Your Passport to Outdoor Fun: Huron-Clinton Metroparks 2023 Annual Passes On Sale Now

All photos of Hudson Mills Metropark. Courtesy HCMA.

The Metroparks are a world of wonder, and right now is the time to get your 2023 Huron-Clinton Metroparks annual park pass at a discounted price. So much for such a small price.

“Purchasing an annual pass is the best way to experience everything our diverse Metroparks have to offer,” said Amy McMillan, director of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. “Plus, it’s a great value. Nothing else matches it in terms of what you get and how affordable it can be to get out and enjoy the great outdoors, which the COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced just how important that can be. It truly is an investment that keeps on giving all year long.”

Here’s the deal: Residents of the five Metropark counties get a $5 discount for an annual pass purchased by Dec. 31, 2022. That’s thirteen parks across Southeast Michigan with 365 days of nature, exploration, fun, relaxation, and almost 25,000 acres of space to enjoy. Need something to do? Look no further.

Come Jan. 1, the 2023 Metroparks annual pass will again cost $40 for residents ($29 for Seniors 62+) of the five counties served or $45 for non-residents ($34 for Seniors 62+). But now, through the end of the year, residents can purchase their 2023 vehicle pass for just $35 (or $24 for Seniors 62+).

The Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority, Metroparks, is a group of 13 parks spread across Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties. The Metroparks were established by the Michigan State Legislature in 1939 and approved by voters in the five counties the following year.

The Metroparks vision was to provide an escape from the growing urban and suburban life of Southeast Michigan to promote health and quality of life. Today, visitors enjoy an increasing variety of year-round outdoor recreational and educational activities in safe, clean environments. Picnicking, fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, nature study, biking, golf, disc golf, winter sports, and a host of special outdoor programs and events are available within a short drive to southeast Michigan residents.

The Metroparks are known for their scenic shared pathways. More than 55 miles of paved hike/bike trails course through the Metroparks, and some of these trails connect with many more miles of trails outside the Metroparks, such as the Border-to-Border Train in Western Washtenaw. The system operates seven regulation golf courses, one par-3 course, and disc golf courses.

Washtenaw County has three Metroparks. These three parks opened in the 1950s and are considered “linear parks” because the Huron River runs through each of them. The focus for these parks at the time was picnicking and fishing.

Hudson Mills Metropark, named for the community that once occupied the area, opened in 1957. Its 1,549 acres feature a three-mile paved loop and an 18-hole golf course. A 4.75-mile paved pathway connects it to Dexter and the B2B. Park rangers host many programs for the entire family.

Dexter-Huron Metropark was not part of the original park plan, but the 122 acres were offered to the park authority, which accepted it because of its location on the Huron River. The park is connected to Hudson Mills via the B2B with a segment using the streets of Dexter.

Delhi Metropark is also the result of donated land. The 81-acre park is a popular terminus for users of the Huron River who put in at Hudson Mills. A segment of the B2B scheduled to be constructed in 2023 will connect it to Dexter-Huron and complete the pathway connecting all three Washtenaw County Metroparks. Plans for the B2B include continuing it three miles into Ann Arbor, where it will join up with other trail sections.

Passes can be purchased at www.metroparks.com (look for the “Buy Annual Pass” button in the menu bar) or at any Metroparks toll booth or park office.

The 13 Huron-Clinton Metroparks include Delhi, Dexter-Huron, Hudson Mills, Huron Meadows, Indian Springs, Kensington, Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, Lower Huron, Oakwoods, Stony Creek, Willow and Wolcott Mill Metroparks.

Additionally, 2023 passes can be used immediately, even before the new year.