Michigan state parks news - November 2022

It's not too early to think about planning your summer camping or boating trip!?Campsite and harbor slip reservations can be made up to six months in advance, which means reservations will open Nov. 26 for dates starting Memorial Day Weekend.

Keep in mind that overnight lodging (cabins, yurts, safari tents and lodges) reservations can be made up to a year in advance.?Make your reservation at MiDNRReservations.com.

The "Notify Me" feature lets you sign up for an email notification when a site becomes available for selected dates.

As the?75th-anniversary celebration of Michigan's?waterways program comes to a close, we invite you to enjoy?a?year's worth of paintings created by Great Lakes Plein Air Painters Association artists.

The "Paint the Waterways" virtual art exhibit, featuring the work of artists who paint landscapes outside the four walls of a studio, gives us an opportunity to look back on and highlight Michigan?s boating system through another lens ? a paintbrush and canvas.?

Additionally, you shared more than 900 of your favorite boating photos with us! We sifted through all the photos and created a photo mosaic video that pulls together many of your memories.?Watch the video.

Gather your favorite people?and head out to Seven Lakes State Park or Ionia State Recreation Area for one of seven Enchanted Borealis Trail hikes, featuring lanterns, holiday lights and campfires, taking place this December.?

At Ionia, there will be a community campfire where you can warm up and hang out. At Seven Lakes, you can rent your own campfire spot for $20 (wood and fire starting included) as a fundraiser for the park.?Bring materials to roast marshmallows! The events are free, but registration is required for the Seven Lakes State Park event.

Michigan's trails wouldn't be what they are today if it weren't for more than 150 DNR-associated volunteer groups that hold trail workdays throughout the year.

Volunteers help with brush removal, sign installation and maintenance, general trail cleanups, snow grooming, dirt grading and even grant writing.

The Potawatomi Mountain Biking Association, a nonprofit organization and affiliate of the International Mountain Biking Association, is one of those key volunteer groups. Its members were the passionate visionaries who secured funding for the nationally recognized DTE Energy Foundation Trail?in Waterloo State Recreation Area and put hundreds of hours each year into maintaining and helping to develop the trail. Although many call it Michigan's dirt rollercoaster, there are routes for beginners and families too. Watch a new video about the trail.

Hiking and snowshoeing, evening and morning run options, Pilates and yoga, speakers and delicious food and drink. These are just a few of the activities that you'll find at the Michigan Runner Girl Winter Weekend Getaway Jan 20-22.

Enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating, all-inclusive, two-night stay at the DNR's?Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center, nestled along the shores of Higgins Lake in Roscommon. Taking care of ourselves, both in body and mind, is at the heart of this weekend in the woods.