nature preserves & natural...

Nature Preserves & Natural AreasOF THE LITTLE TRAVERSE CONSERVANCYSPECIAL 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION - 2012

40 Years!

printing date: August, 2012

This 40th Anniversary edition of the Little Traverse Conservancy’s Guide to Nature Preserves & Natural Areas

is dedicated to the vision and perseverance of those who founded this organization 40 years

ago in 1972: John Fischer, David Irish, Edward Koza, Earl Larson, Seberon Litzenburger, Frank

Pierce, and John Tanton. Special mention for this issue goes to volunteer photographer Todd

Petersen whose photos appear throughout the guide.

This guide is also dedicated to you, our members and supporters who make it possible

for us to protect the natural integrity and scenic beauty of the North. Its maps and photo-

graphs will help you to discover and explore our largest, most popular preserves as well as

some of the small, neighborhood natural areas that dot the North Country. Use this guide to

enjoy the natural beauty that our founders and all of our trustees, staff , and volunteers have

worked hard to protect for you.

All preserve lands are open to the public - conservation easements are not.In addition to the nature preserves and natural areas that are featured in this book, there

are more than 20,700 acres of privately-owned land protected through Little Traverse Con-

servancy with conservation easements. Though a conservation easement doesn’t make

the land available to the public, it is a legally-binding document that ensures the perpet-

ual protection of scenic and natural resources such as beautiful roadside views, important

wildlife habitat, scenic and productive farm land, and other resources. So, as you journey

around northern Michigan, please know that along with our more than 14,000 acres of

nature preserves, more than twice as many acres in private lands are protected with con-

servation easements. Those private, easement-protected properties are an important part

of the Conservancy’s program of ensuring that we preserve northern Michigan’s natural,

scenic, and working landscapes.

This book may be out of date — and that’s a good thing! Publishing this book is a risky business at Little Traverse Conservancy because as soon as we

print it, our generous donors provide us with yet another wonderful nature preserve and the

book becomes just a little bit obsolete. It’s a happy problem for us to have. Though we wish

we could keep our printed preserve guide up to date, we want to be careful with our print-

ing budget and your donated dollars. Please check our web site at www.landtrust.org for the

very latest information on our nature preserves.

Chab

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Pre

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Pete

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PRESERVE GUIDELINES

Little Traverse Conservancy works hard to balance the public uses off ered on our

preserves with protection of their natural integrity and scenic beauty for future

generations. Recreational, educational, and scientifi c use of the preserves is encour-

aged, as long as it does not interfere with our primary goals of preservation and

protection. We welcome you to explore and enjoy our beautiful preserves,

keeping in mind that you are a temporary visitor to

the homes of many plants and animals.

Please enjoy hiking, birdwatching, cross-country

skiing, snowshoeing, fi shing, and similar low-impact

activities. Many of the properties include water front-

age and one could easily canoe or kayak these, but

please note that none of these properties include

boat launch facilities for larger vessels.

Please refrain from camping, fi res, dumping or

littering, removal of vegetation, off -road vehicles, and

snowmobiling.

Please remember:

• Hunting is allowed on designated preserves with

written permission only. Visit www.landtrust.org

or contact the offi ce at 231.347.0991 for more

information.

• All dogs must be on a leash while visiting pre-

serves.

Please help us keep our preserves in good condition.

Contact the Conservancy offi ce at 231.347.0991 if you

notice any inappropriate activity on a preserve or if

trails, parking areas, or signs need attention. Preserves

and trails require a good deal of management and

maintenance and we greatly appreciate the assistance

of the many individuals who help monitor and pro-

vide stewardship for them.

Public parks are generally established to handle more

intensive use than our preserves and are maintained

by the state and local governments across the North.

Those parks established with help from the Conser-

vancy are identifi ed in this guide. Please refer to the

rules and regulations of the appropriate authorities

when visiting these properties.

Marked Trails

TrailsNot

Marked

Bicycling

Canoeing or Kayaking

Fishing

Hiking and Snowshoeing

Horseback Riding

Hunting (by written

permission only)

Parking Area

Scenic view/

birdwatching

Skiing (ungroomed unless noted)

Swimming beach

Signs and maps

mark trails

No signs or maps

Geocache

For interactive maps of preserves, visit www.landtrust.org.

