Fort Custer State Park

219 sites; each of the State Park/Recreation Area sites’ have electrical hookups, a fire ring & picnic table. There is a sanitation station available where campers can fill and dump tanks. Within the park, enjoy cross-country skiing or a number of hiking, disc-golf course, biking & horse back riding trails. Also visit one of Fort Custer Recreation Area’s three lakes, all offer excellent fishing; one boasts a no-wake swimming beach. Canoe rental available. Fort Custer Recreation Area is considered one of the best mountain bike areas in the Midwest.  A recreation passport is required for entrance in addition to the camping fee. Fort Custer Recreation Area comprises 3,033 acres located between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo.  The terrain is typical of southern Michigan farm country, with second growth forests and remnant areas of prairie.  Prairie restoration is in progress with excellent results.  The area features three lakes, the Kalamazoo River and an excellent trail system.There exist several water sources that are valuable to the park.  The Kalamazoo River provides an undeveloped natural setting along the park's embankment.  In the early 1970s, low-head dams were constructed at the outlets of Whitford-Lawler Lake and the Jackson Lake to increase the lake size and provide waterfowl habitat.  The Eagle Lake dam was built in 1982 to increase the lake size, which provided both water-based and general recreational opportunities to a growing population in southern Michigan.The Fort Custer are as cultural significance.  Territorial Road was originally an old Indian trail.  As pioneers came to Michigan, the trail provided an east/west route.  Lawler Cemetery is located next to Territorial Road.  Owned by Frank W. Lawler, a local farmer at the time, the cemetery contains tombstones of some of the state's early settlers. Over time, the trail grew into a stage coach route between St. Louis and Detroit.  Eventually, the area was farmed by early settlers.