Cambridge Junction Historic State Park / Walker Tavern Historic Site

At Old Chicago Road (U.S. 12) and the La Plaisance Pike (M-50) in Michigan’s Irish Hills, a one-and-a-half-story farmhouse has sat for nearly two centuries. Built about 1832, the white clapboard Walker Tavern is perched atop a small bluff overlooking U.S. 12.

In the 1840s, Sylvester Walker's farmhouse tavern at Cambridge Junction was a favorite rest stop for travelers heading west on the Old Chicago Road. Today, the tavern is part of an 80-acre state park. Visitors can tour the site's three historic buildings, view exhibits about tourism and enjoy the natural landscape of the Irish Hills.

The park is open May through October (view season dates and hours), and is home to the Walker Tavern Historic Site, a reconstructed 1840s barn, vintage baseball games, concerts and more. In addition, crafts and activities (ie. candle making, tin punch and high tea) are offered in the park periodically. Guided interpretive tours are available.

Pets may not enter any building. Pets accompanied by and under the control of their human friends are welcomed on the grounds of this site. 

A Michigan State Parks Recreation Passport is required for entry to the park.

Before visiting a state park, boating site or trail, it’s always a good idea to check the latest closures due to weather-related events, planned improvement projects and repairs. Visit Michigan.gov/DNRClosures.