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EMMET COUNTY NATURE PRESERVES

EMMET COUNTY FEATURED PRESERVESPhilip J. Braun...................................................................................6

Bubbling Springs..........................................................................7

Cameron/Menonaqua/Huff y/Kuebler-Trippe..........8

Fochtman..........................................................................................9

Goodhart Farms..........................................................................10

Hailand...............................................................................................11

The Headlands (Emmet County).....................................12

Inland Waterway complex...................................................13

Elmer Johnston ...........................................................................14

Ray Johnston..................................................................................15

Allan and Virginia McCune...................................................16

Naas, Mauger, Raunecker & Leslie...................................17

Oden Island ..................................................................................18

Offi eld................................................................................................19

Round Lake ....................................................................................20

Skyline Trail (City of Petoskey)............................................21

Spring Lake Park (Bear Creek Township) ....................22

Stony Point/Smith/Veling.....................................................23

Sturgeon Bay Dunes (State of Michigan) .................24

Stutsmanville Bog ....................................................................25

Thorne Swift (West Traverse Township) .....................26

Thor

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Pete

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Arbaugh, Dean, Pack, Sharpe & Hansen

Black Hole

Bryan Wildlife

Clark

Clements

Covert

Cranmer

Curtis

Dobson

Drayton

Edwards

Enje Nkweshdat Wat

A.C. Fischer

Walter Fisher Family

Five Mile Creek

James

John

Kalman

Kinglet

Laughbaum

MacDonald

Meadowgate

Orchis Fen

Pachy

Petersen

Renker

Resort Township East Park

Resort Township West Park

Roaring Brook

Rocky Point

Ryan

Schachinger/Bartley

Sharkey

Shurtleff

Sims-Moff at Forest

South Round Lake

Weimer’s Lake

West Wequetonsing

Charles S. Winston, Jr.

OTHER EMMET COUNTY PRESERVES - pages 27-29

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTU

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91011 71213141516171819

201221222315242515262717 28 72930113132

Size: 125 acres

Frontage: 4,500 feet of the

Maple River.

Land Description: The

uplands of this property are

primarily hardwood and aspen

with some red and white pine

scattered throughout. Mixed

conifer species dominate the

lowland areas and riparian

corridor. Several large planted

‘wildlife openings’ are estab-

lished on the upland areas, and

recent timber stand manage-

ment is evidenced by the large

amount of regenerating aspen

in the southern half of the prop-

erty. This preserve lies adjacent

to the Pellston Pioneer Park and

State of Michigan land.

Trails: A short trail runs from

the parking area to the river.

Directions: From

the intersection

of US-31 and

Robinson Road

on the south end

of Pellston, turn

west on Robin-

son Road. The

preserve entrance

is 1/4 mile down

on the south (left)

side.

TrailsNot

Marked

EMMET COUNTY

Philip J. Braun Preserve

Tod

d P

ark

er

Pellston

Size: 15 acres

Frontage: Just a few miles from

downtown Petoskey, this 15-acre

preserve off ers a short trail system

and natural oasis for exploration.

Enjoy a mix of mature upland hard-

wood forest and a swampy corridor

with a small stream, while searching

for the springs.

Land Description: A mix of wet-

lands, uplands, and shoreline, this

property provides a natural buff er

in a highly developing region near

town.

Trails: There is a small parking area

and a short trail leads towards the

springs portion of the preserve.

Donated in 2008 by Jay and Clem

O’Neil.

Directions: From the intersec-

tion of US-31 and

US-131 in Petoskey,

travel south on

US-131 1½ miles to

Intertown Rd. Turn

right (west) on In-

tertown and travel

1.1 miles to the

preserve on the left

side of the road.

EMMET COUNTY

Bubbling Springs

Marked Trails

NN

EMMET COUNTY

Fochtman Nature PreserveSize: Combined, more than

180 acres are protected with

these preserves.

Frontage: This complex of

preserves includes frontage

along Powell Road, Beach

Road, and M-119 Harbor-

Petoskey Road.

Land Description:

A signifi cant portion of land

along what is considered the

Gateway to Harbor Springs,

these lands combine to create

much of the green corridor

that lies on the stretch be-

tween Petoskey and Harbor

Springs. The Kuebler-Trippe

and Huff y preserves are open

for bow hunting.

Trails: The Little Traverse

Wheelway runs in front of the

Huff y and Cameron Preserves. A

short trail goes from the Wheel-

way to benches at the edge

of the woods of the Cameron

Preserve. See p. 20 for Round

Lake trail description trail.

Directions: From US-31 in

Petoskey, take M-119 about 1½

miles north to Powell Road. This

complex begins on the north

end of Powell Road and covers

both the left (west) and right

(east) sides of the road. The

Little Traverse Wheelway runs

parallel to M-119.

TrailsNot

Marked

EMMET COUNTY

Cameron/Menonaqua/Huff y/Kuebler-Trippe

Directions to Hiawatha Trail parking:

From Petoskey, drive north 2.6 miles on US-31

to M-119. Turn left on M-119 and go .8 mile

and turn right on Hiawatha Trail. Travel

approximately 1.2 miles and park on the

left at the pull-off next to the lake.

