From the editor: One of the questions/complaints we receive at PRD concerns the $10 cancellation fee for reservations. This fee was increased from $2 to $10 in 2005 to discourage unethical reservation practices. PRD works very hard to provide its customers with a fair reservation system that gives everyone an equal opportunity to book the reservations they need.  By increasing the cancellation fee, it has moved people in the direction of making "solid" vacation plans and they are not tying up sites they don't end up using.

A Big Fan

I have been going to Ludington State Park for 40 years, every summer camping, sometimes twice and I love the white sands, Lake Michigan, Lake Hamlin, the river, the trails, the sheer beauty and during the 4th of July, the art fair and the fireworks. I love the smoked fish, the Amish pies, the pump storage facility, the forest, the flea market, the ice cream, the unusual grasses and deer everywhere. I just love it so. I have such fond memories of bringing my kids, now they are grown and bringing their kids.

Julienne, Detroit

Appreciates Improvements

It was terrific to read about the improvements being made to the parks system throughout Michigan. Because we have a family of six on a single income, our vacations consist of camping and hiking. Michigan offers an abundance of places for us to visit and we always enjoy our stay at the state parks. In fact, the state parks are the only places we visit. Trails are well marked and plentiful. The parks are clean, well kept and absolutely beautiful. As a woman and mom of four young ones, I especially appreciate the upkeep of the bathroom/shower facilities. They are cleaned twice a day during the camping season and cleaned very well.

Thanks for offering a wonderful vacation experience and for the constant improvements you are making. Our family benefits not only in being able to spend quality time together but our state also benefits economically as well. It's a lot of fun to see campers from all over the United States sharing our beautiful land with us! 

Jim and Michelle, Holland

Rifle River is a Gem

My spouse Mary and I have been going to the Rifle River Recreation for nearly 20 straight years now. What is important to us and the reason we keep going back to the park is its pristine natural state. We enjoy the beauty of the surrounding post glacial terrain, especially the esker that divides Grebe Lake from the lower lakes of Lodge and Grousehaven. Since the lakes do not allow motorboats or motors of any kind on them, the lakes maintain the purity that they have maintained since they were formed. Our favorite lake at the park is Grebe. Every early spring we go to see the loon's nesting on the lake, as well as the many varied migratory songbirds on their way further north. The park cabin there and others throughout the park are perfect for the tranquility and spiritual renewal that I feel all people need to connect back to their true homeland. We truly love Rifle River for its blend of low impact on the environment and its management of a true gem of a park. 

Phil, Chelsea

Kids Loved Hoffmaster

I am from Louisiana. My brother and his family live in Muskegon. For the last few years my other brother (from Mississippi) and I have come to camp in Michigan for a few days in the summer with our Michigan brother. Unfortunately, this year due to illness, we were not able to make our yearly camping trip. We will be back next year! In 2006, I brought my two grandchildren, 8 and 10, to Michigan for their first camping trip. I cannot describe to you the love of the great outdoors these children learned. We stayed at Hoffmaster State Park and we had a wonderful time. We tent camped and the kids loved it! They live in Baton Rouge and had never experienced the outdoors like this. When they found out we would not be able to make the 2007 trip they were so disappointed, but are really looking forward to next year. Can't wait to see ya'll again.                                                                                                        Patricia, Baton Rouge , LA

State Parks Rock 

Michigan State Parks rock! I just started discovering them last year, after having been in Michigan for 16 years. I've already been to Port Crescent, Harrisville and Fayette. Keep up the great work!

Norm, Hamtramck

Too Many Vehicles/Trailers

We camp at Michigan State Parks every year. SUGGESTION: Please limit the size and number of vehicles, trailers and units per site at Orchard Beach. This place is a wall-to-wall parking lot which greatly detracts from the fact that it is a little gem. Raise the admission price if it is a question of revenue. You will still sell out every night. GREAT park system! 

Thomas, St. Charles , Ill

Mitchell is their Favorite

Our favorite campground has always been Mitchell State Park. We love the easy access to water (we like to fish), and watching the boats go by on the channel. It's such a nice peaceful, family park. Always clean and safe. We now have a daughter and grandson living in Cadillac, so we visit even more often! Safety is an important issue with an 8-year-old riding his bike and scooter, etc.  People are very aware of the kids and bikes throughout the park. We will continue to come back many times a year.

Pat, Greenville

Upgrades Needed at Holly

I have been visiting Holly Recreation Area for more than 15 years. My kids and I enjoy this park very much; it has such a great beach, campsites and trail system. Over the years though, I've noticed a lot of other parks having their facilities upgrades with new bathrooms, showers and pavement roads. A couple of seasons ago I noticed the blacktop being scraped up and removed and I thought finally, Holly is going to repave its roads through the campgrounds. But it has not been done yet. Is their any plan to upgrade Holly's roads and bathhouses?

