A boardwalk has been added to the Days River Nature Trail, allowing visitors to traverse wet and swampy areas.

BRAMPTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) - You might notice something different if you visit the Days River Nature Trail.

The Delta County Non-Motorized Trails organization has built 480 feet of wooden boardwalk to cover wet and swampy areas along the trail.

“About three years ago I was out here hiking, it’s about a mile-long trail, and I was walking along, and I said: ‘You know, this thing could use a boardwalk, it’d be really a great addition here,’” said Delta County Non-Motorized Trails board member Glenn Vande Water. “Because, a lot of people use it, and it gets muddy, it gets pretty wet in certain spots during certain times in the season.”

Construction happened last month and Vande Water said there’s been a positive response to the path.

“Locals come down here and walk all the time,” Vande Water said. “They come through and say, ‘Oh my goodness, we’re so happy we got a boardwalk now,’ because they can get through the swamp easily.”

The upgrade cost $6,000 for supplies and tools. The Community Foundation for Delta County and Upper Peninsula Forest and Wildlife Fund donated a total of $5,000 towards the project.

Charlie Becker, a representative for both organizations, said they want to preserve these trails and bring more people to Delta County.

“The trail’s been around for quite a long time, but it was kind of getting run down a little bit, hadn’t been maintained,” Becker said. “By funding this project, the hope is to get more folks out here utilizing it, it gives you access to some views of the water and whatnot, and of course the river, so we want to get people out here using it.”

Vande Water also said he’s glad the trail is more accessible.

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