Key project updates

Lexington State Harbor will undergo four major maintenance and enhancement projects managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the DNR in 2026 and 2027. These projects will require a series of closures that will impact the marina, slip reservations, the fuel dock, sanitary pump-out station and the adjacent boating access site. These projects are in addition to the Tierney Park upgrades being performed by the Village of Lexington.

Any updates to construction timelines will be posted here, including dates when slip reservations will become available.

To address dam deficiencies, the DNR, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, is moving forward with a phased plan for drawing down Hall Lake dam at Yankee Springs Recreation Area to a lower lake elevation – a decision that addresses safety issues with the Barry County impoundment while also allowing for continued recreation use at Hall Lake.

EGLE’s Dam Safety Unit classified Hall Lake Dam as a significant hazard dam. This means failure of the dam could cause economic and environmental damage, or disrupt essential services downstream, though loss of life is unlikely. The dam also previously received a condition rating of “poor.” 

The short-term aspects of decommissioning the dam include a gradual lowering of Hall Lake to an approved level, removal of the outdated water control structures, installation of a new culvert under Gun Lake Road and full restoration of the road.

Funding was secured through an EGLE Dam Risk Reduction Grant.

Timeline and boating access site closure
A routine inspection followed by an engineering analysis of the dam led to an emergency drawdown order. The DNR immediately sought the necessary permitting to begin the gradual drawdown, which took place last summer. What to expect next:

• The boating access site is closed. Once the new lake level is established, the DNR will evaluate replacing the boating access site with a carry-down access site.
• Expect intermittent road closures and detours as the project progresses. Specific dates will be posted here as soon as they are scheduled.
• The final drawdown is expected this summer and will ultimately move the lake to its new level and replace the culvert under Gun Lake Road. A contractor was recently approved and contracts have been sent out for review/execution.

Impacts
The drawdown will reduce the size and depth of Hall Lake but will allow this body of water as well as the North Country Trail and Hall Lake Trail to remain. Once the new lake level is established, the DNR will also explore replacing the existing boating access site with a carry-down access site.

Public input
Discussing a possible drawdown of Hall Lake Dam with the public was an integral part of considering the dam’s future, including feedback via a March 12, 2025 public information session and online survey in March 2024.

Frequently asked questions »

• News release (July 11, 2025)
• News release (Feb. 26, 2025)
• News release (June 27, 2024)
• Find estimated bathymetry map
• Find proposed schematic design

Development is officially underway at the 70-acre Houghton Douglass Falls and Veterans Memorial Scenic Site. Once completed, the public site will feature a vault toilet, a gravel parking area and a dedicated veterans’ memorial. Safe access to the falls will be provided via a pedestrian path, pedestrian bridge, safety barriers and an accessible observation deck.

Project timeline and phases

• Phase 1 (completed in 2025) features a new access road, a gravel parking area, vault toilet, pedestrian bridge over Hammell Creek and an accessible trail from the parking area to the pedestrian bridge.
• Phase 2 (slated for construction in 2027) will include the completion of the accessible trail from the pedestrian bridge to the falls, accessible observation platforms overlooking the falls, safety barriers and a veterans' memorial. 

The site will officially open to the public and be dedicated as a scenic site once all improvements are completed.

Funding

Thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund awarded in 2015, the DNR purchased the land from a private owner in 2018. Phase 1 was successfully completed in 2025 with $600,000 in state and capital outlay funds. Phase 2 will be supported by a $1 million Land and Water Conservation Fund grant awarded in 2025.

Public input

The final site plan reflects a collaborative effort between the DNR and the local community. Following a public meeting in December 2023, the DNR integrated feedback from local residents, government entities and tourism leaders. Notably, the Hubbell VFW Post 4624 provided invaluable insights to ensure the site properly honors those who served.

More info

For more information, contact Doug Rich, DNR Parks and Recreation Division Western U.P. district supervisor, at 906-353-6651 or RichD@Michigan.gov.

As part of an $8.5 million enhancement project, visitors to Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park can soon look forward to significant improvements that will help modernize the park’s facilities, enhance visitor access and traffic flow and improve accessibility. Additionally, the Michigan Department of Transportation is investing $1.9 million in enhancements to U.S. 31 and Three Mile Road.

• The day-use area and campground entrances are being redesigned and/or relocated to reduce vehicle backups, including widening U.S. 31 by 20 feet, building a new right-turn lane into the park campground and installing a new traffic signal at the relocated U.S. 31 campground entrance.
• An accessible contact station will ensure safer traffic flow and provide an enhanced customer service experience.
• Moving the park headquarters provides an improved workspace for staff while shielding work areas and equipment from public view.
• The sanitation station will be expanded and relocated to double its capacity, significantly reducing wait times.
• Crews have removed the 1966 pedestrian bridge, which was deteriorated and no longer met American with Disability Act standards.

Closures and U.S. 31 roadwork

• The modern campground closed July 7, 2025, and will remain closed through the entire 2026 season. It's scheduled to reopen on April 1, 2027.
• Beginning March 30, construction crews will begin installing a new traffic signal at the relocated U.S. 31 campground entrance. During the traffic light installation, motorists on U.S. 31 should anticipate intermittent single-lane closures. Additionally, pedestrians should expect temporary sidewalk restrictions. The project is anticipated to take two weeks. Digital message boards will be posted one week before construction starts. Once installed, the traffic signal will operate in flashing mode for up to one month before becoming fully active in late April. The pedestrian crosswalk will remain closed until the signal is fully operational.
• The Lake Michigan beach day-use area will mostly remain open, but visitors should be prepared for intermittent closures during intersection work in mid-April. See MDOT details below.
• New utility connections will also be installed this spring as part of the DNR's campground enhancements project. Motorists should expect occasional lane closures.

MDOT work (spring 2026)
MDOT will begin its $1.9 million enhancement project in spring 2026. A new double left-turn lane will be added from U.S. 31 to Three Mile Road, and the existing traffic signal will be updated. The day-use beach entrance will be moved east to align with this signal, which will also be updated. An ADA-compliant pedestrian crossing will be installed at the intersection.

Pedestrian bridge update
While this is independent of the current enhancement project, the DNR is funding a feasibility study to explore the prospect of a new pedestrian bridge. Several things have to be accomplished before a new bridge compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines can be built. This includes identification and acquisition of appropriate land where the bridge can be located. Adequate funding for the project also must be identified, since such funding does not exist within the current DNR budget. The DNR is working toward those goals with state partners, the local community and state legislators, including Rep. Betsy Coffia, Rep. John Roth and Sen. John Damoose.

Funding
The DNR is utilizing $8.5 million in federal relief funding from Gov. Whitmer's Building Michigan Together Plan.

The design

This extensive project, largely shaped by feedback from the 2021 general management planning process and detailed in the Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park General Management Plan, builds upon a 2011 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant that enabled the acquisition of property to improve park circulation.

View site plan »

View intersection design »

Contact

For more details on the project, contact Stephanie Rosinski, Traverse City and Leelanau state parks supervisor, at 231-922-5270 or RosinskiS@Michigan.gov.

Two key boating facilities on Old Mission Peninsula – East Arm and Bowers Harbor boating access sites – will receive upgrades, including paving and accessibility improvements to enchance public recreational boating opportunities in the Grand Traverse area. Construction is anticipated in 2026.

In September 2023, a fire at the Great Lakes Tissue plant led to the shutdown of the plant’s hydroelectric generator. The Great Lakes Tissue hydroelectric facility played a key role in water level management through “fine-tuned” incremental adjustments to water levels. Without these adjustments, the DNR must exclusively use the six gates at the Cheboygan Dam to manage water levels. 

Beginning Oct. 15, the Inland Waterway will undergo its seasonal drawdown. Water levels in the Inland Waterway, especially in areas along the Cheboygan River and Mullet Lake, will decrease by approximately 12 inches until March 31. This allows for better management during spring thaw and runoff. Water levels will then be replenished starting April 1, with the goal of reaching the target lake level of 593.1 feet by April 15, depending on weather conditions. In the summer, lake residents and boaters along the Inland Waterway may experience larger water level fluctuations.

Learn more about Mullett Lake water levels »