Silver Lake State Park
Silver Lake and sand dunes
Map showing the location of Silver Lake State Park
Map showing the location of Silver Lake State Park
Location in Michigan
Map showing the location of Silver Lake State Park
Map showing the location of Silver Lake State Park
Silver Lake State Park (Michigan) (the United States)
LocationGolden Township, Oceana County, Michigan, United States
Nearest townMears, Michigan
Coordinates43°40′43″N 86°30′40″W / 43.67861°N 86.51111°W / 43.67861; -86.51111[1]
Area2,936 acres (1,188 ha)
Elevation656 feet (200 m) [1]
DesignationMichigan state park
Established1920[2]
AdministratorMichigan Department of Natural Resources
WebsiteSilver Lake State Park

Silver Lake State Park is a public recreation area covering 2,936 acres (1,188 ha) that border Lake Michigan and Silver Lake, four miles (6.4 km) west of Mears in Oceana County, Michigan. The state park is composed of mature forest land and over 2,000 acres (810 ha) of sand dunes.[3]

Features

The park is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) wide and three miles (4.8 km) long and is divided into three segments: The northern area is an all-terrain vehicle dunes area where private motorized vehicle may be driven,[4] the middle of the park is a non-vehicle area (the Walking Dunes), and the southernmost section is leased to a private operator.[3] The park grounds include the Little Sable Point Light on Lake Michigan and one mile of shoreline on 690-acre (280 ha)[5] Silver Lake.[6]

Little Sable Point Lighthouse

History

The park originated in 1920 when 25 acres on the east side of Silver Lake were donated for park purposes by Carrie E. Mears, the daughter of lumber baron Charles Mears. In 1926, the federal government transferred 900 acres to the state, which became Sand Dunes State Park in 1949. Based upon a 1949 master plan, the two were merged, with Silver Lake State Park seeing its new boundaries dedicated in 1951.[6]

Activities and amenities

The park's recreational opportunities include camping, hunting, swimming, hiking, boating, fishing, picnicking, and off-road vehicle driving.[3][6] Piping plovers nest in the northern portion of the ORV area.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Silver Lake State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ↑ "When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Silver Lake State Park". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Silver Lake-ORV Scramble Area". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Lake Inventory Map: Silver Lake" (PDF). Institute for Fisheries Research. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 "General Management Plan for Silver Lake State Park" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2012. pp. 6, 57–58. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  7. ↑ Bingham, Emily (May 26, 2022). "Michigan ORV spot restricting small area to protect endangered plovers". Mlive. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
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