Researcher Scott Colborne holds a 188-centimeter female sturgeon from the Black River in spring 2026. Researchers estimate the fish is around 230 years old, which would mean it hatched when George Washington was still president of the United States.
(Ed. Note: This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com.)
By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira
Bridge Michigan
Some lake sturgeon may have been swimming through the Great Lakes longer than the United States has existed. In fact, some may have seen the first Europeans arrive in Michigan in the 1600s.
A new study suggests the fish, already known to be among North America’s longest-lived freshwater species, may routinely survive for more than 200 years, some potentially reaching 300 or even 400 years.
Researchers estimated that a 160-centimeter male lake sturgeon could live between 90 and 279 years, depending on the population. For 180-centimeter females, estimated ages ranged from 99 to 427 years.
The study, published in the “Journal of Fish Biology,” used 44 years of data from when sturgeon from five Great Lakes populations were tagged, released and then years later captured again. Rather than trying to determine the exact age of individual fish, researchers used how slowly the fish grew over decades to estimate how long it would take them to reach the largest sizes observed in each population.
The method addresses a problem with traditional aging techniques, said Edward Baker, research station manager at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Marquette Fisheries Research Station. Scientists typically age lake sturgeon by counting growth rings in their fin spines. But as the fish grow older, the rings become closer together and harder to distinguish.
“That’s just going to cause you to underestimate the age of that fish,” Baker said.
The oldest documented lake sturgeon before this study was 152 years old, based on growth rings in a fin spine. Scientists had generally believed sturgeon could typically live 70, 80 or perhaps 100 years.
But decades of monitoring provided another way to examine their age.
Researchers have been catching, tagging and measuring lake sturgeon for decades as part of conservation and population-monitoring programs. When a tagged fish is caught again years later, scientists can identify the same individual and compare its size over time.
The researchers could then determine exactly how much an individual fish had grown between captures. By combining those measurements across decades of monitoring, they developed growth curves for different populations and sexes.
The results showed just how slowly some lake sturgeon grow after reaching maturity.
Baker pointed to one male in the Sturgeon River that was first captured at 46.1 inches long. When researchers recaptured it 34 years later, it had grown just 2.7 inches.
“That’s a growth rate of less than a tenth of an inch per year,” Baker said.
Growth rates differed substantially between populations, which also produced large differences in estimated longevity.
Sturgeon in the St. Clair River, for example, grow faster than those in the Black River.
One possible explanation is the productivity of the systems themselves, said Scott Colborne, an assistant professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and a co-author of the study. The Black River is smaller, colder and has fewer resources, while the St. Clair River is warmer and has more food available.
“It basically comes down to it being a bit of a slower lifestyle,” Colborne said of the Black River population.
The differences are important because they suggest lake sturgeon may grow and live differently depending on their environment.
Researchers caution that the longevity estimates are not exact ages.
The farther the models extend beyond the sizes of fish that researchers directly measured, the wider the uncertainty becomes. The oldest estimate came from a male in Michigan’s Black River, which researchers estimated at 435 years old. That estimate has a wide range of uncertainty, however, and the fish could be anywhere from 318 to 737 years old.
Colborne said the finding was surprising even to researchers who already expected lake sturgeon to live for at least a century.
The findings could also have consequences for how managers approach sturgeon conservation.
Lake sturgeon populations were heavily depleted by overharvest and habitat changes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, Michigan managers tightly restrict harvest in the populations where fishing is allowed.
Baker said the new findings do not necessarily change current management practices, but they reinforce the need for conservative harvest policies.
In Michigan’s Black Lake system, for example, the annual harvest quota is six fish from an estimated adult population of about 1,200. In the St. Clair system, harvest is allowed within a restrictive size range.
The study suggests that even when populations recover enough to eventually support additional harvest opportunities, managers will need to account for how long individual fish can take to mature and reproduce.
“If sturgeon are living 200 or 300 years, in order to be a sustainable population, the adults have to survive that long,” Colborne said.
The researchers also say the method could be applied to other long-lived fish like lake trout, which live up to 60 years old.
The approach was adapted from research on Greenland sharks, whose extraordinary longevity was later independently supported using radiocarbon dating of eye lenses.
That kind of independent validation is still needed for lake sturgeon.
