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Land including dunes in western Michigan opening to public

Land including dunes in western Michigan opening to public
Posted at 4:31 PM, Oct 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-12 16:43:46-04

FERRYSBURG, Mich. (AP) — A large swath of dunes and forest known as Ottawa Sands in western Michigan is opening to the public next week.

MLive.com reports visitors to the property bordering a section of the Grand River in the Ferrysburg area will have access starting Monday to four miles (6.4 kilometers) of marked trails and catch-and-release fishing. Ottawa County Parks and Recreation says more features and amenities are planned.

The project includes preserving a section of Lake Michigan dunes and linking nearby parks and preservation areas.

County Parks Director John Scholtz says it's "one of our more exciting land acquisitions" and has "a lot of elements." The property was the site of an inactive sand mining operation. Included within the property is designated critical dune areas, Grand River frontage and a manmade lake.