Coldwater Lake Family Park: an all-sports lake near Weidman

On the western side of Isabella County, near the little community of Weidman, the county runs a park wrapped around the shore of an all-sports lake. It’s the kind where a pontoon boat and a tubing rope are perfectly at home. Coldwater Lake Family Park sits at 1703 N. Littlefield Road, and it packs a lot onto its grounds. There’s a sandy beach and swimming area, a modern boat launch, sand volleyball, horseshoes, and basketball. Three pavilions handle the days when the whole extended family shows up.

What makes it more than a day-use spot is the campground. There are 98 modern campsites and five rustic cabins. That’s enough to turn a Saturday cookout into a long weekend without ever leaving the water. The county has put real effort into making the place work for everyone, too. You’ll find an accessible bathhouse and an EZ Dock kayak launch you can roll right up to. There are beach chairs built for sand, and an accessible walkway down to the swimming area.

“All-sports” is the phrase worth knowing here. Unlike the quieter no-wake lakes scattered around the county, Coldwater allows the full range of powerboating. So summer afternoons bring water-skiers and tubers. They cut across the same water where someone’s grandkid is learning to swim near shore.

A county vehicle permit gets you through the gate. The same pass works at Deerfield and Herrick. Show up early on a hot July weekend, though. The shady campsites near the beach are the first ones gone, and the regulars know exactly which loops to book.