Education, Parks, Post

PHASE 1 and 2 OF THE TRAIL IS OPEN FOR USE!

Phase 2 Non-motorized trail in Hayes Township is now opened to all. Future Phase 4 and 5 will also be in our township as well. Enjoy!

Background
The Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail will be a paved 10-foot wide, approximately 14-mile long trail, mostly detached from Boyne City Road. The trail will be constructed in five (5) phases.

Phase 2 was constructed in 2017, and is now complete!
A ribbon-cutting / dedication ceremony on September 21st occurred at the AmericInn by Wyndham, 11800 US-31, Charlevoix, MI 49720.

Map trail

Non-motorized trail Phase 2, 4 and 5 through Hayes Township

Phase2

Inside the AmericInn in Hayes Township.

Phase 2

Ribbon cutting for Phase 2 of the Trail in Hayes Township.

Phase2

County Commissioner Joel Evans at ribbon cutting in Hayes Township.

Phase2

Trail from US-31 in Hayes Township.

This trail is intended for non-motorized recreational activities and non-motorized transportation between Boyne City and Charlevoix.  Trail users may walk, bike, skate or ski (pick your favorite sport for any season) on the trail.  However, snowmobiles and horses are NOT permitted anywhere on the trail. 

Trail on Boyne City Road along Susan Lake in Hayes Township.

Wheelway trail

Little Traverse Wheelway in Hayes Township at Big Rock Point, MDOT roadside park.

Phase 2 begins at the Little Traverse Wheelway in Hayes Township, east of Waller Road, crosses US-31 and follows a series of easements across private property to Boyne City Road east of the Argonne Supper Club, and then runs parallel to, but separate from Boyne City Road within the road right-of-way on the north (Susan Lake) side of the road to Quarterline Road, southeast of Susan Lake, for a distance of 2.97 miles.

Trailway

Trail on Boyne City Road along Susan Lake in Hayes Township.

At the point where the trail meets Boyne City Road east of the Argonne Supper Club, a trail spur runs west within the right-of-way on the north side of the road to Eastern Avenue to create an access point for Pine Point Subdivision. Trail users can follow Eastern Avenue to Lake Charlevoix where there is a public access with a picnic area and swimming beach.

Download (PDF, 1.13MB)

Phase 3
Phase 3 of the trail, the County is proposing to develop a trailhead at Park of the Pines, a church-owned campground on Lake Charlevoix, located just north of N. Springwater Beach Road.  In 2013, Park of the Pines approached the County about the possibility of developing a trailhead.  Since then, we’ve been discussing the concept of the trailhead, the preferred location on the property, design/layout options, and proposed amenities.  Plans for the trailhead will be finalized this year.

Phase 3 of the trail, including the trailhead.  Construction is anticipated in 2019.

Phase 4
Phase 4 will begin at the completed Phase 2 of the trail at Quarterline Road in Hayes Township and continue detached within the right-of-way along Boyne City Road to Hayes Township Park (Camp Sea-Gull) on the east/north side of the road (the side opposite Lake Charlevoix).  The trail will cross Boyne City Road in the vicinity of Hayes Township Park, where there are plans to establish a trailhead in the future.  This phase will cover a distance of 2.8 miles.

Phase 5
Phase 5 will begin at the completed Phase 4 of the trail at Hayes Township Park (Camp Sea-Gull) and continue as a detached trail within the right-of-way along Boyne City Road on the south (Lake Charlevoix) side of the road to Pincherry Road in Bay Township, where it will connect to the end of Phase 3.  This phase will cover a distance of 2.7 miles.

What’s Going On Now:

•Grant applications/fundraising for Phase 3

What’s Next:

  • Finalize plans for trailhead at Park of the Pines (Phase 3)
  • Continue with grant applications/fundraising for Phase 3
  • Construction of Phase 3 and trailhead – Planned for 2020

Project Partners, City of Boyne City, Evangeline Township, City of Charlevoix, Hayes Township, Charlevoix Township, Bay Township, Charlevoix County, Community Foundation, Frey Foundation, Great Lakes Energy People Fund, North Country Bicycle Club, Top of Michigan Trails Council, Michigan Department of Transportation, Michigan Department of, Natural Resources/Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, Charlevoix County Road Commission, OHM Advisors. 

Funding for this project comes from public and private funds, grants, and individual donations.  A special thank you to all of our project donors for your generous support!

