19 Michigan state parks, facilities close due to ice storm damage

Across Northern Michigan’s state parks trees are covered in heavy ice, roadways are covered in wind-blown debris and electrical powerlines are still down after a severe ice storm barreled through this weekend.

In response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s state of emergency, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is closing state parks, trails and facilities as they assess the storm damage.

Here are the areas that are currently closed:

• Aloha, Burt Lake and Cheboygan state parks (Cheboygan County).
• Clear Lake State Park (Montmorency County).
• DNR Customer Service Center in Gaylord (Otsego County).
• Fisherman’s Island and Young state parks (Charlevoix County).
• Hartwick Pines State Park and Visitor Center (Crawford County).
• Negwegon State Park (Alcona and Alpena counties).
• Onaway, Thompson’s Harbor and P.H. Hoeft state parks (Presque Isle County).
• Oden State Fish Hatchery and Visitor Center (Emmet County).
• Otsego Lake State Park (Otsego County).
• Rockport Recreation Area (Alpena and Presque Isle counties).
• Wilderness and Petoskey state parks (Emmet County).

Why this Northern Michigan ice storm damage is so tough to fix

The DNR warned that many trails near these state parks and in affected counties are also closed due to hazardous obstacles.

Hikers and bikers are also advised to avoid state forest lands as trees are still snapping and falling.

As DNR trail assessments take place, closure signs and blockades will be placed in areas that are determined unsafe. In the meantime, trail users are asked to used extreme caution when using trails.

“The trails could be dangerous especially for motorized trail users who come up on unsafe trail conditions quickly,” said Scott Slavin, Northwest Lower Peninsula trails specialist for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division.

“We urge off-road vehicle riders to slow down, take corners with extra caution, watch for potential hazards and stay on designated trails.”

The DNR is contacting camping reservation holders in affected areas of the northern Lower Peninsula to cancel existing reservations.

Upper Peninsula reservation holders traveling from the Lower Peninsula are strongly encouraged to cancel for a full refund. Please call the reserved park with questions.

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In Grayling, Hartwick Pines State Park Interpreter Craig Kasmer documented thick ice coating trees around the park’s visitor center.

In a video the loud, snapping of branches could be heard echoing in the distance making gunshot-like cracks.

Over the weekend, the park posted that the road to the visitor’s center was impassable and the building had lost power. On Tuesday, the park updated that the center was unscathed by the damage.

However, conditions were not safe to travel on the Old Growth Trail or the Logging Museum so the potential damage there is unknown.

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Trail assessments and cleanup efforts are a collaborative effort between the DNR and the many volunteers who maintain these trails on a regular basis. Trail users can report significant obstructions or erosion to Jessica Roehrs at 517-331-3790 or HolleyRoehrsJ@Michigan.gov.

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