MEARS, MI -- The first signs of spring bring to mind green sprouts popping out of the ground, birds chirping in the trees and tires revving through sand as ORVs climb the 100-foot dunes in Silver Lake. Opening day for ORV season is Tuesday, April 1. Silver Lake State Park opens the dune area at 9 a.m. Silver Lake State Park encompasses 3,000 acres along the Lake Michigan shoreline and the majority, 2,000 acres, are white sand sand dunes. The state park is home to one of Michigan’s six scramble sites and the only sand dune riding opportunity east of the Mississippi River, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. In addition to a recreation passport to enter the state park, ORV drivers need a license and trail permit for their vehicles. An ORV license is $26.25 and is required to ride eligible county roads, frozen surface of public waters, state forest roads (open to ORV use) and eligible national forest roads. A $10 ORV trail permit, is required in addition to your ORV license when operating on state-designated ORV trails and scramble areas. The ORV license and the ORV trail permit are both valid for one year, which begins April 1 and ends March 31 of the following year. Fees generated through the sale of ORV licenses and trail permits are reinvested back into the ORV system. Funds help pay for trail brushing, signage, maintenance, bridge and culvert construction, maintenance of trailhead amenities among other expenditures, according to the DNR. Licenses and trail permits can be purchased online and mailed to you, here. Or purchase in-person at a DNR station or retailer, which can be found here. Find more details about what vehicle types are permitted and the paperwork needed, here. Need a visual? Check out a flow chart from the DNR, here. RELATED: 1,500 Jeep enthusiasts will descend on Lake Michigan sand dunes for ‘Jeep Invasion’ Across from the Silver Lake ORV area is Silverback Offroad, which sells licenses, permits and flags to get right on the sand. The shop also offers rentals for ATVs, UTVs and Jeeps. If you’re planning a trip to Silver Lake for the season opener, local hotels and restaurants are opening early for ORV riders, said Scott Beal, Executive Director at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes-Hart Visitors Bureau. Local options include Sierra Sands Family Lodge and Silver Sands Resort. Val-Du-Lakes Bar and Grill and Golden Sands Golf & Bucket Bar are also opening the first weekend in April to welcome dedicated Duners, Beal said. “Let’s not wait until May,” Beal said. “The Duners come no matter what.” Silver Lake State Park’s modern campground opens Tuesday, April 15. The campground has 200 campsites with 20- or 30-amp electrical service. Camping reservations can be made at midnrreservations.com. Find more lodging, eating and activity recommendations at thinkdunes.com or go to the visitor bureau’s Facebook page for a full calendar. Looking for positive, lovable news about The Mitten? Sign up for the Lovable Michigan newsletter.