Teamwork Reopens Manistee River Loop Trail

Spirit of the Woods volunteers (photo by Berny Barnes)

from the Manistee News Advocate

Heavy flooding this spring closed the Manistee River Side of the popular Manistee River Trail/ North Country Trail loop. This 23-mile loop is heavily hiked, being a perfect length for weekend backpackers. The MRT is on the east side of the Manistee River, while the NCT section is on the west.

Both sides were affected by many downed trees from a snowy winter and spring wind storms.

Forest Service staff worked hard to reroute severely damaged portions of the MRT side while Spirit of the Woods Chapter of the North Country Trail Association volunteers removed the obstacles on the NCT side. The complete loop is now open.

Read the full article at the link above.


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Robots Doing Trail Work?

Events Calendar

trail robot (photo from WVU)

complied from several sources

A recent article from Backpacker reports that robots are being developed to do trail maintenance and more. Does this sound too fantastic? It's true.

West Virginia University student Camndon Reed, a robotics engineering and mathematics major from Watertown, Massachusetts, designs autonomous robots that navigate hiking trails.

Reed says, "Hiking trails are our gateways to nature. The U.S. has over 193,500 miles of trails on federal lands alone. More than 58 million Americans hiked in 2021, and it’s growing in popularity. But hiking trails present problems for land managers, conservationists and emergency responders, so we developed a system that can help a robot navigate trail systems on its own.”

He further explains that while most robots are designed for relatively level urban or indoor terrain, hiking trails are many levels of multiple factors more difficult.

“We try to balance three key factors — the unmanned vehicle’s adherence to the trail, its identification of off-trail shortcuts and its avoidance of hazards,” he said. “The eventual goal is to support rural communities with trail maintenance, environmental monitoring and emergency response.”

The trails serve as a laboratory for teaching the machines how to navigate, and they may also be able to help with basic maintenance or monitoring tasks.

Note: online response to the concept has been mostly disdainful.

See article from Backpacker
See article from West Virginia University


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Events for the Week of Nov 3-9, 2025

NCT (photo provided by Chief Baw Beese Chapter NCTA)

compiled from various sources

I am attempting to build an actual calendar so that notices could be seen more than a few days in advance. Projected launch date: Nov 25

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Tuesday, Nov 4- Hike Muskegon regular hike
Muskegon area
11:00 AM
hike
See Facebook page
Free

The Hike Muskegon- West Michigan Parks group hikes every Tuesday and Saturday at 11:00 am (and occasionally other dates). 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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Saturday, Nov 8- Land Conservancy of W Michigan Work Day
Rockford
9:00 AM
seed collection
10471 Six Mile Road, Rockford, MI
Free

Join the Land Conservancy of West Michigan as we collect seeds at Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve to expand native grassland habitat across West Michigan!

For more info, contact The Land Conservancy of West Michigan

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Saturday, Nov 8- Chief Noonday Chapter NCTA Veteran's Day Hike
Battle Creek Area
9:15 AM
2.9 or 6-mile options
Mett at NE corner of Ft Custer Dr & E. Augusta Dr, Augusta, MI
Free

Meet at the kiosk on NE corner of Ft Custer Dr & E. Augusta Dr. Park safely off side of the road: 15001 Ft. Custer Dr., Augusta, Mi. 49012 Map coordinates 42.334981, -85.338367

Natural surface terrain including gorgeous wetlands with phenomenal boardwalk through Ft. Custer land just north of the Ft. Custer cemetery. These miles can be counted in the NCTA Hike 100 Challenge 2025, and the Chief Noonday Chapter’s 3 County Challenge. Both challenges award an annual patch. This guided group hike is FREE and open to all interested humans and leashed canines. POST HIKE MEETUP: Territorial Brewing Co., 1600 Avenue A, Springfield, Mi. 49037

For more info, contact The Chief Noonday Chapter

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Saturday, Nov 8- Chief Baw Beese Chapter NCTA Work Day
Hillsdale area
9:30 AM
trail work
Meet at trailhead on M-34 between Osseo and Hillsdale
Free

The Chief Baw Beese Chapter of the NCTA will be holding a trail work day.

Meet at trailhead parking area between Osseo and Hillsdale on M-34 at the connector trail by mile marker 1159. GPS: 41.877656, -84.526546

For more info, contact The Chief Baw Beese Chapter

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Sunday, Nov 9- Ludington State Park hike
Ludington State Park
2:00 PM
guided hike
Meet at the Hamlin Beach House
Free

On our trek, we'll dive into using trail maps to navigate your route, track your location, and gauge distances to your next stop. Plus, we'll uncover bits of the park's history and maybe stumble upon that historic cemetery near the Hamlin Beach parking area. Looking forward to hiking with you!

If an event is cancelled, there will be a message on the park's answering machine, 231-843-2343

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Saturday, Nov 8- Hike Muskegon regular hike
Muskegon area
11:00 AM
hike
See Facebook page
Free

The Hike Muskegon- West Michigan Parks group hikes every Tuesday and Saturday at 11:00 am (and occasionally other dates). 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.

These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch