Pere Marquette River Tidbits

Pere Marquette River below Indian Bridge (photo by jhy)

compiled from several sources

The Pere Marquette River flows from near Baldwin, Michigan, to Lake Michigan at Ludington. It is designated as a Wild and Scenic River between the junction of the Middle and Little South Branches to Scottville Road, a distance of 66 miles. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 preserves certain rivers which have outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

Its watershed encompasses 755 square miles, and 380 miles of streams. It is the only completely free-flowing river in the Lake Michigan watershed. Brown trout from Germany were stocked in the Baldwin River, a tributary, in 1883. These were the first brown trout in the United States. The cool river continues to be an excellent trout stream, for both rainbow and browns.

Pere Marquette watershed (graphic by the USDA Forest Service)

The first universally designed access on the Pere Marquette has been installed at Custer Bridge, as a result of grants from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the Great Lakes Fishery Trust. An accessible latrine has also been added at this site.

After logging in the early 20th century stripped the banks, the river was once labeled "dead." As the Manistee National Forest was established in 1939, many reforestation projects were undertaken, and the river began to recover. Now, many agencies and organizations work together to protect the river. For example, the Lake County Road Commission has installed open-bottom culverts on some tributaries to better provide for the health of fish and aquatic wildlife.

The river is named for Jacques Marquette a Roman Catholic priest and explorer who traveled extensively in West Michigan in the 1600s. His traditional death location is near the mouth of the river, although his final grave is now located in St. Ignace.

The Wild and Scenic River designation means that the waterway will be kept in as pristine condition as possible. It does mean that permits are required to be on the water in the designated segment between the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the Monday of Labor Day weekend. Watercraft hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

An additional consequence of the designation is that it is unlikely the North Country Trail will ever have a single-use footbridge across the river. The crossing is now accomplished at Upper Branch Bridge on South Branch Road, and requires a short road walk to reconnect with off-road trail.

The Pere Marquette is popular with paddlers, anglers, and campers (at designated sites).

See XXX
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Fish Survey of Pere Marquette Lake

DNR surveys Pere Marquette Lake to determine fish populations

Pere Marquette Lake is undergoing a fish survey this week thanks to a crew from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Tuesday's netting with gill and Fwyke nets revealed a few surprises - nine walleye between 28 and 31 inches, and a brown trout near the 15-pound mark.

"We want to look at the whole fish community of Pere Marquette Lake," Fisheries Biologist Mark Tonello said. "Game species, non-game species, the whole nine yards. We want to see what kind of forage we've got in there. We want to look at growth rates."

Fisheries technicians release most of the fish alive, taking just a small sample.

Other highlights of Tuesday's netting were a 20-inch gizzard shad, some pumpkinseeds, a handful of keeper-size pike and some perch.

from the Ludington Daily News- see FAIR USE notice.
See Michigan DNR, Fishing
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Pere Marquette Trail Celebration

Pere Marquette Rail Trail ribbon cutting in Baldwin (photo by jhy)

by Joan H. Young

The rain held off Saturday, and about 70 people turned out to celebrate the official opening of 17 newly surfaced miles of the Pere Marquette Rail Trail, from Baldwin to Reed City. Speakers from the Michigan DNR, Reed City, Baldwin, and several organizations, plus Representative Jon Bumstead, briefly reminded listeners of the value of trails. Pam Simmons (in black) of Baldwin, the force behind this project, cut the ribbon.

Pontiac Light Riders (photo by jhy)

Bike decoration was a highlight of the day for kids, but the Light Riders have made it an art form. This group, from Pontiac, Michigan, came with their lighted bicycles, sporting boom boxes, fancy wheels, and colorful accessories. One member told how he had (in a previous year) ridden from Pontiac to Baldwin on a bet, which he won. He declined to have his picture taken, but he shared laughingly the trials he endured being taken seriously as a black man riding a bicycle, even in our day and age.

family group riding the Pere Marquette Trail (photo by jhy)

Several non-profit groups/agencies were on hand to share information, including the Manistee National Forest, The North Country Trail Association, Lake County 4-H, and the District 10 Health Department. A drawing was held for prizes, which ranged from a simple bicycle bell to a nice trail cam which could be mounted on a bike. Cake and fruit were served. Soon, people were heading off to enjoy the new packed limestone surface of the trail. More refreshments were available at the Idlewild Cultural and Historic Center, 5 miles away. This young rider was not deterred by his broken arm, which he claimed to have gotten while wrestling an alligator. "I lost," he said with a grin. His grandparents did not dispute his tale.

bike decorated with flowers (photo by jhy)

Although most of the decorations consisted of crepe paper flowers, beads and streamers, one person brought more natural decor. What a nice welcome for the people who will certainly find the new trail more pleasant to ride. The new surfacing extends the paved trail to a total length of 53 miles, with connection to the White Pine Trail in Reed City.

