U.P. historic state park with 2 Lake Superior lighthouses to get new long-range plan

KEWEENAW COUNTY, MI – A state park with several historical elements, including two Lake Superior lighthouses, is getting a new long-range management plan.

Officials are seeking public input on the future of Fort Wilkins Historic State Park at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

The 1,000-acre park is set along Lake Superior and features a modern campground, trails, a historic fort with a living-history program, two 1860s lighthouses and much more.

Feedback will help shape the plan to protect the natural resources, historical significance and recreational value of the park, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

"Public engagement is the cornerstone of the planning process," said Debbie Jensen, park management plan administrator for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. "We want to hear what our visitors have to say, so we can best prepare informed plans."

An online survey is available now.

Current features at the park include a modern campground, trails, a historic fort with a living history program, two 1860s lighthouses on Lake Superior, a quarter mile of rocky Lake Superior shoreline, Lake Fanny Hooe and a sandy beach on Lake Manganese. The historic fort is a restored 1844 army military outpost, including 19 buildings, with a living-history program provided by the Michigan History Center.

Park general management plans define 10- to 20-years of management strategy to protect and preserve the site's natural and cultural resources and provide access to land- and water-based public recreation and educational opportunities.

ELATED:

The DNR is also taking input on a new management plan for Keweenaw Point state-managed lands , which are set to double in size from 10,000 to 20,000 acres with the purchase of The Point, a portion of the Keweenaw Heartlands owned by The Nature Conservancy. With the land acquisition, Fort Wilkins and Keweenaw Point would share a border.