The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has closed the Piers Gorge Unit of the Menominee River State Recreation Area from Sept. 2 through Nov. 14, 2025, while crews replace two river-crossing bridges according to the agency. The shutdown arrives just as the fall smallmouth bass bite heats up, restricting access and forcing anglers—and the businesses that serve them—to rethink autumn plans.
Piers Gorge headlines a stretch the DNR markets as offering a “world-class smallmouth bass fishery,” drawing attention when leaves turn and river temperatures drop. Losing that northern access point could alter customary shuttle routes, guide itineraries and campground marketing in what is normally prime booking season.
The recreation area itself covers 17 miles and a total of 7,652 acres along the Michigan-Wisconsin line, with about 2,354 acres on the Michigan side. It is divided into three units—Piers Gorge at the north end, Quiver Falls in mid-corridor and Pemene Falls to the south—each flanked by rocky gorges, Class II–III rapids and bald-eagle flyovers according to the DNR. These outfitters offer rafting trips in the park and are expected to continue operating in the units that remain open during the closure.
During construction, all river access inside Piers Gorge is off-limits. Anglers hauling drift boats or kayaks must reroute to Quiver Falls for shore casting or to the public concrete boat launch at Pemene Falls, the only concrete, drive-in ramp available in the park until mid-November.
For campground, RV-park and guide operators, clear communication is the first line of defense against frustrated guests. Posting real-time detour maps, launch coordinates and the bridge-work timeline across websites, social feeds and reservation portals keeps travelers from scrambling elsewhere at check-in. Staff can follow a simple three-step phone script—acknowledge the closure, point to open units and outline drive times or shuttle options—to shorten front-desk lines.
A laminated corridor map at registration paired with free QR-code stickers that open Google-route directions helps anglers navigate unfamiliar backroads, while temporary highway-exit signs and after-dark return markers reduce wrong turns. An SMS opt-in that relays last-minute DNR alerts often reaches guests faster than email blasts.
Meanwhile, businesses can recapture revenue by reframing the river experience. Shore-fishing clinics at Quiver Falls, fall-color kayak tours and even guided mushroom foraging add reasons for multi-night stays. Partnering with a local guide service to run a twice-daily shuttle to the Pemene Falls launch—bundled into a premium “Angler Assurance” package—turns a drive into a concierge perk that many traveling fishermen will gladly pay for.
Shoulder-season amenities such as heated fish-cleaning stations, secure tackle lockers and early check-in for boat-towing guests can justify rate integrity despite the detour. Automated pre-arrival messages that upsell gear rentals, firewood bundles or late checkout drive ancillary spend, while highlighting solar power or fish-waste composting taps into the sustainability values many outdoor guests now weigh in booking decisions.
Beyond bass, the corridor still offers color-season paddling, wildlife photography and four primitive canoe (paddle-in) campsites on the Wisconsin shore, all reachable without crossing construction zones. Reservations are required for these sites. These secondary draws help fill cabins and RV pads while the signature gorge segment sits idle.
The bridge replacement is slated to wrap Nov. 14. Until then, operators who push timely updates, steer guests toward open launches and diversify on-site programming stand the best chance of holding fall occupancy and protecting repeat business—no matter how many trophy bronzebacks are feeding upriver behind the barricades.