Genesee County, MI — One interesting tidbit from Genesee County Parks Director Patrick Linihan’s presentation to the Board of Commissioners on Wednesday night is all about ease of access for all Genesee County residents to our first and only state park!

In his update on the ongoing progress of the Flint River Restoration, Linihan mentioned that new state park coming to Genesee County will be the first of its kind in Michigan, and no more than a 30-minute drive for anyone living in Genesee County.

This fits snugly into Genesee County’s approach to recreation: Get Away, Right Away.

“This will be something our residents will be able to enjoy, but it will also attract people from outside our community as well,” Linihan said.

It will be also be affordable, as it will be one of only a few state parks in Michigan that will not require a recreation passport to enter.

The Project

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, once the project is completed, contiguous river passage, that has been absent for more than a century, will be restored. This includes a whopping 25 miles of waterways for fish passage and providing new opportunities for fishing, kayaking, canoeing and other water-based recreation.

Under an agreement with the DNR, our very own Genesee County Parks, Michigan’s largest county parks system, will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and operation of this vital public asset funded by an annual endowment.

The project will transform the downtown waterfront, and extend opportunities for outdoor recreation for our more than 400,000 residents. The expanse will encompass an area three miles east to west and more than 1.5 miles north to south in the heart of Genesee County (click here for the map).