Parks and Recreation

Travel Bays de Noc!

Escanaba

Ludington Park

The mile long park along the lake shore from Ludington street to 7th Ave. offers attractions to visitors and residents alike. Among them are an 18 station self-guided fitness circuit, lighted tennis courts, sand volleyball court, picnic pavilion, gazebo ideal for weddings and Harbor Hideout playground designed by the children of Escanaba and built with volunteer labor and citizen contributions.

A bicycle path leads to the swimming beach and bath house facilities and connects with Aronson Island. The island is a natural, park like area with parking for boat trailers, a boat launch and a handicapped accessible fishing pier. Solar lighting provides visibility during early/late launch times.

The natural harbor of the Escanaba Marina provides shelter and services to transient and resident boaters including fuel, electricity, showers, dock attendants, rental bikes, and tourist information dispensed from the newly constructed Harbormaster Building. There is a small boat launch at the yacht harbor too. The Delta County Historical Museum and Sand Point Lighthouse are adjacent to the yacht harbor.

The Karas Memorial Band shell is located at the south end of the park. Weekly band concerts are held during summer months on Wednesday evenings at 7:30PM. The band shell is also used by other groups on a scheduled basis.

Family Fun Park

Family Fun Park has fun in its name and fun is its game with some of the wildest kid friendly adventures in Delta County.

• Miniature Golf
  • Cascading waterfalls and streams turn ordinary put put golf into adventure golf!
• Go- Karts
  • A fast paced go-kart track for the ultimate driving experience. Get behind the wheel and feed your need for speed and adventure as you race up the banked track and around sharp corners all in a suped up go kart.
• Bumper Boats
  • Prepare for a Kamikaze adventure and take on anyone who challenges your skills on the open water in the parks pond. Safe in your large gas powered tube boat you are the captain of your own ship!
• Batting Cages
  • Major League and softball practice in a closed in netted area where its you against the machine.
• Bankshot Basketball
  • Try your skill at getting your ball in the hoop from 18 different Bank shot back boards. This shooting adventure is a challenge for all ages and is wheel chair accessible.

Veteran's Park

A baseball field with bleachers and dugouts, tennis courts, horseshoe court, playground and picnic area are located at Veteran's Park, located between South 14th Street and Lake Shore Drive. Its name comes from the fact that World War II-type Quonset housing was located on this site until the 1950's.

Rose Park

At the Y junction of Stephenson, Sheridan and Washington Avenues on the north side of Escanaba is Rose Park, which includes a fenced playground and tennis courts.

Stephenson Park

Located at 15th Ave. North and 19th St., the park has a ball field, basketball courts, and playground. It is named in honor of those who worked at the I. Stephenson Company and who donated the land.

Ogden Avenue

A grassy triangle most of the year, the Odgen Ice Rink is flooded during winter months, providing a small skating rink for neighborhood children. It is located between 3rd and 4th St. on Ogden Avenue.

Sylvan Point Tot Lot

This fenced playground at 23rd Ave. South is a neighborhood playground for area children.

Royce Park

Named for early Escanaba pioneer and surveyor Eli Royce, this park has grown over the years into a 3 acre recreation area which features a large outdoor ice rink and hockey area in the winter, and tennis and basketball courts, playground and ball field in the summer. There is a building for changing skates and getting warm which houses park restrooms. The park is located on south 19th St. between 6th and 7th Avenues.

Dickson Little League Field

Little League games are played on this ball field located just north of the Catherine Bonifas Civic Center on North 21st St. The field is named for Karl Dickson, long-time supporter of Little League who donated funds for the building of the press box, concession and storage building on the site.

Municipal Complex

During summer months, the area between the Jefferson School and the Al Ness Field on 18th Ave. South is the site for multiple baseball and softball games for area youth. The Al Ness Field has been developed into a quality facility complete with press box, dugouts and a lighted field. More recently, volunteers have created three softball fields and have plans for a common press box and concession building.

West Side Playground

There is a small tot lot on 5th Ave., South of the High School. It provides a playground for children residing in the housing complex nearby.

Webster Park

The Webster School area, located on North 19th St., is the site of a large outdoor ice rink in winter, complete with a warming building, hockey play area and restrooms. The City's wading pool is within this play area.

Future Old State Road Neighborhood Park

A three acre site on 8th Ave. S. has been acquired by the City for the creation of a neighborhood park on the west side of Escanaba. Its development is awaiting the assistance of state funding.

