People who use the Au Gres River Mouth Boating Access Site in Arenac County to get onto Lake Huron will need to use other access points starting Monday, Aug. 8 – but for good reason. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will launch improvements that include repaving the main parking area and adding new parking spaces closer to the bathrooms.

The project is slated to wrap up by the end of October. During the closure, boaters are encouraged to use the East Tawas Boating Access Site, located off East Bay Street on the north shore of Tawas Bay.

"Site enhancements at the Au Gres River Mouth Boating Access Site have been needed for quite some time," said Micah Jordan, Tawas Point State Park supervisor. "The project will not only help create safer travel in and out of the site, but will also provide the necessary added parking for this high-traffic location."

The project is funded through the Michigan State Waterways Fund. The restricted fund, which is derived from boat registration fees and the Michigan marine fuel tax, helps fund the construction, operation and maintenance of public recreational boating facilities.

It's recommended that those planning to visit this boating access site first visit Michigan.gov/DNRClosures to view any anticipated changes to the reopening date. Additional information on closures and trail detours in other DNR facilities, including state trails, boat launches, parks and campgrounds, also is listed on this page.

For more information, contact Micah Jordan at 989-362-5041 or JordanM2@Michigan.gov. Information on additional boating resources is available at Michigan.gov/Boating.

Contact: Micah Jordan, 989-362-5041