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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Jan. 2-March 30: First Saturday each month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
April 1-Memorial Day: Sat, Sun, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Memorial Day-Labor Day: Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Labor Day-Nov. 14: Sat, Sun, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Nov. 15-Dec. 31: Closed
Hatchery building hours may be different.
Located on the grounds of the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, the visitor center provides programs that tell the remarkable tale of the Great Lakes fisheries and the vital role played by hatcheries. Individuals of all ages will enjoy the opportunity to learn about a variety of fish species, their life cycles and habitats and how we work to protect and conserve Michigan's lakes, rivers and streams.
A variety of items are available for sale at our Fish Market Gift Shop, including books, postcards, fish pens, fish magnets, t-shirts, hats and more.
Take a virtual tour of the museum, courtesy of Able Eyes.
The grounds of the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, located in Mattawan, are open year-round, from dawn to dusk for feeding the fish and walking the nature trails.
The hatchery is available for tours and is a popular field trip for school groups. Please contact the visitor center directly for tour times and availability.
The hatchery grounds provide excellent bird and wildlife viewing opportunities, hiking and snowshoeing, plus scheduled seasonal programming such as kid-friendly fishing, archery and more.
The renovated exhibit hall offers visitors a firsthand look at how fish hatcheries evolved in Michigan, how fish were raised historically and how individuals can become stewards of our natural resources to safeguard them for current and future generations.
Walk through a train car to learn how fish once were transported, see footage of fish being stocked in the 1930s and 1940s and learn how to take an active role in protecting our natural resources. Visitors can also view a brief 15 minute video in the Auditorium to see what its like to spend a year as a steelhead trout at the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery.
Be sure to check out the other fun and educational exhibits and displays throughout the lobby too. Visitors can watch a live underwater camera of the show pond, as well as check out the seasonal animals located in the lobby's "critter corner."
Viewing aquariums include:
Nature trails take visitors around several ponds, ranging in size from two to 25 acres, and through wetland, prairie and forest habitats. Wolf Lake is home to a variety of wildlife and is a premier birdwatching location in southwest Michigan.
A birdwatching platform is located on the hatchery's largest pond, where many species of birds can be seen. Interpretive panels along the trails encourage visitors to learn more about the unique features of the grounds, the history of the hatchery, how Great Lakes ecosystems work and the role citizens play in ecosystem stewardship.
Visitors can view an assortment of fish in the show pond located just outside the center. A long observation platform provides excellent close-up viewing opportunities. Fish species in the pond include chinook salmon, steelhead trout, northern pike, northern muskellunge, walleye, largemouth bass, a variety of other sunfish and lake sturgeon. Try spotting one of the two 6-foot sturgeon as they glide along the bottom.
Fun for all ages, the fish will jump and splash as they compete for each and every last fish food pellet. Each visitor receives one complimentary cup of fish food courtesy the Friends of Wolf Lake.
Friends of Wolf Lake is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit group that supports the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery Visitor Center. Its mission is to inspire people to become better stewards of Michigan natural resources through education, conservation and volunteer opportunities.
Learn more at friendsofwolflake.org.
Our education staff has put together a series of live, virtual lessons for teachers to book for their classrooms, and a wide variety of videos, virtual tours, activities and webinars for children to do at home.
Learn more about these resources at Michigan.gov/DNREducation.
From tours of the hatchery, to learning archery and fishing, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Ages 3-16, Friday evenings, Saturday mornings Memorial Day to Labor Day. Equipment provided. Registration required.
Develop your outdoor skills or help conserve natural resources with Outdoor Skills Academy clinics and volunteer workdays.
Wolf Lake offers a variety of programs for students. Give us a call and we can help you choose the right program for your class.
