Newaygo State Park
Encyclopedia
Newaygo State Park is a 257 acres (1 km²) state park
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The park is located in Big Prairie Township
, Newaygo County
, Michigan
on the south side of the Hardy Dam
Pond. The park sits atop 20 feet (6.1 m) embankments overlooking the 4000 acres (16.2 km²) Hardy Dam
Pond, a six-mile (10 km) flooding of the Muskegon River
. The park caters primarily to campers, anglers and recreational boaters.
Other nearby parks include Newaygo County's Sandy Beach Park, Big Prairie Township's Ox Bow Park, Big Bend Park, and Mecosta County's Brower Park.
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 the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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 located in Big Prairie Township
Big Prairie Township, Michigan
Big Prairie Township is a civil township of Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,465.-Geography:The Hardy Dam on the Muskegon River is located in the township....
, Newaygo County
Newaygo County, Michigan
Newaygo County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Grand Rapids–Wyoming, MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,460. The county seat is White Cloud. Newaygo County was either named for an Ojibwe leader who signed the Saginaw...
, 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"....
on the south side of the Hardy Dam
Hardy Dam
Hardy Dam is a dam and powerplant complex on the Muskegon River in Big Prairie Township, Newaygo County, Michigan. At the time of its completion, it was the largest earthen dam in North America east of the Mississippi, and is still the third largest earthen dam in the world and the largest east of...
Pond. The park sits atop 20 feet (6.1 m) embankments overlooking the 4000 acres (16.2 km²) Hardy Dam
Hardy Dam
Hardy Dam is a dam and powerplant complex on the Muskegon River in Big Prairie Township, Newaygo County, Michigan. At the time of its completion, it was the largest earthen dam in North America east of the Mississippi, and is still the third largest earthen dam in the world and the largest east of...
Pond, a six-mile (10 km) flooding of the Muskegon River
Muskegon River
The Muskegon River is a river in the western portion of the lower peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river has its headwaters in Houghton Lake in Roscommon County, flowing out of the North Bay into neighboring Missaukee County. From there it flows mostly southwest to Muskegon, Michigan,...
. The park caters primarily to campers, anglers and recreational boaters.
Facilities and activities
- Swimming
- FishingFishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
. Anglers can try for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye and various species of panfish. - Picnicking: There are several picnic sites overlooking the reservoir for day users.
- PlaygroundPlaygroundA playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
: Two playgrounds are available for the younger set. - BoatingBoatingBoating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
: A launch is located on a protected harbor on Hardy Dam Pond. - CampingCampingCamping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
: There are 99 rustic campsites. The campground is nestled in oak and poplar forests and is noted for its large, private sites and scenic beauty. There is a 20-30 foot forested buffer between sites, and each site is provided with a picnic table and a fire ring.
Other nearby parks include Newaygo County's Sandy Beach Park, Big Prairie Township's Ox Bow Park, Big Bend Park, and Mecosta County's Brower Park.
External links
- Newaygo 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...
- Newaygo State Park Protected Planet (World Database on Protected Areas)
- Newaygo State Park - Twitter Page