Shakey Lakes: a county park wrapped around four lakes

The name does not exactly sell it, but Shakey Lakes is the swimming hole a lot of the county grew up on. The park sprawls across 240 acres west of Stephenson, threaded among four lakes — Resort Lake, East Lake, Baker Lake, and Bass Lake — with the Menominee River not far off.

It is set up for a long weekend, not a quick stop. There are about 128 electric campsites and another 10 without power, scattered back in the trees. Add heated shower buildings and a couple of dump stations. The sand swimming beach sits on Resort Lake, with a beach house, a concession stand, and a pavilion close by. A family can park the cooler and stay put for the afternoon. Boat launches go in on Resort Lake and Bass Lake, and in summer the water gets used hard for fishing, tubing, kayaking, and waterskiing.

If you would rather stay dry, more than two miles of trail wind through the woods and along the shore. Three pavilions can be reserved for reunions and big outdoor birthday parties. The campground runs from spring through late November. The day-use side stays open all year, so in February the same lakes turn into quiet white fields for snowshoes and ice fishing.

This is also the home of the Menominee County Fair, held here each summer. For one week the quiet park fills up with 4-H kids showing animals, tractor pulls, and the smell of fair food drifting over the lakes. The rest of the year, it goes back to being four lakes and a lot of trees.