6 Michigan’s Lost Attractions Now Overgrown

Michigan was once a wonderland of roadside attractions, amusement parks, and quirky family destinations that drew travelers from across the Midwest. Families piled into station wagons to visit dinosaur parks, petting zoos, and lakeside resorts that promised adventure and nostalgia. But as highways shifted and tastes changed, many of these beloved spots quietly closed their gates. Today, nature has reclaimed these forgotten places, wrapping them in vines, moss, and mystery – turning them into ghostly remnants of Michigan’s golden age of leisure.

1. Deer Forest Fun Park (Coloma)

Families once flocked to this charming petting zoo and amusement park, which opened its gates in the 1940s. Children fed gentle deer by hand, wandered among colorful fairy tale statues, and rode small attractions through shaded groves. It was a place where simple joys thrived for generations.

When the park closed in 2014, silence replaced the laughter. Weeds now push through cracked pavement, and thick vines embrace the old ticket booths. The once-bright statues of storybook characters stand weathered and faded, surrounded by towering trees that have grown unchecked.

Local legends whisper that some visitors still hear faint echoes of children’s giggles drifting through the overgrown pathways. Whether it’s memory or imagination, Deer Forest remains a haunting monument to childhood wonder lost to time.

2. Dinosaur Gardens (Ossineke)

This roadside oddity blends prehistoric creatures with biblical scenes in a way only mid-century America could imagine. Concrete dinosaurs tower beside depictions of Adam and Eve, creating a surreal landscape that confused and delighted travelers for decades. Parts of the attraction still welcome curious visitors today.

Much of the original grounds, however, have surrendered to the wilderness. Dense vegetation wraps around forgotten statues, and forest trails lead to hidden sculptures barely visible through the undergrowth. The contrast between human creation and nature’s patient reclamation creates an almost dreamlike atmosphere.

What makes this place fascinating is its stubborn survival. While not completely abandoned, it exists in a strange in-between state – part functioning attraction, part overgrown relic. It’s a reminder that even the most unusual human visions eventually bow to the forest’s quiet power.

3. Bentley’s Hill Amusement Park (Iron River)

Up in Michigan’s rugged Upper Peninsula, this small regional park once offered winter skiing and summer carnival rides. Locals remember the thrill of sledding down Bentley’s Hill and the smell of popcorn drifting from the concession stands. It was a modest operation, but it meant everything to the community.

Today, you’d barely know it existed. Nature has erased nearly all evidence of the park, leaving only faint foundation outlines and rusted metal fragments buried beneath leaves and wildflowers. Trees now stand where children once screamed with delight on spinning rides.

Older residents still share stories about summer nights spent at Bentley’s, their voices tinged with bittersweet nostalgia. The park may be gone, but its memory lives on in the hearts of those who grew up with it – a ghost of simpler times hidden beneath the forest floor.

4. Prehistoric Forest (Onsted, near Irish Hills)

Opened in 1963, this roadside attraction transported visitors back to the age of dinosaurs. Life-sized fiberglass creatures towered over winding trails, while a safari train chugged past cavemen displays and prehistoric scenes. Kids marveled at the T-Rex and Brontosaurus lurking among the trees.

After closing in 1999, the park became a time capsule of decay. The once-vibrant dinosaurs now sit cracked and faded, their paint peeling away as moss creeps across their bodies. Trees have grown through walkways, and the forest has swallowed much of the trail system.

Urban explorers sometimes venture here, capturing eerie photos of the forgotten giants. There’s something both sad and beautiful about these ancient replicas being reclaimed by actual ancient forces – nature itself. The dinosaurs may be fake, but their extinction here feels painfully real.

5. Bay Shore Park (Bay City)

Back in the roaring twenties, this waterfront destination drew crowds eager to dance in the grand pavilion and ride the wooden roller coaster. Bay Shore Park sparkled with lights reflected on the water, and big band music floated across the lake on warm summer nights. It was Bay City’s crown jewel of entertainment.

Decades after its closure, the shoreline tells a different story. Trees and wild grass have swallowed the grounds where the Ferris wheel once spun. The dance hall is long gone, replaced by dense vegetation that rustles in the breeze off the lake.

Local historians preserve photographs of the park in its glory days, but visiting the site today requires imagination. The ghosts of Michigan’s golden age of leisure linger here, hidden beneath layers of leaves and time, waiting for someone to remember.

6. Irish Hills Towers and Mystery Hill (Brooklyn)

These iconic towers once beckoned thousands of road-trippers traveling through Michigan’s scenic Irish Hills. Visitors climbed the spiraling stairs for panoramic views, then explored Mystery Hill’s gravity-defying illusions and quirky roadside exhibits. The towers became symbols of mid-century American wanderlust and family adventure.

While the towers themselves have been lovingly restored, much of the surrounding attraction has faded into the landscape. Cracked walkways disappear beneath moss and weeds, and forgotten structures peek through overgrown brush. Nature has reclaimed what humans abandoned, creating an eerie contrast between preservation and decay.

There’s something poignant about this partial survival. The towers stand tall and proud, but their companions have surrendered to time. It’s a reminder that some memories can be saved while others slip quietly into the forest, becoming part of Michigan’s hidden past.