Did you know three of the 13 Huron-Clinton Metroparks are right here in Macomb County? That’s right, Lake St. Clair Metropark, Stony Creek Metropark and Wolcott Mill Metropark call our county home. And they offer residents and visitors alike an abundance of ways to spend their leisure and recreation time.
Some of which you may not have heard about before.
For instance, do you know what pickleball is? It’s kind of a cross between tennis and ping-pong, played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes in it. Nobody knows exactly why it’s called pickleball, but it’s a lot of fun and Lake St. Clair Metropark has several outdoor pickleball courts on site.
Lake St. Clair also offers foot golf, which is played like regular golf but with bigger balls (about the size of a soccer ball) you kick instead of hitting with clubs. The foot golf course is actually laid out alongside the property’s nine-hole par three course, so families can play both kinds of golf at the same time.
Other highlights at Lake St. Clair include beach volleyball, new basketball courts, tennis, miniature golf, a 1,600 foot boardwalk, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and the Squirt Zone Spray Ground. Dry or wet, you’ll have a blast.
If you’re interested in the history of Macomb County, Wolcott Mill Metropark is just the place for you. On the park’s southern property, the historic grist mill dates back to the 1840s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s one of the few remaining historic grist and feed mills in the country.
But it’s not just history at Wolcott Mill. There’s also a working farm just a couple miles away at the park’s northern property. “Working” means it’s a real farm that produces real agricultural products and has hundreds of real animals on site . . . dairy cows, sheep, gats, horses and some of the most amazing looking chickens you’ll ever see. Many of the animals are friendly and will come right up to the fence to let you pet them.
Speaking of horses, Wolcott Mill Metropark also features ten miles of equestrian trails that lead you through woods, meadows and along the Clinton River.
And what can you do at Stony Creek Metropark? Just about everything. The property features an 18-hole regulation golf course, softball, volleyball, basketball and soccer facilities . . . plus playgrounds, picnic areas, rustic and paved trails, great fishing spots, a nature center and more.
Something you might want to get a few friends together and try is disc golf. It’s another twist on the classic game, this time using Frisbee-style discs and metal baskets. It’s a lot of fun and anybody can play.
So, whatever you like to do during these summer months, Macomb County and our three Huron-Clinton Metroparks are the perfect place to do it.
Danielle Mauter is the chief of marketing and communications for the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.