Mitchell State Park
Encyclopedia
William Mitchell State Park is a state park
in Cadillac, Michigan
. The park is one of the more popular camping destinations in northern lower Michigan
. It is located between Lake Mitchell
and Lake Cadillac
. A historic canal
, approximately one third of a mile in length, connects the two lakes and runs directly through the park. Dug in 1873, the canal allowed felled trees to be floated from Lake Mitchell to lumber mills on Lake Cadillac. The 334 acres (1.4 km²) park was officially dedicated in 1919.
s. There are both "premium modern" and "modern" campsites, as designated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
, which operates the park. Many of the campsite locations are shaded and feature 50-amp electric hookups. There are also modern toilet buildings, showers and sanitation stations.
Eight campsites are wheelchair-accessible. A mini-cabin and a camper cabin are also available for rent. There are two boat launches, and recreational watercraft can be docked on the side of the canal, next to the campsites. A playground is also located in the campground.
A day-use area is located on Lake Mitchell, offering a sandy beach, a picnic area, a picnic shelter and playground equipment. There is a roped-off swim area.
, walleye
, panfish
and bass
.
In the winter, snowmobiling, ice fishing
, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
are popular recreational activities.
The Park is only a few miles east and north of the Manistee portion of the Huron-Manistee National Forest, the headquarters of which is located in Cadillac. East of the city and the campground is also the Pere Marquette State Forest
, and to the southeast is the White Pine Trail State Park
.
The 2.5 miles (4 km) Heritage Nature Trail begins at the Hunting and Fishing Center and runs through a woodland and marsh environment. The nature trail is a study area which supports a variety of plants and wildlife. The trail, mostly a woodchip path with a series of bridges and boardwalks, provides a pleasant hike around scenic wetland
areas.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in Cadillac, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The park is one of the more popular camping destinations in northern lower Michigan
Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
. It is located between Lake Mitchell
Lake Mitchell (Michigan)
Lake Mitchell is one of two lakes in Cadillac, Michigan that are joined together by the Clam Lake Canal. The other lake is Lake Cadillac.Mitchell State Park is located on Lake Mitchell....
and Lake Cadillac
Lake Cadillac
Lake Cadillac is a lake located within the city of Cadillac, Michigan. It is part of the Muskegon River watershed.-Natural features:Lake Cadillac is fed by two inlets: a small river flowing from Lake Mitchell and a short canal of the same origin. There is one outlet, the Clam River.In 2005,...
. A historic canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
, approximately one third of a mile in length, connects the two lakes and runs directly through the park. Dug in 1873, the canal allowed felled trees to be floated from Lake Mitchell to lumber mills on Lake Cadillac. The 334 acres (1.4 km²) park was officially dedicated in 1919.
Camp amenities
The park contains 221 campsiteCampsite
A campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in the outdoors. In British English a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents or camper vans or caravans; this British English use of the word is synonymous with the...
s. There are both "premium modern" and "modern" campsites, as designated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the state of Michigan charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, state forests, and recreation areas. It is governed by a director appointed by the Governor and accepted by the Natural Resources Commission...
, which operates the park. Many of the campsite locations are shaded and feature 50-amp electric hookups. There are also modern toilet buildings, showers and sanitation stations.
Eight campsites are wheelchair-accessible. A mini-cabin and a camper cabin are also available for rent. There are two boat launches, and recreational watercraft can be docked on the side of the canal, next to the campsites. A playground is also located in the campground.
A day-use area is located on Lake Mitchell, offering a sandy beach, a picnic area, a picnic shelter and playground equipment. There is a roped-off swim area.
Recreation
The boat launch facilities on Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell allow easy access to water sports and fishing activities. Both lakes are noted as fine walleye fisheries and are popular fishing areas during the summer. Anglers can expect good catches of perchPerch
Perch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke meaning spotted, and the...
, walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
, panfish
Panfish
A panfish, also spelled pan-fish or pan fish, is an edible game fish that usually doesn't outgrow the size of a frying pan. The term is also commonly used by anglers to refer to any small catch that will fit in a pan, but is large enough to be legal. However its definition and usage varies with...
and bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
.
In the winter, snowmobiling, ice fishing
Ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
are popular recreational activities.
The Park is only a few miles east and north of the Manistee portion of the Huron-Manistee National Forest, the headquarters of which is located in Cadillac. East of the city and the campground is also the Pere Marquette State Forest
Pere Marquette State Forest
The Pere Marquette State Forest encompasses lands in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, on the western side of the state. Counties within the Pere Marquette are: Leelanau, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Mason, Lake, Osceola, Oceana, Newaygo and Mecosta.There are...
, and to the southeast is the White Pine Trail State Park
White Pine Trail State Park
Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park is a long linear state park in the U.S. state of Michigan.The trail extends from northern Grand Rapids to Cadillac, and it lies on the path graded for the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. The White Pine Trail is a rail trail park...
.
Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center
Across the canal from the campsites is the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center, which documents the history of hunting and fishing in Michigan. The center is open year-round. There is an exhibit hall which displays local wildlife species. Seminars, audio-visual presentations and workshops are available to visitors. An auditorium is also open to visitors, which features a short multimedia show on the role sportsmen and sportswomen have played in preserving and restoring Michigan’s wildlife and fisheries resources.The 2.5 miles (4 km) Heritage Nature Trail begins at the Hunting and Fishing Center and runs through a woodland and marsh environment. The nature trail is a study area which supports a variety of plants and wildlife. The trail, mostly a woodchip path with a series of bridges and boardwalks, provides a pleasant hike around scenic wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
areas.
External links
- Mitchell State Park Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesThe Michigan Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the state of Michigan charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, state forests, and recreation areas. It is governed by a director appointed by the Governor and accepted by the Natural Resources Commission...
- Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center Michigan DNR
- Mitchell State Park Map Michigan DNR
- Mitchell State Park Protected Planet (World Database on Protected Areas)
- Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau