List of Michigan state parks

This is a list of Michigan state parks and related protected areas under Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) jurisdiction. The DNR Parks and Recreation Division manages these lands. DNR administers over 100 state parks and also operates 16 state harbors on the Great Lakes. Michigan's 103 state park and recreation areas cover 306,000 acres (124,000 ha) with 14,100 campsites in 142 campgrounds and over 900 miles (1,400 km) of trails.[1] The state parks and recreation areas statewide collectively saw more than 26 million visits in 2016.[2]

White Pine
Belle Isle
Hart-Montague
Kal-Haven
Michigan state parks (clickable map)
Map showing many of Michigan's state parks but not state recreation areas or state forests.
Hold cursor over park name; click to go to park article.

History

Michigan's state parks system was started in 1919. Two Michigan state parks pre-date the creation of the park system in 1919: Interlochen State Park and Mackinac Island State Park.

Mackinac Island State Park was created in 1895. It had served as the nation's second national park from 1875. In 1909 Michilimackinac State Park was created in nearby Mackinaw City. Both of these parks, along with Historic Mill Creek State Park are under the jurisdiction of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission.

Interlochen State Park was purchased by the Michigan Legislature in 1917 and was the first public park to be transferred to the Michigan State Park Commission in 1920. Because Mackinac Island State Park was a federal gift with its own commission and jurisdiction it is not technically the first state park even though it predates Interlochen State Park by nearly 25 years.[3]

Additional DNR facilities

DNR operates 746 boat launches on 57,000 acres (230 km2) of designated public water access sites. It also operates 16 "harbors of refuge" as well as providing support for the other 61 harbors in the system. The harbors of refuge are approximately 30 miles (50 km) apart along the Great Lakes shoreline to provide shelter from storms and often provide boat launches and supplies. There are 11 state underwater preserves covering 2,450 square miles (6,300 km2) of Great Lakes bottomland and ten of them have a maritime museum or interpretive center in a nearby coastal community.[4]

The DNR Parks and Recreation Division also manages 138 state forest campgrounds (including a dozen equestrian campgrounds). The Michigan state game and wildlife areas encompass more than 340,000 acres (1,400 km2). DNR also oversees the trail systems in the state. This includes 880 miles (1,400 km) of non-motorized trails, 1,145 miles (1,800 km) of rail-trails, 3,193 miles (5,100 km) of off-road vehicle (ORV) routes and 6,216 miles (10,000 km) of snowmobile trails.[5]

For a discussion of all protected areas in Michigan under all jurisdictions, see Protected areas of Michigan.