Baker said researchers would need another method capable of confirming whether the oldest estimates produced by the models reflect the actual ages of individual fish.
For now, the study offers another reminder of how much scientists can learn from simply continuing to monitor a species over time.
Neither Baker nor Colborne expected the decades of tagging and recapture work to eventually reveal evidence of fish that could have been alive for centuries. The data were collected primarily for sturgeon conservation and rehabilitation, not to answer questions about extreme longevity.
But without those decades of work, the question may never have been answerable.
“Sturgeon live such a long time,” Colborne said. “In order to really understand these animals, we have to invest in them for decades.”
By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira
Bridge Michigan
Some lake sturgeon may have been swimming through the Great Lakes longer than the United States has existed. In fact, some may have seen the first Europeans arrive in Michigan in the 1600s.
A new study suggests the fish, already known to be among North America’s longest-lived freshwater species, may routinely survive for more than 200 years, some potentially reaching 300 or even 400 years.
Researchers estimated that a 160-centimeter male lake sturgeon could live between 90 and 279 years, depending on the population. For 180-centimeter females, estimated ages ranged from 99 to 427 years.
The study, published in the “Journal of Fish Biology,” used 44 years of data from when sturgeon from five Great Lakes populations were tagged, released and then years later captured again. Rather than trying to determine the exact age of individual fish, researchers used how slowly the fish grew over decades to estimate how long it would take them to reach the largest sizes observed in each population.
The method addresses a problem with traditional aging techniques, said Edward Baker, research station manager at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Marquette Fisheries Research Station. Scientists typically age lake sturgeon by counting growth rings in their fin spines. But as the fish grow older, the rings become closer together and harder to distinguish.
“That’s just going to cause you to underestimate the age of that fish,” Baker said.
The oldest documented lake sturgeon before this study was 152 years old, based on growth rings in a fin spine. Scientists had generally believed sturgeon could typically live 70, 80 or perhaps 100 years.
But decades of monitoring provided another way to examine their age.
Researchers have been catching, tagging and measuring lake sturgeon for decades as part of conservation and population-monitoring programs. When a tagged fish is caught again years later, scientists can identify the same individual and compare its size over time.
The researchers could then determine exactly how much an individual fish had grown between captures. By combining those measurements across decades of monitoring, they developed growth curves for different populations and sexes.
The results showed just how slowly some lake sturgeon grow after reaching maturity.
Baker pointed to one male in the Sturgeon River that was first captured at 46.1 inches long. When researchers recaptured it 34 years later, it had grown just 2.7 inches.
“That’s a growth rate of less than a tenth of an inch per year,” Baker said.
Growth rates differed substantially between populations, which also produced large differences in estimated longevity.
Sturgeon in the St. Clair River, for example, grow faster than those in the Black River.
One possible explanation is the productivity of the systems themselves, said Scott Colborne, an assistant professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and a co-author of the study. The Black River is smaller, colder and has fewer resources, while the St. Clair River is warmer and has more food available.
“It basically comes down to it being a bit of a slower lifestyle,” Colborne said of the Black River population.
The differences are important because they suggest lake sturgeon may grow and live differently depending on their environment.
Researchers caution that the longevity estimates are not exact ages.
The farther the models extend beyond the sizes of fish that researchers directly measured, the wider the uncertainty becomes. The oldest estimate came from a male in Michigan’s Black River, which researchers estimated at 435 years old. That estimate has a wide range of uncertainty, however, and the fish could be anywhere from 318 to 737 years old.
Colborne said the finding was surprising even to researchers who already expected lake sturgeon to live for at least a century.
The findings could also have consequences for how managers approach sturgeon conservation.
Lake sturgeon populations were heavily depleted by overharvest and habitat changes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, Michigan managers tightly restrict harvest in the populations where fishing is allowed.
Baker said the new findings do not necessarily change current management practices, but they reinforce the need for conservative harvest policies.
In Michigan’s Black Lake system, for example, the annual harvest quota is six fish from an estimated adult population of about 1,200. In the St. Clair system, harvest is allowed within a restrictive size range.
The study suggests that even when populations recover enough to eventually support additional harvest opportunities, managers will need to account for how long individual fish can take to mature and reproduce.
“If sturgeon are living 200 or 300 years, in order to be a sustainable population, the adults have to survive that long,” Colborne said.
The researchers also say the method could be applied to other long-lived fish like lake trout, which live up to 60 years old.
The approach was adapted from research on Greenland sharks, whose extraordinary longevity was later independently supported using radiocarbon dating of eye lenses.
That kind of independent validation is still needed for lake sturgeon.
Baker said researchers would need another method capable of confirming whether the oldest estimates produced by the models reflect the actual ages of individual fish.
For now, the study offers another reminder of how much scientists can learn from simply continuing to monitor a species over time.
Neither Baker nor Colborne expected the decades of tagging and recapture work to eventually reveal evidence of fish that could have been alive for centuries. The data were collected primarily for sturgeon conservation and rehabilitation, not to answer questions about extreme longevity.
But without those decades of work, the question may never have been answerable.
“Sturgeon live such a long time,” Colborne said. “In order to really understand these animals, we have to invest in them for decades.”
DNR Acquires Forest Land in Upper Peninsula
Among the wildest of Michigan’s wild places, the rugged Michigamme Highlands has some of the most important natural geography in the Great Lakes region. Made up of vast forests, sparkling lakes, winding trout streams and granite outcroppings, the landscape is truly spectacular.
Now, thanks entirely to grant funding, over 73,000 acres of this beautiful landscape has been protected and is available for everyone to enjoy. At the end of March, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources acquired a conservation easement on this land located in Baraga, Iron and Marquette counties.
This conservation easement includes protection of the peak of Mt. Arvon (Michigan’s highest natural elevation), 37 miles of winding rivers, 220 miles of perennial streams, 96 lakes and ponds, over 13,600 acres of wetlands, 4,800 acres of deer wintering complex, nearly two miles of the Yellow Dog River and habitat for moose, fisher, black bear, coaster brook trout, rainbow trout and Coho salmon.
The easement also provides public nonmotorized recreational access across the entire property, as well as motorized access on over 77 miles of roads and trails for snowmobiling and 70 miles for off-road vehicle use. The area also features 7 miles of nonmotorized trails and 3 miles of equestrian trails.
Built into the conservation easement are permanent requirements to ensure long-term sustainable forest management and economic benefits for the area.
A celebration of the purchase took place Aug. 18 in Marquette, featuring speakers from the DNR, The Lyme Timber Company, U.S. Forest Service, Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
“When we can protect critical deer wintering complexes, wildlife and fisheries habitat and provide public recreation all while securing sustainable forest management that will help to support the forest products industry and local economies, it’s a big win for Michigan,” said Jeff Stampfly, Michigan’s state forester.
The conservation easement was purchased using over $15 million in grant funding from the federal Forest Legacy Program, over $4.2 million in grant funding from the Natural Resources Trust Fund and a $1 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Michigan has protected more than 238,000 acres of forest land through the Forest Legacy Program. Learn more about Michigan’s Forest Legacy projects through an interactive story map at michigan. gov/dnr.
Now, thanks entirely to grant funding, over 73,000 acres of this beautiful landscape has been protected and is available for everyone to enjoy. At the end of March, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources acquired a conservation easement on this land located in Baraga, Iron and Marquette counties.
This conservation easement includes protection of the peak of Mt. Arvon (Michigan’s highest natural elevation), 37 miles of winding rivers, 220 miles of perennial streams, 96 lakes and ponds, over 13,600 acres of wetlands, 4,800 acres of deer wintering complex, nearly two miles of the Yellow Dog River and habitat for moose, fisher, black bear, coaster brook trout, rainbow trout and Coho salmon.
The easement also provides public nonmotorized recreational access across the entire property, as well as motorized access on over 77 miles of roads and trails for snowmobiling and 70 miles for off-road vehicle use. The area also features 7 miles of nonmotorized trails and 3 miles of equestrian trails.
Built into the conservation easement are permanent requirements to ensure long-term sustainable forest management and economic benefits for the area.
A celebration of the purchase took place Aug. 18 in Marquette, featuring speakers from the DNR, The Lyme Timber Company, U.S. Forest Service, Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
“When we can protect critical deer wintering complexes, wildlife and fisheries habitat and provide public recreation all while securing sustainable forest management that will help to support the forest products industry and local economies, it’s a big win for Michigan,” said Jeff Stampfly, Michigan’s state forester.