Directions to US-31 (Conway) parking:

From Petoskey, drive north on US-31 approxi-

mately 5.8 miles. Rustic parking is available on

the left, across from the intersection of US-31

and Graham Road. Enter the preserve on the

two-track road and park. Please do not drive

any further into the preserve.

TrailsNot

Marked

EMMET COUNTY

Fochtman

Ma

rta

Ols

on

Size: 243 acres

Frontage: More than ¼ mile on

Round Lake and a stream that fl ows

from Round Lake to Crooked Lake.

Half mile of US-31 near Conway.

Land Description: A mix of wet-

lands, uplands, and shoreline, this

property off ers a natural buff er in a

highly developing region.

Trails: Rustic parking is available in

three locations between Fochtman

and Hailand preserves (see map). A

short trail follows the lake and an old

two-track road enters the property

from the east from US-31. The North

Country Trail also runs along the

south shore of Round Lake.

The Fochtman Preserve was pur-

chased at a signifi cant bargain sale

from the Fochtman family in 2001.

The land was one of the largest blocks of undeveloped land remaining between Petoskey

and Harbor Springs. Its purchase was made possible with funds raised for the Conser-

vancy’s Harbor Springs Greenbelt Program.

EMMET COUNTY

Fochtman Nature PreserveSize: 595 acres

Land Description: The Goodhart

Farms property is a mix of meadows,

hay fi elds, and maple, beech, and

ash forest. Old orchards and pine

plantations are found on the prop-

erty, and the rolling terrain off ers

views of Lake Michigan.

Trails: Three parking areas are

available off ering access to 7½

miles of marked trails (3½ miles are

groomed in winter) that are ideal

for hiking, horseback riding, snow-

shoeing, and cross country skiing.

Please do not enter the hay fi elds

but instead travel along the edges

of the fi eld/forest margin.

In 1994, Ed and Maureen Mayne

purchased the farm from the estate

of John Hannah, former president

of Michigan State University. Hannah had been purchasing and piecing together smaller

farms since the 1950s, using the land for his own cattle herd and for agricultural experi-

ments through the University. Upon their purchase, the Maynes restored the soil for raising

premium, high quality hay for race horses in the southern states. In late 2002, Ed and

Maureen donated the Goodhart Farms property and associated buildings and equipment

to Little Traverse Conservancy (the buildings and equipment have since been sold). It was

the single largest donation ever given to the organization.

EMMET COUNTY

Goodhart Farms

Directions: From Harbor Springs, take State Road north 9 miles to Robinson Road. Turn left on

Robinson and travel 3½ miles to the beginning of the preserve at the Hannah Road intersec-

tion. Summer parking is off of Hannah, Lone Rock, and Church Roads. Winter parking is off of

Robinson Road.Marked Trails

Size: 50 acres/40 acres

Frontage: Hailand

Preserve includes 600 feet

of a wetland

Land Description/Trails:

On the Hailand Preserve, an

approximately quarter mile

trail takes you to a beautiful

wetland loved by waterfowl.

The waters from these pre-

serves drain to Crooked Lake a

short distance away. Close to

Fochtman Preserve.

The Hailand Preserve was

donated in 2007 in honor of

Art and Sally Hailand. In 2012,

funds from John Helstrom

and Robert and Ruth Foun-

tain were donated to create

the Helstrom Family Preserve

in memory of Mathias and

Esther Helstrom.

EMMET COUNTY

Hailand/Helstrom Family

TrailsNot

Marked

Tod

d P

ark

er

Directions: From Petoskey, head north on US-31

6 miles to Conway. At the Conway stop light, turn left

onto West Conway Road for .2 miles. Look for Hailand

Preserve sign and parking on the right.

EMMET COUNTY

The Headlands

Size: 600 acres

Frontage: 2½ miles on the

Straits of Mackinac

Land Description: The largest

and least disturbed forest tract

in the Mackinaw City vicinity.

Trails & Facilities: A paved

road takes you to the facilities

and the trailhead. Nearly 4½

miles of trails for cross-country

skiing, hiking, birdwatching,

mountain biking, and picnick-

ing are all available at the

Headlands. The property also

includes two facilities for public

rental. Contact Emmet County

at 231.347.6536 for details

or visit www.emmet.mi.us/

parkrec/headlands.htm.

Flanked by the Straits of Mackinac, the Headlands was designated an international Dark

Sky Park in 2011. Thanks to a lack of major disturbance over the years, the land has re-

mained relatively intact, providing for plant and wildlife diversity.

The property is an important resting stop and staging area for

raptors and neotropical birds migrating across the Straits. It is also

home to the endangered Dwarf Lake Iris and is thought to be

habitat for the threatened Lake Huron Tansy and Pitcher’s Thistle.

In 1996, the Conservancy assisted Emmet County in acquiring the

Headlands with a grant from the Michigan Natural Resources

Trust Fund.

Directions:

From Mackinaw

City, take Central

Avenue west for

2 miles to its end.

