Michigan State Parks GeoTour - (MSPGT2):
The geocache which you are about to seek is one of fifteen geocaches that are each a part of one of the three separate GeoTours making up the Michigan State Parks GeoTour, or MSPGT2 for short. MSPGT2 and each of its three GeoTours have a beautiful multi-part geocoin for you to earn. To qualify, you will need to download and print the Michigan State Parks GeoTours OFFICIAL LOGBOOK and follow the instructions on it. See the Resources section below for information.
Cache Details:
This Traditional cache is currently near the north end of Tawas Point State Park BUT IS BEING MOVED BY IFOLLOWROADS WITH HELP OF THE PARK MANAGER ON MONDAY, MAY 5TH.
The park has been under construction, but should be be open to the public June 1st, 2025.
Your geocacher name on the logbook is required to claim a find. Don't forget to record the Codeword on your OFFICIAL LOGBOOK. Please return everything as good or better than you found it. Please report problems in your log and send a message to MSPGT2. Our hiders do not see message traffic. If you need to contact the hider, their geocacher name is in the Information section below.
David Kenyon for the State of Michigan
Tawas Point Lighthouse
Tawas Point State Park
Tawas Point State Park, located on the end of a sand spit that forms Tawas Bay along Lake Huron, is home to 183 acres of lakeside recreation and has been referred to as the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.” The park is a stopover site for hundreds of migrating birds in the spring and fall, making it a favorite spot for many bird watchers from all over the Midwest.
The park is home to a modern campground and overnight lodging facilities, popular for their location on Tawas Bay, where the water is shallow and warm for swimming. The park’s day-use area features a popular swimming beach, a picnic area and nature trail along the picturesque Lake Huron coast. From the park, visitors can access the Tawas Bay Multi-Use Trails, part of Michigan’s Iron Belle Trail, along Lake Huron or explore nearby historical, natural and cultural areas along the Lumbermen's Monument Auto Tour.
Tyler Leipprandt and Michigan Sky Media LLC for the MI DNR
Tawas Point State Park Aerial
Activity: Volunteer - Lighthouse Host
Immerse yourself in history and become a Tawas Point Lighthouse Keeper! You'll live along the Lake Huron shoreline in an historic lighthouse keeper's dwelling. Enjoy modern accommodations, including two bedrooms that can sleep four adults, a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom with a shower. Free parking is also provided. The keeper schedule is designed to allow time to enjoy recreational activities on your own while providing valuable volunteer services.
The Tawas Point Lighthouse was built in 1876 and is equipped with a Fresnel lens built in Paris in 1880. The Coast Guard station, located adjacent to the park on Lakeview Drive, is the only surviving example of the First Series Life Saving Stations built on the Great Lakes. Although it has been remodeled several times, the station serves as the sole representative of a true Victorian-era style station built on the Great Lakes. In 1991 the Coast Guard built a new station just outside the park entrance and decommissioned the old station.
The lighthouse is open for tours seasonally, which offers a unique opportunity to walk to the top of the tower for a spectacular view of Tawas Point. Tickets are available at the museum store. When the lighthouse is not open for tours, visitors can enjoy its exterior and grounds as well as other historic structures such as an oil house and a fog signal area.
Visit this DNR page for more information: https://www.michigan.gov/mhc/museums/tawas/lighthouse-keepers?fbclid=IwY2xjawH7lXtleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHWDbgBszz8dWpyBPu5ciYngct8hyJYSPS6PuoNdi3bL7KyYiKvjsyl2YRQ_aem_CHUUCfOWg_xz3FxqWIvfbg
MSPGT2 - Northern Lower Peninsula Edition
Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula is a paradise for outdoor recreation, with its vast network of state parks, trails, and waterways offering endless opportunities to connect with nature. The region is home to iconic state parks with sandy trails that lead to sweeping views of Lake Michigan, and others that have towering trees that tell the story of Michigan’s logging history.
Paddlers can explore the serene waters of the Au Sable, Manistee, and Boardman Rivers, while boaters and anglers enjoy the region’s many inland lakes and access to Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The Chain of Lakes Water Trail is a must for kayakers, with its crystal-clear waters and scenic shorelines.
