McLain State Park

McLain State Park
Sign on M-203
Location within the state of Michigan
Location	Hancock Township, Houghton County, Michigan, USA
Nearest city	Calumet, Michigan
Coordinates	47°14′13″N 88°36′26″W / 47.23682°N 88.60731°W / 47.23682; -88.60731Coordinates: 47°14′13″N 88°36′26″W / 47.23682°N 88.60731°W / 47.23682; -88.60731
Area	443 acres (179 ha)
Governing body	Michigan Department of Natural Resources
http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=423&type=SPRK

McLain State Park is a 443-acre (179 ha) state park on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Houghton County, Michigan. It is located on M-203 halfway between Hancock and Calumet.^[1]

Description

Sandy beach at McLain

The park is on the shore of Lake Superior, and most of the beach areas are rocky. However, a stretch of land known as the Breakwaters, on the edge of the park near the Keweenaw Waterway, is sandy and popular for swimming. There are also swimming areas adjacent to the campground.

McLain lies between the towns of Calumet and Houghton/Hancock. It is a popular destination for mountain bikers and road bikers as it has many trails through and near the park, and the park is situated approximately 10 miles from both cities which have biking traditions and many trails.

McLain State Park is also home to a campground, with showers and bathrooms. This campground is popular in the summertime, and offers sunsets over Lake Superior. It has about 80 campsites all of which are on or near the water's edge and a handful of small and rustic cabins, most of which sleep 4. They have one cabin that sleeps 8 and has a small primitive kitchen area. There are playgrounds scattered throughout.

Sunset over Lake Superior

There is a fee to enter the park with a car or to use the campground. Pedestrian access to the park is free, and there is a free parking area outside the gates.

During the first week of the fall semester, Michigan Technological University holds "K-Day" (or "Keweenaw Day") at the park.^[2] The university cancels afternoon classes so that students and faculty can enjoy a day of fun, sun, music, games, and food.

The spelling of the park's name is inconsistent on roadsigns and in local publications, varying between "McLain", "MacLain", and "McClain".

Facilities

Campground - 98 Sites, 7 Cabins
Lighthouse
Picnic Area
Picnic Shelters (3) - Reservation required
Playground

Activities

Cross Country Skiing - 4 miles (6.4 km)
Fishing
Hiking - 4 miles (6.4 km)
Hunting
Swimming

Nearby Points of Interest

Bishop Baraga Shrine
Isle Royale National Park
North Canal Township Park is on the opposite side of the Keweenaw Waterway as McLain.

References

↑ "F.J. McLain State Park". CopperCountry.com. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
↑ "K-Day - Michigan Technological University". Retrieved 29 September 2011.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to McLain State Park.

McLain State Park Michigan Department of Natural Resources
McLain State Park Protected Planet (World Database on Protected Areas)

Protected areas of Michigan

See also: Important Bird Areas of Michigan

National

Parks	Isle Royale Keweenaw (Historical) River Raisin (Battlefield)

Lakeshores	Pictured Rocks Sleeping Bear Dunes

Landmarks	Black Spruce Bog Natural Area Dead Stream Swamp Dukes Research Natural Area Grand Mere Lakes Haven Hill State Natural Area Newton Woods Porcupine Mountains Roscommon Virgin Pine Stand Strangmoor Bog Tobico Marsh Toumey Woods Warren Woods State Park

Forests	Hiawatha Huron-Manistee Ottawa

Wildlife Refuges	Detroit River Harbor Island Huron Kirtlands Warbler Wildlife Management Area Michigan Islands Michigan Wetland Management District Seney Shiawassee

Other	Grand Island National Recreation Area Father Marquette National Memorial Saint Helena Island National Scenic Area Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

State

Parks	Algonac Aloha Baraga Belle Isle Bewabic Brimley Burt Lake Cambridge Junction Cheboygan Clear Lake Coldwater Lake Craig Lake Dodge #4 Duck Lake Fayette Fisherman's Island Fort Michilimackinac Fort Wilkins Grand Haven Grand Mere Harrisville Hart-Montague Trail Hartwick Pines Hayes Mill Creek P.H. Hoeft P.J. Hoffmaster Holland Indian Lake Interlochen Kal-Haven Trail Lake Gogebic Lakelands Trail Lakeport Leelanau Ludington Mackinac Island Maybury F.J. McLain Mears Meridian-Baseline Mitchell Muskallonge Lake Muskegon Negwegon Newaygo North Higgins Lake Onaway Orchard Beach Otsego Lake Palms Book Petoskey Porcupine Mountains Port Crescent Rockport Sanilac Petroglyphs Saugatuck Dunes Seven Lakes Silver Lake Sleeper Sleepy Hollow South Higgins Lake Sterling Straits Tahquamenon Falls Tawas Point Thompson's Harbor Traverse City Twin Lakes Van Buren Van Buren Trail Van Riper Warren Dunes Warren Woods Wells White Pine Trail Wilderness William G. Milliken Wilson Young

Recreation Areas	Bald Mountain Bass River Bay City Brighton Fort Custer Highland Holly Ionia Island Lake Lake Hudson Menominee River Metamora-Hadley Ortonville Pinckney Pontiac Lake Proud Lake Rifle River Waterloo Wetzel Yankee Springs

Forests	Au Sable Copper Country Escanaba River Lake Superior Mackinaw Pere Marquette

Underwater Preserves	Alger De Tour Passage Grand Traverse Bay Keweenau Manitou Passage Marquette Sanilac Shores Southwest Michigan Straits of Mackinac Thumb Area Whitefish Point

Other (inc. game areas)	Agate Falls Scenic Site Allegan State Game Area Bond Falls Scenic Site Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site Michigan Islands Wilderness Area Pointe Mouillee State Game Area Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center Sturgeon Point Scenic Site Wagner Falls Scenic Site

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

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