National Park Week kicks off on Saturday, April 20, and there’s plenty to take advantage of in Michigan.
National Park Week is happening April 20 to April 28, with entrance fees waived on April 20 to kick off the celebration and to encourage everyone to enjoy their national parks in person.
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The entrance fee waiver for fee-free days does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.
Here’s which parks are included in Michigan:
Isle Royale: Houghton, MI
Explore a rugged, isolated island far from our connected communities. Isle Royale offers adventures for backpackers, hikers, boaters, paddlers, and divers. Cross Lake Superior and make a commitment: Become a part of this island, and let it become a part of you. Find peace and refuge in island wilderness – because Isle Royale, in turn, finds refuge in us. Help Isle Royale stay wild.
Keweenaw: Calumet, MI
From 7,000 years ago to the 1900s people mined Keweenaw copper. Native peoples made copper into tools and trade items. Investors and immigrants arrived in the 1800s in a great mineral rush, developing thriving industries and cosmopolitan communities. Though the mines have since closed, their mark is still visible on the land and people.
Pictured Rocks: Munising, Grand Marais, MI
Sandstone cliffs, beaches, waterfalls, sand dunes, inland lakes, deep forest, and wild shoreline beckon you to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The power of Lake Superior shapes the park’s coastal features and affects every ecosystem, creating a unique landscape to explore. Hiking, camping, sightseeing, and four-season outdoor opportunities abound.
River Raisin: Monroe, MI
River Raisin NBP preserves, commemorates, and interprets the January 1813 battles of the War of 1812 and their aftermath. Battles that resulted in the greatest victory for Tecumseh’s Confederation and the British and the greatest defeat for the U.S. The aftermath led to U.S. Indian laws that forced the removal, relocation, and assimilation of native nations, an aftermath that continues today.
Sleeping Bear Dunes: Empire, MI
Miles of sand beach, bluffs that tower 450’ above Lake Michigan, lush forests, clear inland lakes, unique flora and fauna make up the natural world of Sleeping Bear Dunes. High dunes afford spectacular views across the lake. An island lighthouse, US Life-Saving Service stations, coastal villages, and picturesque farmsteads reflect the park’s rich maritime, agricultural, and recreational history.
Find more info on Michigan’s national parks here