across three levels — built for reunions and families
→ Dog-friendly welcome so the whole family can come along

⭐️5 STAR HOSTS ⭐️

Forest & Flow Retreats focuses on unique homes and experiences so our guests can build memories for years to come. Over 15% of our bookings come from repeat guests, something we are very proud of. As you may have guessed from our name, we target natural properties with water or forest features that create a calm, peaceful and tranquil environment far removed from the hustle of day to day life.

We are avid outdoor enthusiasts and believe in protecting public lands through conservation efforts and the associated funds raised through hunting, fishing, and orv licenses.

We believe our homes and public lands should be a safe space for people from all walks of life, regardless of age, race, gender or ethnicity.

Each year, we donate a portion of our earnings to public land trusts and / or conservation efforts so that our waters and land can be protected for years to come.

We have hosted tens of thousands of guests over the years across our properties, helping family and friends have a memorable experience!

★KEY FEATURES★

🏠 Entire Private Home
🛌 Premium Beds, Pillows & Linens
❄️ Central Air Conditioning
🔓 Contactless & Keyless Entry
🛜 Highspeed Internet & WiFi
📺 Netflix & Disney+ / Streaming
🛶 Outdoor Activities
🐶 Dog Friendly

✨ Starlight Nights
☀️ Sunset Views
🚤 Lake Access
🏖️ Beaches & Swimming
⛳ Golf & Pickleball Nearby
🌲 Hiking & Nature Trails

🌸 Spring Blossoms
☀️ Summer Sun
🍁 Fall Foliage
❄️ Winter Wonderland

★NATURAL ATTRACTIONS★

This home puts you in the heart of Michigan's lake-and-trail country:

🚤 Lakes – Chippewa Lake (on-site), a 790-acre all-sports lake for swimming, boating, and fishing
🏖️ Beaches – Chippewa Lake Park (5 min) for public swimming and sandy shoreline
🌲 Public Lands – Haymarsh State Game Area (15 min) of woods, water, and wildlife
🚲 Bike Trails – Pere Marquette State Trail (20 min), a paved rail-trail for riding and walking

★OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES★

Whatever the season, the Chippewa Lake area gives everyone something to do outdoors:

✔ Water Sports – Swim, kayak, boat, and fish right off Chippewa Lake, a 790-acre all-sports lake
✔ Golf – Tee off at Tullymore Golf Resort, one of the region's best-known courses (about 15 min)
✔ Hiking & Biking – Walk or ride the Pere Marquette State Trail and explore area nature trails
✔ Hunting & Wildlife – Hunt, birdwatch, and roam the public land at Haymarsh State Game Area
✔ Winter Fun – Ice fish the lake, snowshoe the woods, and follow the area's ORV and snow trails

★FURTHER AWAY★

Set in the middle of west-central Michigan, this home makes an easy base for day trips in every direction:

→ Big Rapids – 25 min: Ferris State University, Muskegon River riverwalk, downtown shops and local breweries
→ Clare – 45 min: the "Cops & Doughnuts" bakery, Amish country, and the gateway to northern Michigan
→ Mount Pleasant – 50 min: Central Michigan University, Soaring Eagle Casino, and Saginaw Chippewa cultural sites
→ Cadillac – 1 hr: back-to-back lakes Cadillac and Mitchell, waterfront dining, and four-season trails
→ Grand Rapids – 1 hr 15 min: art and history museums, a celebrated craft-beer scene, and West Michigan's largest city
→ Ludington – 1 hr 30 min: Lake Michigan beaches, Ludington State Park, and the Big Sable Point Lighthouse
→ Muskegon – 1 hr 30 min: Lake Michigan shoreline, Muskegon State Park, and Michigan's Adventure amusement park
→ Traverse City – 1 hr 45 min: vineyards and wineries, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and lively waterfront dining

★SLEEP SPACES★

Golden Shores Retreat sleeps up to 10 guests across two bedrooms and two full bathrooms, with sleeping spread over the home's three levels so families and groups can comfortably spread out.

Upper-Level Primary
A spacious primary retreat crowns the home, with an adjoining office nook and windows that frame the water — the quietest corner of the house. A plush king bed is the focal point of the roam, anchored by a private seating area that doubles as a pull out queen sofa sleeper.

Lower-Level Bedroom & Flexible Space
The lower level holds a second bedroom plus laundry facilities, giving larger groups extra room to sleep and unwind.

Bathrooms
Two full bathrooms serve the home — one near the upper-level primary and one on the main living level.

Sleeping Arrangements:
→ Master Bedroom King Bed; Queen Sofa Sleeper
→ Guest Bedroom Queen Bed
→ Air Mattresses: Available Upon Advanced Request
→ Additional sleeping in the living areas to accommodate groups up to 10

★COMMON AREAS ★

Living Room

An open, light-filled living space on the main level, positioned to take in the lake views and made for the whole group to gather after a day on the water.

Open-Concept Kitchen

The main level's kitchen flows straight into the living and dining space, fully equipped for cooking and easy, family-style meals.

→ Stainless steel appliances
→ Black countertops
→ Luxury vinyl plank flooring throughout
→ Stocked for cooking and family-style meals

Dining Area

Dining opens right off the kitchen with a dual purpose island and eating area, keeping cooks and guests together for shared meals and game nights.

Laundry

In-home washer and dryer keep longer stays and lake days easy.

★OUTDOOR LIVING AREAS★

Lakeside Main Floor Deck

Low-maintenance Trex decking looks out over Chippewa Lake — the spot for morning coffee, an evening soak in the hot tub, an afternoon with a book, and watching the sunset drop into the water.

→ Full-thickness polymer decking
→ Open water and sunset views
→ Privacy curtains for night time soaks

Lakeview Upper floor Floor Deck

Evenings are spent on the upper deck with expansive seating on the outdoor sectional and sunset views rarely found elsewhere.

→ Full-thickness polymer decking
→ Open water and sunset views
→ Wrap around accent lighting

Waterfront & Yard

The home's location puts swimming, fishing, and launching a paddle just steps away, keeping the focus on the water.

→ Direct Chippewa Lake access
→ Low-maintenance grounds

★GUEST ACCESS★

Our guests have full access and use of the entire home and surrounding land. If you are unsure where the property lines end, please ask and we can assist! The privacy and safety of our guests and neighbors is very important to us.

Access is provided through a remote digital keypad, controlled through our Ring security system. Parking is convenient and close to the home, we only ask that guests do not park or drive on the lawn.

As a remotely located, rural home we manage travel times between our properties for turnovers between guests based on expected arrival times and the most efficient routes. Often, we can accommodate an earlier check in, just ask us in the days before your reservation and we will do our best to help!

🏠 Entire Home
🌲 Private (Not Shared) Outdoor Spaces
🅿️ Ample Parking
📞 24 / 7 / 365 Phone & SMS Support
🔓 Contactless & Keyless Entry
🛡️ Professionally Monitored Security by Ring Alarm Pro

★EVENTS & USAGE★

We get frequent requests from guests to use our homes for weddings, family reunions, camping, or other large gatherings. Many of these types of events are high-impact and can affect future guest stays, so we carefully manage them.

If this is something you are looking for, we can discuss details and whether any additional fees would apply.

In the event your preferred dates are already taken, or you are traveling with a larger group, please view our other listings or reach out to us as we provide numerous rental options in the region.

★ADDITIONAL SERVICES★

For an additional fee, we can provide concierge t