Dave, Romeo

Editor's note : Although Holly just received a badly needed electrical system upgrade, we know its roads and buildings need replacement, too. Michigan state parks, recreation area and harbors have an infrastructure valued at over $1 billion. This includes 1,345 buildings, 468 miles of paved road, 43,092 parking spaces, 879 miles of trails 13,000 campsites, 768 harbor slips, 300 waste water treatment systems and 100 water supply systems. We are able to fund less than 5% of our infrastructure replacement and repair needs each year. Although many buildings were replaced under the Clean Michigan Initiative, the dollars from that program are gone. As new money becomes available projects are scheduled, but it's going to take a very long time.

Kudos for Orchard Beach

We would just like to say how much we enjoyed our past weekend camping trip to Orchard Beach State Park. We have camped at many state parks through the years, and this is by far the friendliest and cleanest state park we have ever visited. The staff was so pleasant, very friendly and helpful. Most state parks we have visited haven't gone out of their way to be friendly OR helpful, for that matter, to the campers. It was just nice to feel appreciated for once. 

We'd also like to say how much we enjoyed our camp hosts, Max and June. They were the friendliest and most helpful hosts we have ever met. They'd go out of their way for just any one. We really appreciated their company. We also would like to say thank you to the staff.  Because of them and their kindness, we are going to camp there for years to come.

Megan and Eric, Hemlock

Interlochen is the Best

We love Interlochen State Park. We have been camping there for a week in July with two-three other couples for at least 15 years, maybe more! The guys go fishing at one of the many lakes in that area and the wives take day trips to antique stores, quilt shops or shopping in Traverse City.  Sometimes we go to see Sleeping Bear Dunes and visit our favorite shops and restaurants in Honor, Beulah, Frankfort, etc. Other times we head up the Leelanau Peninsula to Suttons Bay and fish town at Leland. We have bought lunches and sat on the shores of Crystal Lake or Lake Michigan near Platte River (a very favorite spot for sunsets). If it rains we can go check out the mall in Traverse City or see a movie. There are so many good restaurants and Deli's in the area; we are never at a loss for a good place to eat. After dinner, we sit around a campfire and talk and laugh. We never miss a concert at the music camp and we enjoy wandering around the camp to look at the student's art. Several times we have discussed going somewhere different, but we can never come up with another campground that is so close to all of the things we love doing. It is the most beautiful area in the Lower Peninsula.

Kathie, Caledonia

Two Favorites

We actually have two favorite places, one close to home and the other not so close. Seven Lakes State Park is our favorite close-to-home park. It's close enough that the kids and I can camp during the week while my husband commutes back and forth to work. They have a great lake for swimming, lots of trails to explore, and some of the nicest staff we've ever encountered at a state park. And one of the nicest bath facilities. It's small enough to keep an eye on the kids, but not so small that you feel cramped.

Our second favorite park would be either of the state parks at Higgins Lake. Our kids love the beaches, and we love just relaxing and watching them play. It gives us a feeling of being far, far away, from the hectic, busy life that most of us lead. The blue water, sandy beaches, boats, blue skies, the list just keeps going. Our only complaint would be that reality sets in too soon and it's time to go back home -- until the next time.
Sheri, Lake Orion

Young is #1

For the past 30 years we have visited numerous state parks. One that we will always come back to year after year is Young State Park in Boyne City. It has a beautiful beach, and large campsites with mostly grass. Next would be Mears in Pentwater; great sand beach and close to home, a lot of activities near and walking distance to town. And next would be Hoffmaster in Muskegon; great beach and plenty of woods and shade and close to home. Thank you.

Marv and Donna, Bryon Center

Happy Trails

Editor's note: This letter was sent to Ken Davis, a DNR engineer, who worked on the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail paving project.

Hi Ken,

Thank you for talking with us and taking our pictures. We appreciate the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail and the good job that was done on it. Tom and I probably use the trail more than most people, along with a couple of other friends--Joe who is 71 and Dale, 67. All four of us are just shy of the 9,000-mile mark for the year. With good weather, we'll probably hit 10K for the year.

A few years ago, Tom was crippled with arthritis and became overweight. Last year he was biking at around 10 mph. Since then he has lost 85 pounds and I got him up to 22 mph a couple of week ago -- quite an improvement. (Photo of Ed and Tom on FMWP Trail)

We know others whose health has improved by biking and walking on the trail. So, I hope you keep adding on. If you build it, we will ride it.

I also believe that the trails can have a major effect on the economy. There are groups of bikers who travel all over the country to ride. If you visit Rockford in summer on a weekend, you will see hundreds of bikes parked in the area. Gravel trails won't bring them; paved ones will. Thanks again.

Ed, Rockford