UPDATE: 3/1/2024:
2019 was the 100th Anniversary of Michigan State Parks and we're still celebrating!. Join the Michigan Geocaching Organization (MiGO), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Geocaching.com for the first official GeoTour in Michigan.
This tour was originally scheduled to run for three years, kicking off on Friday of Memorial Weekend in 2019 and continue through May 31, 2022. The success of this awesome tour has not gone unnoticed. On February 2, 2022, The DNR announced the extension of the GeoTour through September 24, 2024! Join us in making a final push to complete this very popular and very successful GeoTour before the sun sets on it.
Each geocache is in one of Michigan's state parks. The geocaches are arranged by MiGO Region, with twenty-five geocaches per region. The Ticket to Celebrate 100 is available for download from the DNR's Geocaching page. It explains how to qualify for prizes in each of the four regions and for the GeoTour as a whole.
Day use areas of state parks are open from 8AM to 10PM. Geocaching is limited to those hours. Entry into Michigan's State Parks requires a Michigan Recreation Passport. See the Resources section below for more information.
The sun will set on the MSPCGT at midnight Tuesday, September 24, 2024. The MSPCGT will go off the air as a GeoTour and the caches will disappear from the map. There is a lot of construction going on in our State Parks in 2024. Some of the GeoTour caches will have to be pulled earlier. The remaining geocaches in the tour will be archived October 1, 2024. Players will have until December 31, 2024 to claim any prize they have earned. Hiders will be contacted to request removal of the geocaches they hid unless they have made arrangements with park managers and have their own permit in place to keep the geocache in play, with a new GC Code.
Now for some good news: MiGO and the DNR are busy working on a new project that will kick off in the Spring of 2025, code named MSPGT 2.0. Are you interested in helping? Keep your MiGO Membership up to date and stay tuned to the website.
Cache:
This cache was hidden as part of the Michigan State Parks Centennial GeoTour, presented by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Geocaching Organization. Record the codeword printed on the log book and on a label inside the cache container to the appropriate box on the Ticket to Celebrate 100 form. See the instructions on the form to claim prizes.
This is a multi-cache with a field puzzle and is not at the posted coordinates. To determine the location of the cache, go to the posted coordinates and answer the following questions with information there.
At the posted coordinates you will find a historical marker. Final coordinates can be found at:
- N 43° AB.CDE W 086° VW.XYZ
- A = US 3_.
- B = $2_0 Million.
- C = Dedicated 19 8.
- D = Brought $_0 million annually.
- E = Letters in second word of title.
- V = Donated land in 19_1.
- W = Year at bottom of sign 2_09.
- X = Construction began in 1_26.
- Y = # of letters in name of state park.
- Z = # of seedlings planted 2_,000.
- North Checksum: A+B+C+D+E = 20
- West Checksum:. V+W+X+Y+X = 19
You are looking for a Regular size container. Please return everything as good or better than you found it.
Thank you
GHBuccaneers & Pepstreet
for creating, hiding and maintaining this MSPC GeoTour cache.
Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Shoeshoeing at Muskegon State Park
Muskegon State Park:
Muskegon State Park is home three miles of breathtaking shoreline (two miles along Lake Michigan and one mile on Muskegon Lake), Snug Harbor, forested dunes, two campgrounds, picnic areas, multiple trails and an overlook.
Even a novice adventurer will love the variety of winter recreation options at the popular Muskegon Winter Sports Complex. An Olympian-designed luge track, an ice skating trail through the woods, a sledding hill, cross-country ski trails and many more activities are part of the fun. A ticket is required.
Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Replica CCC Blockhouse
History:
Muskegon State Park was established in 1923 when the State of Michigan purchased an 840-acre parcel of land which had been the site of the Ryerson Hill & Company lumber mill. This and other lumber mills in Muskegon played a key role in the development of the northern portion of the lower peninsula of Michigan. Millions of board feet of lumber were delivered here by the river and by railroads and passed through these mills. The sawn lumber was shipped to countless places, not the least of which was the reconstruction of Chicago after the great fire. The Muskegon area was known as the Lumber Queen of the world.
As the park expanded through the 1930s it was in receipt of national work programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration, and local assistance from groups such as the Boy Scouts, Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, and Izaak Walton League.
The Blockhouse pictured above is a landmark in Muskegon State Park. Located at the highest point in Muskegon County, the structure is culturally significant in its uniqueness to the state park system and in its connection to the local community. The CCC built the original blockhouse in 1933-34. It burned in the 1960s. A replica now stands in its place, built using the original CCC plans.
Map courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Activities:
Two fishing piers are located within the park, including an accessible fishing pier located along the channel walkway and another located at Snug Harbor. A lighted boat launch is located at Snug Harbor, where trailered boats of all sizes can be launched 24 hours a day. A fish cleaning station is also available during the warm months and is located near the launch.
A total of 12 miles of marked hiking trails are found in the park, including 5 miles of lighted trails for cross-country skiing. The trails form a diverse series of loops that meander through a variety of landscapes from flat land, bogs and low land to scenic sand dunes.
The shoreline of Lake Michigan provides a great area for swimming and a beautiful beach for sun bathing.
Winter is a popular time to visit the park.
Winter camping is available. Shoeshoeing and Cross-country skiing are enjoyed and for the more daring, an Olympic Luge track is on the park.
There are alcohol restrictions at this park. Click the Information link below.
A variety of other local attractions make this park even more remarkable, including Michigan Adventure (amusement park), Gillette Nature Center at Hoffmaster State Park, Muskegon County Museum, Muskegon Museum of Art and the U.S.S. Silversides (World War II submarine open for tours).
Information:
For more information, reservations and a calendar of events, follow this link to
Muskegon State Park.
Special thanks to
DirtBikeGranny
for help with this geocache.
Special thanks to Cold Cache Crew and Silent Whistles for the Southwest regional prize.
Resources: