Following another successful off-road vehicle riding season and the first official shoreline horseback riding season this past November, the DNR is expanding outdoor recreation at Silver Lake State Park with fat-tire biking.
The fat-tire bike season will run Dec. 15-March 15 from 8 a.m. to dusk each day and take place at the Silver Lake ORV Area. Riders can enjoy 450 acres of open sand dunes, elevation changes of 80-100 feet, access to Lake Michigan and sunsets over the lake from the top of the dunes.
“With fat-tire bike riding growing in popularity each year, we realized this was an opportunity to usher in a new way to experience the dunes,” said Jody Johnston, Silver Lake State Park manager. “We held a couple of pilot rides to help determine if this was something that could be accommodated. We are confident this will be a popular activity and plan to offer fat-tire biking in future years.”
No reservations or preregistration are needed to enjoy the season; however, a Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into the parking lot, located at 8890 West Shore Drive in Mears. A Recreation Passport self-pay station is available at the lot entrance.
“In the past, the park was not set up to accommodate horseback riding and fat-tire biking activities,” said Kasey Cline, district supervisor with the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. “With the creation of a fat-tire bike season in the dunes and a horseback riding season along the Lake Michigan shoreline, the DNR is proud to introduce and expand four-season opportunities in one of Michigan’s most unique state parks.”
Visit Michigan.gov/SilverLake to learn more about Silver Lake’s fat-tire biking season, including riding rules and tips, the Recreation Passport requirement and parking information.
For more information, contact the park at 231-873-3083.