Turn south (left)

and go 1/3 mile

to the entrance

road on the right.

Marked Trails

NN

Size: Four preserves totaling

57 acres

Frontage: Combined, these

preserves protect more than

half a mile of Crooked Lake

and Crooked River frontage.

Fifteen hundred feet of front-

age along US-31 protects the

scenic wooded character of the

area just south of the village of

Alanson.

Land Description: Ten acres

of northern fen extend along

the lake frontage on the Inland

Waterway Preserve, vegetated

with sedges, grasses and shrubs.

The remainder of the preserves

consists of rich conifer swamp

dominated by northern white

cedar.

Trails: Only one trail on this

preserve complex. Starting from

the gate on Lake Street in Alan-

son, the 1/4 mile long trail will

take you to a scenic spot on the

Crooked River. Although there

is no boat landing site on these

preserves, a gravel surfaced,

limited depth boat launch site is

located at the end of Lake Street

near the Crooked River lock, and

provides an access point for pad-

dlers to enjoy the scenic lake

frontage of these preserves.

Waterfowl hunting (by written

permission only) is allowed at

the Inland Waterway and Pon-

shewaing preserves; no hunting

is allowed at Lossing-Harrington

or Kreag.

EMMET COUNTY

Inland Waterway/Lossing-Harrington/Kreag/Ponshewaing

Directions: From the intersection of US-31 and M-68 in

Alanson, go south .3 mile. Turn left on West Street and go

one block. Turn right on Lake Street and go .3 mile. There

is no formal parking area, but there is room to park along

the road near the gate.

TrailsNot

Marked

Size: 220 acres

Land Description: A mix of mead-

owlands and a rolling hardwood

forest dominated by beech, sugar

maple, and red oak.

Trails: A small parking area exists

and old logging trails provide

nearly two miles of hiking. This

preserve is located within a half

mile of the Goodhart Farms

Preserve off of Robinson Road.

Once tilled farmland and more

recently used for pasture, the

hilltops off er magnifi cent views

of Lake Michigan and Beaver Island.

Mrs. Elmer Johnston donated the

property in memory of her hus-

band in 1982.

EMMET COUNTY

Elmer Johnston

Directions: From Harbor Springs, take State Road 9

miles to Robinson Road. Turn left on Robinson and travel

4 miles to Church Road. Take a right on Church and travel

½ mile to the Johnston Preserve on the right.Marked Trails

EMMET COUNTY

Ray Johnston

Size: 52 acres

Frontage: 82 feet on Pickerel

Lake

Land Description: This land

includes upland forested hard-

woods dropping down to for-

ested wetlands in the northwest

corner. A steep bluff created by

post-glacial Lake Algonquin runs

along the north and east parts of

the property.

Trails: More than one mile of

trails.

Purchased in 2005, this preserve

helps protect the Inland Water-

way/Cheboygan River watershed.

Directions: From the intersection of M-119 and US-31 on the

north end of Petoskey, follow US-31 ½ mile to Pickerel Lake Rd. Turn

right and follow Pickerel Lake Rd. for approximately 7½ miles (the

road has several confusing turns at intersections, so watch the road

signs). Turn left on Ellsworth Road, go about one mile, and turn left

on Artesian Lane. Look for parking lot and preserve sign.

Marked Trails

Tod

d P

ark

er

EMMET COUNTY

McCune

Size: 168 acres

Frontage: 3,400 feet

on Minnehaha Creek

Land Description: Dominated by

hardwood forest, the property in-

cludes red pine plantations, mead-

ow, creek, and a cedar swamp.

Trails: A small parking area leads to

the trailhead. A trail system off ers

roughly three miles of moderate

hiking.

This beautiful property was donated

to the Little Traverse Conservancy in

1984 by Allan and Virginia McCune

of Petoskey. Old two-tracks wind

their way through the preserve as

remnants of past logging days. The

spring-fed Minnehaha Creek, which

provides fi sh habitat, fl ows through

the preserve on its way to Crooked

Lake. The trails were dedicated to

Allan Purchis whose family homesteaded the land. A replacement footbridge was con-

structed in 1997 across the east branch of the creek with funds from the Petoskey-Harbor

Springs Area Community Foundation in memory of Ellen Pray Bondy.

Marked Trails

Directions: From

Petoskey, take Mitch-

ell Road 7 miles east

to Maxwell Road.

Turn right and go ¾

mile to the parking

area on the right side

of the road.

