Muskegon Sports Council Mission:

….to provide quality, reliable, winter recreational sports activities and programs to both Muskegon County residents and visitors to the area. To uphold the strict environmental guidelines set forth by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to protect the quality and enjoyment of the Muskegon State Park.

We welcome your involvement and planning for each season; please contact us if you are able to assist.

How The Complex Came About……

The Muskegon Winter Sports Complex began as a dream in 1983 and is now the focal point for winter recreation in Muskegon County. The story is typical of the long history of involvement and support of the park by Muskegon area citizens. It was truly built “by the community, for the community”.

The dream began when a few people conceived the idea of building a luge and bobsled run that would serve as an Olympic-training site. Energies were focused solely on the luge run. The idea grew and gained community and political support as local legislators worked toward making state funding available for the construction and operation of the luge. By 1984, community support grew into a love affair with the luge. Countless hours of labor and thousands of dollars of construction materials and equipment were donated to see the project completed.

During construction of the luge, another idea surfaced; that of creating lighted cross-country ski trails. With a $400,000 state appropriation the project was underway almost as soon as the concept was presented. In addition some hundred seventy-five individuals and businesses donated one hundred dollars each to “adopt a light”, enabling five miles of ski trails to be lighted. Volunteers from local utilities and trade unions gave of their time to complete the longest lighted x-c ski trail system in the Midwest. More ideas were considered – providing a sports lodge, ice skating rinks and a ski jump. Although some state funding was made available, local residents at a public hearing soundly rejected the ski jump for fear of destroying the character of the park. Refrigerated skating rinks were dropped because of prohibitive construction and operation costs; however the ski trails, luge run and sports lodge were strongly supported. The winter of 1985 saw both the luge and the lighted ski trails in operation. The sports lodge and the ice rinks were put on hold. They were added in 1990.

The area where the Sports Lodge now stands was occupied during the 1930’s and 1940’s by a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. The luge run was constructed on the site of the toboggan run built by the men of the CCC, and used until the late 1950’s. The luge run today uses most of the same water lines originally laid to make the toboggan run. History repeats itself, demonstrating that the warmth of winter fun is alive and well in Muskegon.