Trail Overview
126th Avenue travels east and west through the central region of the Allegan State Game Area, providing a scenic drive. The road is two vehicles wide with a sandy and gravel base. Stretches of open canopy, intermittent forest cover, and occasional marshy lowlands nearby. As you travel along 126th Avenue, you’ll pass through mature oak and pine forests, restored prairie sections, and DNR-managed wildlife openings. It's not uncommon to encounter wild turkeys, deer, hawks, and migrating waterfowl. This route connects to 46th Ave,nue offering access deeper into Allegan State Land. On the east end of this route is a short turnout that takes you down to the Kalamazoo River.
History
The origins of the Allegan State Game Area trace back to the late 1930s, when lands were acquired under the Federal Emergency Relief Administration’s submarginal land program to create the Allegan State Forest. This area later evolved into what is now the Game Area. The modern Game Area was officially established in 1964, when the Michigan DNR merged three units: the Allegan State Forest, the Swan Creek Wildlife Experiment Station, and the Fennville State Game Area, forming a consolidated 50,656-acre public conservation and recreation unit