Tim Schreiner, of the Michigan DNR, opined that Michigan is already the top trail state in the nation. Certainly, more and more trail connections are being made, and one can bicycle many off-road miles in the state.

See Celebrate Surfacing of PM Trail Saturday
See Traillink.com PM Trail page
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Dow Opens Access Point on Pere Marquette Lake for Ice Fishing

"Dow’s goal has always been to be a good neighbor to the community who has given us so much," said Bill Berrett, general manager of Dow’s Ludington operations, as reported by the Ludington Daily News. "As we survey area residents, ice anglers in particular have been very vocal about the need to have access to fish from Dow's property on Buttersville Peninsula. After addressing all the associated issues, we are extremely pleased to have found a way to make this happen. Based on the input from the community and the positive response from our own employees, I am confident that the news will be well-received."

Dow Chemical Company has opened the access road off Lakeshore Drive, Ludington, on the Buttersville peninsula from Jan 1 to March 15. This allows access to the sand dock area on Pere Marquette Lake. The site was originally closed for chemical industry security reasons. By adding a gate on the road, the company can both meet the security regulations, and grant access during the winter months.

Anglers have continually fished the lake in this area, but had to walk around the peninsula known as the sand dock to get there. This was often a dangerous walk, but one that people were willing to risk for the pike and steelhead which seem to like that area of the lake.

Users do so at their own risk, and Dow will not plow, maintain or monitor the site.

from the Ludington Daily News, "P.M. Lake site to be open Jan. 1 to March 15", by Brian Mulherin, Jan 2, 2008
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West Michigan Land Conservancy Aids in Protecting Pere Marquette Acres

Pere Marquette easements thumbnail- see www.naturenearby.org for full scale map

Five new parcels of land in the Pere Marquette watershed have been recently protected with conservation easements. Such easements allow a property owner to prohibit development in perpetuity.

The Land Conservancy of West Michigan states in their Winter Newsletter, "Beloved by anglers and other river enthusiasts alike, the PM, as locals refer to it, is the longest un-dammed river in Michigan and known to be one of the finest trout streams in America. With all of its outstanding scenic, recreational, and wildlife habitat attributes, it's no wonder that the PM was the first river in the state to be listed as a National Wild and Scenic River."

The recent additions to protected land are:

• 150 acres in Sweetwater Township near Tank Creek. Bigford family.
• 22 acres in Pleasant Plains Township near Baldwin, by Rich Rasmussen. placed 22 acres near Baldwin under an easement.
• 150 acres containing the 60-acre Cashion Lake in Webber Township, by the Bunch, Duffing, Anderson and Hendrickson families.
• Two other properties — 155 acres in Newaygo County’s Home Township and 14 acres in Lake County’s Lake Township — were also protected in 2007.

For more detail, follow the links below.

from the Ludington Daily News, "Land in P.M. watershed protected", Feb 1, 2008
See Land Conservancy of West Michigan
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Ski Nordic in Traverse City

Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau

from a news release of Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau

“If anyone ever wanted to take up Nordic skiing, this winter would be the time to do it,” says Missy Luyk.

Missy works for TART Trails, the nonprofit group that builds and maintains the elaborate system of hiking, cycling and skiing trails in and around this Michigan coastal resort. After nearly a decade of disappointing winters, she’s ecstatic at the amount of snow that’s fallen on the trail system this year. TART’s two year-round trails — the 15.5-mile Leelanau Trail between Traverse City and Suttons Bay and the 16.7-mile Vasa Pathway — have been groomed more than 20 times already this winter.

And the skiers have certainly responded. With literally hundreds of miles of trails, the coastal woodlands around Grand Traverse Bay are rarely crowded in winter. But this year it’s been hard to find a trailhead in the area whose parking lot isn’t bustling on a weekend morning.

Traverse City has long been a favorite destination for Nordic ski enthusiasts, better known in these parts simply as “cross-country skiers.” Each February for the past 33 years, the area has hosted two of the Midwest’s premiere ski races, the North American Vasa and the White Pine Stampede, and the Vasa Pathway with its 3, 5, 10 and 25K loops was created to accommodate fast-paced freestyle skiers throughout the season. But there are also uncountable miles of trails where less competitive skiers can dawdle and enjoy the incomparable scenery.

And it’s worth dawdling for, because few places are as enchanting as an Up North forest in midwinter. To look up in a stand of tall pines and watch how their needles break the sunlight into a million points of gold and green, or to glide silently through an open stand of hardwoods in the moonlight, with the new snow glittering like diamond dust as it drifts down from the branches, is to experience a rare and secret beauty.

