| Here are a few of this week’s stories from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources:
See other news releases, Showcasing the DNR stories, photos and other resources at Michigan.gov/DNRPressRoom.
Photos: Larger, higher-res versions of some of the images used in this email – vintage baseball, meteor shower, off-road vehicles, mushrooms, volunteer and fall forest – are available in the DNR’s online photo collection. The owl photo is courtesy of Michigan state parks photo ambassador Carol LaBelle, for the Michigan DNR.
 Instead of reaching for a second s’more, take a break from your evening campfire this week and join our explorer guides for family-friendly, nighttime education programs at several state parks – from bats and owls to meteor showers and glowing rocks!
In the Upper Peninsula, Marquette County’s Van Riper State Park will host a program about bats July 30. Michigan is home to nine different types of bats, and unfortunately, five of these are at risk of disappearing. This makes it a timely opportunity to learn about these creatures that are becoming increasingly rare.
Harrisville State Park, in Alcona County, will have ultraviolet flashlights available for guests to borrow July 30 and Aug. 3 to aid in searching the beach for yooperlites. Typically found in the U.P., these rocks glow under UV light due to their high sodalite content. |
 If you are curious about owls and aren’t afraid to get your hands a little dirty, join the explorer guide at Houghton County’s McLain State Park July 31 to dissect owl pellets and learn about their hunting habits. You also can try to spot one of Michigan’s 11 owl species in the wild on a guided hike Aug. 2 at St. Clair County’s Lakeport State Park.
A double meteor shower featuring the Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids is expected to peak this week, offering a chance to see up to 25 meteors per hour. You can watch the showers at any of our dark sky parks, or join a watch party July 31 at Huron County’s Port Crescent State Park.
For more information and weekly nature program schedules, visit Michigan.gov/NaturePrograms. Questions about the DNR’s explorer guide program? Contact Shaun McKeon at 989-370-0789. |
The DNR offers a variety of ways to enjoy Michigan’s natural and cultural resources next month, so get ready to soak up some summer fun! Here’s just a sampling – get the full list at Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar.
Free ORV Weekend
 Residents and out-of-state visitors legally can ride Michigan’s 4,000 miles of off-road vehicle trails and routes and the state’s six scramble areas on two back-to-back days (Aug. 16-17) without an ORV license or trail permit. The entrance fee at Holly Oaks ORV Park in Oakland County also will be waived this year. Our Free ORV Weekend is a great time to see, experience and test out the state’s off-road trails (check out all the places you can ride!), but remember that all other ORV rules and laws still apply, and you must supply your own ORV.
Saginaw Bay Waterfowl and Outdoor Festival
With family-focused amenities including food trucks, bounce houses and activities for kids, the 30th annual Saginaw Bay Waterfowl and Outdoor Festival – Aug. 2-3 at Bay City State Park – highlights the bay’s world-class migratory waterfowl destinations, the sport of waterfowl hunting and the benefits of wetland conservation.
Experience waterfowl hunting traditions such as dog retriever trials, duck species identification and duck- and goose-calling competitions, and the waterfowl and outdoor expo features more than 30 vendors, including a variety of conservation groups, waterfowl hunting artisans and outfitters. Kids can build their own wood duck boxes, give duck calling a try and learn about survival and outdoor skills, and everyone can enjoy carving and blacksmith demonstrations. |
Family campout, nature painting and more
Whether you want to relax, get active or learn something new, the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center offers something for everyone in August, with programs in Metro Detroit including archery, nature education for kids and seniors, yoga, fishing, birding and much more. Some highlights:
See the OAC activity schedule for a full list of events.
Hunting, fly fishing, wild mushrooms and more
 If you want to get started with, or get better at, hunting, fishing and foraging, the Outdoor Skills Academy’s August opportunities are for you! Get expert, supportive, hands-on instruction and build your confidence with classes such as:
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Exploring Michigan history
Step back in time and learn more about our state’s past at Michigan History Center sites, with events including:
- At Hartwick Pines Logging Museum in Grayling, a musical tribute to Michigan lumberjacks with It’s Daylight in the Swamps, Aug. 1; and Forest Fest, a chance to meet Smokey Bear and learn about Michigan’s forests with fun activities and crafts, Aug. 9.
- A Tree Party at Higgins Lake Nursery and CCC Museum in Roscommon, Aug. 2, where guests can celebrate Michigan’s forests, hear from DNR archaeologists and enjoy Civilian Conservation Corps reenactors.
- At Cambridge Junction Historic State Park in Brooklyn, vintage baseball, Aug. 23, and a quilt workshop, Aug. 7-8.
- A series of Tuesday afternoon presentations at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee – The Ancient Caribou Hunters of Silver Lake Aug. 5, Captain Burke and the Steamer Arlington Aug. 12 and A Tale of Two Paternalisms Aug. 19.
- A Future Historians program, Aug. 6-8, where visitors can leave the present behind and learn about the life of kids at Fort Wilkins with costumed interpreters from the summer of 1870, at Fort Wilkins Historic State Park in Copper Harbor.
- An Ice Cream Read, Aug. 20, a chance to get a free root beer float and read a book in the shade on the lawn of the Mann House in Concord.
State parks, forests and game areas give us room to stretch out, clear our heads and breathe easy, but have you ever thought about how to give back to these incredible natural resources? With just a little time and attention, you can make a huge difference in their health and longevity – and feel great while doing it!
Here are opportunities coming up in August. For more ways to volunteer, contribute and provide input, visit Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers.
Support state parks
 Several state parks in southern Michigan will host stewardship workdays, where volunteers are needed to pull invasive plants, survey beaches, clean up the dunes and help high-quality ecosystems thrive.
Workdays will take place at:
- Saugatuck Dunes State Park (Allegan County), 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Aug. 3, and Sunday, Aug. 24.
- Waterloo Recreation Area (Washtenaw County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3.
- Island Lake Recreation Area (Livingston County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10.
- Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 16.
- Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County), 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Aug. 17.
- Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 23.
- Pinckney Recreation Area (Washtenaw County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24.
- Brighton Recreation Area (Livingston County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31.
Visit the DNR volunteer events calendar for more details about each workday and how to register. Hope to see you there! |
Help habitat recover, thrive
On the Ground, Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ volunteer program in partnership with the DNR, will host habitat improvement events in August. Lunch, gear and volunteer gifts will be provided.
Have a say on state forests
 Prescribed burns, timber harvests, tree planting and other activities are carefully mapped out to keep Michigan’s nearly 4 million acres of state forest thriving.
Plans for these activities are currently being made for 2027, but public input is welcome now. Find out what activities are planned and how to offer your input at Michigan.gov/ForestInput. You can submit online comments during designated 30-day periods or attend an open house or compartment review meeting, where plans are finalized.
See all scheduled comment periods, open houses and compartment review meetings for the 2025 season.
Due to the effects of the March 2025 ice storm in the northeastern Lower Peninsula, the public review periods for the Atlanta, Gaylord, Grayling and Pigeon River Country forest management units have been postponed. The schedule will be updated when the comment periods and open houses are rescheduled. |
 See more pictures by Michigan state parks photo ambassadors at Instagram.com/MiStateParks. For more on the program, call Stephanie Yancer at 989-274-6182. (This photo is by Joe Holley, for the Michigan DNR, at Fort Wilkins Historic State Park in Keweenaw County.)
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