March 28, 2016

Contact: Ron Olson, 517-284-6135

Belle Isle Park continues to make its mark as Michigan's 102nd state park

Belle Isle Park – Detroit’s gem and Michigan’s 102nd state park – offers four seasons of enjoyment and wonderment for visitors from around the state, the nation and the world. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Belle Isle Conservancy, the city of Detroit, Detroit citizens and many partners from all around the state have worked tirelessly to revitalize the island.

Belle Isle Park, a 985-acre island park located in the Detroit River near downtown Detroit, is rich with natural beauty and historical and cultural resources. It is home to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, a golf course, the James Scott Memorial Fountain and many other popular leisure and recreational activities. In addition to Belle Isle attracting 3.8 million visitors to the island this past year, here are other highlights:

Belle Isle survey 

The increased number of visitors to the island directly correlates with the positive results of the recent Belle Isle visitor survey. The survey gauged visitors' reasons for coming to the park, as well as measuring their perceptions of and satisfaction with park programs, amenities and services. According to the overall results, 84 percent of respondents who have been to the park within the past year felt welcome, and 90 percent were satisfied with their experience. The survey also examined respondents’ awareness of the park, reasons for visiting, and opinions on maintenance, management and the Recreation Passport vehicle entry requirement. The survey was administered by Morpace Marketing Research & Consulting.

Belle Isle feature video

View the new 60-second video showcasing Belle Isle. Experience the park's most popular attractions and outdoor recreation opportunities, and discover why Belle Isle is a gem of Detroit and Michigan.

Continued revitalization

Significant operation, maintenance and capital project improvements have been made, such as restroom repairs, expansion of Scott Memorial Fountain operations throughout the summer, expansion of giant slide hours of operation, installation of two accessible boat/kayak launches, removal of hazardous trees and invasive species and expanded opportunities for vendors. Work on the island also will continue throughout the year.

To become a partner or to make a donation toward the improvement to the park, please contact Karis Floyd at 844-235-5375 or floydk@michigan.gov.

To learn more about the park, visit Belleislepark.org. The DNR encourages Belle Isle partners and others talking about the island park's revitalization to share their news via Twitter @MichiganDNR and @BelleIsle_Park using the hashtag #AllinforBelleIsle.

Inside Michigan’s Great Outdoors subscribers are always the first to know about reservation opportunities, state park events and other outdoor happenings. Visit www.michigan.gov/dnr to subscribe now.

Learn more about how the Recreation Passport gains you access to Michigan state parks and more at www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.