Bewabic State Park

Bewabic State Park, one of the oldest state parks in Michigan, spreads along the shore of the Fortune Lakes chain near Crystal Falls in Iron County, in the western Upper Peninsula. Set in rolling, forested iron-country terrain, the park combines a chain of clear lakes with historic Civilian Conservation Corps–era charm in its stone structures and shaded grounds.

The Fortune Lakes — a chain of four connected lakes — offer swimming, fishing and especially fine canoeing and kayaking, with paddlers able to travel from lake to lake through the connecting channels. A sandy beach, a campground, picnic areas with historic stone craftsmanship, trails and even an old tennis court round out a park with a gracious, old-fashioned character. Quiet and scenic in the heart of Iron County’s lake-and-forest country, Bewabic is a beloved western-U.P. destination.

Bewabic centers on the Fortune Lakes chain — swimming at a sandy beach, fishing, and especially fine canoeing and kayaking through the connected chain of four lakes, paddling from one to the next via the channels. A campground, picnic areas with historic CCC stonework, trails and an old tennis court add to the offerings. The connected lakes, beach and shaded, gracious grounds make it a relaxed, family-friendly destination in Iron County’s lake-and-forest country.

Summer is peak, with warm Fortune Lakes water for swimming and paddling and full use of the campground and beach — reserve sites early. Late spring and fall offer good paddling and fishing with fewer crowds, and fall color through the forest. Winter brings snow to the iron country. Summer is best for swimming and paddling the chain of lakes, with the shoulder seasons rewarding quieter visits.

Bewabic is one of the oldest state parks in Michigan, developed in the early days of the state-park system and shaped by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, whose stone structures and craftsmanship still give the park its gracious, historic character. Set in the iron-mining country of Iron County, the park preserved public access to the scenic Fortune Lakes chain, and its long history and CCC heritage make it a cherished western-U.P. landmark.

Bewabic sits in the rolling, lake-dotted glacial country of Iron County, in the ancient iron-bearing bedrock region of the western Upper Peninsula. The Fortune Lakes chain fills basins carved and connected by glacial ice and meltwater during the last Ice Age, set among the forested hills. The clear, connected lakes and the rolling terrain reflect both the deep iron-country geology and the Ice Age shaping of the landscape.

The Fortune Lakes, their wetlands and the surrounding forest host white-tailed deer, black bear, beaver and a variety of birds, with loons, herons and waterfowl on the lakes and songbirds in the woods. Bald eagles patrol the shores, and the chain of lakes and connecting channels offers fine wildlife watching by canoe or kayak. The forested iron-country setting makes the park good for spotting wildlife while paddling or hiking.

The park protects a chain of clear, connected lakes, wetlands and northern forest in Iron County’s glacial, iron-bearing country. The Fortune Lakes and their connecting channels support a healthy aquatic ecosystem, and the surrounding forest and wetlands add habitat diversity. The connected nature of the lake chain makes water quality and the prevention of aquatic invasive species especially important to the park’s ecology.

Bewabic State Park, as one of Michigan’s oldest state parks with its gracious CCC-era stonework and its scenic Fortune Lakes chain, holds a cherished place in western-U.P. recreation. Generations of families have swum, paddled and camped here in the heart of Iron County’s lake-and-forest country, and the park’s historic character and connected lakes have made it a beloved, old-fashioned destination.

Bewabic State Park is on US-2 between Crystal Falls and Iron River in Iron County, in the western Upper Peninsula — easily reached on the highway. A Michigan Recreation Passport is required. The beach, campground, boat launch, trails and picnic areas on the Fortune Lakes are within the park. The towns of Crystal Falls and Iron River provide services, and the lakes and forests of Iron County surround the area. Check the DNR for current access and conditions.

The DNR manages Bewabic to protect the Fortune Lakes chain, its wetlands and the surrounding forest while supporting recreation and preserving the historic CCC structures. Visitors help by cleaning, draining and drying boats to prevent aquatic invasive species in the connected lake chain, staying on trails, respecting the wetlands, treating the historic stonework with care, and packing out litter. Protecting the connected lakes sustains both the paddling and the park’s ecology.

The Fortune Lakes are generally calm and family-friendly, but supervise swimmers at the beach and watch for cold water below the surface. Wear a life jacket when paddling the chain, and watch the weather on the open lakes. Bring insect protection for the wetlands in warm months and watch for ticks. The connecting channels can be shallow; paddle carefully. Take normal care on the trails and historic grounds.

A Recreation Passport is required. Follow Michigan DNR fishing regulations on the Fortune Lakes. Boaters must clean, drain and dry to prevent invasive species, especially important in the connected chain, and observe any motor restrictions. Stay on designated trails. Pets must be leashed and restricted from the swim beach. Camp only in reserved, designated sites. Check the DNR for current conditions and rules.

The towns of Crystal Falls and Iron River, with their iron-mining heritage, lie close, along with the lakes, rivers and forests of Iron County, the Ottawa National Forest, and the western U.P.’s waterfalls and wild country. Lake Gogebic, the Sylvania Wilderness near Watersmeet, and the broader iron-and-lake country surround the park, making it a relaxed base for exploring the western Upper Peninsula.

Paddle the Fortune Lakes chain — canoe or kayak from lake to lake through the connecting channels — and enjoy the sandy beach for family swimming. Reserve campsites early for summer, clean and drain your boat to protect the connected lakes, and appreciate the historic CCC stonework. Visit in fall for color, and pair a trip with the iron-country towns and the western U.P.’s lakes and waterfalls.