Alan Wernette,
Interpreter
Ludington State Park

Schedule of Weekly Nature Programs

Schedules for other nature programs

Known for its miles of sandy beaches and sand dunes on Lake Michigan, Ludington State Park offers a variety of interpretive programs.

Ludington State Park is known as the "queen of Michigan State Parks." The park is located on the shore of Lake Michigan and includes nearly 5,300 acres of scenic sand dunes, over five miles of Lake Michigan shoreline vistas, ponds and forest land. The park is home to Hamlin Lake and one of Michigan's oldest lighthouses, Big Sable Point Lighthouse.

Ludington State Park offers many great attractions, classes, hikes, and interpretive programs year round. Visitors can learn about the sand dunes, the Great Lakes, the history of Big Sable Point Lighthouse, lumber town, and the Civilian Conservation Corps camp. Most programs are free, and reservations are not necessary. For more information on program locations, please contact Interpreter Alan Wernette at (231) 843-9261 or e-mail Alan at Wernettea@michigan.gov.

School Programs

Interpretive programs for school groups are held during the fall, winter and spring. These programs include outdoor activities, so students are asked to dress appropriately for the weather. Educators and group leaders should review the program packet to begin planning their visit.

The School Program Reservation Form may be printed and e-mailed to the Ludington State Park interpreter or used when calling (231) 843-9261 to make the reservation.

Tour Big Sable Point Lighthouse

Big Sable Point Lighthouse is a very inviting place to visit. The beauty of the dunes angling down to meet the water and the whitecaps rolling onto shore make Ludington State Park an ideal place to spend the entire day. The light from Big Sable is the last Michigan beacon seen by ships passing southward to Chicago, and it is the first one spotted on the trip upbound. The lighthouse is a 2-mile walk from the campground along a wooded trail that parallels the Lake Michigan shoreline. The lighthouse is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 1 through October 31. For tour information, visit the Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association Web site www.splka.org.

Friends of Ludington State Park

Friends of Ludington State Park is a voluntary association whose mission is to promote the protection, preservation, enhancement, proper management and wise use of the lands, waters and facilities of Ludington State Park. For more information, write to: Friends of Ludington State Park, P.O. Box 123, Ludington, MI 49341.