In Tawas City, the parks offer different experiences along Lake Huron and the Tawas River: paddling, fishing, nature watching, watching the sunrise over the lake, and baseball are among the specific possibilities. When planning your stay, you can first consider which of these activities suits your interests. The places differ not only in their locations on the lake or river, but also in their facilities and uses.
Waterfront and paddling on Lake Huron
At Shoreline Park, an L-shaped pier defines the waterfront: it is 450 feet long and was extended by another 100 feet in 2021. The park also includes Town Square, a 3.2-acre area with nearly 1,500 linear feet of uninterrupted Lake Huron shoreline. Within the same park, a distinctive pier and a separate waterfront area provide different points of reference.
For paddling, Shoreline Park has kayak rental lockers and a launch for non-motorized watercraft. It provides access to Tawas Bay on Lake Huron. Among the facilities described, this makes the park the place explicitly associated with paddling; the pier and shoreline offer additional points of reference for a visit by the water.
The Shoreline Arts & Crafts Show is also associated with the park: it takes place annually over Memorial Day weekend. If you want to plan your visit around the event, check the date in advance. The combination of waterfront and recurring event offers a different reason to plan a visit than one focused mainly on fishing or nature watching.
Fishing and nature on the Tawas River
Gateway Park is located at the mouth of the Tawas River. The area is preserved for public access and a variety of recreational uses. The park includes a 300-foot-long, lighted, ADA-accessible fishing pier and a boat launch for two boats up to 28 feet long. There is also a designated lakeside area where dogs can use the beach. The fishing pier, boat launch, and dog beach make the park’s different offerings easy to distinguish.
There is another facility for fishing on the river: Veterans Park has a fishing boardwalk along the Tawas River. Consumer Energy River Access, by contrast, focuses on nature watching. The nearly four-acre area is located in Tawas City and Baldwin Township; visitors can observe all kinds of wildlife and fish along the banks of the Tawas River. Together, the three locations offer different ways to enjoy the river: a fishing pier and boat launch at Gateway Park, a fishing boardwalk at Veterans Park, and opportunities for wildlife watching at Consumer Energy River Access.
Views, remembrance, and sports
Anchor Park offers a large terrace overlooking Lake Huron. Visitors can watch the sunrise and relax there. The park is also on a non-motorized trail that stretches from Alabaster Township to Baldwin Township. The lake view and the location along this trail are two distinct features of Anchor Park.
Iosco County Veterans Recognition Plaza, with its black granite monuments, offers a cultural and historical connection. For sports, there is Independent Park: covering 6.5 acres, it is designed as a sports complex and includes Tawas City’s primary baseball field. These places offer different experiences from the waterfront parks. If you are choosing between waterfront activities, a scenic viewpoint, a place of remembrance, and a sports complex, you can tailor your choices to your interests.
Discover more destinations: Oscoda.
Return to the main travel overview: Iosco County.
