Ludington State Park

Park in Michigan, USA

44°02′47″N 86°29′49″W / 44.04639°N 86.49694°W / 44.04639; -86.49694^[2]Area5,300 acres (2,100 ha)Elevation627 feet (191 m)^[2]DesignationMichigan state parkEstablished1927^[3]AdministratorMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesWebsiteLudington State Park

Ludington State Park is a public recreation area located two miles north of Ludington, Michigan, occupying 5,300 acres (2,100 ha) between the shores of Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake. The state park is crossed by a one-mile stretch of the Big Sable River and is home to the 112-foot-high (34 m) Big Sable Point Lighthouse, which dates from 1876.^[4]

Ecology

The state park encompasses multiple ecosystems including sand dune, forest, wetlands, and marshlands.^[4] The park contains the southern 2,820 acres (11.4 km²) of the Big Sable Dunes complex, with the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness, immediately north of the park, preserving the northern half of the complex.

History

The park began through the efforts of the Isaac Walton League to have 800 acres held by the federal government as a lighthouse preserve transferred to the state of Michigan for the purpose of creating a state park. The park was established in 1927 after the U.S. Congress authorized the transfer. During the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps was active in the park making improvements that included building the park's Arts and Crafts style beach house. In 2002, the U.S. Coast Guard deeded the 57.5-acre (23.3 ha) lighthouse station complex to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.^[5]

Activities and amenities

The park's water activities include fishing and swimming on Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake and tubing on Big Sable River. The park offers 21.5 miles of hiking trails, 10 miles of cross-country ski trails, a 2-mile bicycle trail, and a 4-mile canoe trail. The park has four campgrounds containing a total of 360 campsites that include remote hike-in sites.^[4] The park also offers a cafe and lighthouse tours and is a stop on the Mason County Sculpture Trail.

References

^ "Ludington State Park". IUCN. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Ludington State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Ludington State Park". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
^ "General Management Plan: Ludington State Park – Appendix A" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2016. pp. 7–10. Retrieved April 22, 2020.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ludington State Park.

Ludington State Park Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Ludington State Park Map Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association

Protected areas of Michigan

National

Parks	Isle Royale Keweenaw (Historical) River Raisin (Battlefield)
Lakeshores	Pictured Rocks Sleeping Bear Dunes
Landmarks	Au Sable State Forest Dukes Research Natural Area Grand Mere State Park Haven Hill State Natural Area Newton Woods Porcupine Mountains Roscommon Virgin Pine Stand Strangmoor Bog Tobico Marsh Toumey Woods Warren Woods State Park Waterloo State Recreation Area
Forests	Hiawatha Huron–Manistee Ottawa
Wildlife Refuges	Detroit River Harbor Island Huron Kirtlands Warbler Wildlife Management Area Michigan Islands Michigan Wetland Management District Seney Shiawassee
Wild and Scenic Rivers	Au Sable Bear Creek Black Carp Indian Manistee Ontonagon Paint Pere Marquette Pine Presque Isle Sturgeon (Delta County) Sturgeon (Houghton County) Tahquamenon Whitefish Yellow Dog
Other Protected Areas	Father Marquette National Memorial Grand Island National Recreation Area Saint Helena Island National Scenic Area Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

State

Parks	Albert E. Sleeper Algonac Aloha Baraga Bay City Belle Isle Bewabic Brimley Burt Lake Cambridge Junction Cheboygan Clear Lake Coldwater Lake Craig Lake Dodge No.4 Duck Lake Fayette Fisherman's Island Fort Michilimackinac Fort Wilkins Fred Meijer White Pine Trail Grand Haven Grand Mere Harrisville Hart–Montague Trail Hartwick Pines W.J. Hayes P.H. Hoeft P.J. Hoffmaster Holland Indian Lake Interlochen Kal-Haven Trail Lake Gogebic Lakelands Trail Lakeport Laughing Whitefish Falls Leelanau Ludington Mackinac Island Maybury F.J. McLain Charles Mears Meridian-Baseline Mill Creek Wm. Mitchell Muskallonge Lake Muskegon Negwegon Newaygo North Higgins Lake Onaway Orchard Beach Old Mission Otsego Lake Palms Book Petoskey Porcupine Mountains Port Crescent Sanilac Petroglyphs Saugatuck Dunes Seven Lakes Silver Lake Sleepy Hollow South Higgins Lake Wm. C. Sterling Straits Sturgeon Point Tahquamenon Falls Tawas Point Thompson's Harbor Traverse City Twin Lakes Van Buren Van Buren Trail Van Riper Warren Dunes Warren Woods Watkins Lake and County Preserve J.W. Wells Wilderness William G. Milliken Wilson Young
Recreation Areas	Bald Mountain Bass River Brighton Fort Custer Highland Holly Ionia Island Lake Lake Hudson Lime Island Menominee River Metamora-Hadley Ortonville Pinckney Pontiac Lake Proud Lake Rifle River Rockport Tippy Dam Waterloo W.C. Wetzel Yankee Springs
Forests	Au Sable Copper Country Escanaba River Lake Superior Mackinaw Pere Marquette
Underwater Preserves	Alger De Tour Passage Grand Traverse Bay Keweenaw Manitou Passage Marquette Sanilac Shores Southwest Michigan Straits of Mackinac Thumb Area Whitefish Point
Other	Agate Falls Scenic Site Bond Falls Scenic Site Michigan Islands Wilderness Area Ocqueoc Falls Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center Wagner Falls Scenic Site