Tawas Point State Park is a public recreation area on Lake Huron in Northern Michigan, near the city of East Tawas, Michigan. The park covers 183 acres (74 hectares) at the end of a long strip of land that forms Tawas Bay. It is sometimes called the "Cape Cod of the Midwest" and is a popular place for bird watching. The park includes the Tawas Point Light, a lighthouse that has been repaired and changed several times. It is the only remaining example of a true Victorian-era style lighthouse built on the Great Lakes.

History

The park was established after the lighthouse property was no longer needed by the United States Government. In 1960, the Michigan state legislature allowed the purchase of 175 acres on Tawas Point for $29,250. Work on the park started in 1964, and the park opened officially in 1966. A beach pavilion was added to the site in 1993. In 2001, the Department of Natural Resources began to own the lighthouse to preserve its history. The following year, the assistant lighthouse keeper's house, which was built in 1922, was taken down.

Birding

Known as a "bird watchers' paradise," the park is located along the Lake Huron Flyway. It is considered the most important "migrant trap" in the Saginaw Bay area. Over 300 species of migratory birds have been spotted in and around the park. The park is recognized as an important bird area by the National Audubon Society because it "[s]upports an incredible diversity and abundance of passerine migrants each spring and fall."

Activities and amenities

The park has a campground located on Tawas Bay. There is a two-mile stretch of sandy beach with shallow and warm water that is good for swimming. The lighthouse is open during certain times of the year for tours and climbing.