HAMLIN TOWNSHIP, MI – Lanterns will give a soft glow, illuminating the snow-dusted path as winter hikes kick off this weekend at this Up North state park.
Ludington State Park will host four lantern-lit hikes in January and February, each featuring a bonfire with marshmallows and hot chocolate. Events begin Saturday at the park amphitheater.
Here’s the schedule:
- 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4
- 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18
- 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1
- 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15
Most of the 4,800-acre park, nestled between Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake, closed Sept. 3. The closure includes almost everything north of the entry booth where a $3.2 million construction project is underway. It is expected to reopen July 1 with repaved roads and parking lots, and other improvements.
The Friends of Ludington State Park and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources worked together to reroute the winter hikes due to the construction.
Guests will follow the lanterns on a “lollipop-shaped” trail south of the Big Sable River. The route starts and ends at the amphitheater.
Limited parking will be available at the Amphitheater/Skyline Trail parking lot south of the park’s toll booth; carpooling is encouraged.
The park closure includes all campgrounds and campsites, all northern trails, Big Sable Point Lighthouse, the main Lake Michigan beach area and the Hamlin day-use areas, including the beach, Hamlin Dam, the boat launch, and picnic areas along the Big Sable River. Almost everything north of the entry booth is closed while areas south of the booth are open.
RELATED: What Ludington State Park will look like after $3M in upgrades
The project is part of $250 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan, or ARPA, that was made available to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 2022 to help address a long list of needs at state parks.
RELATED: What’s still open at popular Up North state park during construction? We have a list
Ludington State Park is known for its seven miles of sandy Lake Michigan beachfront, an iconic lighthouse and a one-mile stretch of Big Sable River that’s popular for fishing, paddling and tubing. The park also features 21 miles of marked trails through wetlands, marshes, dunes and forests, plus two water trails. Hamlin Lake is popular for recreation, including boating, hiking, fishing, paddling and swimming. The park, 8800 M-116 north of Ludington, is especially in demand for camping. It has three modern campgrounds with 352 campsites.
