Silver Lake Dunes cover an area 3.5 miles long and 1.5 miles
wide, about 2,000 acres. Approximately 500 acres are available for Off-Highway
Vehicle Use.
The
DNR introduced a voucher system during the 2000 season as a tool to manage the
long lines of ORV users waiting to enter Silver Lake State Park on Saturday,
Sundays and holidays.
There
are two types of vouchers: Dune Ready Vouchers and Parking Lot Vouchers. Dune
Ready vehicles are those that enter the state park ORV area from public
highways and go straight into the sand dune off-road area without the need for
the parking lot/staging area. Parking Lot Vouchers are for those who require a
staging or parking area for their tow vehicles and/or trailers. Both types of
vouchers are free to park visitors and are distributed from the Off-Road
Vehicle Voucher Center located at the corner of Fox and Ridge Roads, to the
east of the ORV entrance gate. The purpose of the voucher is simply to hold
the ORV user's place in line, while staggering arrival times to avoid
excessive lines.
Rules:
The
Off-Road Vehicle Area is open each year from April 1 through October 31.
- April 1 – May 15
and the day after Labor Day – October 31, it is open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- May 16 –
Labor Day it is open 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Access
to the ORV Area and Dunes is stopped ½ hour ahead of closing time, every
evening.
Current
vehicle permits are required on all vehicles using the area.
All
motor vehicles entering the park must display a Michigan State Park Motor
Vehicle Permit.
All
motor vehicles entering the dunes must also display a Michigan ORV
Registration.
Entry
Vouchers are required on summer weekends and holidays.
No
alcoholic beverages are allowed throughout the year in and around the ORV
Area.
Operate
vehicles only within the dune area marked with orange boundary markers.
Obey
directional traffic zone signage. No north-bound traffic in high dune
areas.
Rectangular,
safety orange flags reaching 10 foot in height required on all ORVs.
Michigan
Child Passenger Safety Law in effect in ORV Area.
Emergency
strobe, flashing, rotating and/or blinking lights and sirens prohibited.
Helmets
are required to operate ATVs and motorcycles in parking lot as well as in
dunes.
Special
regulations for un-licensed and young (12 – 16 years of age) operators.
Headlight(s),
taillight(s) and brake light(s) required on vehicles ½ hour after sunset.
ATVs
and motorcycles: operator only, no passengers at any time.
Please
report accidents, injuries and/or emergencies to state park personnel or
911.
Exhaust
System Rules and Testing
At Silver Lake State Park, a static or stationary
test for this equipment is used on all types of vehicles. Noise levels will be
checked at a 20-inch distance from the exhaust pipe at half the vehicle's
rated revolutions per minute (RPM) or as detailed in the automotive
specifications SAEJ1169, March 92 or SAE J1287, June 86. The maximum noise
level permitted under these testing conditions will be 94 dBa which is the
current limit set by the Off-Road Recreation Vehicle Act as Park 811 of 1994
PA 451 (MCL 324.811). All vehicles are required to have a muffler and spark
arrester containing baffles meeting established United States Forest Service
specifications.
