Get all your fishing information here, including rules and regulations, license info, the weekly fishing report and much more. Use the link above to visit the fishing home page, or go directly to your area of interest below:
Get all your hunting information here, including hunting season dates, rules and regulations, and much more. Use the button above to visit the hunting home page, or go directly to your area of interest below:
Information on DNR shooting and archery ranges, rules and regulations, resources to get started and more. Use the button above to visit the target shooing and archery home page, or go directly to one of the pages below:
Find snowmobile trail permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE SNOWMOBILE HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
Want to find tasty morel mushrooms in the forest? Click the box above for tips and tricks to fill your basket.
Find cross-country ski, ice fishing , snowmobiling info and much more.
Find facility info, overnight info, an event calendar and much more.
Find a great trail experience near you - whether you want to hike, bike, snowmobile or ride an ORV. From long, paved linear trails to rugged forest terrain, Michigan offers trail opportunities for all abilities and interests.
Visitor Centers across the state provide education programs, field trips, archery, fishing, trails and much more. Click the box above to see all our locations, or click the individual location below.
We administer grants that enable our local partners to promote the lifestyles we all enjoy by providing recreational opportunities, enhancing wildlife habitat and ensuring public safety. Visit the grants home page by clicking on the button above, or view a specific area of interest below:
Recreational Safety and Hunter Education
Learn about Michigan's diverse range of fish, plants, trees, reptiles, amphibians, insects and mammals. Click the box above to see all species, or click the species group below.
DNR educators across the state provide fun, educational activities, programs and workshops year-round for adults, families and kids. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.
DNR educators provide classroom lessons, field trip opportunities, professional development and experiential programs to teachers around the state. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.
DNR forest resources professionals maintain healthy forests, manage wildfire, maintain responsible harvesting certifications and improve wildlife habitat. Click the box above to learn more about Michigan's state forests.
All DNR-related boards, committees, and advisory groups
Find seasonal, part-time and full-time job openings with the DNR
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One hundred years ago, a unique, rustic area – the “Pine Barrens Country” that a young Ernest Hemingway called “wild as the devil” and “the greatest I’ve ever been in” – became the Pigeon River Country State Forest. Now home to one of the largest free-roaming elk herds east of the Mississippi, the Pigeon offers abundant opportunities to explore the outdoors.
At 12 miles wide and 20 miles long, it is the largest block of contiguous undeveloped land in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
Located in the north-central part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, just a few miles northeast of Gaylord, it is removed from civilization, and that’s what makes the 109,000-acre “Big Wild” so special.
If you’re planning a trip to the Pigeon, keep in mind that it’s managed differently than other state forests. To retain that “wild character” that provides an opportunity for a remote, undeveloped, backcountry experience, it isn’t peppered with a lot of infrastructure and signs. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to explore – you just have to be ready for an adventure. Also be aware that cellphone coverage is patchy.
Check out the links below for more information about outdoor recreation in the Pigeon River Country State Forest, including maps.
E-mail the Pigeon River Forest Management Unit for more information.
The Pigeon River’s headquarters address usually will not work when entered into GPS. Coordinates for the headquarters are 45.169742°, -84.439495°. You can also use the following directions:
