Tucked away on 32 acres in Crawford County, the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center offers a quieter side of Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. Originally built as a conservation training facility for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the center sits along the shores of Higgins Lake — one of the clearest and most beautiful inland lakes in the state.

Unlike Michigan’s busier state parks, MacMullan feels more like a retreat. The grounds are modest in size but rich in setting, surrounded by the jack pine and mixed hardwood forests that define this part of the state. Trails wind through the property and connect to nearby state forest land, giving hikers and wildlife watchers access to far more terrain than the acreage suggests. Birding is particularly rewarding here, with species ranging from warblers to bald eagles depending on the season.

The center is primarily used for conferences, workshops, and group gatherings, so facilities lean more toward meeting spaces and lodging than traditional campgrounds. If you’re looking for tent or RV camping, nearby Higgins Lake State Park and the vast Au Sable State Forest offer plenty of options within a short drive.

Summer brings the best weather for lake access and hiking, but fall transforms the surrounding forests into a showcase of color that rivals anywhere in the Midwest. Winter visitors will find cross-country skiing and snowshoeing terrain right outside the door.

Come here for the setting, the stillness, and a genuine connection to Michigan’s conservation heritage.

Explore Nearby

• Huron–Manistee National Forest — National Forest in Michigan
• Historic Michigan Road Byway Alternate — Scenic Byway in Indiana
• Mission Point Light (1933) — Lighthouse in Michigan
• Mission Point Light — Lighthouse in Michigan
• Zehnder’s Holz Brucke Covered Bridge — Covered Bridge in Michigan