Fantastic Fishing in Michigan
Discover where to fish in Michigan. With four Great Lakes, more than 11,000 inland lakes and more than 51,000 river miles, you’re never far from beautiful fishing destinations.
Sunset on Drummond
A sunset caught on Drummond Island.
©
Kim Steinberger/TNC
Stories in Michigan
Sleep Under the Stars
Discover five beautiful locations for camping this summer in Michigan.
The sun is shining, the lake is a deep blue and a light breeze rustles dune grass. A footstep falls on a forest trail. A warbler sings from a hemlock branch. A brook trout swims away into a cold stream after a gentle release. A child shines through an ice cream smile. We all have a vision of the perfect Michigan summer, and outdoor recreation is at the heart of much of what we envision, because it’s at the heart of the experiences we share.
Nature Grows Economic Prosperity
Perhaps money does grow on trees! Discover how protecting nature boosts our economy.
Read moreOutdoor recreation contributes $13.9 billion annually to Michigan’s economy, supporting 118,000 jobs across more than 7,000 outdoor recreation industry companies. However, without conservation of the woods, waters, wetlands and wildlife that support recreational opportunities, that economy would not exist.
In Part 5 of our Field Guide to Michigan Summer, we share some of the best locations for camping in Michigan, along with some of the ways that we work to conserve the natural habitats that make these sites so beautiful.
Love wildlife? Let it wander into your inbox.
Get monthly stories that connect you to the wildlife, places and conservation wins shaping the Midwest and the world. Nature News keeps you inspired, informed and connected to the wild—no hiking boots required.
Sign Me Up for Nature News1. Warren Dunes State Park
Encompassing three miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, Warren Dunes State Park offers stunning beaches, dunes, trails and camping. Nearby Grand Mere Natural Area is a National Natural Landmark, composed of 10,000-year-old dunes. TNC helped local advocates negotiate a complex deal to save Grand Mere from sand mining in 1985.
Warren Dunes State Park
A sand dune at Warren Dunes State Park, located along the shore of Lake Michigan.
© Ron Leonetti
Ross Coastal Marsh Plain Preserve
North of Warren Dunes, visit TNC's Ross Coastal Plain Marsh Preserve for beautiful hiking and nature watching.
© Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
Warren Dunes State Park
A sand dune at Warren Dunes State Park, located along the shore of Lake Michigan.
© Ron Leonetti
Ross Coastal Marsh Plain Preserve
North of Warren Dunes, visit TNC's Ross Coastal Plain Marsh Preserve for beautiful hiking and nature watching.
© Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
4. Jordan River State Forest
Backpackers hiking the Jordan Valley Pathway can camp at Pinney Bridge Campground amidst forested hills and wetlands through which the serene Jordan River winds. TNC transferred 133 acres of the forest to the Michigan DNR in the 1980s and currently works with tribal and state partners to restore Lake whitefish spawning in the river.
Northern Lights in Michigan
Aurora Borealis in Marquette, Michigan.
© Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
75 years of conservation
TNC was founded 75 years ago when the Ecologists Union changed its name and officially incorporated as The Nature Conservancy in 1951.
We have been grounded in science and collaborative from the beginning, including our work here in Michigan, where we’ve conserved over 430,000 acres, and in the other 80 countries where we work.
TNC has had a hand in conserving every location featured in our Michigan Guide to Summer webstories, from historic land deals like the Big U.P. Deal to small parcels saved from development and transferred to a partner organization for long-term conservation. In the process, TNC has preserved amazing places to hike, bird, fish, swim and camp while protecting the land, water and climate that nature and people need to thrive in our state.
3. Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness
Backpack along four miles of Lake Michigan beach shoreline or the wooded bluff trail in the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area, part of the Huron-Manistee National Forest north of Ludington. TNC protected 600 acres of the 3,500-acre Nordhouse Dunes in 1979, which Congress designated as a federal wilderness area in 1987.
Ludington Shoreline
Dunes near Ludington on the Lake Michigan shoreline.
© Fauna Creative
Portage Point Woods Preserve
TNC's Portage Point Woods Preserve is located north of Nordhouse Dunes.
© Mary Louks/TNC
Ludington Shoreline
Dunes near Ludington on the Lake Michigan shoreline.
© Fauna Creative
Portage Point Woods Preserve
TNC's Portage Point Woods Preserve is located north of Nordhouse Dunes.
© Mary Louks/TNC
2. Ludington State Park
Three campgrounds offer abundant camping opportunities at Ludington State Park, stretched along seven miles of Lake Michigan beach and featuring sand dunes, Big Sable Lighthouse, 21 miles of trails, and a mile of the Big Sable River. TNC conserved an important 20-acre addition to the park in the 1980s.
Forest at Echo Lake
Echo Lake Nature Preserve near Marquette, Michigan.
© Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
Our path to the future
We live in a defining decade as the crises of climate change and biodiversity loss demand swift action now. TNC has set ambitious goals to reach by 2030.
In Michigan, we have built our path to reaching those goals by protecting 91,000 acres of land, conserving 11.8 million acres of lakes and wetlands, and improving 2,600 miles of rivers and streams. Our strategies are rooted in a firm foundation in science, target policy, strategic engagement, finance, and collaboration alongside communities.
From Detroit to the Keweenaw, we collaborate with communities, governments, businesses, Indigenous peoples and local leaders to find solutions to the most critical problems facing people and nature, and then to scale the solution to a whole system level to have the impact required to meet the moment.
5. Thompson's Harbor State Park
Thompson’s Harbor State Park protects 7.5 miles of Lake Huron shoreline, 6 miles of trail, and 5,000 acres of undeveloped forest, dunes and marsh, a designated dark sky preserve and rustic cabins. TNC conserved 4,800 acres to create the park, transferring it to the Michigan DNR in 1988.
Discover More Guide to Summer in Michigan
Find summer activities and more of our work to preserve Michigan's natural wonders.
