MSPCGT:Baraga SP Traditional Cache

Michigan State Parks Centennial GeoTour (GT93)

UPDATE: 3/1/2024:

2019 was the 100^th Anniversary of Michigan State Parks and we're still celebrating!. Join the Michigan Geocaching Organization (MiGO), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Geocaching.com for the first official GeoTour in Michigan.

This tour was originally scheduled to run for three years, kicking off on Friday of Memorial Weekend in 2019 and continue through May 31, 2022. The success of this awesome tour has not gone unnoticed. On February 2, 2022, The DNR announced the extension of the GeoTour through September 24, 2024! Join us in making a final push to complete this very popular and very successful GeoTour before the sun sets on it.

Each geocache is in one of Michigan's state parks. The geocaches are arranged by MiGO Region, with twenty-five geocaches per region. The Ticket to Celebrate 100 is available for download from the DNR's Geocaching page. It explains how to qualify for prizes in each of the four regions and for the GeoTour as a whole.

Day use areas of state parks are open from 8AM to 10PM. Geocaching is limited to those hours. Entry into Michigan's State Parks requires a Michigan Recreation Passport. See the Resources section below for more information.

The sun will set on the MSPCGT at midnight Tuesday, September 24, 2024. The MSPCGT will go off the air as a GeoTour and the caches will disappear from the map. There is a lot of construction going on in our State Parks in 2024. Some of the GeoTour caches will have to be pulled earlier. The remaining geocaches in the tour will be archived October 1, 2024. Players will have until December 31, 2024 to claim any prize they have earned. Hiders will be contacted to request removal of the geocaches they hid unless they have made arrangements with park managers and have their own permit in place to keep the geocache in play, with a new GC Code.

Now for some good news: MiGO and the DNR are busy working on a new project that will kick off in the Spring of 2025, code named MSPGT 2.0. Are you interested in helping? Keep your MiGO Membership up to date and stay tuned to the website.

Cache:

This cache was hidden as part of the Michigan State Parks Centennial GeoTour, presented by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Geocaching Organization. Record the codeword printed on the log book and on a label inside the cache container to the appropriate box on the Ticket to Celebrate 100 form. See the instructions on the form to claim prizes.

This is a traditional cache hidden at the posted coordinates. The tenants are locked up but you can get a hint for the key. You are looking for a Regular size container. Please return everything as good or better than you found it.

Thank you Bjb_fam for creating, hiding and maintaining this MSPC GeoTour cache.

^{Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources}
Kayakers getting ready tohit Keweenaw Bay

Baraga State Park:

Baraga State Park is a public recreation area covering 56 acres on the shore of Lake Superior's Keweenaw Bay in Baraga County, Michigan. The state park sits along Route 41 on the south side of the village of Baraga. The park, village, and county bear the name of Bishop Frederic Baraga. The park holds an annual Christmas in July Celebration. Baraga State Park overlooks scenic Keweenaw Bay of Lake Superior.

^{Photograph by Brandon Bal © 2018, used with permission.}
A summer sunrise from Baraga State Park

History:

In 1921, Baraga State Park became the first dedicated State Park in the Upper Peninsula. In 1941 the Works Project Administration (WPA) built the stone toilet/shower building, all of the stone was collected locally and is now located on the national historic registry. The stone building was designed by Ernest Hartwick, who is responsible for some of Michigan's best examples of rustic architecture style.

^{Map courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.}

Activities:

Recreational opportunities are many at Baraga State Park, from hiking, cross country skiing, paddling, wild life sightings, fishing and geocaching, or taking to the trails on a snowmobile or off-road-vehicle. Camping is available at 113 grassy sites or in the park's mini-cabin or tepee.

Information:

For more information, reservations and a calendar of events, follow this link to Baraga State Park.

Special thanks to RXWranglers for help with this geocache.

Special thanks to Cherry Capital Cachers for the Upper Peninsula regional prize.

Resources:

• State Parks Centennial GeoTour - Download the Ticket to Celebrate 100
• Michigan.gov/StateParks100
• Michigan DNR Recreation Passport
• When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?
• Michigan Geocaching Organization (MiGO)