Island Park — Attraction in Alpena

Island Park in Alpena is an absolute sanctuary! Tucked away in the middle of the city, this place feels like a true escape from the world. You cross over the beautiful wooden covered bridge, and it's like you've entered a different realm. The trails are incredibly well-maintained and offer a perfect, peaceful stroll. We loved walking the loop and taking in the beautiful scenery of the Thunder Bay River. The different ecosystems on the island are so cool to see—from the little sand dunes to the marshy areas, it's a a small slice of wilderness right in town. It's clear the city and local volunteers put a lot of care into this park. We saw so many different birds and even some turtles. It's the ideal spot for a quiet walk, some birdwatching, or just sitting on a bench and enjoying the peace and quiet. A must-visit if...

Nice area to explore by foot or paddle around for a couple of hours. Kayak launch available for public use and you can rent one there. You can paddle around island and in nearby area but don’t bother going down the river towards Thunder Bay, access is blocked off at 9th street damn, forcing you to paddle back upstream. If the winds are high this can get really annoying. A lot of natural growth in the water to kayak around, not really ideal for swimming anywhere. We saw a few birds, turtles, a very large snapping turtle. The walk around island is nice and mostly shaded, stairs and...

This is a wonderful place to walk, but be careful. People tend to run their dogs off leash on this island and it can be extremely dangerous when you are trying to enjoy the park with your own dogs or kids. Please, follow the leash laws, and be responsible pet owners! I do love bringing my dogs to this park (always kept on leash of course). There are a few different trails and ways to walk around this little island. There are a few fishing platforms as well if you want to enjoy some fishing. There is also a lot of opportunity to take photographs of many species of birds while...