Some of the area’s most appealing (and free) trails can be found just minutes from downtown Traverse City. In addition to the Vasa Pathway, there’s the Grand Traverse County Natural Education Reserve, a 420-acre tract with nearly 7 miles of improved trails along the Boardman River with boardwalks, bridges and scenic overlooks. And the Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area, on the site of the former Northern Michigan Asylum, includes over 300 acres of trails that can easily be accessed from six different trailheads.

One of the area’s most scenic inland trail systems can be found farther up the Boardman Valley at the Brown Bridge Quiet Area, a 1,310-acre nature study area perched on high bluffs above a pond on the river, 11 miles southeast of town. There are trails to the north and south of the pond, with boardwalks and wildlife overlooks where it’s common to spot bald eagles and red-shouldered hawks in winter. Just 1.5 miles upstream is the Muncie Lakes Pathway, whose 11.5 miles of trails wander past small lakes and skirt the river’s edge, with overlooks of the valley from five loops ranging in length from 1 to 5 miles.

The nearby Timber Ridge RV Resort & Campground maintains its own 5K groomed trail system – it’s lighted at night, which is a nice plus. (There’s a fee for using it.) What’s more, the Timber Ridge trails link up to the 60 kilometers of Vasa Pathway trails in the nearby Pere Marquette State Forest.

Farther east is one of the area’s most popular Nordic ski areas, the Sand Lakes Quiet Area, a 2,800-acre nature reserve that’s off-limits to motorized vehicles of any kind, with 11 miles of trails that meander through beautiful oak-pine forest and around five small jewel-like lakes. The trails provide a great opportunity for viewing deer, turkeys, squirrels, woodland songbirds and other wildlife.

Located between Alden and Bellaire on Antrim County’s Chain of Lakes, the Grass River Natural Area includes 1,325 acres with 7.5 miles of trails winding through upland forests and along raised boardwalks above floating sedges, and is a favorite haunt for winter birds and mammals. A few miles beyond is the 4,500-acre Shanty Creek Resort, which maintains 21 kilometers of trails through forests of snow-laden hardwoods and pines that connect its two ski villages, Schuss Mountain and The Summit. (There’s a fee for using the trails.)

North of Traverse City, the Old Mission Peninsula forms a narrow 18-mile ridge in the middle of Grand Traverse Bay. At its tip, the charming little Old Mission Lighthouse stands above a vast rocky shoal, surrounded by a 513-acre park crisscrossed by 7.5 miles of trails through forests and upland meadows. The trails can be accessed at several points, but the most scenic trailhead is at the lighthouse itself. Near Bowers Harbor, the 140-acre Pyatt Lake Nature Preserve features a mile-long loop of trail through a unique wooded dune ridge area that’s home to winter wrens, woodpeckers, and owls.

To the west, the most spectacular Nordic skiing can be found in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, where one of the nation’s most beautiful landscapes becomes even lovelier in winter. The park’s 13 trails range from 1.5 miles to 14.7 miles in length, and offer opportunities for hikers of all ability levels – including several (Empire Bluff, Pyramid Point and Alligator Hill) with overlooks that rise hundreds of feet above the blue of Lake Michigan.

Closer to Traverse City, the Lake Ann Pathway is a popular trail system near the village of the same name and is divided into two distinctly different loops. The 3.5 mile western loop is a roller-coaster trail that passes two small inland lakes and a short section of the Platte River. The 1.8-mile eastern portion meanders gently along the Platte and the shoreline of Lake Ann. Nearby, the Lost Lake Pathway is a gentle 6.3-mile trail in the Pere Marquette State Forest near Interlochen that follows the bed of an old timber-era railroad, passing a small forest lake and scenic blueberry bogs and traversing a rare stand of old-growth red pine.

For detailed information and directions, as well as details about other winter adventures, activities and attractions in the Traverse City area, visit the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau.

See Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau
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Public Comment Sought on White Pines Wind Turbine Project Near Nordhouse Dunes

Proposed sites of wind turbines in Mason County, MI. (right click and view in new window or tab to see full size)

by Joan H. Young
from the Manistee National Forest

The Huron-Manistee National Forest is seeking public comments on a proposed wind turbine project called the White Pines Wind Farm Project. A five-page document can be obtained from Patrica O'Connell. See contact information below.

A brief summary of the points in the document follows:

This project proposes the erection of 20 to 28 wind turbines, each 262 feet high within the Manistee National Forest in the area near the Lake Michigan Recreation Area and just north of Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness. The turbines would generate between 50 and 70 megawatts of power and are estimated to have a life span of 30 years.

In addition to the turbines themselves, the following are components of the project:
     1. Approximately nine miles of road reconstruction, and five miles of new roads would be built.
     2. Over 40 miles of underground cable would be installed.
     3. A step-up transformer would be mounted on the base of each tower.
     4. An electrical substation of about 5 acres would be constructed on Morton Road.
     5. An above-ground transmission line would be installed to carry the power to the Pere Marquette- Stronach transmission line which already exists to the east of the project area. The right-of-way for this line will be 150 feet.
     6. Existing meteoroligical towers which are currently collecting data within the project area would remain in place.
     7. Three temporary staging areas would be located for concrete batch mixing, equipment storage, etc. These would be re-vegetated upon completion of construction
     8. A second substation on private land would be built where the new transmission line joins the Pere Marquette- Stronach transmission line.

