With over 4,000 miles of state-designated off-road vehicle trails, Michigan is a great place to ride. Though dirt and mud are part of the fun, cleaning your vehicle between rides can help prevent the spread of invasive species – and help keep the landscape healthy.

Invasive plants like garlic mustard and spotted knapweed are becoming more common along roads and trails because they spread easily when their tiny seeds cling to dirt and mud on vehicles. These and other invasive plants can outcompete native vegetation, taking over forest floors and open lands, potentially destabilizing local ecosystems.

Riders who value the magnificent scenery and wildlife along the trails can do their part to protect these beautiful places:

1. RIDE: Arrive and enjoy the designated trail with a clean ORV free of mud or plant debris.
2. CLEAN: After your ride, remove as much dirt and plant debris as possible from ORVs before leaving the trail, then follow up by washing them before you visit your next trail. Be sure to clean clothing and footwear as well; these can carry seeds, too.
3. REPEAT: Ride the next trail knowing you’re not carrying any invasive species with you!

Not sure where to clean your ORV? The North Country Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area has compiled a list of carwashes near trailheads in Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Osceola and Wexford counties. This and other ORV resources are available online at DirtNeverHurt.org.

Look for North Country CISMA’s outreach booth at upcoming events in the region throughout the month of May or find out more about keeping your ride and trails free of invasive species by watching a recording of the recent NotMISpecies webinar, Dirt Never Hurt, but Invasive Species Do – Engaging ORVers to Stop Invasive Spread.

Michigan has riding opportunities for people of all abilities. Find information on designated ORV trails and routes, scramble areas such as Silver Lake and Holly Oaks, state forest roads and ORV-friendly campgrounds along with license information at the DNR’s ORV riding webpage.

On the shores of Lake Michigan near Escanaba, Portage Marsh is an Audubon Important Bird Area and one of Michigan’s premier Wetland Wonders. Join Michigan DNR and partners from Laughing Whitefish Bird Alliance and Common Coast Research and Conservation Saturday, May 18, 9 a.m. - noon for a guided birding tour and your chance to see the wonders of spring bird migration. The tour will begin at Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area, at the dead end of Portage Point 11.4 Lane, in Escanaba. The event is free, no RSVP is required and all ages are  encouraged to attend.

DNR experts will lead the tour along the 1-mile loop trail, which includes 0.6 miles of unpaved trails along a historic dike system, and a 0.4-mile beach walk along Lake Michigan. 

Portable restrooms, picnic tables, and trash receptacles will be available. Please bring your own binoculars or a scope if you have them. Some binoculars will be available to borrow.

We highly encourage participants to download one or more of the following smartphone apps: eBird, iNaturalist, Merlin Bird ID, Audubon Bird Guide. Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes as we will be walking along unpaved trails with uneven ground. Please be aware that the trail system is not fully accessible according to Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.

This birding tour is presented in partnership with MI Birds, a public outreach and education program created by Audubon Great Lakes and the DNR. MI Birds aims to deepen all Michiganders’ engagement in the understanding, care and stewardship of public lands that are important for birds and local communities.

Questions? Contact: Joseph Sage at 906-789-8205.

Interested in becoming a Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officer? Join DNR Law Enforcement staff for a free, live Q&A webinar Monday, May 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. Register to attend, ask questions and learn about the hiring process and what to expect during the Conservation Officer Training Academy.

“This is an opportunity for serious candidates to learn more about the day-to-day work of conservation officers, how to navigate the application process and ask questions,” said acting Lt. Todd Thorn, DNR Law Enforcement supervisor.

The next academy begins Sunday, Jan. 5, at the Michigan State Police Training Academy in Lansing. Applicants have until Thursday, May 23, at 11:59 p.m. to submit their application.

Conservation officers are fully licensed law enforcement officers who protect Michigan’s natural and cultural resources through effective law enforcement and education. Patrolling every county of the state, they ensure people are safely and legally hunting, fishing and recreating. COs use off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, boats and other equipment to patrol rural and urban areas that include trails, forests and waterways. They also are first responders during natural disasters and other life-threatening situations.

Questions? Contact Katie Gervasi at 517-290-0679.

Three communities and one trail are now recognized as Pure Michigan Trails and Pure Michigan Trail Towns by the DNR. The program, designed to help boost Michigan’s position as the “Trails State,” recognizes locations – on land and water – that represent some of Michigan’s best trail experiences.

Tim Novak, DNR state trails coordinator, announced the 2024 recipients during the Governor’s Conference on Tourism earlier this month in Kalamazoo.

2024 Pure Michigan Trail

• Highbanks Trail (Iosco County): Built in 2001, this 7-mile trail provides year-round access to the bluffs of the Au Sable River, offers dramatic views and traverses Iargo Springs to Sawmill Point, where the U.S. Forest Service maintains 17 primitive campsites and a boat launch.

