August abounds with outdoor summer fun

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

August abounds with outdoor summer fun

The DNR offers a variety of ways to enjoy Michigan’s natural and cultural resources next month, so get ready to soak up some summer fun! Here’s just a sampling – get the full list at Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar.

Free ORV Weekend

Residents and out-of-state visitors legally can ride Michigan's 4,000 miles of off-road vehicle trails and routes and the state’s six scramble areas on two back-to-back days (Aug. 16-17) without an ORV license or trail permit. The entrance fee at Holly Oaks ORV Park in Oakland County also will be waived this year. Our Free ORV Weekend is a great time to see, experience and test out the state's off-road trails (check out all the places you can ride!), but remember that all other ORV rules and laws still apply, and you must supply your own ORV.

Saginaw Bay Waterfowl and Outdoor Festival

With family-focused amenities including food trucks, bounce houses and activities for kids, the 30th annual Saginaw Bay Waterfowl and Outdoor Festival – Aug. 2-3 at Bay City State Park – highlights the bay’s world-class migratory waterfowl destinations, the sport of waterfowl hunting and the benefits of wetland conservation.

Experience waterfowl hunting traditions such as dog retriever trials, duck species identification and duck- and goose-calling competitions, and the waterfowl and outdoor expo features more than 30 vendors, including a variety of conservation groups, waterfowl hunting artisans and outfitters. Kids can build their own wood duck boxes, give duck calling a try and learn about survival and outdoor skills, and everyone can enjoy carving and blacksmith demonstrations.

Family campout, nature painting and more

Whether you want to relax, get active or learn something new, the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center offers something for everyone in August, with programs in Metro Detroit including archery, nature education for kids and seniors, yoga, fishing, birding and much more. Some highlights:

Family Campout at Maybury State Park, Aug. 15-16.
Nature at Night on Belle Isle (crafts/activities related to nighttime animals, bat search, bonfire and more), Aug. 21.
Grown-Up Gatherings: Nature Painting, Aug. 22.

See the OAC activity schedule for a full list of events.

Hunting, fly fishing, wild mushrooms and more

two hands, one with a thin, gold bracelet, are upturned and holding a pile of tan, spongy morel mushrooms over a grassy area

If you want to get started with, or get better at, hunting, fishing and foraging, the Outdoor Skills Academy's August opportunities are for you! Get expert, supportive, hands-on instruction and build your confidence with classes such as:

Wild mushroom clinics Aug. 2 in Oden and Aug. 9 in Cadillac.
Fishing 101, Aug. 23 in Bay City.
A fly fishing clinic, Aug. 23-24 in Cadillac.
Learn to Hunt Whitetails, about trail hunting, wildlife habitat management and staying safe while hunting, Aug. 23 in Cadillac.

Exploring Michigan history

Step back in time and learn more about our state’s past at Michigan History Center sites, with events including:

At Hartwick Pines Logging Museum in Grayling, a musical tribute to Michigan lumberjacks with It's Daylight in the Swamps, Aug. 1; and Forest Fest, a chance to meet Smokey Bear and learn about Michigan’s forests with fun activities and crafts, Aug. 9.
A Tree Party at Higgins Lake Nursery and CCC Museum in Roscommon, Aug. 2, where guests can celebrate Michigan’s forests, hear from DNR archaeologists and enjoy Civilian Conservation Corps reenactors.
At Cambridge Junction Historic State Park in Brooklyn, vintage baseball, Aug. 23, and a quilt workshop, Aug. 7-8.
A series of Tuesday afternoon presentations at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee – The Ancient Caribou Hunters of Silver Lake Aug. 5, Captain Burke and the Steamer Arlington Aug. 12 and A Tale of Two Paternalisms Aug. 19.
A Future Historians program, Aug. 6-8, where visitors can leave the present behind and learn about the life of kids at Fort Wilkins with costumed interpreters from the summer of 1870, at Fort Wilkins Historic State Park in Copper Harbor.
An Ice Cream Read, Aug. 20, a chance to get a free root beer float and read a book in the shade on the lawn of the Mann House in Concord.