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Shark Enterprises
Joan H. Young
861 W. US 10
Scottville, MI 49454
jhyshark@gmail.com
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this page updated 8/8/14

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at Victory Township Park

General Information

Victory Park

This park is a small gem located on the north end of Hamlin Lake. You can picnic, hike, play, take a short hike, or do some fishing or boating in a quiet, off-the-beaten-track location.

Boat Launch

Boat Launch- cement ramp with a wooden L-shaped dock long enough for fishing as well. Easy parking for several vehicles with boat trailers

Fishing

Fishing- Hamlin Lake - black crappie, bluegill, brook trout, channel catfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, walleye, yellow perch (list from lake-link.com)

Hiking

Victory Park Trails

These trails have been walkable for a long time, but in 2012, an Eagle Scout project marked the trails, routed a wooden map, and added a benched path that leads from the upper picnic area to the lower one. The trails are now designated as red, green, and blue. You will need to combine at least two of the three to make a loop from the beach parking area.

Red Trail

The description begins at the west side of the picnic pavillion. Look for the wooden trail sign. Enter the woods at the base of the hill, but slightly above the water line. The trail is an old woods road. It continues around the base of the hill past the shoreline of Hamlin Lake and then turns south keeping swampy land near the seasonal creek on the right, and the hill on the left. You will pass the blue and green side trails angling to the left up valleys. Both of these lead to the top of the bluff and the road to the upper park. If you continue straight on the red trail you will reach a confusing trail marker which shows a trail marker pointing you straight on the old road and a sign with an arrow that says Red Trail left.

Look to your left, just above eye level in the trees and you will see another Red Trail marker pointing back to the left in the woods. Apparently they meant to create treadway to turn back at this point. If you scramble up to the other marker, you will find other markers leading you back through brush to the Green Trail.

Alternatively, you can continue on to Victory Park Road.

This trail is the second turnoff to the left from the Red Trail. It angles up the slope, and meets the "fishhook" end of the Red Trail. Then it continues up the slope to the road to the upper picnic area. Turn left and follow the road. This trail ends where the Blue Trail comes up the hill to the road.

This trail is the first turnoff to the left from the Red Trail. It climbs moderately steeply up the hill and emerges on the road to the upper picnic area, at the end of the Green Trail. Turn left on the road and continue into the grassy area. Before reaching the historic marker the trail exits the grassy area to the right, and goes into the woods. Reach a fork. Continuing straight takes you to a bench with an overlook of Hamlin Lake (better view in winter). The right fork will switchback down to the parking area and emerge on the east side of the latrine.

Access- Via Victory Park Road off Fountain Road. Park at the beach, or at the top of the hill in the upper park. The road to the upper park is bad in wet weather, but should be fine under dry conditions.
Restrictions- Private land on both sides of the park.
Distance and time- about a mile to walk outbound on the trail and return to the shore via the road. Add a little more for side trips up the valleys and to the upper park. Mileages were measured on a topographic map and/ or verified by pacing, at which I am fairly accurate.
Trail Markers- plastic arrows on wooden posts with the trail colors and some painted signs.
Condition of Marking- Good, with two problems. The Red Trail is marked as both straight ahead, and to the left where it turns off the old road. The Blue Trail, if you climb from east of the latrines is marked straight ahead where it makes the switchback, and this is confusing.
Treadway- level old road for Red Trail, fairly stable footing with a few roots. Green and Blue Trails climb up valleys with steeper grades and less defined treadway.
Grades- Red Trail flat, moderate climb up the hill on the Green Trail, while the Blue Trail is fairly steep.
Ecosystem- freshwater lake, steep hillside in maple-beech-hemlock woods, with scattered white cedar and wetland on lower side
Other points of interest-
Monument to residents of Victory Township who died in WWI and WWII is located at the upper park on top of the hill.
Most recent date this info personally checked on foot- October 2018
Back to map

Picnicking

Picnicking-
Hamlin Lake Beach- nice picnic pavillion with 6 tables, several grills
Hilltop- one bench

Playgrounds

Playground- swings, sandbox, open field

Historic Site

Historic Site- Monument to residents of Victory Township who died in WWI and WWII is located at the upper park on top of the hill.

Swimming

Swimming-
swimming allowed in Hamlin Lake, no actual beach. There is a short dock made of recycled plastic, separate from the boat launch dock, which could be used for swimming access.

Rest Rooms and Potable Water

Rest Rooms- porta potty at beach
Potable Water- none

Details

Access- via Victory Park Road off Fountain Road. Park at the beach.
Restrictions- no camping.
Seasonality- open all year if the road is plowed
Ecosystem- Large inland lake subject to high waves. Wooded.
Most recent date this info personally checked - October 2018
Additional Facilities- benches at several locations on trails
Maintained by- Victory Township.
More- Michigan DNR Mason County Lakes

Locator

Driving Directions

Travel west on Fountain Road from US 31 (6.5 miles north of US 10 at Scottville), for 5 miles. The paved road becomes Angling Road, veering southwest. However, you can continue straight (around a slight jog for traffic safety) on Fountain Road, now dirt. Do this, and take the first right on Victory Park Road. This road goes north for just under one mile, then jogs left. Shortly, there is a road to the right marked to Sunset Bluff Resort, however, continue straight and the road will dead end at the park.

Navigation

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