2024 Pure Michigan Trail Towns:

• Lansing (Ingham County) is home to a regional network of 30-plus miles of trail that serve as a popular destination for recreation and social activities, connect several communities in the area with a diverse array of cultural histories, including the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center, and offer opportunities for visitors to walk, run, bike or paddle.

• The village of Milford (Oakland County) offers multiuse trails for mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding and paddle sports via a network that connects Milford’s vibrant downtown scene to local and county parks, Kensington Metropark, Proud Lake Recreation Area and Island Lake Recreation Area.
• The Oscoda area (Iosco County) provides access to hundreds of miles of hiking, biking, paddling, equestrian, snowmobile and ORV trails. The designation as a Trail Town builds on long-standing support for trails in the area at local, state and federal levels, and a love for the outdoors that is woven into the fabric of the community.

Read more about these 2024 designees on the Pure Michigan Trails and Trail Towns webpage. Applications for the 2025 program open October 2024.

Questions? Contact Tim Novak at 517-388-8347.

Spring is a great time to explore and learn more about Michigan’s natural and cultural resources, and the DNR’s May calendar features a variety of opportunities to do just that.

Lighthouse love

Celebrate the grand reopening of Tawas Point Lighthouse – located in Tawas Point State Park in East Tawas – Thursday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

After extensive restoration work, the lighthouse is set to reopen soon for the spring/summer season, and this event offers a sneak peek at the updates. Check out a variety of vendor booths – including the Tawas Bay Art Gallery, Heritage Coast Sailing and Rowing and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary – enjoy live music and refreshments from local food trucks, browse the gift shop and take a FREE tour of the lighthouse.

Mastering mushrooming

Interested in getting to know Michigan’s mushrooms? Check out the DNR Outdoor Skills Academy’s Wild Mushroom Clinic, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26, at the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac.

Learn how to identify a variety of edible wild mushrooms, where to start looking for them and proper handling techniques for transport, cleaning, consumption (including some sampling) and home preservation. Cost for the class is $55, which includes lunch.

If you can’t make this date, there are several other sessions of the clinic scheduled in the coming months. Find more details about these and other classes at Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills.

Freshwater fishing, falcons, further fun

At the Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit:

• Join us for Train Day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 4, a celebration of trains and the history of railroading on the Detroit riverfront. The event will include interactive activities, guest speakers, a model railroad, railroading artifacts and more.
• Get ready for the white bass run in the Detroit River with Freshwater Fishing Series: White Bass, 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, May 19. This class will cover equipment recommendations, techniques and regulations for white bass fishing – and participants will make their own lures. Cost is $10.
• Dive into the history of the world’s fastest animal during Brunch & Learn: Peregrine Falcons in Detroit, 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, May 23. Part of the OAC’s Active Aging Adventures series, this program for seniors explores the peregrine falcon’s journey from the edge of extinction to conquering concrete jungles and how falconry, an ancient sport with a rich and storied heritage, played a pivotal role. Cost is $8.

Discover what else is coming up in May and beyond on the DNR events calendar.

Each month, there are a variety of opportunities to help the DNR take care of Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. Here are a few ways to get involved in May:

State park stewardship

Several state parks in southern Michigan need volunteers for stewardship workdays to help remove invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems.

Workdays will take place at:

• Hoffmaster State Park (Muskegon County)
  • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 5.
• Waterloo Recreation Area (Washtenaw County)
  • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays, May 5, May 11 and May 18.
• Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County)
  • 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 11.
• Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County)
  • 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 11.
• Highland Recreation Area (Oakland County)
  • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 12.
• Saugatuck Dunes State Park (Allegan County)
  • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, May 17.
• Warren Woods State Park (Berrien County)
  • 10 a.m. to noon Saturday May 18.
• Brighton Recreation Area (Livingston County)
  • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 19.
• Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County)
  • 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 19.

More details about each workday and how to register can be found on the DNR volunteer events calendar.

On the Ground help

Join wildlife habitat improvement efforts with On the Ground, Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ volunteer program in partnership with the DNR. Lunch, gear and a volunteer appreciation gift will be provided to registered volunteers. Projects coming up in May include:

• Jack Pine Planting Day in Grayling (Crawford County), 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 4.
  • Help improve and enhance Kirtland’s warbler habitat by planting jack pine trees in the DNR's Grayling Forest Management Unit.
• Woody invasive species removal at Ionia State Recreation Area (Ionia County), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 18.
  • Removing invasive species will allow native plants to grow in their place, create higher-quality habitat for a variety of wildlife, including wild turkey, white-tailed deer and cottontail rabbit, and improve hunter and angler access.

Sturgeon guarding

Volunteers are needed in Cheboygan County through early June to stand guard as mature lake sturgeon head upstream to their spawning sites along the Black River. The Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon for Tomorrow is working in partnership with the DNR and various tribes to protect the fish from illegal harvest during the spawning season. Visit the Sturgeon Guarding Program webpage for more information and to register.

For more opportunities to volunteer, contribute and provide input, visit Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers.