Ludington State Park

2008 Weekly Summer Programs
June 15th through September 1st

“Brown Bag / Lighthouse Walk”
Tuesday mornings at 10:00 (approx. 2 hour walk out to the Lighthouse)
Meet at Warming Shelter located by the fish cleaning station.
Join a volunteer park interpreter for a fun walk through the forest and along the shore to Big Sable Lighthouse. We’ll look for wildlife, stop at a 150 year old shipwreck, and learn about the sand dunes! At the lighthouse you can climb to the top of the tower. Bring you own lunch and water and enjoy dining on the shore! It’s a great way to learn! Children must be accompanied by an adult (not recommended for children under 7).

“Monsters of Lake Michigan”
Friday afternoons at 2:00 (45 minutes)
Meet on lower level of Lake Michigan Beach House.
Mr. Barry Matthews, Retired Fisheries Specialist from the Lamprey Control, U.S. F.W. Service here in Ludington will present a program on the sea lamprey every Friday. Discover how these “eel like” creatures got into the Great Lakes and suck the life out of the fish! He brings in live specimens for you to see.

"S.S. Badger Sunset Watch”
Friday evenings at 8:00 (1 hour)
At the Lake Michigan Beach House on the lake side.
Join us every Friday evening at the Lake Michigan beach to see the 56 year old last steam driven car ferry and cruise ship S.S. Badger as it steams out of Ludington and into the sunset. As the Badger leaves us behind on the sandy beach, Mr. Charles Boardman, employee on the Badger, will share his knowledge of this last of its kind ship. The car ferry service is a part of the long and colorful Great Lakes maritime history and was very important to the economic growth of our nation and Ludington. Bring a chair or blanket. You’ll get the bonus of watching this ship steam its way into the sunset.

“A Trip through the Night Sky”
Friday evenings at 9:00 or immediately following sunset (2 hours)
At the Lake Michigan Beach House on the lake side.
As the S.S. Badger and sun disappears over the lake’s horizon and the night sky takes over join us for a tour around the star filled night sky. We will show you how easy it is to find unique stars, planets, and constellations. Help us count the numerous visible man-made satellites including a possible passing of the International Space Station or the Space Shuttle! Bring a chair or blanket, jacket and flashlight.

"Walking History Tour of Ludington State Park"
Saturday mornings at 10:00 (1 ½ hours)
Meet at the Hamlin Dam.
Join us for the second half of this week’s park walking history tour as we will visit some of the historic areas within Ludington State Park. Here are some highlights you may see: the ghost town of Hamlin, the 150 year old dam and mill ruins, the 1930's Great Depression Era C.C.C. Camp Ludington along with their facilities still in use, a very old cemetery, the Port of Hamlin shipping piers, and the forgotten river.