Visitors to the Silver Lake State Park ORV Area in Oceana County can tentatively plan for an opening date of Wednesday, June 3. That decision is in response to Gov. Gretchen HalfWhitmer’s extension, through May 15, of her “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order (announced Friday) and the operational functions and preparation time associated with opening for the season.

The popular ORV scramble area typically opens April 1 each year. However, DNR parks and recreation staff recognized in mid-March that the coronavirus situation likely would cause serious delays, and at that time the department postponed the opening date to May 1 and also closed many amenities at state parks and recreation areas. 

To prepare the ORV area for the riding season, tasks such as opening and cleaning bathrooms, hiring and training seasonal staff, maintaining infrastructure and making changes to safely reroute dune traffic will be completed once nonessential work is permitted. Staff is tentatively scheduled to begin working May 15 and the prep work is anticipated to take about three weeks.

Please note: Any further “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order changes that prohibit  nonessential services beyond May 15 could affect the opening date. Updates will be provided on the park website at Michigan.gov/SilverLake.

Visitors are encouraged to use this time to obtain ORV licenses and trail permits electronically at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses. A Recreation Passport must also be displayed on all motorized vehicles.

Anyone planning to visit any state-managed land is encouraged to first visit the DNR COVID-19 response page for updates and frequently asked questions on facility closures, changes in services and event/meeting cancellations.

For more information about Silver Lake State Park ORV Area, contact park manager Jody Johnston at 231-721-5858 or JohnstonJ3@Michigan.gov.