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Ottawa County Parks & Recreation offers programming and volunteer opportunities year-round! Visit the Program and Events Calendar for details and registration. Call our Nature Center at Hemlock Crossing Park for more information: 616-786-4847.
 April
Scroll down to find information about ways to get outside this spring, as well as upcoming programs, events, and much more. Thank you for reading!
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Starting April 1, 2024, Ottawa Sands County Park will be closed to the public for construction and restoration work. In addition to the work that continues at the Idema Explorers Camp, major construction will commence this spring on the day-use area parking lot and modern restroom, paved loop path around the lake, and ecological enhancements at the lake and other restoration areas in the park. All these activities make the park unsuitable for public use at this time.
We are sorry for the inconvenience but look forward to opening all these projects later this summer. For announcements on when the park will reopen and when camp reservations will be taken, please follow us on Facebook.
April 8 • 2-4:30 pm • Hemlock Crossing
 Registration encouraged • FREE • All ages welcome
Come join the Shoreline Amateur Astronomers for an afternoon in the park viewing the solar eclipse event. The SAAA will have telescopes available for the public to use which will be equipped with a solar filter to allow for safe and direct observation of the sun. Visitors will be able to see sunspots prior and during the eclipse. *Please note the telescope in the observatory is currently undergoing repairs.
The timeline for West Olive, MI: First contact at 1:55 PM (13:55) • Totality, 93%, at 3:11 PM (15:11) • Last contact at 4:22 PM (16:22)
On select Wednesdays in June-August
 Get ready to soak up the sunshine with our Early Sprouts and Nature Buds half-day summer camps. Secure your spot as soon as you can!
EARLY SPROUTS - AGES 4-5 (W/ CAREGIVER)
$10/session • 9:30-11 am
Early Sprouts will engage caregiver and child with activities interacting in the outdoors. Caregivers will play an active role during the class.
NATURE BUDS - AGES 6-8
$10/session • 9:30-11:30 am
Nature Buds will explore and engage with nature through activities that may include using dip nets in the wetland, catching insects, and searching for salamanders!
Click a date below to be redirected to the registration page with more details.
Early Sprouts (ages 4-5):
Nature Buds (ages 6-8):
Saturday, April 27 • 5-8 pm • Hemlock Crossing
 Join the Ottawa County Parks Foundation and Lakeshore Visual Arts Collective on April 27 for great local art inspired by nature and displayed salon style in the beautiful Nature Education Center at Hemlock Crossing County Park. All door donations and 10% of artist sales benefit the incredible work of the Ottawa County Parks Foundation.
Local art. Live music. Cash bar. Food truck. Don't miss out!
A $10 donation is suggested to attend the show. Register early and skip the line. A confirmation email will be sent after you make your donation.
This free 8-week program is designed to help you stay active and explore new parks. Individuals and families of all fitness levels are invited to join. Easy-to-use goal setting and tracking is available to participants.
- Guided Group Walks
- Community Connection
- Discover New Parks
Click here to sign up to receive an email when registration opens in 2024.
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WebTrac is our new online registration system. This system will allow you to register for programs, reserve a facility, and much more.
If you only wish to browse, you may view WebTrac as a guest.
To enroll in programs or book a reservation, you'll need to create an online account in WebTrac. Please note your previous account with us in PerfectMind will be closed and any associated information will be deleted.
There is still time to make your voice heard!
Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission is developing a strategic plan to drive future efforts. OCPRC is seeking input from community members and Ottawa County Park visitors through a brief public survey to help set priorities. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey. We want to hear from you!
Prepare for the summer season by purchasing your 2024 permit online! Visitors will be able to register their license plate and pay for their annual or daily motor vehicle permit online using a mobile-friendly website. Utilizing this allows users to verify their residency and birthday, so they are able to receive discounts they are eligible for before visiting the park. This is the only method to purchase discounted motor vehicle permits!
Ottawa County Parks collects parking fees from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day at the following parks:
*In 2023, Ottawa County Parks began managing Kouw and Windsnest Parks per a management agreement with Port Sheldon Township. The township will be subsidizing the cost of an annual motor vehicle permit for their residents. Read more about this change by clicking here.
Learn more about permit pricing at miottawa.org/Parks/fees_rules.htm
Following a recent wage survey, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners supported an increase of starting hourly rates for all seasonal positions with Ottawa County Parks and Recreation. The majority of seasonal staff will now earn $15.50 per hour, while a few select positions will start at $18.50.
Ottawa County Parks is currently hiring for the following positions:
Positions are available at the following locations: North Beach, Kirk Park, Tunnel Park, Olive Shores, Ottawa Beach Marina, Hager Park, Windsnest, Kouw, Conner Bayou, Grand Ravines, Grose Park and the Park Operations Center in West Olive.
June 22 • 8 am • Grand River to Grand Ravines
 Help us care for the parks you love! Public volunteer opportunities are now available HERE.
Here’s what you should know about workdays:
- Register at: miottawa.org/OCPevents
- Bring work gloves, insect repellent, and appropriate attire for the outdoors.
- All tools, drinking water, and snacks will be provided.
- All ages welcome; 16 and under must be with an adult.
- Workdays will be cancelled for rain/snow.
 Celebrate Earth Day by volunteering in our parks!
Join us to remove invasive species and clean up litter. Participants are welcome to come and go any time during the event. Look for the volunteer-staffed table in the main parking lot at each location—all equipment and instructions will be provided! Weather policy: If constant rain or storms are forecast, this event will be canceled.
Sunday, April 21:
Monday, April 22:
April 20 • 1-3 pm • Hemlock Crossing
Explore the world of ephemeral wetlands and the host of creatures that take advantage of these temporary vernal pools. We’ll learn about these habitats, specific creatures, and how they inform us on the quality of those places while creating nature journal entries based on what we see. Then, take part in a survey of one of the many vernal pools found in our parks.
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The ecological restoration work at Ottawa Sands is a collaborative project that brings together funding from the Michigan DNR’s Fisheries Habitat grant and a US Fish and Wildlife Foundation Sustain Our Great Lakes grant through Audubon Great Lakes. The project will help to conserve, improve, and create habitat for animals that utilize wetland communities, especially secretive marsh birds, other migratory birds, herpetofauna, and various fish species.
The ecological improvements at Ottawa Sands will include softening 3,300 feet of shoreline around the mined lake, expanding the lake's littoral zone, and incorporating woody debris along the shoreline and within the lake to create habitat. Interdunal wetland areas will be created south of the lake to increase biodiversity and ecosystem functions, providing essential habitat for birds, fish, and amphibians while creating vital green infrastructure.
 Restoration work will begin this spring to enhance 3,300’ of lake shoreline along the Ottawa Sands lake to improve habitat and stabilize the shoreline. A six-acre area will also be converted from a filled-in mining lagoon to a dunal wetland.
 
Click on a program date to be redirected to our registration page for that program!
PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE: PUBLIC OBSERVATION
Registration encouraged • FREE • All ages welcome
Come join the Shoreline Amateur Astronomers for an afternoon in the park viewing the solar eclipse event. The SAAA will have telescopes available for the public to use which will be equipped with a solar filter to allow for safe and direct observation of the sun. Visitors will be able to see sunspots prior and during the eclipse. *Please note the telescope in the observatory is currently undergoing repairs.
The timeline for West Olive, MI: First contact at 1:55 PM (13:55) • Totality, 93%, at 3:11 PM (15:11) • Last contact at 4:22 PM (16:22)
ASTRONOMY PROGRAM: SPRING AND SUMMER SKY
Registration encouraged • FREE • Ages 12+
Join the Shoreline Amateur Astronomical Association (SAAA) for an astronomy presentation in the Nature Center, followed by telescope viewing of the night sky (weather/cloud cover permitting).
The Spring/Summer Sky presentation will cover the major constellations available for viewing in the nighttime sky during the Spring and Summer months, along with additional objects such as the visible planets, the Moon and other deep space objects. Possible targets of the Hemlock Astronomical Observatory will also be shared.
ART FOR THE PARKS
A $10 donation is suggested to attend the show
Join the Ottawa County Parks Foundation and Lakeshore Visual Arts Collective on April 27 for great local art inspired by nature and displayed salon style in the beautiful Nature Education Center at Hemlock Crossing County Park. All door donations and 10% of artist sales benefit the incredible work of the Ottawa County Parks Foundation.
Register early and skip the line. A confirmation email will be sent after you make your donation.
Into Nature
BIRD WALKS
Registration encouraged • FREE • Ages 12+
Whether you are an avid birder or are just desiring to experience birds beyond your backyard, join us and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of spring bird migration. Trail conditions vary depending on the park. Be prepared for muddy and wet trails. *Geared towards beginners
WOODCOCK WALK
Registration required • Resident-$5 / Non-Resident-$6 • Ages 12+
Be introduced to the odd looking and behaving woodcock! After a short presentation, enjoy a short walk to watch the sun set to the twitter of displaying woodcocks.
TWILIGHT HIKE
Registration required • Resident-$5 / Non-Resident-$6 • Ages 10+
In spring, as light of day turns to dark of night, wildlife springs to life! Come experience your favorite parks in a whole new way as you explore them by the light of fading day!
LAKESHORE BIRDING
Registration encouraged • FREE • Ages 12+
Lakeshore Birding is one of the best ways to experience the birds of Ottawa County. Search for the diversity of birds that use Lake Michigan and the dunes that line its shores as a migratory pathway in spring.
Part 1: Lake Watch - Join us for a stationary lake watch from the pier looking for migratory waterfowl, gulls, and shorebirds.
