Van Buren State Park
23960 Ruggles Road
S. Haven. MI 49090
Phone: 269-637-2788
TTY/TDD711 (Michigan Relay Center)

• Make a Reservation at this Park
• Directions

Description:

Van Buren State Park has one mile of sandy beach and high dune formations along the Lake Michigan shoreline. This is a great place to camp for the various festivals that are held throughout the year such as the National Blueberry Fest, Harbor Fest, July 4th Arts Fair and Labor Day All Crafts Fair.

Calendar of Events

Area Information:

South Haven is a wonderful year round area. Various festivals are held throughout the year such as the National Blueberry Fest, Harbor Fest, July 4th Arts Fair, Labor Day All Crafts Fair and the February Ice breaker. South Haven also has one of the finest Maritime Museums on the Great Lakes. The country side has many small farm markets and antique stores to browse through. Those who are interested in boating or fishing will find public boat launch facilities, charter boat fishing and marinas. There are many public golf courses in the area.

For those who enjoy hiking, biking, horseback riding, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling, the 14-mile long Van Buren Trail and the Kal-Haven Trail start in the nearby city of South Haven. The Kal-Haven Trail is a 33 mile former railroad bed and has a limestone/slag surface. The trail links the city of South Haven to the city of Kalamazoo. The trail user will pass through small towns and villages, cross over bridges, pass points of historical interest and go through some of Michigan's beautiful countryside. Both trails are opened in the winter and snowmobiling is allowed.

Activities:

• Alcohol Restrictions
• Metal Detecting
• Swimming
• Hunting
• Michigan State Park Explorer Program

Facilities:

• Picnic Area
• Playground
• Picnic Shelter

More Information:

Van Buren State Park offers approximately 400 acres of land located along the Lake Michigan shoreline in northern Van Buren County. The focal points of the park are its high dune formations and one mile of sandy beach. Van Buren became a state park in May of 1965 when the original 167-acre plot was purchased from the Harry LaBar Drake family. Since then two other land purchases have been made to make up the current park.

Campgrounds:

Van Buren-Group Use Area
(269) 637-2788
2 site(s), Contact the park
Group Use Area, Rustic Site

Van Buren-Modern
(800) 447-2757
220 site(s), $23/$21/($16 semi modern-off season rate)
Campsites with 50 amp Service, Electrical Service, Modern Restrooms

State Parks:

Kal Haven Trail State Park
(269) 637-2788

• The Nature Conservancy: Rivers in Michigan
• Paddle Paw Paw
• The Paw Paw River
• Bangor / South Haven Heritage Water Trail (Canoe/Kayak)
• Lake Cora Corporation
• Maple Lake Info from Michigan DNR
• Map showing Maple Lake
• List of 111 Lakes in Van Buren County
• Two Rivers Coalition

Click here for information about the Paw Paw River and Maple Lake





The Paw Paw River
The Paw Paw River is located in the U.S. state of Michigan in the southwest portion of the lower peninsula. It is formed by the confluence of the north and south branches in Waverly Township in the northeast of Van Buren County. It flows approximately 89 miles (143 km) through Van Buren County and Berrien County until joining the St. Joseph River just above its mouth on Lake Michigan at Benton Harbor.

Native Americans named the Paw Paw River after the paw paw fruit that grew abundantly along the river's banks.

The watershed covers about 445 square miles (1,150 km²), mostly in Van Buren County, and also drains a tiny portion of Kalamazoo County. The watershed includes rare Great Lakes marshes and floodplain forests, which serve as habitats for migratory birds such as the Prothonotory Warbler (commonly known as the Golden Swamp Warbler), as well as the endangered Mitchell Satyr butterfly. Other rare species include the Massasauga rattlesnake and the spotted turtle. The Paw Paw River has 39 species of fish including walleye, bass, bluegill, black crappie, and northern pike.

Information courtesty of Wikipedia