Hoffmaster State Park
Encyclopedia
P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is a state park
along Lake Michigan
located at the southwest corner of Norton Shores, Michigan
in Muskegon County
and the northwest corner of Spring Lake Township
in Ottawa County
. It is operated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
. The park includes 1100 acres (4 km²) of land including 3 miles (5 km) of sand beach on the lake. There are ten miles (16 km) of hiking trails, including the Dune Climb Stairway on the tallest dune. Three miles (5 km) of trail are groomed in the winter for cross-country skiing
. There are two campgrounds and a beach.
The park is named after P.J. Hoffmaster, sometimes considered the founder of the Michigan state parks system, who served as the Superintendent of State Parks and Director of the Department of Conservation
. The nature center, named for Emma Genevieve Gillette
, who scouted locations for new state parks under Hoffmaster, offers many exhibits on sand dune ecology. Bird watchers come to view migrating songbirds (wood thrushes and orioles plus warblers and sparrows of various species) and migrating raptors (sharp-shinned and broad-winged hawks and even the occasional eagle or falcon).
The park made international headlines on July 8, 2009 when a man fell asleep in his truck and backed over his family tent, injuring his wife and two young children.
within the park. The center also has live animals and an auditorium and offers many nature programs for the public.
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...
along Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
located at the southwest corner of Norton Shores, Michigan
Norton Shores, Michigan
Norton Shores is a city in Muskegon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 22,527 at the 2000 census.-Overview:Norton Shores is located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Muskegon County...
in Muskegon County
Muskegon County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 170,200 people, 63,330 households, and 44,267 families residing in the county. The population density was 334 people per square mile . There were 68,556 housing units at an average density of 135 per square mile...
and the northwest corner of Spring Lake Township
Spring Lake Township, Michigan
Spring Lake Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 13,140 at the 2000 census. The village of Spring Lake is located within the township....
in Ottawa County
Ottawa County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 238,314 people, 81,662 households, and 61,328 families residing in the county. The population density was 421 people per square mile . There were 86,856 housing units at an average density of 154 per square mile...
. It is operated 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...
. The park includes 1100 acres (4 km²) of land including 3 miles (5 km) of sand beach on the lake. There are ten miles (16 km) of hiking trails, including the Dune Climb Stairway on the tallest dune. Three miles (5 km) of trail are groomed in the winter for 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...
. There are two campgrounds and a beach.
The park is named after P.J. Hoffmaster, sometimes considered the founder of the Michigan state parks system, who served as the Superintendent of State Parks and Director of the Department of Conservation
Department of Conservation
Department of Conservation may refer to:* Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong* Department of Environment and Conservation * Department of Conservation * In the United States:...
. The nature center, named for Emma Genevieve Gillette
Emma Genevieve Gillette
Genevieve Gillette was an early conservationist in Michigan. She was born in Lansing on May 19, 1898 and attended Michigan Agricultural College, Michigan State University. She was the only woman to graduate in the college’s first landscape architecture class in 1920...
, who scouted locations for new state parks under Hoffmaster, offers many exhibits on sand dune ecology. Bird watchers come to view migrating songbirds (wood thrushes and orioles plus warblers and sparrows of various species) and migrating raptors (sharp-shinned and broad-winged hawks and even the occasional eagle or falcon).
The park made international headlines on July 8, 2009 when a man fell asleep in his truck and backed over his family tent, injuring his wife and two young children.
Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center
The Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center features interactive exhibits related to the sand dune ecosystemEcosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
within the park. The center also has live animals and an auditorium and offers many nature programs for the public.