The conservation easement was purchased using over $15 million in grant funding from the federal Forest Legacy Program, over $4.2 million in grant funding from the Natural Resources Trust Fund and a $1 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Michigan has protected more than 238,000 acres of forest land through the Forest Legacy Program. Learn more about Michigan’s Forest Legacy projects through an interactive story map at michigan. gov/dnr.
Looking Ahead to the Fall Season
By Jack Payne
Daylight was still an hour away when we finally sat down on a 2x12 board that would be our seat for the next few hours. Thermoses were uncorked, coffee was poured, and introductions were made.
We were hunting a few miles from Portage Lake near the town of Chassell in the Upper Peninsula. Turned out the three other guys were all from West Michigan, all lived within five miles of me, and this was the first time we met.
We were pulling a double of bear hunting and goose hunting. And what a week of hunting we enjoyed.
Our first morning in the goose blind was incredible. Twelve birds flew in and landed on a small pond 10 yards from us. Legal shooting time was still 10 minutes away. A flock of maybe 50 birds flew in and started dropping into the field just as legal time arrived. We reached our legal limit a mere 10 minutes after legal shooting time.
As September rolls in, the options for the outdoorsperson soar. I really enjoy early goose season. Our success comes from hiring a guide. A guide is well worth the money if you hunt geese once or twice a year.
In the past, we owned decoys and such. However, with archery hunting a priority and fall fishing or squirrel hunting pushing for second place, there was not enough time to hunt geese on our terms.
Fall turkey season starts in September. This is a hunt that I enjoy. A totally different hunt for me. I walk, stalk, and sit. The birds will be in groups, and they often make some noise.
If you see a flock, you can run at them and bust the flock, then sit down and start calling. A kee-kee sound will bring back the birds. Otherwise, you can try to intercept the flock. Both methods are fun. Hunting turkey in September is a great way to scout deer.
I never get too old to hunt squirrels. Much like turkey hunting, I enjoy a slow walk, a stalk, and a sit. Squirrel hunting is perhaps the best hunt for a new hunter. The weather is comfortable; making some noise will not ruin your hunt, and going for a slow walk just might extend a new hunter’s time in the woods.
Small boat or no boat anglers, this is your time for a big fish. King salmon will congregate around the piers and move into the connecting rivers and lakes. Small-boat anglers looking for an adrenaline rush try a jigging spoon.
Spoons such as a Hopkins, Kastmaster, or my favorite, the Flutter Spoon. A graph will help immensely. Locating suspended fish on your graph narrows your search. Second, staying within 400 yards of the channel works in your favor.
For some reason, the best fishing starts under the glow of your running lights and might last two hours after sunrise. The low light of evening can be good as well.
I like a spoon that glows. Any color pattern that includes some glow will work. You can buy glow tape or glow paint. Your entire lure does not need to glow, but a portion should. This is vertical fishing at its best. If your graph shows salmon down 20 feet, let out 20 feet of line. Pop upward and let it flutter down.
For the anglers without a boat, the pier will be your best friend. Once again, getting on the pier under the cloak of darkness is an advantage to you. Perhaps my favorite lure when on the pier would be a Little Cleo spoon with a glow tint. I just love casting spoons and reeling them back.
My second favorite pier bait would be the Rapala Husky Jerk. Once again, adding a strip of glow tape or painting a narrow line across the body just plain works.
Fall fishing is the best of the year. Perch start moving in from the big lake; bluegills start showing up in the river bayous; crappie will be in large schools, and by the end of September, great bass, walleye, and pike fishing will heat up.
Stop in at Bob’s Gun and Tackle Shop for your fishing and hunting needs.
Daylight was still an hour away when we finally sat down on a 2x12 board that would be our seat for the next few hours. Thermoses were uncorked, coffee was poured, and introductions were made.
We were hunting a few miles from Portage Lake near the town of Chassell in the Upper Peninsula. Turned out the three other guys were all from West Michigan, all lived within five miles of me, and this was the first time we met.
We were pulling a double of bear hunting and goose hunting. And what a week of hunting we enjoyed.
Our first morning in the goose blind was incredible. Twelve birds flew in and landed on a small pond 10 yards from us. Legal shooting time was still 10 minutes away. A flock of maybe 50 birds flew in and started dropping into the field just as legal time arrived. We reached our legal limit a mere 10 minutes after legal shooting time.