There are two open houses scheduled for public scoping.
     1. September 30, 2008 at the Ramada Inn, 4079 W US 10, Ludington. The public is welcome between 4 and 7 pm.
     2. October 1, 2008 at the Days Inn, 1462 US 31, Manistee. The public is welcome between 4 and 7 pm.

Comments should be received by the Forest by October 12, 2008. You may comment via the email given below, or by downloading the pdf form and sending it to Patricia O'Connell (address also below).

Commentary by Joan H. Young:
Questions which spring instantly to mind about this project are:
     1. Will the turbines be visible from the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness?
     2. Will reconstruction of the roads change the back-country character of the area? In particular, Green Road is currently dirt and very pot-holed. Although it is much traveled, there are many unofficial pull-off camping spots on the east side of Nordhouse Dunes. Will improvement of this road increase the incursion of illegal motorized vehicles and promote increased speed by legal vehicles?
     3. Will the turbines change the character of the area in the Lake Michigan Recreation Area? Although this is not wilderness, the area certainly projects a wild feeling if one leaves the trail system, and is in many places less trampled than the Nordhouse Wilderness Area.

Contact Patricia O'Connell, Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District, Huron-Manistee National Forest, 412 Red Apple Road, Manistee, MI 49660, 231-723-2211 x 3119,
Comment to comments-eastern-huron-manistee-manistee@fs.fed.us
Download the White Pines Wind Farm comment form (a pdf)
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Michigan Recreation Trust Funds for West Michigan

from the Michigan DNR

The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Board of Trustees on Wednesday recommended to Governor Jennifer M. Granholm that 81 recreation projects and land acquisitions totaling $48.5 million be funded for 2008. The board had considered 159 applications for projects and acquisitions totaling $83.5 million, which were competitively evaluated based on scoring criteria developed by the board.

This is the largest amount the MNRTF board has recommended for grants in the history of the program.

The next step is for Governor Granholm to forward the recommendations to the Legislature for appropriation of the funds from the MNRTF. Typically, this part of the process is completed by the end of the summer following the board's recommendations.

Projects in west Michigan that are on this year's list include:

