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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January - Memorial Day: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Memorial Day - Labor Day: Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Labor Day - November 14: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
November 15 - December 31: Closed
The Saginaw Bay Visitor Center, located in Bay City State Park on the shores of Saginaw Bay, helps visitors discover Tobico Marsh, one of the largest coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes.
Nestled under a canopy of sheltering hardwoods on the edge of the marsh, the modern visitor center stands on the site of the historic Jennison Nature Center, built in 1940 and named for George B. Jennison, a prominent local conservationist. In 2023, the aging nature center was given a $2 million makeover. The 10,000-square-foot building, with a 100-seat auditorium, now boasts a fully renovated exhibit area and an experiential classroom.
Bay City State Park has one of the largest remaining freshwater, coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes, the Tobico Marsh. More than a thousand feet of sandy beach and over 2,000 acres of wetland woods, wet meadows, cattail marshlands and oak savannah prairies make it an ideal staging area for migratory birds.
Visit the Bay City State Park page for more information.
The Jennison Exhibit Hall reveals the little-known treasures of Saginaw Bay: a rich kaleidoscope of wetland resources – fisheries, wildflowers, waterfowl and other wildlife.
The wildlife observation room provides a picturesque view of birds and small mammals in a natural setting.
The Wolverine
The exhibit hall also displays Michigan's only known wild wolverine. The wolverine was first seen by coyote hunters who treed it while running hounds near Bad Axe on Feb. 24, 2004, and was then seen in the area for the next six years. Sadly, the animal was found dead by hikers in 2010 at Sanilac County's Minden State Game Area.
It was the first wolverine ever verified as living in the wild in Michigan. Michigan is known as the Wolverine State because it was a center for trade in the early trapping industry and wolverine pelts from the north and west of Michigan came through the state. Biologists say that if wolverines were native to Michigan, they were extirpated about 200 years ago.
It is uncertain how the wolverine arrived in Michigan, though DNA evidence indicates it is related to animals native to Alaska. The wolverine was mounted by Bay Port taxidermist Sandy Brown; the mount won an award in 2013 from the state's taxidermy association.
Andersen Trail
The Andersen Trail takes visitors through the marsh. The first 2 miles of paved, barrier-free trail meander through this wildlife haven where the telltale signs of waterfowl, herons, turtles, otters, marsh wrens and beavers are readily visible. The trail then connects to an unpaved 4-mile loop that winds through a wooded wetland and features two 60-foot observation towers.
Chickadee Nature Trail
The Chickadee Nature Trail is a short, half-mile, paved accessible trail that threads its way through a remnant oak-savannah prairie. Colorful trailside displays help visitors explore this fragile habitat where birds, butterflies and blossoms abound. The trail was made possible by the Bay City Garden Club.
Lagoon Nature Trail
The Lagoon Nature Trail explores wooded wetlands, forested beaches and open shoreline habitat. This 1-mile, hard-surfaced trail circles the lagoon and meanders along the shores of the bay. The first section, which is universally accessible, leads to a shoreline boardwalk that offers several panoramic views of the bay. The trail also features shoreline spotting scopes, and accessible picnicking sites and fishing pier.
The Wetlands Wonders Gift Shoppe is located within the center and run by volunteers from the Friends of Bay City State Park. The shop has a wide variety of educational resources for all ages, as well as a large selection of nature-related gifts.
Many of the programs we offer would not be possible without help from our partners. They include:
Fun, educational programs available throughout the year.
