Iron Belle Trail

  • Description: The Iron Belle Trail project consists of the construction of an 11.5 mile long, 10 foot wide, crushed limestone trail starting at Passenheim Road in Waters, and extending north to Fairview Road in Gaylord. The trail is an extension of the North Central State Trail, which begins at Fairview Road in Gaylord and extends north to Mackinaw City. The local trail project is part of the larger state Iron Belle Trail, planned to be Michigan's "showcase trail". Once completed, the trail will extend over 2,000 miles from the far western tip of the U.P. to Belle Isle in Detroit. Final completion and opening of the trail to pedestrian traffic occurred in July 2019.
  • Plans and Renderings:
  • Funding Sources:
    • Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant: $1,380,000
    • Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant: $600,000
    • Iron Belle Trail grant: $30,000
    • Local funding between Otsego County, Otsego Lake Township, and Bagley Township: $610,000
    • Department of Natural Resources Trail Program grant: $318,000
  • Newspaper Articles:
  • Photos: View a photo gallery of the Iron Belle Trail project.