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
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!
Waymark Code: WMXQA
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 11/05/2006
Views: 222
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.
Hours: From: 9:00 AM To: 5:00 PM
Open Year Round?: yes
Interpretive Programs?: yes
Live Animal Displays: yes
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Visit Instructions:
Visitors should visit the Nature Center and post a photo of themselves (or GPS unit) either inside or outside of the nature center visited. Logs without photos WILL be allowed if a lenghty description of one's visit and a mention of what they learned is included.