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Welcome to Saugatuck Dunes State Park.
Welcome to Saugatuck Dunes State Park, where nature's beauty is held in front of you. The state park is approximately 1,120 acres and is located in Allegan County between Saugatuck and Holland.
With hiking and cross country skiing activities on over 14 miles of trails, you can explore and set your eyes on how a mature dune ecosystem would have appeared long before human inhabitants arrived.
With hiking and cross country skiing activities on over 14 miles of trails, you can explore and set your eyes on how a mature dune ecosystem would have appeared long before human inhabitants arrived.
Activities
Enjoy a hike through the forested trails or take a long stroll on the beach while watching the wildlife. When snow covers the park, cross country ski, snow shoe, and sled. When the sun is bright, you can have a picnic and enjoy the natural peace of the park. Adjacent to the state park, a frisbe golf course is located at the Felt Mansion and Shore Acres Township Park (Laketown Township).
Saugatuck Dunes State Park Trail Map (click here to access trail map)
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North Trail:
-2.5 Miles -Great views of Lake Michigan and the park -Plants found; Bearberry, Beach trees, Maple trees, juniper South Trail: -5.5 Miles -Most mature forest -Pristine and preserved -Designated natural area* -Plants found; Maple trees, Beach trees, Ferns, Sassafras Livingston Trail: -2.5 Miles -Increased difficulty -Very Scenic -Mature forest -Plants found; Sand Cherry, Ferns, Maple , Beach Beach Trail: -2.5 Miles (quickest way to the beach) -Most used trail -Public bathroom and benches |
Directions to the Saugatuck Dunes State ParkFrom the North:
-Take interstate 196 S/W to Holland -Merge onto I-196 W -Take exit 41 toward Saugatuck -Take a right on Country Road A-2/Holland St/Washington Rd -Take another right onto 64th St -Turn left onto 138th Ave -Continue onto 66th St, Saugatuck Dunes State Park will be on your left. From the South -Take I-94 toward Detroit -Keep right to continue on I-196 N/US-31 N, follow signs for Holland/Gd Rapids -Take exit 41 for Country Rd 2/Blue Star Hwy -Turn left onto Country Road A-2/Blue Star Hwy/Holland St/Washington Rd -Turn right onto 64th St -Turn left onto 138th Ave -Continue onto 66th St. |
History
http://www.feltmansion.org/
A little history of the land the state park is on. Before settlers arrived, the Chippewa and the Pottawatomie Indians lived here. In 1839, the United States owned the land and sawmill had been built in the area. Many of the mature trees were harvested that once existed on the dune. When this happened it exposed the dune to wind and erosion. In 1919, a millionaire named Dorr E. Felt bought some of the property that is now known as Saugatuck Dunes State Park. In 1925 he built a huge estate on the land. The mansion was owned by the family until 1949, when the St. Augustine Seminary, a Catholic prep school for young men, bought the house and the land. In 1959, the National Park Service said that the area could be a potential park site. In 1970, the Michigan DNR also said that the area could be a potential park site. In 1971, the State Department of Corrections bought the land that the Catholic prep school owned, and also gained possession of the Felt Mansion. The property was a prison up until April 1991, when state budget cuts forced it to be closed. The State Department of Corrections controlled the land until Laketown Township bought the 40 acres of the estate and the mansion for one dollar, with the agreement that it be used for the public, and never be sold.
References; http://www.michigan.gov. and http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/
References; http://www.michigan.gov. and http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/