News File Photo Mike Curtis, left, and fellow camper Steve Basel relax by a fire at Hoeft State Park. The park will be closed this year so the state can complete infrastructure projects in it.

ALPENA — Local small businesses in Rogers City and people who need temporary lodging to stay in the city will be impacted by the closure of Hoeft State Park this camping season.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced in March that it intends to keep the park closed this year to perform a large improvement project that will update the park and offer more amenities to campers.

The DNR intends to invest $5.4 million in the project, which will feature upgrades to the toilet and shower building, water and sewage systems, a sanitation station, and a contact station.

Like many other places in Northeast Michigan, the campground also suffered damage from the recent ice storm, and it is not known at this time if it will set the infrastructure project back.

There is no definitive date set for when the park will reopen next year.

Rogers City Mayor Scott McLennan said the closure of Hoeft State Park will likely hurt the local economy and the tourism the city depends on each year.

He said the campground is sold out each day during the camping season, and most people come into Rogers City to shop, eat, or purchase supplies. McLennan said there are about 130 campsites at the park, and most of them are filled with families each day. He said when you consider how many people that totals at the end of the camping season, that is a huge loss of money that businesses depend on to survive the slower winter months.

“In my opinion, it will be damaging to our economy,” McLennan said. “Local businesses have already had to review and probably adjust their budgets because they anticipate a loss of customers. The state park has a huge impact on our economy, and losing it for this year is a big deal to all of us.”

The campground closure may also dissuade people from coming to Rogers City for a vacation or spending a weekend, because lodging is limited. It could be a large problem during the annual Nautical Festival in town, which draws tens of thousands of people from all over the country.

McLennan said the city government is working hard to find a way to create temporary camping sites for people.

He said the city is working with the Rogers City Area School System, which would allow Gilpin Field, where the football and baseball fields are located, to use the property for camping during large events. McLennan said the city is also in talks with Posen officials and organizers of the annual Posen Potato Festival to see if the land it uses for temporary camping can also be used.

McLennan said the city government will continue to work hard to find more places for people to camp so they don’t have to miss the events that are planned.

“We are doing everything we can to open up spots for people to use,” he said.

Some people in Rogers City believe the DNR had other options it could have used to complete the project and still allow the park, or portions of it, to remain open. McLennan said he believes the same, but little can be done about it at this point.

“I wish the DNR had scheduled it in the fall and then wrapped it up in the spring. So during the peak camping season, we wouldn’t have it closed,” he said. “But, it’s too late for that now. Rest assured, we are doing everything we can to mitigate the fallout from this, because it is not a good thing and will have a serious impact on Rogers City.”

Hoeft isn’t the only state park that will be closed to campers this year. Projects are also planned for Cheboygan State Park that will limit nearby options for people who want to visit the Rogers City area. Season-long closures were also planned for Clear Lake State Park near Atlanta, but the DNR pivoted on its plan and will now keep the parks open until Aug. 4 and then close them to begin work.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.