As September rolls in, the options for the outdoorsperson soar. I really enjoy early goose season. Our success comes from hiring a guide. A guide is well worth the money if you hunt geese once or twice a year.
In the past, we owned decoys and such. However, with archery hunting a priority and fall fishing or squirrel hunting pushing for second place, there was not enough time to hunt geese on our terms.
Fall turkey season starts in September. This is a hunt that I enjoy. A totally different hunt for me. I walk, stalk, and sit. The birds will be in groups, and they often make some noise.
If you see a flock, you can run at them and bust the flock, then sit down and start calling. A kee-kee sound will bring back the birds. Otherwise, you can try to intercept the flock. Both methods are fun. Hunting turkey in September is a great way to scout deer.
I never get too old to hunt squirrels. Much like turkey hunting, I enjoy a slow walk, a stalk, and a sit. Squirrel hunting is perhaps the best hunt for a new hunter. The weather is comfortable; making some noise will not ruin your hunt, and going for a slow walk just might extend a new hunter’s time in the woods.
Small boat or no boat anglers, this is your time for a big fish. King salmon will congregate around the piers and move into the connecting rivers and lakes. Small-boat anglers looking for an adrenaline rush try a jigging spoon.
Spoons such as a Hopkins, Kastmaster, or my favorite, the Flutter Spoon. A graph will help immensely. Locating suspended fish on your graph narrows your search. Second, staying within 400 yards of the channel works in your favor.
For some reason, the best fishing starts under the glow of your running lights and might last two hours after sunrise. The low light of evening can be good as well.
I like a spoon that glows. Any color pattern that includes some glow will work. You can buy glow tape or glow paint. Your entire lure does not need to glow, but a portion should. This is vertical fishing at its best. If your graph shows salmon down 20 feet, let out 20 feet of line. Pop upward and let it flutter down.
For the anglers without a boat, the pier will be your best friend. Once again, getting on the pier under the cloak of darkness is an advantage to you. Perhaps my favorite lure when on the pier would be a Little Cleo spoon with a glow tint. I just love casting spoons and reeling them back.
My second favorite pier bait would be the Rapala Husky Jerk. Once again, adding a strip of glow tape or painting a narrow line across the body just plain works.
Fall fishing is the best of the year. Perch start moving in from the big lake; bluegills start showing up in the river bayous; crappie will be in large schools, and by the end of September, great bass, walleye, and pike fishing will heat up.
Stop in at Bob’s Gun and Tackle Shop for your fishing and hunting needs.
Plant a Tree For Years of Beauty and Environmental Benefits
Removal of the wire basket around a tree’s root ball prior to planting.
Photo courtesy MelindaMyers.com
Photo courtesy MelindaMyers.com
By Melinda Myers
Trees are the long-lasting framework of our landscape providing many benefits to our community, environment, landscapes and lives. They provide shade, help reduce energy costs and provide food and building materials. Trees also help manage storm water, reducing the risk of storm water runoff, soil erosion, local flooding and storm water entering the storm sewers.
Fall is a great time to plant trees. The soil is warm and the air is cool, making it easier for plants to adjust to their new location and the gardener doing the planting. Follow these important tree planting tips to ensure the health and longevity of these important additions to the landscape.
Always select trees that are suited to the growing conditions and will fit the mature space once mature. This will ensure a heathier long-lived tree with less effort.
Once the planting site is chosen, call 811 at least three business days before planting. This free utility locating service will locate underground utilities to help reduce the risk of damage and personal injury caused by digging into buried utilities.
Locate the root flare, the place where the roots curve away from the trunk, by gently pulling the soil back from the trunk. It is important to have the root flare at or slightly above the soil surface for the health and longevity of the tree.
Dig a broad shallow hole at least two to three times wider than the root ball and only as deep as the distance between the root flare and bottom of the root ball. Digging a deeper hole can result in the soil settling and creating a water-collecting depression around your tree. Roughen the sides of the planting hole to make it easier for the roots to grow into the surrounding soil.
Always move trees by the root ball not the trunk to avoid damaging the roots. For container-grown trees cut away the bottom of the pot and set it in the hole with its best side facing toward the desired direction. Cut away the pot and remove or cut any circling roots.
