MDNR Report

For people who want to access the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay this fall, please keep in mind that the Saginaw River Mouth Boating Access Site in Bay County will temporarily close beginning Monday, Sept. 12, for a parking lot and boat ramp expansion project.

The work will include the addition of vehicle and trailer parking, vehicle-only parking and a new skid pier with a lane on each side, as well as the repaving of the parking lot. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources anticipates the project will take roughly eight weeks, with the boating access site expected to reopen Saturday, Nov. 5.

During the closure, boaters are encouraged to use one of the following locations that also access the Saginaw River and/or Saginaw Bay:

• Linwood Bay Marina, located at 135 S. Linwood Beach Road in Linwood (Bay County).
• Independence Launch, located off Harry S. Truman Parkway in Bangor Township (Bay County).
• Edward M. Golson Boat Launch, located at 1598 N. Johnson St. in Bay City (Bay County).
• Quanicassee River Boating Access Site, located on Barney Drive off M-25 in Fairgrove (Tuscola County).

It's recommended that anyone planning to visit the Saginaw River Mouth Boating Access Site first visit Michigan.gov/DNRClosures to view any changes to the anticipated reopening date. Additional information on closures and trail detours in DNR facilities, including state trails, boat access sites, state parks and campgrounds, also is listed on this page.

For more information, contact Rich Fenner, Bay City State park manager, at 989-684-3020 or FennerR@Michigan.gov. Information on additional boating resources is available at Michigan.gov/Boating.