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Nov. 14, 2017
Contact:
Maia Turek, 989-225-8573
DNR extends Black Friday invitation to #OptOutside; Michigan state parks offer free entry statewide Nov. 24
 Residents
and visitors are encouraged to put away leftovers and #OptOutside as part of their day-after-Thanksgiving traditions. To encourage folks to tap into Michigan's great outdoors and gather with friends and family, on Friday, Nov. 24, the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources will waive the regular Recreation Passport entry fee that enables vehicle access to Michigan state parks, trails and boating access sites.
Exploring some of Michigan's best outdoor destinations is a great way to recover from holiday shopping excursions, burn off some of those Thanksgiving calories and enjoy the many benefits of nature.
"In Michigan, you’re never more than a half-hour away from a state park, recreation area, state forest campground or state trail," said Ron Olson, DNR Parks and Recreation Division chief. "#OptOutside is an invitation
to residents and those traveling to spend time outside during the holiday weekend and help continue or build new Thanksgiving traditions. The DNR hopes the free entry opportunity will encourage residents and visitors to explore new places and experience the
outdoors' many physical, mental and social benefits."
There are plenty of ideas to incorporate into popular day-after-Thanksgiving traditions, including opportunities to:
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Find a new mile to hike or run on one of more than
12,500 miles of state-designated trails.
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Cast a line in a state park and put fishing
on your Friday festivities menu.
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Try
mountain biking.
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Jump on the Iron
Belle Trail - the longest designated state trail in the nation - and crisscross more than half of Michigan’s counties along both hiking and biking routes.
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Find a new hunting
spot by exploring one of Michigan's vast recreation areas.
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Enjoy the peace and quiet of camping
in the off-season.
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Download a geocaching
app and take part in an outdoor treasure hunting game that utilizes GPS-enabled devices.
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Seek out historical
markers and learn a little bit more about Michigan’s backstory.
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Make a bird-watching
scavenger hunt for kids and start a list of the birds you spot.
"The holidays can get hectic with added obligations, no matter how happy or anticipated they may be," said Olson. "Our #OptOutside promotion is an opportunity for folks to take a deep breath of fresh air, share
an experience with your favorite people and make some great holiday memories."
Although the Recreation Passport vehicle entry fee into 103 Michigan state parks, 138 state forest campgrounds and parking for hundreds of miles of trails and fee-based boat launches is waived Nov. 24, camping
and other permit and license fees still apply.
Interested in learning more about things to do and places to visit? Visit the DNR website at michigan.gov/dnr
to learn more about fishing, hunting, forest land, state parks and much more. To search for a list of Michigan state parks, rustic state forest campgrounds, state-designated trails and associated activities and amenities, visit
www.michigan.gov/recsearch. Interested in the Recreation Passport and how it helps Michigan state parks, trails and waterways? Visit
www.michigan.gov/RecreationPassport.
The #OptOutside movement was started by outdoor recreation cooperative REI Inc. in 2015 to encourage people to spend time outdoors on Black Friday. For the third year in a row, the Michigan DNR has encouraged
people to utilize the outdoors as part of their Thanksgiving weekend celebrations.
/Editor's note: A list of accompanying resources and courtesy photos (suggested captions follow) are available below for download. More photos
are available, if needed. For more information or assistance in developing region-specific story ideas, contact Maia Turek, DNR resource development specialist, at 989-225-8573 or
tur...@michigan.gov.
2017Infographic.social.jpg and
2017Infographic.print.jpg: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will waive the regular Recreation Passport entry fee that grants vehicle access to Michigan’s state parks and recreation
areas, trails and more Friday, Nov. 24.
DuckLakeStatePark.jpg: As part of the popular day-after-Thanksgiving tradition and in an effort to encourage people to tap into Michigan's great
outdoors, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has joined the #OptOutside movement by waiving the Recreation Passport entry fee to state parks on Black Friday, Nov. 24.
OptoutsideScavengerHunt2017.pdf and
OptOutsideAllWinter2017.pdf: Summaries of fun ideas for how visitors can take advantage of Michigan's parks, trails and waterways throughout the holiday weekend and all winter long./
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural
resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to
www.michigan.gov/dnr.
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