TM

Pe

ters

en

EMMET COUNTY

Naas, Mauger, Raunecker, Leslie

Directions: From Main Street in downtown Harbor Springs, travel west past Holy Childhood

Church until the road dead ends on Traverse Street. Take a right and travel four blocks to

Fourth Street. Turn left. The preserve entrance is about ¼ mile on the left. The trail will cross

Second Street and pick up again to take you across the Leslie Preserve and over to Glenn

TrailsNot

Marked

Size: 45 acres combined

Land Description: A mixed

conifer-deciduous forest and cedar

swamp. Located between Second

and Fourth streets, these adjacent

preserves are just a few blocks west

of downtown Harbor Springs.

Trails: A fl at, easy trail that includes

boardwalk over wet areas and

connects local roads for neighbor-

hood pathways.

The Naas, Mauger, and Raunecker

Preserve was donated in the late

1980s by the Naas and Mauger

families in memory of Richard

H. and Lydia Naas Raunecker.

The original Leslie Preserve was

donated by Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord

Leslie in 1981. A small addition to

the Leslie Preserve was donated

anonymously in 2005.

TM

Pe

ters

en

EMMET COUNTY

Oden Island

Size: 50 acres

Frontage: One mile on Crooked Lake

Land Description: This preserve is

composed of large old-growth trees

and fragile wetlands.

Trails: Parking is found at the trailhead.

Approximately one mile of foot trails

skirt the island’s eastern perimeter.

Look for two benches along the

way for enjoying lakeside views.

A successful fundraising eff ort in

2000 resulted in the Conservancy’s

purchase of this large, undeveloped

waterfront property. The purchase

closed the door on a controversial

34-unit subdivision proposed for the

site. Now the preserve helps maintain

the water quality of Crooked Lake which

lies near the upper portion of the Inland

Waterway, a 40-mile navigable waterway

that boaters can take all the way into

Lake Huron at Cheboygan.

The protection of this property

was an ideal example of a community

coming together. A window of only three

months was available to raise almost $1

million for the purchase. The result was

an outpouring of support from many

individuals, a family foundation, the lake

association, and Littlefi eld Township.

Directions: From Petoskey, take US-31

north 3¼ miles to Pickerel Lake Road. Turn

right and follow 4 miles until Pickerel turns

into Channel Road. Follow Channel Road

1 mile to Oden Island Road and turn left.

Once on the island, turn right on Leeward

Drive and go to the end until you see the

Conservancy logo sign.

Marked Trails

TM

Pe

ters

en

EMMET COUNTY

Offi eld

Size: 390 acres

Land Description: Just a

few miles from downtown

Harbor Springs, this preserve

has become a favorite commu-

nity destination for hiking, dog

walking, or nature classes.

A mix of open meadows and

hilly woods with plenty of hills

are found within its boundaries.

Trails: Nearly four miles of

trails and old two-tracks roam

the hills and fi elds of this

preserve. Maps are found at

the many intersections. This is

a frequent destination for dog

walkers (required by law to be

on leash).

Purchased in 2009 in large part

with a grant from the Offi eld

Family Foundation.

Directions: From Petoskey, head north on US-31 2.6 miles to M-119. Turn left and follow

M-119 3.2 miles to Pleasantview Road. Continue north on Pleasantview Rd. 1½ miles to

Quick Rd. and turn left. Look for parking area ½ mile down Quick Rd. on the left.

Marked Trails

EMMET COUNTY

Round Lake

Size: 58 Acres

Frontage: 2,500 feet Round Lake

Land Description: Vegetation

includes mixed hardwoods and

conifer forest, lowland cedar

swamp, and marshlands along

the lake.

Trails: Parking is next to the Con-

servancy offi ce. Easy trails cover

almost one mile and include a lake

overlook.

Land that is now the Round

Lake Preserve was once used by

Native Americans as part of the

Inland Water Route. This waterway

travels 40 miles through several

lakes and streams, eventually emp-

tying into Lake Huron in Cheboy-

gan. The original 40-acre preserve

was donated to the Little Traverse

Conservancy by the Wrigley Offi eld

Family in 1980 with additional acre-

age purchased in 1984-86 by the

people of L’Arbre Croche.

This preserve is often used by

school groups for environmental

education programs.

Marked Trails

Directions: From US-31 in

Petoskey, take M-119 about 1½

miles north to Powell Road. Turn

right on Powell and take the fi rst

driveway on the right, which is

the entrance to the Little Traverse

Conservancy offi ce. The trailhead

is directly off of the parking lot.

Conservancy

offi ce

EMMET COUNTY - CITY OF PETOSKEY

Skyline Trail

Size: 65 acres

Land Description: From atop

this hill are sweeping views of Lit-

tle Traverse Bay and the Bear River

Valley. This property lies adjacent

to more than 865 acres of city of

Petoskey land, as well as additional

land owned by the county and the

state, plus land connected through

privately-granted easements. At an

elevation of more than 1200 feet,

the views are dramatic.

Trails: Skyline Trail is part of the

North Country Trail (NCT) system,

so the hiking is virtually endless.

