Point Betsie has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
When it fills in
Frontal rather than thermal, so there is no fill-in hour to plan around. The wind comes and goes with the weather system and can blow at any time of day or night, which is why the strong months are the frontal ones in spring and autumn rather than warm midsummer afternoons. No local daily onset pattern has been recorded.
The wind
Direction
Character
synoptic
fills in: Frontal rather than thermal, so there is no fill-in hour to plan around. The wind comes and goes with the weather system and can blow at any time of day or night, which is why the strong months are the frontal ones in spring and autumn rather than warm midsummer afternoons. No local daily onset pattern has been recorded.
Thermal or synoptic
frontal
Strength
Direction to shore
Southwest is described as offshore and northeast as onshore, with the curved beach making north and south winds sideshore farther south.
Dominant direction
NE, SW
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan77
- Feb77
- Mar, riders' month79
- Apr, riders' month63
- May, riders' month37
- Jun43
- Jul18
- Aug35
- Sep, riders' month32
- Oct, riders' month76
- Nov, riders' month78
- Dec69
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov.
- 77%Jan
- 77%Feb
- 79%Mar
- 63%Apr
- 37%May
- 43%Jun
- 18%Jul
- 35%Aug
- 32%Sep
- 76%Oct
- 78%Nov
- 69%Dec
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77% | 87% | 85% | 18.6 kt | WSW | 10:00 | -3.2°C | 62 |
| Feb | 77% | 91% | 88% | 20 kt | SSW | 12:00 | -2.5°C | 57 |
| Mar | 79% | 90% | 87% | 18.6 kt | N | 13:00 | 0.4°C | 62 |
| Apr | 63% | 88% | 78% | 16.8 kt | SSW | 14:00 | 6.3°C | 60 |
| May | 37% | 68% | 58% | 13.5 kt | N | 14:00 | 13°C | 62 |
| Jun | 43% | 70% | 63% | 13.7 kt | NNW | 12:00 | 17.5°C | 60 |
| Jul | 18% | 56% | 42% | 11.7 kt | SSW | 12:00 | 20°C | 62 |
| Aug | 35% | 63% | 50% | 12.7 kt | SSW | 14:00 | 19.9°C | 62 |
| Sep | 32% | 55% | 48% | 12.5 kt | N | 14:00 | 17.7°C | 60 |
| Oct | 76% | 95% | 92% | 18.1 kt | S | 15:00 | 11.5°C | 62 |
| Nov | 78% | 88% | 88% | 19.6 kt | WNW | 10:00 | 5.5°C | 60 |
| Dec | 69% | 95% | 85% | 18.6 kt | NW | 14:00 | 0.5°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
lake
Standing depth
Shallow near shore. How far the standing area runs is unconfirmed.
Tides
Tide independent freshwater lake.
Temperature
17°C summer · 4°C winter
Wetsuit
Shorts are used in summer, wetsuits are needed in spring and fall, and thick protection is needed in winter.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
No school names this spot
Nobody has been recorded teaching or running a boat here.
On your own
Room to launch: medium
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
Launch off the medium sand, pebble and stone beach at the west end of Point Betsie Road, by Point Betsie Lighthouse. Riders call this stretch Kite Beach.
Space
medium
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Check the launch angle where you actually stand: the beach curve changes how north and south wind hits the shore.
- Ride with the shell, pebble and stone bottom in mind, fins included.
- Think twice about a southwest day; that direction is offshore here.
- Bring neoprene outside midsummer: 17 C in summer, 4 C in winter.
Getting there
Airport
Cherry Capital Airport (TVC), Traverse City; Manistee Blacker Airport is also closer to Frankfort by distance.
Route
Drive M-22, turn onto Point Betsie Road and follow it to the west end. There is road-end parking and carry-in water access less than 50 yards from the car.
Staying
The lighthouse rents seasonal Keeper's Quarters lodging. Wider availability is unconfirmed.
No-wind days
Point Betsie Lighthouse tours, the public beach, the sunset, and the Sleeping Bear Dunes and Frankfort area.
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite Point Betsie?
Spring and fall, specifically March-May and September-November, plus winter riding when the lake is frozen.
Is it suitable for beginners?
The spot is listed for beginner through expert riders, but the mix of offshore and onshore wind directions still requires local judgment.
What is the wind like?
Northeast is onshore and southwest is offshore; the curved beach means north and south winds become side-shore farther south.
What is the launch and water like?
The beach bottom transitions from sand near the water to shells, pebbles and stones, so fin damage is a listed hazard.
Last updated: August 2026