April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

Many of Michigan’s state parks are getting a facelift.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says thanks to a $250 million investment made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act, many state parks, trails, and other outdoor spaces are receiving some much-needed TLC.

New roads and parking lots, upgraded electrical and water systems, accessible toilet buildings, water jug fillers, and trail enhancements are just a few examples of the type of work taking place across the state.

While some locations will temporarily close for improvements, most are scheduled to remain open. The DNR says If your favorite park happens to be closed, try a different location to get your outdoor fix.

In the WHMI listening area, scheduled closures include:

• Brighton Recreation Area Bishop Lake modern campground, shelters, and equestrian campground.

A planned improvement project to update electrical and roads at Bishop Lake modern campground has been delayed. As a result, reservations are OPEN for overnight camping dates between March 1 and July 14, 2024. The campground will be CLOSED Aug. 11, 2024 to mid-May 2025. The Horseman’s equestrian camp will be CLOSED June 1 to Oct. 15, 2024 for road repairs.

• Island Lake Recreation Area shelter

Due to planned park enhancements to update park roads and parking lots at Island Lake Recreation Area, some of the park’s picnic shelters will temporarily close. The Riverbend, Dodge, Liberty, and Sycamore shelters will tentatively reopen in July 2024, and the Bluebird and Hickory shelters will remain closed for the 2024 season.

For the latest information on DNR trail and other facility closures, visit the provided link.

The information is updated almost daily, so there may be additional closures in the WHMI listening area that appear after publication of this article.