Alden Depot Park & Museum — Attraction in Helena Township

The Alden Depot Museum is open each weekend. It houses a wonderful collection of enlarged vintage photos taken of the area - in the 19th and thru the middle 20th centuries. Also displays featuring pioneering families, the early resorts, railroad history and many other rotating exhibits. A third of the building is dedicated to an extensive, working model train display. The museum is taken over by “the train guys” 3 weekends in August when all available space is transformed into working train displays. (See photos). Great place for families to see how local and resort life was lived here prior to living life in fast forward…when sailboats, wooden boats and early fiberglass boats quietly...

Neat, small park right on Torch Lake and close to the boat ramp. The parking lot for the museum+park also serves as the boat trailer parking for the public boat ramp for Alden Safe Harbor down the road. I didn't have a chance to visit the museum yet. I love the park though. There are two lake access spots, one a bit rocky and the other part being a tiny beach. There is a nice, multi-level viewing deck on that end as well. There are two sand volleyball courts, lots of tables and benches, and some nice gardens and sculptures. There is also a train right outside the...

Stunning location on Torch Lake. A must stop if in Alden. Very cool train collection and a caboose you can walk through. The gentleman there was very friendly and just a wealth of knowledge. We enjoyed learning some of the local history and he even gave us ideas of other places worth checking out nearby. Just a lovely experience, so glad they were open...