Bay City State Park is a Michigan state park on the shore of Saginaw Bay, with more than 2,000 acres of habitat and more than 1,000 feet of sandy beach. It makes a nature-focused outing from Kawkawlin.
- Location: 3582 State Park Dr., Bay City, Michigan 48706
- Day-use hours: Open daily
- Entry: A Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry; entry on foot or by nonmotorized bicycle is free
Where Is Bay City State Park?
Bay City State Park is at 3582 State Park Dr. in Bay City, Michigan, on the eastern shore of Saginaw Bay. Its landscape includes wetlands, woods and prairies, as well as a sandy beach along Lake Huron.
Tobico Marsh, within the park, is one of the largest remaining freshwater coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The park map places the day-use area and visitor center on State Park Drive, with Beaver Road and M-247 among the nearby public roads.
How Do You Get to Bay City State Park from Kawkawlin?
The drive from Kawkawlin to the park takes about 10 minutes. The park’s day-use area and visitor center are on State Park Drive; the campground is on Beaver Road, across the road from the day-use entrance.
What Should You Check Before You Go?
Michigan state park day-use hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For vehicle entry, you need a Michigan Recreation Passport; if you arrive on foot or by nonmotorized bicycle, entry and use of facilities are free.
Hours, access details and available facilities can change, so check the official site before you go. The park’s contact number is 989-684-3020.
What Can You Do at the Park?
Bay City State Park combines shoreline recreation with trails and wildlife viewing. The park map marks the paved Andersen Nature Trail, the Chickadee Nature Trail, a lagoon, observation towers and a fishing pier.
For bird and wetland views, the park has two observation towers, a boardwalk, viewing platforms and shoreline spotting scopes. The Lake Huron swim beach has a buoyed swimming area, an accessible beach mat and a coastal boardwalk. A beach wheelchair is available to borrow free of charge.
The DNR describes swimming, hiking, biking, fishing, wildlife observation, picnicking and nature programs among the park’s activities. Seasonal naturalists offer nature-based programs during summer and/or fall; check the park’s explorer-program calendar for current dates, locations and topics.
How Can You Plan Your Time at the Park?
For a visit centered on the outdoors, you can pair a walk on one of the nature trails with time along the beach or at the wildlife-viewing spots. The interpretive visitor center is another stop; the Saginaw Bay Visitor Center has exhibits, wildlife viewing, a gift shop and educational programs about the coastal wetlands.
If you’re bringing a dog, pets are allowed along the Lake Huron shoreline except in the buoyed swim area. Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet and remain under their owner’s immediate control.
A Kawkawlin Base for a Park Visit
Bay City State Park is about a 10-minute drive from Northland Motel near Bay City.
FAQs
What are Bay City State Park’s day-use hours?
Open daily. Check the official site before you go in case details change.
Do you need a pass to enter Bay City State Park?
A Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry. People entering on foot or by nonmotorized bicycle may enter and use facilities free of charge.
Is there a beach at Bay City State Park?
Yes. The park has more than 1,000 feet of sandy beach, including a buoyed Lake Huron swim area with an accessible beach mat and coastal boardwalk.
Can you bring a dog to the beach?
Pets are allowed along the Lake Huron shoreline except in the buoyed swim area. Keep dogs on a leash no longer than 6 feet and under immediate control.