Get all your fishing information here, including rules and regulations, license info, the weekly fishing report and much more. Use the link above to visit the fishing home page, or go directly to your area of interest below:

Get all your hunting information here, including hunting season dates, rules and regulations, and much more. Use the button above to visit the hunting home page, or go directly to your area of interest below:

Information on DNR shooting and archery ranges, rules and regulations, resources to get started and more. Use the button above to visit the target shooing and archery home page, or go directly to one of the pages below:

Find snowmobile trail permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE SNOWMOBILE HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:

Want to find tasty morel mushrooms in the forest? Click the box above for tips and tricks to fill your basket.

Wildlife Viewing

Find cross-country ski, ice fishing , snowmobiling info and much more.

Natural Areas

Find facility info, overnight info, an event calendar and much more.

State Forests

Find a great trail experience near you - whether you want to hike, bike, snowmobile or ride an ORV. From long, paved linear trails to rugged forest terrain, Michigan offers trail opportunities for all abilities and interests.

Visitor Centers across the state provide education programs, field trips, archery, fishing, trails and much more. Click the box above to see all our locations, or click the individual location below.

Recreation Passport

We administer grants that enable our local partners to promote the lifestyles we all enjoy by providing recreational opportunities, enhancing wildlife habitat and ensuring public safety. Visit the grants home page by clicking on the button above, or view a specific area of interest below:

Recreational Safety and Hunter Education

Learn about Michigan's diverse range of fish, plants, trees, reptiles, amphibians, insects and mammals. Click the box above to see all species, or click the species group below.

DNR educators across the state provide fun, educational activities, programs and workshops year-round for adults, families and kids. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.

DNR educators provide classroom lessons, field trip opportunities, professional development and experiential programs to teachers around the state. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.

Safety Information

DNR forest resources professionals maintain healthy forests, manage wildfire, maintain responsible harvesting certifications and improve wildlife habitat. Click the box above to learn more about Michigan's state forests.

Doing business with the DNR

Real Estate

Accessible recreation opportunities in Michigan

All DNR-related boards, committees, and advisory groups

Find seasonal, part-time and full-time job openings with the DNR

information on how to contact us

Funding

information about volunteer and donation opportunities

News releases, closures, photos and more

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Michigan boating

Michigan boating

Boater safety certificate

Boaters born after June 30, 1996 and most personal watercraft operators must have a boating safety certificate.

Boat registration

Check closures

Know before you go - check our closures page for updated information on boat launch and harbor closures.

Safety information

Understand safety information including life jacket rules, water safety and electric shock drowning hazards.

Where to boat

Great Lakes harbors

Find resources to help plan your Great Lakes boating trip, including the harbor guide, making a reservation, a harbor map and more.

Boating access sites

Locate and map more than 1,300 Michigan public boating access sites and 80 harbors and marinas administered by state, county, and local units of government.

Boat rentals in state parks

Many of our state parks offer boat rentals, including canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, paddle boats, row boats and more.

Boating access at state parks and state forest campgrounds

Find parks and recreation areas with boat launches.

Rules and regulations

Handbook of Michigan Boating Laws

A comprehensive handbook defining Michigan's boating laws and regulations, navigation rules, weather emergencies, encountering other vessels and much more.

Read the handbook »

ALL boat laws, rules and regulations

Learn about alcohol restrictions, hours of operation, buoys and markers and much more.

Age restrictions

Learn how old you need to be to operate a boat or personal watercraft (such as a wave runner/jet ski)

Life jacket rules

Who needs to wear a life jacket and what type of personal floatation device needs to be carried on your boat in Michigan.

Local watercraft rules

Know the rules about motorboats, high-speed boating, water skiing and more for particular waterbodies.

Boating and fishing laws

To help prevent the spread of invasive species, there are laws that address the removal of drain plugs and aquatic organisms from boats and trailers, and the disposal of unused baitfish.

Recycling options

There are options to go green, even when you're thinking blue! Thanks to the efforts of Michigan's boating industry, there are easy options to recycle your shrink-wrap and fishing line. There's also a program in the works to recycle fiberglass boats.

Find recycling options »

At work for you

Learn how our waterways are managed to best provide outdoor recreation opportunities for you and future generations.

The Michigan Waterways Program helps fund the construction, operation and maintenance of public boating facilities such as harbors and marinas on the Great Lakes and boating access sites on our inland lakes.

Managing parks, trails and waterways »

Waterways Commission »

Boating news

Discover more

Explore more

Recreation Passport

Your key to Michigan state parks, recreation areas, state forest campgrounds, boating access sites and state trailheads all year long. See where it can take you!

Michigan.gov/RecreationPassport.

Follow us

Contact us

Please view our directory listing for general contact information. For a full listing of help desk numbers, field offices, and other ways we can help, please visit our contact page.

Contact Michigan DNR

We are hiring!

In addition to full time positions, we also hire many seasonal positions including park workers, interpreters, rangers, wildlife workers and more. 

Job opportunities

Hot topics

Buy and apply

Doing business

Resources