{{short description|Park in Michigan, USA}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox park | name = William Mitchell State Park | image = Mitchell State Park (May 2017).jpg | image_caption = Clam Lake Canal with campground on the right | image_size = 280 | map = USA Michigan#USA | map_caption = Location in Michigan | map_size = 280 | relief = 1 | location = Cadillac, Wexford County, Michigan, United States | coordinates = {{coord|44|14|17|N|85|27|08|W|display=inline, title}} | coords_ref = | elevation = {{convert|1289|ft}} | area = {{convert|660|acre}} | designation = Michigan state park | established = 1920<ref name=mdnr3/> | free_label = Named for | free_data = William W. Mitchell | visitation_num = 155,633 | visitation_year = 1996 | administrator = Michigan Department of Natural Resources | website = {{Official website}} }}
'''William Mitchell State Park''' is a public recreation area covering {{convert|660|acre}} on the southwest side of Cadillac in northern lower Michigan. The state park is located between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac. The historic Clam Lake Canal, approximately one-third of a mile in length, connects the two lakes and runs directly through the park.<ref name=mdnr/> Dug in 1873 at the direction of city father George A. Mitchell, the canal allowed felled trees to be floated from Lake Mitchell to lumber mills on Lake Cadillac.<ref name=lmib/>
==History== The park bears the name of William W. Mitchell, who during the 1890s operated sawmills in the area as co-owner of the Cobbs and Mitchell Mill No. 1,<ref name=hsm/> and who was a nephew of city founder George Mitchell.<ref name=romig/> Under the name Cadillac State Park, it was among 13 parks established in 1920 following the creation of the Michigan State Parks Commission a year earlier.<ref name=mdnr2/><ref name=1922report/> The park's "prime real estate" was donated by Mitchell's widow, Ellen, who requested the park be named in her late husband's honor.<ref name=hsm/>
==Features== The park is home to '''Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center''' which documents the history of hunting and fishing, offers seminars, workshops and audio-visual presentations, and includes an exhibit hall which displays local wildlife species.<ref name=mdnr4/>
==Activities and amenities== The park offers a campground with 221 sites, cabins, two boat launches, playground, beach, picnicking facilities, and fishing for perch, walleye, panfish, and bass. The {{convert|2.5|mi|km|adj=on}} Heritage Nature Trail runs through a woodland and marsh environment. The trail, mostly a woodchip path with a series of bridges and boardwalks, provides a study area supporting a variety of plants and wildlife. Winter activities include snowmobiling, ice fishing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.<ref name=mdnr/>
==Images== <gallery widths="220px" heights="125px" perrow="4"> File:Carl T Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center.jpg|{{center|Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center}} File:Mitchell State Park signage (July 2022).jpg|{{center|Main entrance park signage}} File:Mitchell State Park canal (July 2022).jpg|{{center|Clam Lake Canal and campground}} File:Mitchell State Park beachfront (Michigan).jpg|{{center|Beachfront along Lake Mitchell}} </gallery>
==References== <references> <ref name=mdnr>{{cite web |url=https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ParksandTrails/Details.aspx?id=474&type=SPRK |title=Mitchell State Park |publisher=Michigan Department of Natural Resources |access-date=November 21, 2024}}</ref>
<ref name=mdnr2>{{cite web |url=https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/Greenville_Daily_News_655881_7.pdf |title=Michigan DNR celebrates 100 years of state parks |publisher=Michigan Department of Natural Resources |pages=10–11 |access-date=May 10, 2020}}</ref>
<ref name=mdnr3>{{cite web |url=https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/DatesEstablished_650313_7.pdf |title=When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established? |publisher=Michigan Department of Natural Resources |access-date=May 10, 2020}}</ref>
<ref name=mdnr4>{{cite web |url=https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/places/v-centers/carl-t |title=Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center |publisher=Michigan Department of Natural Resources |access-date=November 21, 2024}}</ref>
<ref name=lmib>{{cite web |url=https://www.lakemitchell.org/facts-and-history/ |title=Lake Mitchell Facts & History |publisher=Lake Mitchell Improvement Board |access-date=November 21, 2024}}</ref>
<ref name=1922report>{{cite web |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071124260&view=1up&seq=238 |title=Biennial Report of the Department of Conservation of the State of Michigan 1921–1922 |editor=Albert Stoll, Jr. |page=228 |access-date=May 10, 2020}}</ref>
<ref name=romig>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y-FPXEGRo-YC&pg=PA604 |title=Michigan Place Names |author=Walter Romig |page=604 |publisher=Wayne State University Press |location=Detroit, Mich. |year=1986 |isbn=081431838X |access-date=March 7, 2018}}</ref>
<ref name=hsm>{{cite magazine |title=Who's who behind Michigan's named state parks. |magazine=Michigan History Magazine |publisher=Historical Society of Michigan |date=March 1, 2016}}</ref> </references>
==External links== {{commons category|Mitchell State Park}} *[https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ParksandTrails/Details.aspx?id=474&type=SPRK Mitchell State Park] Michigan Department of Natural Resources *[http://www.michigandnr.com/Publications/PDFS/RecreationCamping/mitchell_map.pdf Mitchell State Park Map] Michigan Michigan Department of Natural Resources
{{Michigan state parks}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:State parks of Michigan Category:Protected areas of Wexford County, Michigan Category:Protected areas established in 1920 Category:1920 establishments in Michigan