Progress Being Made On Fixing Trails

With snowfall in the Keweenaw Peninsula typically beginning in just a few weeks, the Michigan Departments of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources are working together to re-open trails before snowmobile season.

“We’re continuing to move forward. We know that the trails are very important to people in the area for snowmobile season coming up and we’re working as hard as we can to try to get trails repaired and safe so they can be reopened,” said DNR Deputy Public Information Officer John Pepin.

With over 150 trail washouts in Houghton County, it’s unlikely that all of the trails will be open before winter, but much progress has been made so far.

“The trail system damage estimate we arrived at was $19.9 million, and we’re continuing to work with our local partners to do what we can to get these trails open as soon as we can,” Pepin said.

So far, nearly 20 washouts and many culverts been repaired, but there are still many in excess of 30 feet deep that have prevented a few sections of trail from reopening.

Pepin said, “We still have sections of trail that are closed–Chassell to Houghton Trail is closed, the Freda Grade is closed, and the Lake Linden Grade is closed from Norman Road south.”

In addition to trail repairs, the DNR has also been restoring other recreational sites. Earlier this summer, the department had closed a few boating sites but those have recently been reopened.

“Three boating access sites, Jackboot, Boston Pond, and Lilly pond, those three boating access sites are open and available,” Pepin said.

The departments say that patience from the public is appreciated while repair efforts are underway.

Currently, DNR response crews from across the state have been working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week to make area trails safe and reopen what they can before the winter months.