The Iron Ore Heritage Trail system expands further east into Lakenenland

CHOCOLAY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) - The Iron Ore Heritage Trail is expanding east in Marquette County.

Five miles are being added to the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, stretching east from Kawbawgam Road to Lakenenland. The grant agreement for the non-motorized trail expansion has been accepted. Now the process of designing and hiring an engineering firm begins.

Incoming Executive Director Bob Hendrickson said the Authority will use the upcoming winter to come up with an ideal design.

“We have until the end of August of 2025 to complete it. So, up through the winter would be the design process. Then you’d have to do some studies of the soils that are out there that we would be working with. Then probably mid-summer next year, we’ll start seeing some progress on actual trail being constructed,” Hendrickson said.

A $300,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund is making this possible. Outgoing Executive Director Carold Fulsher said there has been a lot of demand for the expansion into Lakenenland.

“It’s a destination for people and we wanted to be able to get people to Lakenenland without getting them on the highway. People are asking for it and they like to go out there and it’s something for that end of the county,” Fulsher said.

Hendrickson said the authority will be creative with the extra five miles.

“It’s going to be an aggregate trail, so it’s not going to be paved. We’re looking for something that’s not just a straight line. We want to see something that maybe utilizes a little bit of curvage. We have 100-150 feet to work within, but I think we can make it a little bit more interesting than just a straight line trail,” Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson said while the deadline is August 2025, the plan is to be done before then.

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