• City of East Grand Rapids, Reeds Lake Waterfront Park, $490,000. This project includes accessible trails, lake viewing areas, fishing piers, floating boardwalks along 2,225 feet of Reeds Lake, along with parking, historical and environmental interpretation, and habitat protection.
• Bear Creek Township (Emmet County), Jones Landing Park, $487,600. This project includes a boat launch area, roads, parking lot, restroom building, pavilion, viewing deck and beach area.
• City of Wyoming, Oriole Park Site Development, $378,900. This project will redevelop the 12.9 acre Oriole Park to include parking and access improvements, a walking trail, new basketball and tennis courts, children’s playground and splash pad, shade structure, oak habitat and landscaping and interpretative signage.
• DNR, State Park Infrastructure Repairs, $350,000. This project will renovate and repair obsolete and deteriorated infrastructure at various state parks statewide.
• City of Grand Haven, East Grand River Park Improvements, $300,000. This project includes a barrier-free boardwalk with fishing piers along the Grand River, a playground and gazebo.
• City of Portland, Portland Trail Connector Loop, $284,800. This project will develop 3,000 feet of 10-foot wide asphalt trail which would connect two existing trails and complete a loop around the city.
• City of Greenville, Baldwin Lake Beach Improvements, $277,900. This project will incorporate the Fred Meijer Flat River Trail with the Baldwin Lake Beach and provide improvements to the beach facility and parking lot.
• Newaygo County, Sandy Beach Park Improvement, $267,500. The project will include improvements to Sandy Beach Park on Hardy Pond that include paving the entrance and interior road, upgrading 22 campsites to full electrical hookups, add two camping cabins, a courtesy ramp at the boat launch and a day-use picnic shelter with walkway.
• DNR, Inland Fishing Piers in State Parks and Recreation Areas, $250,000. This project will include expanding recreational fishing access to inland lakes by constructing fishing piers at Bald Mountain, Ionia, Rifle River, Waterloo and Yankee Springs state recreation areas.
• DNR, Building Demolition Initiative, $250,000. This project will demolish abandoned, vacant and surplus buildings on DNR properties statewide to reclaim the sites for recreational and resource protection uses.
• Barry County, McKeown Bridge Park Development, $215,300. This project includes fishing/overlook decks, wetland boardwalks, paved walkways, a canoe launch, parking improvements, picnic and restroom facilities and natural plantings.
• City of Niles, Riverfront and Plym Park Trail Development, $170,500. This project will include development of a 1.79 mile extension of an existing trail within Riverfront Park northward to Plym Park and southward to the city limits.
• City of Ludington, Streams Park Breakwall Improvements, $125,300. This project will build an accessible pathway over a new breakwall on Lake Michigan.
• Acme Township (Grand Traverse County), Acme Waterfront Park Acquisition, $3,006,200. This three-phase acquisition involves the purchase of 11.5 acres and 2,000 feet of lake frontage as an addition to Bayside Park, along the east arm of Grand Traverse Bay. Recreational opportunities will include fishing, wildlife viewing, picnicking and swimming.
• Cascade Township (Kent County), Cascade Natural Park Acquisition, $1.2 million. This project will acquire 197 acres of undeveloped land with an unnamed tributary to the Grand River, mature beech and maple forest, and open field and grassland areas. The property contains habitat for the Eastern Box Turtle, a species of special concern in Michigan.
• Village of Elberta, South Elberta Dunes Natural Area Acquisition, $1,158,800. This project will acquire 58 acres with critical dunes and 1,425 feet of Lake Michigan frontage to be used for hiking, surf-fishing, wildlife viewing and cross-country skiing.
• DNR, Mitchell Creek Land Acquisition, $1 million. This project will acquire 28.79 acres of land adjacent to Traverse City State Park and provide recreation and fishing access to Mitchell Creek.
• DNR, Northern Lower Peninsula Eco-Regional Land Consolidation, $1 million. This project will acquire various parcels within the northern lower eco-region of the state that will improve DNR ownership by eliminating in-holdings within state project areas.
• DNR, Grand River Edges Rail-Trail Acquisition, $850,000. This project would acquire .85 miles of inactive railroad corridor along the Grand River in the City of Grand Rapids, which will connect the city to the State Trail Network and over 200 miles of state rail-trail.
• Emmet County, Emmet County/Maple River Acquisition, $675,000. This project will acquire 128 acres and approximately 4,500 feet of undeveloped river frontage along the West Branch of the Maple River.
• Casco Township (Allegan County), Casco Township Nature Preserve Phase II, $668,800. This project will acquire 8.62 acres of property for the township’s nature preserve.
• DNR, Manistee River Deeryard and Bog, $600,000. This project will acquire 280 acres of land in Wexford County surrounded by the Pere Marquette State Forest, including 1,000 feet of Manistee River frontage and 1,000 feet of frontage on a tributary of Fife Lake Creek and a 90-acre bog complex.
• DNR, Southwest Lower Peninsula Eco-Regional Consolidation, $500,000. This project will acquire various properties within the southwest eco-region of the state to improve DNR ownership by eliminating in-holdings within state project areas.
• DNR, Mitchell State Park Bear Marsh Acquisition, $500,000. This project will acquire 293 acres of wetlands/upland wild area that adjoins the north edge of Mitchell State Park in Wexford County.
• Almira Township (Benzie County), Ann Lakefront Park Acquisition, $478,100. This project will acquire 1.65 acres of property, including 175 feet of frontage on Ann Lake for a public park and swimming beach.
• Muskegon County, Meinert County Park Property Acquisition, $428,300. This project will acquire 95.17 acres of critical dunes, woodlands, wetlands and small inland ponds near Lake Michigan and adjacent to Meinert County Park.
• City of Dowagiac, Youth Sports Park Acquisition, $100,000. This project will acquire 17.83 acres, including five existing baseball fields, ADA restrooms/concessions/parking area for use as an active sports field complex.
• Silver Creek Township (Cass County), Silver Creek Area Youth Sports Park, $100,000. This project will acquire 18 acres for development of youth soccer and football facilities, a picnic pavilion, roadway and parking, and a Sister Lakes to Dowagiac bike path.
• City of Petoskey, Skyline Trail Acquisition, $99,000. This project will acquire 65 acres of land to link together over 800 acres of city and State of Michigan lands to provide a route for a new trail section of the national North Country Trail.
• City of Kentwood, North Stanaback Park Acquisition, $85,000. This project will acquire 17.3 acres of natural, wooded and preserved area with ravines adjacent to Stanaback Park.
• St. Joseph County, Cade Lake County Park Expansion, $79,500. This project will purchase 40 acres with 250 feet of frontage on Cade Lake containing woodlands and wetlands contiguous to the existing 52-acre county park for natural resources-based recreation.
• City of Bangor, Veterans Park and Kiwanis Park Additions, $37,800. This project will acquire 4.3 acres to add a trail connecting Veterans Park and Kiwanis Park, and providing scenic viewing opportunities.

