What's your favorite state park, and why?

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Permalink Reply by Maurice on July 5, 2009 at 11:36pm

I must say that Ludington State park is the nicest that I've been to. I've been there so many times that I need to change things up a bit. I have been looking in the Manistee with some success, but not the right fit. I would be interested in some input.

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Permalink Reply by krazzzman on July 6, 2009 at 12:07am

I have stopped at dozens of state parks and haven't found any that are even close. If somebody disagrees my guess is that they haven't seen the whole park. There are so many areas that most people never see. Most state parks are more comparable to the Mason County Camp Ground.

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Permalink Reply by masonco on July 6, 2009 at 5:54am

I've not done much camping, but I have some family members who say that they did not realize Ludington state park was so nice. They felt it was among the top in nice state parks.

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Permalink Reply by King Neptune on July 6, 2009 at 2:12pm

Quite right ya'lllll, I have been to the LSP many times indeed. I still don't think I've seen it all yet. Way to much land and sites that last in memory forever. And, the biggest 2 highlites for me are going inside the Big Pt. Sauble Lighthouse, and watching the fisherman downstream on the dam. Not that the hiking trail systems aren't tremendous too. So much park, so little time to enjoy.

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Permalink Reply by RJE on July 6, 2009 at 5:35pm

My first favorite state park is Mackinac island for many reasons. My second and very close behind Mackinac is Ludington State Park. But what I have a hard time understanding is that while the heart of this park is being destroyed by the raping of the dunes at the hands of Sargent mineral co. there is hardly a peep out of the Ludington community. I've talked to many people about this and I barely get a yawn. The main comments I receive most are that it's their land and that jobs are being created. I try to tell them that far more is being lost than is being created by the few temporary jobs. Some of the tallest dunes and critical habitat is being destroyed so that dune sand can be stuffed down oil wells. This is America at i'ts worst. Praising a gift at one end while destroying it at the other end.

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Permalink Reply by RJE on July 6, 2009 at 5:53pm

Zannie
I've talked to everyone from Ludington State park officials to State of Michigan real estate purchasers and noone seems to care. I asked the folks at Ludington state park if they were monitering to see if Sargent was encroaching on State Park property and was told several times that they were in fact not keeping an eye on Sargents progress. Last fall when Sargent shut down for the winter they were, as far as I could tell, very close to being on State land. I guess the sand dunes are open for the taking.

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Permalink Reply by Maurice on July 6, 2009 at 7:39pm

I here that Sleeping Bear is a nice place. That might be my next stop.

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Permalink Reply by King Neptune on July 6, 2009 at 7:47pm

I thought Sleeping Bear was a Federal Park w/o much access. I also believe there was an attempt to stop the dune mining and also buy the land by the State/privates some time back. But all failed at those meeting and levels. At one time I heard LSP was comprised of thousands of acres, maybe 50+? look north past Big Pt Sauble lite, undeveloped and pristine. Unless something else got sold by Granholm again. JMO

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Permalink Reply by King Neptune on July 6, 2009 at 9:04pm

I just checked this out for posterity: stateparks.com/ludington. The photo gallery is inspiring and breathtaking to say the least. Correction to 5,300 acres, not 50K as stated earlier. Check out the Great Lks. Visitor Center, hiking trails, bike trails, Hamlin picnic pavillion, bathhouse on Lk. Mi., Big Pt. Sable Lighthouse tour, the new dam, walk bridges, paths, the dune lookout, boat rentals, 345 campgrounds, and the list is too long to go on. A remarkable lifetime memory that is pure michigan at it's best. And all in our backyard. An asset that cannot be copied anywhere.

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Permalink Reply by Larry on July 7, 2009 at 8:40pm

Ludington State Park is by far my favorite. We were there Sunday for a short time. Wish we could have stayed longer. We visited Tawas SP last week and it is nice too. Saw 6 lighthouses and climbed 4 of them.

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