Michigan state parks
Name[6]CountySizeEstab-
lished[7]		Lake / riverImageRemarks
acresha
Algonac State ParkSt. Clair1,450 acres 590 ha1937St. Clair RiverRare savanna lands
Aloha State ParkCheboygan107 acres 43 ha1923Mullett LakeOn the Michigan Inland Waterway
Baraga State ParkBaraga56 acres 23 ha1921Lake SuperiorOn Keweenaw Bay
Bay City State ParkBay2,389 acres 967 ha1923Lake HuronOn Saginaw Bay
Belle Isle ParkWayne982 acres 397 ha1845Detroit River
Bewabic State ParkIron315 acres 127 ha1923Fortune Lake
Brimley State ParkChippewa151 acres 61 ha1923Lake SuperiorOn Whitefish Bay
Burt Lake State ParkCheboygan406 acres 164 ha1920Burt Lake
Cambridge Junction Historic State ParkLenawee80 acres 32 ha1965noneHistoric Walker Tavern
Cheboygan State ParkCheboygan1,250 acres 510 ha1962Lake Huron
Clear Lake State ParkMontmorency290 acres 120 ha1966Clear Lake
Coldwater Lake State ParkBranch400 acres 160 ha1988Coldwater Lake
Colonial Michilimackinac Historic State ParkEmmet37 acres 15 ha1960Straits of MackinacIncludes Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Craig Lake State ParkBaraga8,459 acres 3,423 ha1956Craig Lake
Dodge #4 State ParkOakland139 acres 56 ha1922Cass Lake
Duck Lake State ParkMuskegon728 acres 295 ha1988Duck Lake
Fayette Historic State ParkDelta711 acres 288 ha1959Big Bay de Noc, Lake Michigan
Fisherman's Island State ParkCharlevoix2,678 acres 1,084 ha1975Lake Michigan
Fort Wilkins Historic State ParkKeweenaw711 acres 288 ha1923Lake SuperiorSite of Copper Harbor Light
Grand Haven State ParkOttawa48 acres 19 ha1920Lake Michigan
Grand Mere State ParkBerrien985 acres 399 ha1973Lake Michigan
Harrisville State ParkAlcona107 acres 43 ha1921Lake Huron
Hartwick Pines State ParkCrawford9,672 acres 3,914 ha1927East Branch Au Sable RiverOld-growth white and red pine forest
Hayes State ParkLenawee,
Jackson, Washtenaw		654 acres 265 ha1920Wamplers Lake,
Round Lake
Historic Mill Creek Discovery ParkCheboygan625 acres 253 ha1978Near Lake Huron
Hoeft State ParkPresque Isle301 acres 122 ha1922Lake Huron
Hoffmaster State ParkMuskegon,
Ottawa		1,100 acres 450 ha1963Lake Michigan
Holland State ParkOttawa617 acres 250 ha1926Lake Macatawa,
Lake Michigan
Indian Lake State ParkSchoolcraft847 acres 343 ha1932Indian Lake
Interlochen State ParkGrand Traverse187 acres 76 ha1917Green Lake,
Duck Lake
Keith J. Charters Traverse City State ParkGrand Traverse47 acres 19 ha1920Lake MichiganOn Grand Traverse Bay
Lake Gogebic State ParkGogebic1,329 acres 538 ha1930Lake Gogebic
Lakeport State ParkSt. Clair565 acres 229 ha1946Lake Huron
Laughing Whitefish Falls State ParkAlger960 acres 390 ha1946Laughing Whitefish River
Leelanau State ParkLeelanau1,350 acres 550 ha1964Lake Michigan
Little Presque Isle State Park[8]Marquette0 acres 0 ha2010sLake Superior
Ludington State ParkMason5,300 acres 2,100 ha1927Lake Michigan
Mackinac Island and Fort Mackinac Historic ParkMackinac1,800 acres 730 ha1895Lake Huron
Maybury State ParkWayne944 acres 382 ha1971none
McLain State ParkHoughton443 acres 179 ha1930Lake Superior
Mears State ParkOceana610 acres 250 ha1923Lake Michigan
Meridian-Baseline State ParkIngham,
Jackson		188 acres 76 ha1967Shaw Branch
Mitchell State ParkWexford1,289 acres 522 ha1919Lake Mitchell,
Lake Cadillac
Muskallonge Lake State ParkLuce217 acres 88 ha1956 Lake Superior
Muskegon State ParkMuskegon1,233 acres 499 ha1923Lake Michigan,
Muskegon Lake
Negwegon State ParkAlcona, Alpena591 acres 239 ha1962Lake Huron
Newaygo State ParkNewaygo257 acres 104 ha1966Hardy Dam Pond
North Higgins Lake State ParkCrawford429 acres 174 ha1965Higgins Lake
Old Mission State Park[8]Grand Traverse520 acres 210 ha1989Lake MichiganLeased to Peninsula Township and operated as Lighthouse Park
Onaway State ParkPresque Isle158 acres 64 ha1921Black Lake
Orchard Beach State ParkManistee201 acres 81 ha1921Lake Michigan
Otsego Lake State ParkOtsego1,293 acres 523 ha1920Otsego Lake
Palms Book State ParkSchoolcraft388 acres 157 ha1926Kitch-iti-kipi,
Indian Lake
Petoskey State ParkEmmet203 acres 82 ha1969Little Traverse Bay
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State ParkGogebic,
Ontonagon		59,020 acres 23,880 ha1944Lake Superior
Port Crescent State ParkHuron600 acres 240 ha1955Lake Huron
Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State ParkSanilac240 acres 97 ha1971Little Cass River
Saugatuck Dunes State ParkAllegan1,000 acres 400 ha1978Lake Michigan
Seven Lakes State ParkOakland1,434 acres 580 ha1992Big Seven Lake
Silver Lake State ParkOceana2,936 acres 1,188 ha1920Lake Michigan, Silver LakeIncludes Little Sable Point Light
Sleeper State ParkHuron723 acres 293 ha1924Lake Huron
Sleepy Hollow State ParkClinton2,678 acres 1,084 ha1965Lake Ovid
South Higgins Lake State ParkRoscommon1,000 acres 400 ha1924Higgins Lake
Sterling State ParkMonroe1,300 acres 530 ha1935Lake Erie
Straits State ParkMackinac181 acres 73 ha1924Straits of MackinacIncludes Father Marquette National Memorial
Sturgeon Point State ParkAlcona76 acres 31 ha1960Lake Michigan
Tahquamenon Falls State ParkChippewa,
Luce		46,179 acres 18,688 ha1947Tahquamenon River
Tawas Point State ParkIosco183 acres 74 ha1960Lake Huron
Thompson's Harbor State ParkPresque Isle5,109 acres 2,068 ha1988Lake Huron
Twin Lakes State ParkHoughton175 acres 71 ha1964Lake Roland
Van Buren State ParkVan Buren400 acres 160 ha1966Lake Michigan
Van Riper State ParkMarquette1,055 acres 427 ha1956Lake Michigamme
Warren Dunes State ParkBerrien1,952 acres 790 ha1930Lake Michigan
Warren Woods State ParkBerrien311 acres 126 ha1949Galien River
Watkins Lake State Park and County PreserveWashtenaw1,122 acres 454 ha2017Watkins Lake
Wells State ParkMenominee678 acres 274 ha1925Lake MichiganOn Green Bay
Wilderness State ParkEmmet10,512 acres 4,254 ha1927Lake Michigan
William G. Milliken State Park and HarborWayne31 acres 13 ha2004Detroit River
Wilson State ParkClare36 acres 15 ha1920Budd Lake
Young State ParkCharlevoix563 acres 228 ha1920Lake Charlevoix

