HOLLAND, Mich. — Holland State Park's main parking lot remains closed until further notice due to ongoing "illegal activities", according to the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office and Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The closure was announced Tuesday on social media, citing "illegal activity" as the reason for blocking access to the larger parking area. A smaller lot near the entrance remains open for park visitors.
The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office said they have received numerous complaints over the past few months about reckless driving, loud exhaust and after-hours activity in the main parking lot.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which oversees the state park, reported additional concerns including destruction of state property, intoxicated operations, and close calls between cars and pedestrians.
Holland resident Allysia Sosnosky was visiting the park with her family to watch the sunset when she discovered the closure.
"We came this way and we saw it was blocked off. Like, oh, maybe it just got snowed in. And so we went around and it was fully closed," Sosnosky said.
When informed about the reasons for the closure, Sosnosky said she was surprised by the reported activities.
"We were shocked that people were destroying property, doing dangerous stunts, all of that. We were just really shocked about it," she said.
The DNR indicated the closure is intended to be temporary, and the park remains open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
While visitors can still access the park through the smaller lot, Sosnosky said some might find the walking distance challenging during winter weather.
"It's open, so it's not as bad as it being fully closed," Sosnosky said. "But I don't think it's worth to walk, definitely when it's this cold out."
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