
FCOC Summer
Weekend Adventure
Fayette Historical State Park
August 27-29

This summer we are planning an opportunity for fellowship and adventure together at the Fayette Historical State Park (aka: the Garden Peninsula ghostown.) Initially we were calling it a campout, but camping is not the only lodging option. Also, we are promoting this for Friday night through Sunday afternoon, but you could easily make this part of a longer stay or just come for the day on Saturday.

There is a lot to see and do there for adults and children. Take a self-guided tour through the 19th century industrial ghostown. Hike or bike trails on the beautiful cliff overlook. Take a walk through a turn of the century graveyard. Kayak on the beautiful waters of Lake Michigan. Play in the water or hang out on the beach (not much sand though). Take the kids to the playground.
We also look forward to some time to hang out as a group. Feel free to bring yard games or board games or other ideas. Also, since this runs through Sunday afternoon, we will be planning a service together Sunday morning.
If you plan on camping for the weekend, the campground has spaces for trailers and RVs, tents and truck campers. They also have modern bathrooms with showers (including a family bathroom with a shower). The sites can only be registered 6 months in advance, so we can begin making reservations Saturday morning at 8:00. You can reserve by phone (800-447-2757) or online at https://midnrreservations.com They fill up quick, so try and be logged in and ready to submit your reservation right at 8:00 or if by phone call in at 7:58 (you’ll have to listen to a recorded message for a couple minutes). For those who would like to camp in proximity of others from our group, try and get a site in the mid to top sections of the left most and center loops (Ann and I will be trying to get campsite 34 which is near the top left of the 2nd loop). (Only the start date has to be 6 months or less out – so if you log in now, you will see that some sites are already reserved or partially reserved – you can spit your stay between sites if necessary). It might help to familiarize yourself with the site before Saturday. See the images and tips below for help in the reservation process.
When you visit the link provided above, first check the box acknowledging that you have read the posted park alerts. The camping tab should already be selected and the next thing you will need to do is select Fayette Historical State Park from the “Park” drop down list. After that select arrival and departure dates, party size, and equipment (tent, truck camper, trailer or RV). When you select Search, a new page will open displaying a map. It is not immediately apparent what to do. You need to click on the green dot in the map that has 1-61 beside it. When you click on that, another page comes up with the map of available sites. Click on the site you want and then you can click on Reserve to complete the process.
If you want to stay in a hotel, consider Garden Grove Retreat https://www.gardengroveretreat.com/ It’s only about 10 miles from the state park. Rooms start at $55 AND if you use the coupon code saultchurch2021 at checkout there is a 50% discount! Some rooms do not have their own bathroom but have access to shared bathrooms down the hall.

Follow these steps for reserving a room. 1. Visit https://www.gardengroveretreat.com/rooms
2. Select accommodation 3. Use coupon code saultchurch2021 at checkout 4. Pay using PayPal or a credit card
5. Check-in instructions will be emailed to guests prior to arrival

If you have a boat you can sleep in or just want to bring your boat, the campground also has a boat dock – $1.39 per foot length per day to rent.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me (Randy Peasley) – 906-630-5845