State trails
Name Official name Counties Length Estab- lished Image Remarks
mi km
Hart-Montague Trail State Park William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail State Park Muskegon, Oceana 22 35 1991 Converted rail-trail
Kal-Haven Trail Kalamazoo,
Van Buren		 34.5 55.5 1991
Converted rail-trail
Lakelands Trail State Park Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park Ingham, Livingston, Washtenaw 26 42 1990s
Converted rail-trail
Van Buren Trail State Park Van Buren 14 23 1994 Converted rail-trail
White Pine Trail State Park Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm, Osceola, Wexford 92 148 1994
Converted rail-trail

State recreation areas
Michigan state recreation areas (clickable map)
Proud Lake Recreation Area

State forests
See also: List of Michigan state forests
The Au Sable River runs through the Au Sable State Forest

Other sites
Wagner Falls

Former state park units
  • Benzie State Park – now the Platte River Campground of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
  • Bloomer State Park No. 1 – now Bloomer Park in West Bloomfield Township
  • Bloomer State Park No. 2 – later incorporated into Rochester-Utica State Recreation Area, now Bloomer Park in Rochester Hills
  • Bloomer State Park No. 3 – later incorporated into Ortonville State Recreation Area, northeast of Ortonville
  • Bloomer State Park No. 4 – in White Lake Township
  • Cheboygan State Park – original state park located on the site of the current Cheboygan County Fairground (not to be confused with present-day Cheboygan State Park)
  • D.H. Day State Park – also known, at times, as Sleeping Bear and Sleeping Bear-Glen Lake State Park; now the D.H. Day Campground of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
  • Detour State Park – now Detour State Forest Campground in Lake Superior State Forest, west of De Tour Village
  • Dodge Brothers State Park No. 1 – later incorporated into Island Lake State Recreation Area
  • Dodge Brothers State Park No. 2 – now Lakeshore Park in Novi
  • Dodge Brothers State Park No. 3 – on Crescent Lake west of Pontiac, now Optimist Park, in Waterford.
  • Dodge Brothers State Park No. 5 – now Dodge Park V in Commerce Township
  • Dodge Brothers State Park No. 6 – now Beverly Park in Beverly Hills
  • Dodge Brothers State Park No. 7 – (1923–1947) now Horseshoe Lake State Game Area near Oxford
  • Dodge Brothers State Park No. 8 – now Dodge Park in Sterling Heights
  • Dodge Brothers State Park No. 9 – now Dodge Park in South Rockwood
  • Dodge Brothers State Park No.10 – later incorporated into Highland State Recreation Area near Highland
  • East Tawas State Park - now East Tawas City Park in East Tawas
  • Frank W. Fletcher State Park – now Fletcher County Park northwest of Alpena
  • Gladwin State Park – now Gladwin City Park in Gladwin
  • Hansen Military Reserve – southwest of Grayling, managed as a state park for recreation purposes
  • Lake City State Park – at Lake City, now the Missaukee County Park
  • Magnus State Park – now Magnus City Park in Petoskey
  • Marquette State Park – now a subdivision of homes west of Marquette
  • Munuskong State Park – a Dodge Brothers state park on Munuscong Bay northeast of Pickford, now part of the Munuscong State Wildlife Management Area
  • Paw Paw State Park – in Paw Paw on Maple Lake
  • Pere Marquette River State Park – four sites along the Pere Marquette River in Mason County
  • Rochester-Utica State Recreation Area (originally Bloomer State Park No.2) – now Bloomer City Park (Rochester Hills) and River Bends Park (Shelby Township)
  • Sidnaw State Park – formed from part of the Sidnaw Fish Hatchery lands near Sidnaw
  • Van Etten Lake State Park – now Van Etten Lake State Forest Campground near Oscoda
  • White Cloud State Park – now White Cloud City Park in White Cloud

References
  1. "Michigan Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2018–2022: Public Comment Draft" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. August 31, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  2. "A snapshot of 2016 accomplishments" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  3. "MICHIGAN'S FIRST STATE PARK?". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  4. "Michigan's Public Land Base and Outdoor Recreation" (PDF). 2008–2012 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
  5. "Executive Summary" (PDF). 2008–12 Michigan State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. Michigan Department of Natural Resources. October 1, 2007. p. 2. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
  6. As listed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources, 2018, except where noted. "Recreation Search". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  7. "When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  8. Not listed by MDNR as of June 2018.
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