See the complete list of 2008 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board Recommendations
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Non-Motorized Transportation Wish Lists

MDOT facilitates a Northwest Michigan Regional Non-Motorized Transportation Plan and Investment Strategy

participants study a map for trail opportunities left- Patty O'Donnell of NWMCOG; center- Jim Clark, Lake County Commissioner, right- Les Russell, National Forest Service

Michigan Department of Transportation has identified northwest Michigan as an area ready to develop non-motorized transportation possibilities. They seek development of a comprehensive plan and identification of priority projects.

In other words, MDOT wants to help build and connect trails. Trails as transportation corridors can include uses such as hiking, bicycling, skiing, rollerblading, horseback riding, etc. Not all trails have to be multi-use, but they must be non-motorized to be included in this plan. The pool of funds available to build trails requires that the trails funded have connections which allow it to serve as a transportation corridor. For example, children might use this path to walk or ride bikes to school.

This week, Patty O'Donnell, the Regional Planner for the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, met on separate occasions with representatives from Manistee, Mason and Lake Counties. At each meeting the individuals pored over a large county map which showed available trails. People were then encouraged to wield colored markers and use their imaginations to dream and mark up the map with a wish list of non-motorized trail connections.

There were 12 local representatives, mostly from the various townships, who participated in the Mason County meeting. High on their wish list was extension of the Hart-Montague Rail Trail to Ludington, and making it possible to bicycle safely from downtown Ludington to Scottville, and to West Shore Community College.

At the Lake County meeting District 6 Commissioner, Jim Clark, and Les Russell of the Manistee National Forest dreamed of providing more trails within the National Forest, and extending the Pere Marquette Rail Trail of Mid-Michigan west from Baldwin.

The Northwest Michigan Council of Governments (NWMCOG) will take this information and prepare for and host educational meetings with the public to document interest in these projects, and it will then prepare for and facilitate a regional Trails Summit.

The NWMCOG includes Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelenau, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Osceola, and Wexford Counties.

Funding for projects will come from Transportation Enhancement money. These funds are now known as SAFETEA-LU. Not all trail projects are eligible to use these funds, but many are, and better use of this resource would enhance recreation throughout the area.

by Joan H. Young
See Northwest Michigan Council of Governments
learn more about Transportation Enhancement money at American Hiking Society
Contact Patty O'Donnell, Regional Planner, Northwest Michigan Council of Governments
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Celebrate Surfacing of PM Trail Saturday

new Baldwin Trailhead and surfaced Pere Marquette Rail Trail where it crossed Norway St.(photo by jhy)

by Joan H. Young

This Saturday, July 26, come to Baldwin to celebrate the official opening of the newly surfaced Pere Marquette Rail Trail between Baldwin and Reed City. For too many years, this section of the trail has been more of a trial, with heavy weed growth and a poor surface for bicycling. The new trailhead was deserted today, but there should be plenty of action this weekend.

Thanks to the efforts of some folks from Baldwin, particularly Pam Simmons (owner of the Pamela Tripp Gallery), those miles have now been surfaced with a packed, crushed limestone which will provide a stable surface for bicycling and walking.

The official ribbon cutting will take place at 1 pm. Festivities will follow with drawings to win bicycle accessories, bike decorations for kids, and a safety training presented by the Lake County Sheriff's Department. Several organizations will have information tables about local history and recreation opportunities, including the Forest Service with Smokey the Bear.

A 5.5 mile fun ride to the Idlewild Historic and Cultural Center is planned. Healthy snacks will be provided.

In the evening, there is a soul/blues concert at the Wenger Pavilion in Baldwin featuring Freddie Cunningham and Root Doctor.

The new trailhead is located between 8th and 9th Streets, and Cedar and Norway. Meet there for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The improvements to these 17 miles of trail include the crushed limestone surface, improving drainage, providing access to the roadside park on US 10 (which has latrines), improving or building trailheads at both Baldwin and Reed City, and installing accessible benches along the trail.

This project was funded with a combination of a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant and an MDOT Transportation Alternatives Program grant.

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Pere Marquette, Pentwater, White Rivers to Be Treated for Sea Lampreys

sea lamprey in an aquarium (photo by jhy)

from a news release of US Fish and Wildlife Service

US Fish and Wildlife Service personnel will apply lampricides to the Pere Marquette River (Mason and Lake Counties) to kill invasive sea lamprey larvae burrowed in the stream bottom. Applications will be conducted between July 6 and 10, 2026, in accordance with State of Michigan permits. Application dates are tentative and may be changed due to either stream or weather conditions.

Sea lampreys are native to the Atlantic Ocean, but invaded the Great Lakes through shipping channels in the early 1900s. They attach to fish with their circular mouths lined with teeth and suck body fluids. Each lamprey can consume about 40 pounds of fish, and each spawning pair can produce 100,000 eggs. They must be controlled regularly in the larval stage.

