Skip to main content

Saginaw Bay Visitor Center

Saginaw Bay Visitor Center

Closed for renovations

The visitor center is currently closed to the public for renovations. School groups/field trips will still take place. Please email Jonathan Massung, park interpreter or check out our field trip reservation page for more information.

We anticipate reopening in late June 2023.

Saginaw Bay Visitor Center at Bay City State Park

3582 State Park Drive
Bay City, MI 48706
Phone: 989-667-0717
Email: Jonathan Massung, Interpreter

Hours:

April - Memorial Day: Friday - Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.

Memorial Day - Labor Day: Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun. noon - 5 p.m.

Labor Day - Thanksgiving: Friday - Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.

Thanksgiving - April: Saturday - Sunday, noon - 4 p.m.

A Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into park.

The Saginaw Bay Visitor Center, located in the 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 1995 the aging nature center was given a $1 million makeover. A 10,000-square-foot building, which more than doubled the size of the original facility, reopened in 1996 with a 100-seat auditorium and new exhibit hall.

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 wide variety of educational resources for all ages, as well as a large selection of nature-related gifts.

Things you might see on your hike

Programs for Adults, Families and Classrooms

Education Programs for the Public

Weekly Program Schedule

Classroom Programs

Field trips and outreach