Free things to do in Michigan

Here are just a few ideas for great free things to do in Michigan (besides reading this blog of course ;) ) before summer is over. I picked these from this book, "What's Cheap & Free in Michigan." Deadman's Hill - a great view of the Jordan Valley from one of the higher spots in the lower peninsula. You can reach Deadman's Hill off of 131 11.5 miles north of Mancelona. Take Deadman's Hill road two miles up to the parking area.

Horton Bay General Store - Whether you are on an Ernest Hemingway pilgrimage or just passing through this is a great place to stop. Look over the photos of Ernest Hemingway while waiting for your ice cream cone to be served up from the vintage soda fountain counter. Then, take your ice cream outside and sit on one of the comfortable benches on the porch and watch the world go by.

Take U.S. - 31 north out of Charlevoix and turn onto Boyne City Road which takes you right into Horton Bay.

Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery - This is where the state of Michigan raises trout and salmon for distribution across the state. Here you can view main show pond, DNR Fisheries Lab, antique fishing tackle display, history of fishing here in Michigan, and more.

Located 8 miles west of Kalamazoo on M-43. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Video of DNR Planting Fish

WWMT Channel 3 out of Kalamazoo has a neat video (about 1.5 minutes long) showing fish being loaded into a tanker truck at Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery near Mattawan. The fish were chinook salmon and they were headed for various streams and rivers to be "planted." It is a nice little video that provides a quick glimpse of the great work our Michigan DNR does to keep fishermen happy. You should plan a visit to the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery. Nature trails surround ponds of various sizes and the hatchery is one of the premiere spots in the state for birdwatching. Catch and release fishing is available every Saturday from June through August for kids ages 5-16. Call ahead to reserve your spot as they tend to fill up rather quickly.

The hours for the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery for June through August are - Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., closed Mondays.

They are closed from November to February and the hours for March - May and Sept. - Oct. are - Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday, noon - 4 p.m., closed Mondays.

Head on over to the Michigan DNR website for links to information about all six of our Michigan fish hatcheries.