Wells

Wells Sports Complex

Constructed in the early 1980's, the complex is leased to the Escanaba Area Hockey Association with about 300 registered players. The complex features an artificial ice rink with concession stand, dressing rooms and press box. There are also 2 ball fields north of the complex. The complex is located at 1647 17.4 Road.

Wells Township Hall Area

Located in the vicinity of the town hall are a ball field, hockey rink, open skating rink, horseshoe court, tennis court warming room for skaters and a tot lot. It is located at 6436 N. 8th St. in Wells. The township maintains a boat launch on the Escanaba River, accommodating boats up to 18 ft. There is no launch fee.

Gladstone

Van Cleve Park

Located along the shore of Little Bay de Noc on Lake Shore Drive, the park features a swimming beach with new bathhouse being constructed in summer 2000, 20 station fitness course, sand volleyball courts, basketball court, horseshoe courts, lighted softball field, 2 pavilions, an island gazebo, tot lot and a volunteer-built wooden fantasy playground called Kids' Kingdom.

The park encompasses the Gladstone Harbor. The harbor offers services for both transient and seasonal dockage including fuel, boat launch, showers and dock attendants. The park is named after Frank Van Cleve, an early philanthropist who donated the land for the park.

Gladstone Skate Board Park

The Gladstone Skate Park is free and offers skateboarders of all levels the opportunity grab some big air, ride the rails, or simply roll around on the shores of Little Bay de Noc. The Skateboard park is located in Gladstones Vancleve Park and is steps away from the beach and the sand volley ball courts.

The park is comprised of a half pipe, several ups and downs, ramps, and railings. Please follow the recomeneded safety rules and wear proper equpiment when using the park.

Gladstone Sports Park

The Sports Park is a 40 acre complex which includes 2 ball fields, 5K cross-country  trail and ski area which offers skiing, snow board half pipe and terrain garden, tubing hill, lodge and concessions. The lodge is available for private ski and tube parties in the winter and receptions in the summer. The park is located on North Bluff Drive.

Central Playground

Traditional playground equipment, 4 tennis courts and 2 ball fields and an ice rink in the winter are located South 10th Street.

Gladstone Bay Campground

Located west of Saunders Point on Bay de Noc at 37 Michigan Ave., this popular campground has 26 full service sites, 10 electric and 15 primitive sites. Open mid May through mid October, the facility provides an on-site manager, playground, showers and dump station.

VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK OF DELTA

Located on the 700 Block of Superior Avenue the park includes a wall of Delta Counties war dead since the Spanish American War.

Soo Hill

In Soo Hill there is a ball field, tennis court, tot lot, skating rink and warming room.

Rapid River

Masonville Township Park

Off US 2 on Pine St. is a very beautiful, huge park that has a pavilion, playground, volleyball court. It is the home of the Memorial Day activities.

Bark River

Bark River Sports Complex

The newly constructed recreation area on County  Rd. 535 South of Bark River includes ball fields, picnic pavilion, playground  and a large senior citizens center which is available for rent for private parties and events.

Downtown Park

Along US 41 is a small fenced playground in the center of Bark River which is maintained by the township.

County Parks

Fuller Park

Located 20 miles south of Escanaba on M-35, Fuller Park is 82 acres, featuring a beach side picnic area, and lakefront campground. There are 25 campsites with electrical and water hookups, boat launch, dump station, and shower facilities.

Rapid River Falls Park

What makes this park unique is the water falls, playground, and the picnic area. It is north of Rapid River on US-41.

Pioneer Trail Park

A longtime favorite picnic area, Pioneer Trail Park is the site of a trail used by early settlers. The park has been expanded to include 25 primitive and 58 electric sites; 36 of those with water hookups, dump stations, and shower facilities. It also has a large picnic area, playground and ball field area among towering white and red pines, all of which are located on the Escanaba River. This park is located along US 2 & 41 and M-35 between Escanaba & Gladstone.

Sac Bay

This community park is on the Garden Peninsula south of Fayette and is used primarily during the summer for day picnics. It has a changing room for swimmers.

Fayette State Park

Visitor Center explains the history of the iron-smelting village of Fayette. A ghost town, in the 1870s and 1880s, Fayette was an active community. Explore the original hotel, company office, opera house and other buildings restored in period pieces. South of Garden on County Road 183. 906-644-2603

Check out our Michigan Trails page to view where you can hike, bike, snowshoe, and cross county ski!