(www.northcountrytrail.org. This

section is maintained by the Tit-

tabawassee chapter of the NCT).

The Conservancy assisted the City

of Petoskey with acquiring this

parcel and constructing an over-

look platform off ering spectacular

views of the Petoskey region. The

property was a logical location for

diverting a portion of the North

Country Trail away from a road.

Directions: From Petoskey head east on Mitchell

St. 1.7 miles to Division Rd. Right on Division .8

miles to Atkins Rd. Left on Atkins .5 miles to Cedar

Valley Rd. Right on Cedar Valley .5 miles to Green-

wood Rd. Left and follow Greenwood around

curve 1½ miles to four way intersection. Continue

south onto Brubaker Rd. 1 mile to Krause Rd. Right

on Krause 1 mile. Sign and parking on the right.

Marked Trails

NN

EMMET COUNTY - BEAR CREEK TOWNSHIP

Spring Lake Park

Directions: From US-31 in Petoskey, take M-119

north less than ½ mile. The park is on the right.

Size: 22 acres

Frontage: Most of the Spring

Lake shoreline.

Land Description: This park lies

along Spring Lake and provides

a natural oasis just outside of

Petoskey.

Trails & Facilities:

A paved parking lot is found

directly off M-119. A gazebo,

overlook, boardwalked trails,

water and restroom facilities,

picnic tables, and a fi shing

platform are available.

Spring Lake Park marks the

beginning of the “Gateway to Harbor” corridor, a high priority land protection region for

the Conservancy which stretches along M-119 between Petoskey and Harbor Springs.

Located across from the Indian Hills Trading Post, the park is a favorite place for fi shing,

picnicking, and observing wildlife.

Approximately half the lake frontage was obtained by Bear Creek Township in 1988

with Conservancy help. A Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant, obtained by the

township and Conservancy in 1995, enabled the township to purchase the remaining

half of Spring Lake frontage on M-119. Aided by a donation of a quarter of the property’s

appraised value from the property owners, the acquisition was completed using monies

from special set-asides for transportation enhancement projects through a federal high-

way program. With the additional land obtained, this township park now includes all the

lake frontage along M-119. Another grant was received in the late 1990s to develop the

parking area, restrooms, and the interpretive trail.

Marked Trails

NN

EMMET COUNTY

Stony Point/Smith/Veling

Size: Three preserves

combine for 196 acres

Frontage: Stony Point

includes 3,000 feet of

frontage on Paradise Lake.

Land Description: A

combination of protected

shoreline and uplands. A

lakefront park owned by

Carp Lake Township lies

along borders of the Smith

and Stony Point preserves.

Trails: A short trail to a

shoreline viewpoint on the

Stony Point Preserve. A trail

is also found on the town-

ship park property.

Stony Point was protected

largely through a grass-

roots eff ort. The Smith Pre-

serve was sold at a bargain

sale from Steven Smith. He

named the preserve after the grandfather who gave him the land. The Veling Preserve is

named after the previous landowners who also sold it at a reduced price.

Directions: From the inter-

section of US-31 and Gill Rd. in

Carp Lake, turn toward the lake

and travel left along Paradise

Trail for 4 miles. Turn right on

Paradise Lake Rd. and travel to

Lakeshore Dr. Turn right and

about ½ mile down on the

right, look for the preserve sign

and parking area. A rustic trail

heads to the water.

TrailsNot

Marked

EMMET COUNTY - STATE OF MICHIGAN (WILDERNESS STATE PARK)

Sturgeon Bay Dunes

Directions: From Cross

Village, follow M-119 north

along the coast approxi-

mately 5 miles until it dead

ends at Sturgeon Bay Trail.

Turn left and you will soon

be at public shoreline.

Size: 750 acres

Frontage: 4,100 feet

on Lake Michigan

Land Description: Unques-

tionably one of the most

beloved public beaches in

northwestern Lower Michigan.

Trails & Facilities: A town-

ship park is at the center of the

property’s length where a turn-

around is available. Roadside

parking is also available provid-

ing shoreline access. The North

Country Trail runs through the

back dunes of the park.

In 1991, Sand Products Corporation sold this one-of-a-kind property to the State of Michi-

gan, adding signifi cant and much desired acreage to Wilderness State Park. The property

includes habitat for the endangered Piping Plover and four threatened species of plants

(Lake Huron Tansy, Pitcher’s Thistle, Pumpell’s Bromegrass and Houghton’s Goldenrod).

The acquisition was a grassroots eff ort mobilized in the 1970s largely by Kathy Bricker

(fi rst LTC board chair) and Conservancy co-founder John Tanton. Their group proposed

expansion of the boundaries of Wilderness State Park to include the land. Others involved

in the dune protection included The Nature Conservancy-Michigan chapter, Petoskey

Regional Audubon Society, Michigan and Petoskey Garden Clubs, Trout Unlimited, Save

Our Bay, Ducks Unlimited, and countless other individuals.

