E. Genevieve Gillette Nature Center- P.J. Hoffmaster State Park
Posted by: 
The Herd
N 43° 07.308 W 086° 15.960
16T E 559708 N 4774602
Quick Description: The Gillette Nature Center, located in P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, highlights and educates visitors to the great sand dunes of Lake Michigan. It is the state's Sand Dune Interpretive Center!
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 11/5/2006 5:36:20 PM
Waymark Code: WMXQA
Views: 212
Long Description:P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is 1,043 acres of park. It is located in
the dunes between Grand Haven and Muskegon along nearly three miles
of Lake Michigan. Its sandy beach is one of the finest anywhere.
As the state’s Sand Dune Interpretive Center, it is dedicated to
education and enlightenment about the intricate interactions of
nature in the life of a sand dune. The Gevevieve Gillette Visitor
Center contains a variety of programs to help visitors enjoy and
understand a unique environment ... the Sand Dunes of the Great
Lakes. The year-round Center features an exhibit hall depicting the
ecological zones of the unique dune environment. Nine projector
multimedia presentations on the dunes and seasonal nature subjects
are shown in an eighty-two-seat auditorium. A gift shop, art
gallery, and seasonal exhibits are also featured.
At the Visitor Center, a small pond with running water is a
major attraction outside the viewing area. In the summer, scarlet
tanagers, northern orioles, red-eyed vireos, indigo buntings, and
other colorful summer residents are common visitors to the pond. In
the fall, it is not uncommon to be able to view 6-8 species of
warblers at one time.
The park interpreters host indoor presentations and outdoor
explorations as well. Old baldy, a 750-foot high active sand dune,
can be viewed from inside the center.
In the summer, they are open everyday. They are closed on
Monday's after Labor Day however.