For balled-and-burlapped trees remove the bottom of the wire basket and set the tree in the hole. Once positioned, peel back or cut away the burlap, remaining wire basket and twine. Check for and remove or cut any circling roots.
Backfill with the existing soil. Amending the soil discourages the roots from growing beyond the planting hole, preventing them from developing a robust root system. Water thoroughly at planting and whenever the top four to six inches of soil are crumbly and dry. Spread a two-to-three-inch layer of wood chips over the surrounding soil, pulling the mulch away from the trunk of the tree to prevent rot and disease.
Wait a year to fertilize and several years before doing any major pruning. Just remove damaged and dead branches at the time of planting. Skip the stakes unless the trees are growing in a windy location or have a large canopy and small root system.
Enjoy the beauty of these new additions and the many benefits they provide.
—————
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” streaming courses and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her website is MelindaMyers.com.
Trees are the long-lasting framework of our landscape providing many benefits to our community, environment, landscapes and lives. They provide shade, help reduce energy costs and provide food and building materials. Trees also help manage storm water, reducing the risk of storm water runoff, soil erosion, local flooding and storm water entering the storm sewers.
Fall is a great time to plant trees. The soil is warm and the air is cool, making it easier for plants to adjust to their new location and the gardener doing the planting. Follow these important tree planting tips to ensure the health and longevity of these important additions to the landscape.
Always select trees that are suited to the growing conditions and will fit the mature space once mature. This will ensure a heathier long-lived tree with less effort.
Once the planting site is chosen, call 811 at least three business days before planting. This free utility locating service will locate underground utilities to help reduce the risk of damage and personal injury caused by digging into buried utilities.
Locate the root flare, the place where the roots curve away from the trunk, by gently pulling the soil back from the trunk. It is important to have the root flare at or slightly above the soil surface for the health and longevity of the tree.
Dig a broad shallow hole at least two to three times wider than the root ball and only as deep as the distance between the root flare and bottom of the root ball. Digging a deeper hole can result in the soil settling and creating a water-collecting depression around your tree. Roughen the sides of the planting hole to make it easier for the roots to grow into the surrounding soil.
Always move trees by the root ball not the trunk to avoid damaging the roots. For container-grown trees cut away the bottom of the pot and set it in the hole with its best side facing toward the desired direction. Cut away the pot and remove or cut any circling roots.
For balled-and-burlapped trees remove the bottom of the wire basket and set the tree in the hole. Once positioned, peel back or cut away the burlap, remaining wire basket and twine. Check for and remove or cut any circling roots.
Backfill with the existing soil. Amending the soil discourages the roots from growing beyond the planting hole, preventing them from developing a robust root system. Water thoroughly at planting and whenever the top four to six inches of soil are crumbly and dry. Spread a two-to-three-inch layer of wood chips over the surrounding soil, pulling the mulch away from the trunk of the tree to prevent rot and disease.
Wait a year to fertilize and several years before doing any major pruning. Just remove damaged and dead branches at the time of planting. Skip the stakes unless the trees are growing in a windy location or have a large canopy and small root system.
Enjoy the beauty of these new additions and the many benefits they provide.
—————
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” streaming courses and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her website is MelindaMyers.com.
Skyline Trail Reconstruction to Begin in September
One of Ludington State Park’s most scenic and iconic attractions is getting a major upgrade.
Starting this September, work kicks off on a long-awaited reconstruction project of the Skyline Trail, designed to protect fragile sand dunes and enhance safety and overall usability.
Originally built in 1980, Ludington State Park’s half-mile elevated boardwalk currently rises 100 feet above the park’s forested southern dune, offering panoramic views of Lake Michigan and, on clear days, the dunes at Silver Lake State Park.
The reconstruction project will enhance safety and overall usability by replacing the aging structure to meet modern construction standards and better protect the dunes. Key improvements include:
• Raising most of the boardwalk a few feet higher to restore natural sand flow and safeguard fragile dune ecosystems from erosion and foot traffic.
• Using modern, long-lasting materials, such as treated lumber and steel support posts.
• Constructing several larger viewing platforms.
• Replacing both large flights of stairs on the east and west ends.
The contractor for the project is Mimh Enterprises of Hamilton.
