MSPCGT:Duck Lake SP Multi-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 two stage multi-cache with a field puzzle and is not at the posted coordinates. The posted coordinates bring you to the beach parking area. Gather the needed information from the sign and proceed to:

• N 43° 20.ABC W 086° 24.XYZ
  
  
• A = number of words on DNR symbol.
• B = number of letters of 4^th word on DNR symbol.
• C = number of letters of 2^nd word on DNR symbol.
• X = number of letters in abbreviation.
• Y = number of letters in 1^st word on park name plus one.
• Z = number of letters in 2^nd line of park name.
  
  
• North Checksum: A+B+C = 16
• West Checksum:. X+Y+Z = 17

You are looking for a Regular size container. Please return everything as good or better than you found it.

Thank you GHBuccaneers & Pepstreet for creating, hiding and maintaining this MSPC GeoTour cache.

^{Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources}
Duck Lake Trail

Duck Lake State Park:

Duck Lake State Park is a 728-acre day-use park, featuring a towering sand dune. The park stretches from the northern shore of Duck Lake to Lake Michigan. The terrain is a mixture of open brush land to mature hardwood forest, with some pockets of open meadows mixed in.

Come out and explore this beautiful lake that drains right into Lake Michigan! We love this park because the water in the Big lake can be quite chilly, but the channel between the two lakes stays nice and tepid. It's also great for families with young children since it′s quite shallow too!

^{Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources}
Channel between Duck Lake and Lake Michigan

History:

The land was purchased by the Nature Conservancy from two Boy Scout organizations and acquired by the state in 1974. Remains of the old scout camps were removed, and access roads were constructed. The park was officially dedicated in the spring of 1988. A new entrance off Scenic Drive was completed in May 2005.

^{Map courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources}

Activities:

Fishing, hiking, swimming and picnicking, are just some of the activities in this beautiful park. Kayak rentals are available at the ranger station, first come, first served. Rentals are limited to use on Duck Lake. Bass, crappie and panfish are plentiful. Early summer fly fishing for bluegill is popular. A paved path provides a pleasant stroll through the woods and along the Duck Lake shoreline. Hunting for small game, deer, waterfowl and wild turkey are allowed in season. Sandy beaches are available on both Duck Lake and Lake Michigan. The park is closed to motor vehicles in winter but is accessible to cross-country skiers and snowmobilers.

Information:

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

Special thanks to Nurse Nanna for help with this geocache.

Special thanks to Cold Cache Crew and Silent Whistles for the Southwest 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)