Harrisville State Park

Infobox_protected_area | name = Harrisville State Park
iucn_category =


caption =
locator_x =
locator_y =
location = Michigan, USA
nearest_city = Harrisville, Michigan
area = convert|107|acre|km2
established = 1921
visitation_num = 151,273
visitation_year = 1996
governing_body = Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Harrisville State Park is a heavily wooded state park on the shore of Lake Huron. It is located on U.S. Route 23 in Harrisville, Alcona County, Michigan. Established in 1921, it is one of the oldest parks in the Michigan State Park system. [ [http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.aspx?id=451 "Harrisville State Park,"] "Michigan Department of Natural Resources", Accessed June 23, 2007.] The original park area consisted of convert|6|acre|m2, much smaller than the current convert|107|acre|km2. [ [http://www.stateparks.com/harrisville.html "Harrisville State Park,"] "StateParks.com", Accessed June 23, 2007.] There were an estimated 151,273 visits to the park in 1996. [Spencer DM, Kim DK, and Alexander PJ (1998) [http://www.tourism.msu.edu/t-aoe/html-aoe/co-profile-aoe/Alcona.PDF "Alcona County Tourism Profile,"] "Travel, Resource, and Recreation Center of Michigan State University", Accessed June 23, 2007.]

Camping and features

Harrisville State Park features 229 campground sites, two modern bathhouses, and two mini-cabins with electricity, a fire ring, and an outdoor grill. [http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/profile/MISPH#desc "Profile for Harrisville State Park,"] "The Weather Channel", Accessed June 23, 2007.] Each cabin is furnished with two sets of bunk beds and a table. The mini-cabins are designed to sleep four comfortably. Camping facilities are open from April 15 to November 1.

The Cedar Run Nature Trail is a convert|2|mi|km|sing=on trail that was cut through the forested areas of the park as early as 1945 and takes about 1 hour to walk. [ [http://www.huronshoreschamber.com/trails.htm "Trails,"] "Huron Shore Chamber of Commerce", Accessed June 23, 2007.] Other features include a swimming beach, beach house, picnic area, softball diamond, horseshoe pits, volleyball court, basketball court, children's playground, and group shelter.

The park does not offer any facilities for boating or fishing. However, there is a boat ramp in Harrisville that allows direct access to Lake Huron.

This is considered to be an important location for birders, especially as large and varied migratory populations move in and through it. [ [http://www.birds-n-such.com/alconamap.htm Alcona County birding, map and narrative.] ]

It is "dog friendly." [ [http://www.dogfriendly.com/server/travel/uscities/guides/us/FOLDERmi/usonlinemi7245126ha.shtml U.S. cities review of Harrisville State Park] ]

On the last Saturday in July, the park hosts an annual sand sculpture contest. [ [http://www.wildernet.com/pages/area.cfm?areaID=MISPH&CU_ID=165 Wildernet on Harrisville State Park] ]

The park also hosts periodic community events, such as hunter education courses. [ [http://www.michigan.gov/som/0,1607,7-192-45414_45416-174898--,00.html Michigan goavernment press release.] ]

Birds and other wildlife

As with most places along the shores of Lake Huron, Harrisville State Park offers outstanding birding opportunities in May. It is not unusual to find over a dozen warbler species on a good day. Other species of birds may include nuthatches, woodpeckers, wrens, thrushes, vireos, and sparrows. [ [http://www.birds-n-such.com/alconamap.htm#A "Alcona County Birding Locations,"] "Birds-n-Such", Accessed June 23, 2007.]

Address

Harrisville State Park 248 State Park Rd Harrisville, Michigan 48740 [ [http://michigandnr.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/michigandnr.cfg/php/loc/enduser/loc.php "Location Information,"] "Michigan Department of Natural Resources", Accessed June 23, 2007.]

References

Image gallery

ee also

Harrisville, Michigan

External links

* [http://www.michigandnr.com/Publications/PDFS/RecreationCamping/harrisville_map.pdf Map of Harrisville State Park] from Michigan Department of Natural Resources