Hoffmaster State Park

Hoffmaster State Park
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Parabolic dune in Hoffmaster State Park. Note damage to dune grass on unauthorized trail in center of photograph.
Location within the state of Michigan
Location	Muskegon County / Ottawa County, Michigan, USA
Nearest city	Norton Shores, Michigan
Coordinates	43°07′26″N 86°15′54″W / 43.12388°N 86.265°W / 43.12388; -86.265Coordinates: 43°07′26″N 86°15′54″W / 43.12388°N 86.265°W / 43.12388; -86.265
Area	1,100 acres (4.5 km²)
Governing body	Michigan Department of Natural Resources
http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=457&type=SPRK

P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is a state park along Lake Michigan located at the southwest corner of Norton Shores, in the U.S. state of 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 1,100 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.^[1]

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).^[2]

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.^[3]

Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center

The Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center features interactive exhibits related to the sand dune ecosystem within the park. The center also has live animals and an auditorium and offers many nature programs for the public.

References

↑ "Hoffmaster State Park - Michigan DNR". Retrieved 2011-09-28.
↑ Wildlife Viewing at Hoffmaster State Park - Michigan DNR
↑ "Mich. man runs over family tent; boy badly injured". wwmt.com. July 8, 2009.

External links

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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