“You can really feel the community’s excitement for a project that balances enhanced public access with vital dune protection,” said Jim Gallie, park manager at Ludington State Park. “The Friends of Ludington were the spark that moved the project along, and we can’t thank them enough.”
—————
Partnership support
The Skyline Trail reconstruction project is funded by a $3.3 million grant from the Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund, alongside $350,000 raised from private donors by the Friends of Ludington State Park.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the generous donors who have made it possible for Friends of Ludington State Park to partner with the DNR on the replacement of the Skyline Trail,” said Patrick O’Hare, president of the friends group. “This project is another example of what we can accomplish together. Through this partnership, and many others over the years, we’ve enhanced the park experience for visitors and helped create lasting memories for generations to come.”
The project builds upon a series of major park enhancements completed in June 2025 and fueled by $2.635 million in ARPA funding. The park now features repaved roads, upgraded pedestrian walkways and improved parking areas - all designed to elevate the visitor experience.
—————
Planned closures
To ensure public safety during construction, the Skyline Trail and all intersecting trails and the park amphitheater and its access road will be closed to the public starting in September. The project is slated to continue through mid-2027.
Before visiting any DNR-managed location, it’s always a good idea to check the latest closures due to weather-related events and planned improvement projects and repairs occurring at DNR facilities around the state. Any revised construction timelines will also be announced on the DNR’s closures webpage at Michigan.gov/DNRClosures.
—————
More information
Follow Friends of Ludington State Park on Facebook or visit the group’s website at friendsofludingtonstatepark.org for more information about group happenings, volunteer opportunities, membership and/or donations.
If you have questions about the Skyline Trail project, please contact Jim Gallie at (231) 843-2423 or GallieJ@Michigan.gov.
Starting this September, work kicks off on a long-awaited reconstruction project of the Skyline Trail, designed to protect fragile sand dunes and enhance safety and overall usability.
Originally built in 1980, Ludington State Park’s half-mile elevated boardwalk currently rises 100 feet above the park’s forested southern dune, offering panoramic views of Lake Michigan and, on clear days, the dunes at Silver Lake State Park.
The reconstruction project will enhance safety and overall usability by replacing the aging structure to meet modern construction standards and better protect the dunes. Key improvements include:
• Raising most of the boardwalk a few feet higher to restore natural sand flow and safeguard fragile dune ecosystems from erosion and foot traffic.
• Using modern, long-lasting materials, such as treated lumber and steel support posts.
• Constructing several larger viewing platforms.
• Replacing both large flights of stairs on the east and west ends.
The contractor for the project is Mimh Enterprises of Hamilton.
“You can really feel the community’s excitement for a project that balances enhanced public access with vital dune protection,” said Jim Gallie, park manager at Ludington State Park. “The Friends of Ludington were the spark that moved the project along, and we can’t thank them enough.”
—————
Partnership support
The Skyline Trail reconstruction project is funded by a $3.3 million grant from the Michigan State Parks Endowment Fund, alongside $350,000 raised from private donors by the Friends of Ludington State Park.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the generous donors who have made it possible for Friends of Ludington State Park to partner with the DNR on the replacement of the Skyline Trail,” said Patrick O’Hare, president of the friends group. “This project is another example of what we can accomplish together. Through this partnership, and many others over the years, we’ve enhanced the park experience for visitors and helped create lasting memories for generations to come.”
The project builds upon a series of major park enhancements completed in June 2025 and fueled by $2.635 million in ARPA funding. The park now features repaved roads, upgraded pedestrian walkways and improved parking areas - all designed to elevate the visitor experience.
—————
Planned closures
To ensure public safety during construction, the Skyline Trail and all intersecting trails and the park amphitheater and its access road will be closed to the public starting in September. The project is slated to continue through mid-2027.
Before visiting any DNR-managed location, it’s always a good idea to check the latest closures due to weather-related events and planned improvement projects and repairs occurring at DNR facilities around the state. Any revised construction timelines will also be announced on the DNR’s closures webpage at Michigan.gov/DNRClosures.
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More information
Follow Friends of Ludington State Park on Facebook or visit the group’s website at friendsofludingtonstatepark.org for more information about group happenings, volunteer opportunities, membership and/or donations.
If you have questions about the Skyline Trail project, please contact Jim Gallie at (231) 843-2423 or GallieJ@Michigan.gov.
