Saranac-Lowell State Game Area: hunting and access
Saranac-Lowell State Game Area is 2,154 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Ionia and Kent counties, next to Lowell, a state game area by the DNR's map. 2,154 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 6,145 deer in Ionia County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's state game area data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR reported deer harvest, 2022 to 2025.
State game and wildlife areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Hunting Access Program landSaranac-Lowell State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,154 acres in 7 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Ionia County and Kent County |
| Deer harvest unit | Ionia County, Kent County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southwest Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 2,154 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Lowell (next to it), Saranac (4 mi) and Belding (7 mi) |
What are the rules on Saranac-Lowell State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Saranac-Lowell State Game Area: 2,154 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Saranac-Lowell State Game Area?
Saranac-Lowell State Game Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 6,145 deer in Ionia County in 2025, against 6,171 in 2024.
| County | Saranac-Lowell State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ionia County | 1,267 | 6,145 | 6,171 | 5,541 |
| Kent County | 887 | 4,222 | 4,140 | 4,868 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the game area alone: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
How do you get to Saranac-Lowell State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Lowell (next to it), Saranac (4 miles), Belding (7 miles) and Clarksville (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 21 and I-96. 1 HAP property within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Saranac-Lowell State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Grand River State Game Area: 1,023 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Ionia Recreation Area: 4,238 acres, 4.9 miles away
- Flat River State Game Area: 11,822 acres, 7.7 miles away
- Cannonsburg State Game Area: 1,364 acres, 8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Saranac-Lowell State Game Area
Counting Saranac-Lowell State Game Area itself, 2,606 of the 46,806 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 1,866 |
| County, city and regional land | 445 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 295 |
Another 205 acres within 3 miles are Commercial Forest land: privately owned, but under state law (MCL 324.51113) the owner may not deny the public hunting and fishing unless the DNR or the legislature closes it.
Questions hunters ask
Where is Saranac-Lowell State Game Area?
In Ionia and Kent counties, next to Lowell.
How much of Saranac-Lowell State Game Area is open to hunting?
2,154 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Saranac-Lowell State Game Area?
2,606 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Saranac-Lowell State Game Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Grand River State Game Area (1.9 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: Michigan DNR wildlife property project areas.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's land ownership records (state forest).
- Deer harvest: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
FilledTag is not part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.