Although the lampricide is not applied in a concentration high enough to harm humans, it is recommended that people stay out of the water during treatment. The water should not be used for agricultural purposes on the day of treatment. By implication, using river water for camping needs on these days would also be unwise.

The Pentwater and White Rivers will also be treated this summer.

For more information, call 1-906-226-6571.

See Great Lakes Fisheries Commission


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Muskegon Hiker Does the Manistee NCT - A Long Walk In the Woods

by Bruce Sparks of Muskegon

The best way I can think to describe my week is this slight modification of the title of Bill Bryson's book on his ill-fated journey on the Appalachian Trail. His book is titled, "A Walk in the Woods". Over and over during the week I found myself talking to myself and saying that I was just enjoying a long walk in the woods. And really that is just what it was.

I noticed that my wife looked a little uncertain as I shouldered the pack and headed off down the trail away from Mesick, Michigan. Her discomfort might have grown a little as not 20 minutes after she left me we both heard the same thunder and were in the same storm. Only Susan was dry in the car and I was getting my first good dousing of the early week. It rained off and on the rest of the day, night and morning of the next day. Interspersed among the rain drops were 4 fairly substantial hail storms. I actually preferred the hail since I didn't get wet from the little icy pellets as they bounced off me.....and with 5 layers of clothes on I didn't feel them either.

This section of the North Country Trail had just been completed this summer and although officially certified and marked it was not yet on any of the trail maps I had purchased. The trail went right along the edge of the Hodenpyl Dam Pond....actually a large lake. It could have passed for one of the lakes in northern Canada that I have loved canoeing in so much.

Next I encountered the most demanding section of my hike as you go up and down following the ridges on the west side of the Manistee River Valley. Taking this long walk in November was an advantage because with 50% of the leaves already fallen you could see through the foliage and enjoy the views from the highest spots in the area. Yet there were still enough leaves and color to make it a spectacular view. It had been a long time since I had tried a long distance hike like this and I was unsure of my limitations But by the time it got pitch dark at 7:20pm (the sun had officially set around 6:40) I had covered over 18 miles comfortably that first day. That was a confidence builder.

The biggest disadvantage to hiking in November is that darkness comes early forcing you off the trail and into your tent. Then you can feel trapped waiting for the first signs of dawn that didn't come until just after 8:00am on this particular week. My pattern was to take a break on the trail and eat dinner and then not stop walking until at least 6:45 pm when I would put up my tent in twilight. The next morning I would be out of the tent by 7am and after packing up quickly (because it was cold) I would follow the trail for the first 30 minutes or so by the light of my small flashlight. I slept really well most nights.

At the end of the Day #2 I was way ahead of where I thought I would be. As I pitched my tent in a grove of big spruce trees it snowed big fluffy flakes for about 30 minutes. It was a Christmas type scene and I think I even sang a couple of Christmas carols out loud as I was settling in. Kind of magical.

One particular section on the next day had just one variety of tree that had golden yellow leaves. Most of the leaves had recently fallen and the whole area was blanketed in golden leaves that had not yet curled or dulled as they dried out. The whole area was an unbroken carpet of bright yellow and gold. Wow.

I was looking forward to a brighter warmer day for Day #4 and it was slowly warming up. At lunch I stopped to eat right on the banks of the Pere Marquette River. Not long after I began to prepare my lunch three older fishermen came floating down the river and chose to stop at this same spot for lunch. They had a big cooler full of food. They didn't offer me anything at all, but I wasn't coveting their stash because I was preparing another hot MRE for my meal.

I decided to stop at 3pm at a National Forest Campground because I wanted to build a fire that night and felt more comfortable doing so in one of the steel fire pits. I had fantasized about someone leaving a whole stack of nicely stacked unused wood at one of the campsites thus meaning I would not even have to gather wood. But that was just a fantasy and not reality. But it wasn't hard to gather my own and soon I had a blazing fire going. The sky was completely clear and I was camping in the field under a magnificent blanket of stars, that were not all dimmed by moonlight or any street lights or lights from town. It has been a long time since I sat for hours by a fire under a sky like that.

Day #5. This is an 8 mile section of trail in which you walk past six small lakes. As I walked down the trail towards the lakes the sun was coming high into the sky and warming everything up. For a while I walked with outstretched arms just trying to soak it all in. I sat down for 30 minutes or so just before noon at the first lake that I came to. I'm sure this lake wasn't even an acre big but it was beautiful with the fall colors bordering it. The light breeze was blowing across the surface and the sunlight was sparkling as if the lake was full of diamonds just below the surface. I can be mesmerized watching the patterns in the water.

On Day #7 I passed a solo hiker who was able to tell me that I was about a two hour hike from the end at Croton Dam and so I was able to call my wife who met me soon after I finished at 3:30. The maps says I walked 139 miles during the week.