Part 2 - Shoreline Dunes - Join us to hike the dunes in search of migratory sparrows, warblers and more. Terrain may include paved walkways, steep stairways, and sandy paths. Park at Coast Guard Park.
AWARENESS, ART, & ACTION: VERNAL POOLS
Registration required • Resident-$10 / Non-Resident-$15 • Ages 10+
Explore the world of ephemeral wetlands and the host of creatures that take advantage of these temporary vernal pools. We’ll learn about these habitats, specific creatures and how they inform us on the quality of those places while creating nature journal entries based on what we see. Then take part in a survey of one of the many vernal pools found in our parks.
WILDLIFE ENCOUNTER: WOODPECKERS
Registration encouraged • FREE • Ages 10+
Find out the hows, whys and whos of the areas 7 woodpecker species. Then enjoy a walk to observe as many as we can find!
SPRING WILDFLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY
Registration required • Resident-$5 / Non-Resident-$6 • Ages 18+
Spring is the season of forest flowers! Grab your favorite camera and come along for a walk through a forest in search of spring wildflowers. You’ll learn tips for photographing flowers with an emphasis on caring for nature and an eye for art.
BALD EAGLE WALKS
Registration required • Resident-$5 / Non-Resident-$6 • Ages 10+
Bald Eagles frequent areas along the Grand River and have nested at Grand Ravines for many years. Join us on this hike to learn the story of the park's resident eagles and get a special private view into their nesting activities.
INTRODUCTION TO NATURE JOURNALING
Registration required • Resident-$5 / Non-Resident-$6 • Ages 18+
Many of us seek ways to better connect with nature. We want to learn its patterns and secrets, help protect its inhabitants, and gain an understanding of our place within it. Nature journaling helps us do this and you do not need to know anything about nature, drawing, or writing to begin! Learn how to start a nature journal, a few drawing basics, and some simple tricks to help you be successful.
YOGA AT THE NATURE CENTER
Registration required • Resident-$10 / Non-Resident-$15 • Ages 18+
Come practice yoga at the Nature Center! A certified yoga instructor will lead this session in the beautiful Great Room, with views of the forest outside. All levels of experience are welcome. *Yoga mats not provided.
NATURE JOURNAL CLUB
Registration required • Resident-$5 / Non-Resident-$6 • Ages 18+
Calling all nature lovers! Gather each month to learn new drawing and writing techniques specific to the theme and enjoy community connection with fellow journalers. The Nature Journal Club compliments an Introduction to Nature Journaling, however taking the class prior is not required. *Journals are not provided.
Kids & Families
WILDLIFE ENCOUNTER KIDS! WOODPECKERS: PECKING OUT A LIVING
Registration required • Resident-$5 / Non-Resident-$6 • Ages 5-10
You might wonder why woodpeckers pound their beaks on trees and how they do it. During this program first you’ll find out why and how and then you'll go search the woods to observe our local woodpeckers.
The Wildlife Encounter - Kids! series introduces children to wildlife found in our own yards, parks, and region. It includes a presentation, walk and art activity or craft. These programs are geared for children ages 5-10 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
TRAILSIDE STORYTIME
Registration encouraged • FREE • Ages 3-9
Come spend an hour outside along the trail, reading and learning about nature with your child or grandchild. The hour will include a nature-themed story, and an outdoor walk geared for children 3-9 years old.
TUNED INTO NATURE
Registration required • Resident-$5 / Non-Resident-$6 • Ages 2-4
Kids ages 2-4 can bring their favorite grown up to sing songs, dance, and learn about nature together. We'll spend time making and moving to music based on a nature theme and go outside for a walk to explore it outdoors.
STORYWALKS
We’re collaborating with local libraries to continue providing StoryWalks this winter! Walk through the pages of a book as you make your way along a park path. These are self-guided programs, and the stories are available during park hours. Brought to you by Herrick Main Library, Loutit District Library, and Herrick North Branch Library.
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April 1-14 at Riley Trails: Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer
- April 15-28 at Stearns Creek: The Earth Gives More by Sue Fleiss
- April 15-28 at Paw Paw Park West: Fabulous Frogs by Martin Jenkins
NOTICE: The telescope in the public Observatory at Hemlock Crossing is undergoing repairs and will be closed for the next 10 - 12 weeks.
Friday Public Observing nights and astronomy programs will continue as scheduled, thanks to our dedicated SAAA members who will showcase their smaller telescopes for everyone to enjoy the night sky.
The Shoreline Amateur Astronomical Association will continue to host Friday public viewing nights with smaller telescopes (weather permitting). These events are weather dependent and will be cancelled if overcast.
Make sure to check the calendar for cancellations on this page before you head out to the park: holland-saaa.org
- Apr 5, 8 pm - Public Observing
- Apr 12, 8 pm - Public Observing
- Apr 19, 8 pm - Public Observing
- Apr 26, 8 pm - Public Observing
For more details: miOttawa.org/observatory
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