Find harbor and boating access, rules and regulations, safety info and more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE BOATING HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
Calendars: Classes & Workshops; Hunting and Fishing; Public Meetings; Volunteer Opportunities; State park, historic sites and visitor center events.
Find camping and overnight lodging options, reservation info, rules and regulations and more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE CAMPING HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
Get all your fishing information here, including rules and regulations, license info, the weekly fishing report and much more. Use the button 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:
Find ORV license and permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE ORV HOMEPAGE or go directly to you 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.
Wildlife Viewing
Find cross-country ski, ice fishing , snowmobiling info and much more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE WINTER FUN HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
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.
State Forests
Natural Areas
Find facility info, overnight info, an event calendar and much more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE RAM HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
Recreation Passport
Big Wild Forest Carbon Project
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 programs engage youth in our natural resources. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.
Safety Information
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.
Landowners
law enforcement, legislation, rules and regulations
Accessible recreation opportunities in Michigan
All DNR-related boards, committees, and advisory groups
Find seasonal, part-time and full-time job openings with the DNR
Funding
information about volunteer and donation opportunities
News releases, closures, photos and more
Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry
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The Great Lakes are large, powerful water systems prone to dangerous currents that can threaten even the most experienced swimmer. Rip and structural currents, high waves and other dangerous currents and wave conditions can occur along beaches, near the outlets of rivers and near structures such as piers and breakwalls.
According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project data, since 2010, 965 people have drowned in the Great Lakes. In 2020, 56 people drowned in Lake Michigan, making it the deadliest year on record.
Stay on the beach, do not enter the water and do not swim.
Watch for dangerous currents and high waves.
Enter the water, but stay aware of changing conditions.
Many – but not all – state parks on the Great Lakes have designated swimming areas that offer additional safety measures and visual cautions. Designated swimming areas are identified by:
*Buoys and markers are typically installed prior to the Memorial Day holiday weekend and removed at the end of the season.
There are no beach guards (or life guards) at state parks, so never swim alone and always keep a close watch over children. It's especially important to bring U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets, especially for young, new and inexperienced swimmers.
New law prohibits water access from a state-managed beach when risks are present
In an ongoing effort to create more protections for visitors on state-managed lands, Land Use Order 5.1.6 now prohibits people from accessing the water from a state-managed beach when risks to human health and safety are present. This includes situations like active rescue/recovery efforts, severe weather events identified by the National Weather Service, waves more than 8 feet high, water contamination and unsafe debris washing ashore. Such closures will be publicized via on-site signage and/or communication by a DNR employee, such as an announcement over a loudspeaker.
*The order does not apply to people using a self-propelled wave-riding board, such as longboard and shortboard, kiteboard, body/”boogie” board with swim fins, and skimboard, and when using commonly accepted safety rules and procedures.
In the Great Lakes, swimmers are most likely to encounter one of five common currents:
Flip over onto your back and float.
Follow the safest path to safety / out of the water.