NN

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EMMET COUNTY

Stutsmanville Bog

Size: 65 acres

Land Description: One of the

best examples of a fen or peatland

in northern Michigan.

Trails: A parking lot as well as a

¼ mile trail which leads to the bog

overlook and interpretive signs.

In 1999, the Conservancy pur-

chased a large portion of the

beautiful Stutsmanville Bog, an

area that has been the subject

of many ecological studies. The

acquisition was made possible, in

part, by a bargain sale from the

sellers and with funds from the

family of Julia Wells Terry.

A bog is a unique type of wet-

land dominated by

organic soil known

as peat. Bogs are also

known for unusual

plants such as the

carnivorous pitcher

plant and sundew

which receive their

nutrients by entrap-

ping and digesting

insects! Wetlands are

extremely important

for fi ltering water

that fl ows through

them. Please be

sensitive to the

fragile nature of this

ecosystem when

visiting. Even

sporadic foot traffi c

off the trails can

permanently damage

the vegetation.

Directions: From Harbor Springs,

take State Road north approximately

fi ve miles. Look for the preserve sign

on the right-hand side of the road.

A parking lot holds a few cars.

Marked Trails

Gre

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en

Do

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EMMET COUNTY

Thorne Swift

Size: 30 acres

Frontage: 950 feet along Lake

Michigan with 300 feet as a public

beach

Land Description: A mix of

upland dunes and lowland cedar

swamp along with Great Lakes

shoreline.

Trails & Facilities: A large parking

lot lies adjacent to the Elizabeth

Kennedy Nature Center. A total of

1½ miles of trail, dune observation

platform, pond observation plat-

form, gazebo, amphitheatre, and

seasonal guided programs all make

this an excellent family destination.

In 1981, Elizabeth Kennedy

donated the Thorne Swift prop-

erty to Little Traverse Conservancy.

The Conservancy leases the prop-

erty to West Traverse Township as

a nature park.

The preserve and nature cen-

ter are open daily 10 am to ½ hour

after sunset from Memorial Day

to Labor Day. Parking fee is $3 for

non-township residents (no charge

for Conservancy members). Call

231.526.6401 for current programs

or information on extended sea-

sons and hours.

Directions: From

Harbor Springs,

take M-119 north-

west 3.8 miles to

Lower Shore Drive.

Follow Lower

Shore Drive for ½

mile. The preserve

sign is on the left.

Marked Trails

TM

Pe

ters

en

The following are Conservancy nature preserves that are not featured in the fi rst portion

of the county’s description. See the Emmet County map on p. 4 for general location of

these properties or visit www.landtrust.org to view interactive, printable trail maps.

OTHER Emmet County PRESERVES

Arbaugh, Dean, Pack, Sharpe & Hansen 2 acres 2010 West Traverse Township. Neighbors pooled together to create this scenic preserve with more than a quarter mile of M-119 frontage.

Black Hole 5.5 acres 2005 Littlefi eld Township. Located on the Pickerel-Crooked Lakes Channel. Local fundraising and a grant from the J.A. Woollam Founda-tion made it possible.

Bryan Wildlife 180 acres 1984 + McKinley Township. Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Garth P. Bryan, Mr. and Mrs. Garth M. Bryan, Joey Arbaugh, Bradley and Cynthia Claes, and Steven and Jane Roberts.

Clark 5 acres 2004 City of Petoskey. Donated by Sally Clark, this preserve is adjacent to property and trails owned by North Central Michigan College.

Clements 16 acres 1992 Littlefi eld Township. Donated by Mr. Forrest Clements who left the property in his will. Includes views of Crooked Lake.

Covert 85 acres 1980Resort Township. Donated by Dorothy Covert in memory of her husband, Harold. Located near north arm of Walloon Lake.

Cranmer 4½ acres 1990Cross Village Township. Donated by Mr. and Mrs. William Cranmer. M-119 Scenic Corridor.

Curtis 25 acres 2010Bear Creek Township. Located adjacent to Bay View Woods, this preserve was donated by Martha Curtis and includes a mix of forest and fi eld with views of Little Traverse Bay. Just outside of Petoskey city limits.

Dobson 8 acres 2009Readmond Township. Lying along the M-119 corridor just south of Good Hart, this pre-

serve was donated in memory of Duncan C. Dobson Jr. by his family.

Drayton 40 acres 2004 Littlefi eld Township. Purchased at a sig-nifi cant bargain price from Ken and Kathy Drayton. Located in the Crooked River watershed, this preserve is mostly wetlands.

Edwards 3 acres 1987 West Traverse Township. Donated by Herbert and Lorraine Edwards, this preserve is a slim scenic buff er.