The best memory was watching a bald eagle swoop over one of the small lakes. I began to think how I could not have enjoyed this glorious moment if not for some of the less pleasant moments that preceded it......the cold of the night before, the monotony of some of the miles, the chill of the rain. None of those times were so bad and I even enjoyed them in an odd way but they weren't highlight moments. They were the kind of moments that most of life is made up of. Some rough times, but mostly okay times... even good times, but not earth-shaking thrilling stop the presses times. But it seems to me that if I will be faithful and consistent in these more mundane times then the reward is the occasional incredible moment that is simply priceless. I think it applies to our marriages and a lot of other things. I want to keep on going, trying to be steady as I journey.

I have already had far more incredibly great mind blowing moments and memories then I deserve. But I believe there are more ahead if I don't stop.

See North Country Trail Association
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See North Country Trail- Manistee County
See North Country Trail- Mason County
See North Country Trail- Lake County
See Get Off The Couch

5-County Multi-use Trail Connection Effort Revitalized

bicycle riders on the Hart-Montague Rail Trail (photo by Josh Schuyler)

from an article in the Ludington Daily News and personal recollection, by jhy

Before Covid, various committees were organized in Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo, and Manistee Counties (Michigan) to formulate a regional plan for connecting multi-use trails in the five counties. I was a part of one of those committees.

Most of the early discussion centered on the fact that connecting Ludington with the Hart-Montague Rail Trail is no easy task because there is no longer a railroad right-of way. Since that time, a group Friends of the Pentwater-Hart Trail has formed and is making progress toward connecting Pentwater to the north end of that trail at Hart.

Connections east from Ludington are problematic, as the railroad is still live track from Baldwin to Ludington, so use of an abandoned railway is not an option. The Pere Marquette Rail Trail currently begins in Baldwin and runs all the way to Midland. The US 10 corridor is extremely busy and a dangerous bicycle ride. When US 10 was widened in 1990, wide, curbed, paved shoulders were added. Everyone wondered why bicycles did not immediately rejoice at this. The simplest reason is that curbs were added at every driveway so it is just a continual series of bad bumps, and it is usually littered with broken glass and random junk. The five lanes of traffic and heavy commercial development make it an unappealing corridor for a bicycle trail.

Just prior to Covid, the committees were presented with a marketing strategy for any eventual plan. However, the proposal was not well received, and then Covid hit. Everything stalled.

Now the Building, Planning, Drains & Airport Committees of Mason County have been presented with a new effort, spearheaded by Dave and Kathy Maclean (former owner of Spindrift bicycle shop). A number of agencies are interested in starting the process again to try to connect with regional trails.

Priorities would be to connect Ludington State Park with downtown, downtown to Consumers Pumped Storage property, then on to Pentwater, and finally from Ludington to Scottville. This concept has been broken into these four segments, each plan under the leadership of a different person. Portions of these routes are part of the US Bicycle Route system, although that primarily uses roads.



See Ludington Economic Development


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Events for the Weekend of Nov 1-2, 2025

a wooded valley (photo provided by Ottawa Parks Foundation)

compiled from various sources

Saturday, Nov 1- Ottawa Sands, 5 miles

Hike the beautiful dunes of the Lake Michigan Coastal Greenway from Ottawa Sands all the way to P.J. Hoffmaster State Park! Transportation back to Ottawa Sands will be provided so we can walk the length of the trail segment one-way! Route is approximately 5 miles and includes dirt trails with some steep hills and sandy segments.

Sponsored by Ottawa County Parks and Recreation and Harbor Transit. Saturday, November 1, 1-4:30 PM. NO pets. There is a fee for this hike, and hikers must be 12 years old and up. See more at registration link

Register at The Ottawa County Parks Foundation

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Saturday, Nov 1- North Country Trail, 3 miles or more if desired

The Spirit of the Woods Chapter of the North Country Trail Association will be hosting its monthly hike November 1, from the Upper Branch Bridge trailhead on South Branch Road. 43.92831 -86.020085. Parking requires a day use fee or a Federal Pass. Meet at 10 am.

The hike will go south on the NCT to 40th St. and back for a total of about 3 moderate miles. Hikers may choose to continue farther, but there is a half-mile roadwalk before reaching the Bowman Semi-primitive area. The trail in this area follows the Pere Marquette River for a short distance, then traverses woods, crossing a small creek. There is one significant climb.

For more information, contact SPW Chapter

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Saturday, Nov 1- Hike Muskegon regular hike

The Hike Muskegon- West Michigan Parks group hikes every Tuesday and Saturday at 11:00 am (and occasionally other times). Their destinations are posted only a couple of days ahead of time, so check the Facebook Group to find where the next hike will be.

For more information, see the Hike Muskegon Facebook Group

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To have your quiet outdoor recreational event in West Michigan listed, contact Joan Young. They will be posted the Monday before the event.

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