Phase 1
City of Boyne.    $11,072
Evangeline Township.    $33,216
Charlevoix County Community Foundation Grant.    $26,800
North Country Bicycle Club/Top of Michigan Trails Council Donation.    $17,512
Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant.    $300,000
MDOT/Transportation Enhancement Grant.    $768,900
TOTAL.    $1,157,500

Phase 2
City of Charlevoix.    $12,000
Charlevoix Township.    $11,000
Hayes Township.    $39,000
Charlevoix County Community Foundation Grant.    $251,100
Frey Foundation Grant.    $40,000
North Country Bicycle Club/Top of Michigan Trails Council Donation.    $10,000
Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant.    $300,000
MDOT/Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Grant.    $500,000
TOTAL.    $1,163,100

Phase 3 – Funding Goal:  $1,060,000
Funds raised to date:

Charlevoix County    $10,000
Bay Township    $33,000
Charlevoix County Community Foundation Grant    $8,000
Great Lakes Energy People Fund Grant    $10,000
North Country Bicycle Club/Top of Michigan Trails Council Donation    $10,000
Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant    $300,000 (pending)
DNR Recreation Passport Grant    $95,000 (pending)
MDOT/Transportation Alternatives Program Grant    $555,000 (pending)

The North Country Bicycle Club, with assistance from the Top of Michigan Trails Council, has held community fundraising events to help raise funds (private donations) for the trail.  Local businesses, including the Red Mesa Grill in Boyne City, The Villager Pub in Charlevoix, and Bella Vita Restaurant in Evangeline Township, have participated in these fundraising events.

Several landowners have generously donated permanent easements across their property for the Trail (Phase 2). Some of the easements will enable the trail to take a shortcut from the Little Traverse Wheelway to join Boyne City Road to avoid the US-31/Boyne City Road intersection.  Other easements, along Boyne City Road, will enable the trail to be placed further from the road to increase safety for trail users:

  • Char Prop Inc. (AmericInn)
  • Charlevoix Club Park, LLC (Rik Lobenherz)
  • The Steven Ager Trust (Argonne Supper Club)
  • Little Traverse Conservancy
  • Clare & Kaye Zitka

A special thank you to our project partners and donors for your generous support!

To make a donation to the Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail Project, please click HERE or send a check payable to Top of Michigan Trails Counsel (Memo Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail) to: 

Top of Michigan Trails Counsel
1687 M-119
Petoskey MI, 49770

*all donations are tax deductible

History of Trail Planning Efforts
In 2003, Charlevoix County officials held a number of meetings with bicycling enthusiasts from around the county as well as a bicycling club based in Boyne City in order to determine the level of interest and potential need for a non-motorized trail.  This led to the formation of the Boyne City to US-31 Citizens Trail Committee.  The Committee considered a number of potential trail routes, many of which were eventually rejected as being unsuitable for the average rider, especially children and those with disabilities, due to long, steep inclines.

Further meetings led to the decision by the Committee to develop the trail parallel to Boyne City Road to join up with the Little Traverse Wheelway.  County officials, accompanied by Committee members, then met with the Township Planning Commissions and Township Boards of the communities along the route, all of whom subsequently adopted resolutions of support for the development of this non-motorized trail.

In 2010, in order to address public concerns over the proposed trail, the Charlevoix County Parks Committee formed a Non-motorized Trail Steering Committee, composed of residents and local officials along the trail route.  With the assistance of MSU Extension, through a series of public meetings, the Steering Committee identified citizen concerns and then developed recommendations on how to address those concerns.

As a result of the Committee’s recommendations, the Top of Michigan Trails Council solicited funds to hire an engineering firm to develop high resolution aerial photography of the trail route and draw in the proposed non-motorized trail, which helped facilitate gathering further public input in planning the trail.  The funds raised by the Top of Michigan Trails Council also allowed for the engineering firm to accompany County Staff in meeting with property owners along the route who had concerns, and develop solutions to those concerns.

For each phase of the trail, Charlevoix County has funded the engineering costs for conceptual plans, project cost estimates, detailed engineering plans, and assistance with the MDOT/Transportation Alternatives Program grant application process.

Originally, the trail was proposed to be constructed in two or three phases.  However, due to project cost and funding availability, it was later decided to construct the trail in five (5) phases, which brings us to where we are today.

Information gathered from the Charlevoix County web site.
http://www.charlevoixcounty.org/bcchx/index.php
Photos credits: Feliciano