Enje Nkweshdat Wat 35 acres 1991 Cross Village Township. Donated by Sarah McPharlin. M-119 Scenic Corridor.

A.C Fischer 68 acres 1973+ Little Traverse Township. Donations from Susan Bissell, Mr. and Mrs. John Fischer, Jack and Jacqueline Burley, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Fairbairn, Margaret Fisk, and Dr. and Mrs. Marshall Morley.y.

Walter Fisher Family 41 acres 1994+ Cross Village Township. Donated by the Walter Fisher Family. Includes a quarter mile frontage on Lake Michigan.

Five Mile Creek 90 acres 1997+West Traverse Township. Donors include William and Cheryl VonValtier, Joyce Smith, and Bob and Virginia Horner. M-119 Scenic Corridor.

James 6 acres 1984+Little Traverse Township. Donated by Dan and Ruby James, George and Lyda James, Dannie Bea Hightower, and Mr. and Mrs. Davis Family Trust..

John 11 acres 1997 Friendship Township. Donated by the John Family. M-119 Scenic Corridor.

Meadowgate 11 acres 1978+Little Traverse Township. Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Leo Desimpel, Mr. and Mrs. C. Donnelly, Robert and Carolyn Sandford, and FIDODE.

Orchis Fen 38 acres 1984Bear Creek Township. Protected in conjunc-tion with the Michigan chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

John & Julia Pachy 36 acres 2011Carp Lake Township. Purchased at a bargain price from cousins Jim Moss and Al Owens. Includes 1,500 feet of Paradise Lake frontage.

Petersen 10 acres 2011Friendship Township. This preserve links together more than 350 acres of conser-vation-easement protected land and state land.

Renker .5 acre 2007Little Traverse Township. Located within the Harbor Springs Greenbelt, this preserve includes 250 feet of frontage along M-119.

Resort Township’s East & West ParksResort Township. Flanking Bay Harbor on both ends, these parks both include large paved parking lots and access to Little Traverse Bay. East Park includes a large picnic pavilion and fl ush toilets. Both lie along the Little Traverse Wheelway bike path. LTC worked with the township to secure these with a grant from the Michi-gan Natural Resources Trust Fund in 1995.

Roaring Brook 20 acres 1997Little Traverse Township. Located just out-side of Harbor Springs adjacent to Roaring Brook Association property.

Rocky Point 27 acres 1986Springvale Township. 2,000 feet frontage on Crooked Lake. Accessible only by boat. Predominantly swamp consisting of northern white cedar and balsam fi r.

Kalman 71 acres 1981Little Traverse Township. Majority of land donated by Andrew Kalman with ad-ditional land gifts from Mr. and Mrs. Max Goldman Jr., Mr. Max Goldman, III, Jerry and Martha Rockwell, and Frank and Catherine Shumway.

Kinglet 83 acres 2002/2011Resort Township. Located near Bay Harbor, this project was funded through the US-31 Corridor Protection Program.

Laughbaum 2 acres 2003 Springvale Township. Located on causeway to Oden Island with 1,100 feet of Crooked Lake frontage.

MacDonald 14 acres 1990Little Traverse Township. Donated by Mur-ray and Katherine MacDonald. Along M-119 between Petoskey and Harbor Springs.

OTHER Emmet County PRESERVES

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Ryan 50 acres 1998 Cross Village Township. Gift from Marion Ryan. Located along both sides of M-119 Scenic Corridor.

Schachinger/Bartley 6 acres 1980+ Little Traverse Township. Donated by John and Helen Schachinger and John and Jane Bartley.

Reg and Vivian Sharkey 3.2 acres 2004/2011Bear Creek Township. Purchased in honor of Reg and Vivian. Includes mouth of creek that drains Round Lake to Crooked Lake.

Shurtleff .4 acres 1977 Cross Village Township. Located on a bluff between M-119 and Lower Shore Drive in Cross Village next to Legs Inn. Provides magnifi cent views of Lake Michigan.

Sims-Moff at Forest 70 acres 1986Center Township. Donated by Mrs. Marion Moff at. Located near Larks Lake, the prop-erty is managed for sustainable timber production.

South Round Lake 10 acres 1991+Bear Creek Township. Four acres of this pre-serve were donated by the M-119 Devel-opment Group.

Weimer’s Lake 12 acres 1987West Traverse Township. Donated by Eliza-beth Kennedy, this preserve lies adjacent to Thorne Swift Nature Preserve.

West Wequetonsing 14 acres 1973Little Traverse Township. Donated by Jean and Janell Everest. Located between Ot-tawa Stadium and Pennsylvania Avenue just outside of Harbor Springs.

Charles S. Winston, Jr. 50 acres 2005West Traverse Township. Purchased with donations to the Harbor Springs Greenbelt Program and protected in honor of a long-time Conservancy board member..

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