For hikers and cyclists, the North Country Trail and Iron Belle Trail wind through the region’s forests, fields, and charming towns, offering something for every skill level. The High Country Pathway and Jordan River Pathway are perfect for more rugged adventures.
Winter transforms the trails into destinations for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling, with groomed snowmobile trails across the region.
Whether you’re camping along the shores of Lake Michigan, stargazing from a dark sky preserve, or simply soaking in the beauty of Michigan’s pristine wilderness, the Northern Lower Peninsula’s state parks, trails, and waterways provide unforgettable experiences for all who visit.
Beautiful five-part GeoCoin by Chris Mackey
Rewards:
The image above shows the five-part Finder Geocoin for starting this adventure and the rewards for completing the three GeoTours that are part of the Michigan State Parks GeoTour (MSPGT2). The oversized coin is trackable. When you complete one or more of the three GeoTours, the Finders Geocoin is available to order from the MSPGT2 Page on the MiGO Website. It will ship with the horseback rider insert (lower right in the third image) included free, and also with any or all of the other three inserts that you have earned by completing one, two or all three GeoTours that are part of the overall MSPGT2 experience. There is also a Supporter Coin available in the store that will not accommodate the inserts. Download the OFFICIAL LOGBOOK (see Resources Section), record the codewords included with each cache as you find them, and follow the instructions on the OFFICIAL LOGBOOK to claim your prize(s).
This geocache is one of fifteen that make up the Northen Lower Peninsula Edition of the Michigan State Parks GeoTour (MSPGT2). The reward for completing the Northen Lower Peninsula Edition is the Kayaking insert shown in the upper leftposition.
MSPGT2 Team:
Thank you, LiteOnCache and IFollowRoads, for creating, hiding, watching and maintaining this MSPCGT2 Cache for the DNR, MiGO, and your fellow cachers.
Thank you, llski and jctgmt for contributing to help make this MSPGT2 Cache a success for MiGO and the Michigan DNR.
Thank you, park supervisor Micah Jordan and the team from Tawas Point State Park for help and cooperation placing this geocache.
Thank you, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, for this GeoTour and for providing the beautiful trinkets for the players.
Thank you, MSPGT2 Core Team Members who helped create and maintain this GeoTour:
IsabellaRoad - DNR Team Lead
kzooOtters- MiGO Team Lead
Merlin1392 - MiGO Geocaching HQ Liasion and Coin Design
LynnGeoGin - MiGO Rewards Manager
JellyFish - MiGO Hider Liaisons and Problem Management
aghudley - MiGO Cache Page design and implementation
IFollowRoads, MsPackrat - MiGO GeoTour planning
fox-and-the-hound - Coin Design and Implementation
Resources
Follow the links below for additional information:
MSPGT2 Upper Peninsula Edition (GT4F8) - GeoTour page on Geocaching.com
MSPGT2 Northern Lower Peninsula Edition (GT4F7) - GeoTour page on Geocaching.com
MSPGT2 Southern Lower Peninsula Edition (GT4F6) - GeoTour page on Geocaching.com
MSPGT2 Official Logbook - Download and print to record your progress and claim your rewards. Instructions are included.
Michigan DNR Geocaching Page - Information about MSPGT2 and other DNR Geocaching activities
Michigan DNR Recreation Passport - Required for entry into Michigan State Parks, Recreation Areas, State Campgrounds, State Harbors and State Access Points.
Michigan Geocaching Organization (MiGO) - MiGO Website with lots of information for geocaching in Michigan.
Michigan Geocaching Organization GeoTour Page - MiGO's MSPGT2 GeoTours page with information about the rewards.
Presented By:
The three GeoTours (Editions) making up MSPGT2 are a colaboration between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MI DNR) and the Michigan Geocaching Organization (MiGO). The MI DNR is the owner and MiGO is the creator and operator. There are fifteen caches in each of the three Geo Tour "Editions". Each of the geocaches were created and hidden by volunteer members of MiGO. Rewards for completing each "Edition" are described above. The GeoTours are currently under contract to run for two years, starting Memorial Day Weekend, 2025.