Patience for the Right Path

Rerouting the NCT through downtown Kalkaska

June 15, 2024

For eight years, Kalkaska leaders, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and members of the North Country Trail Association, the Grand Traverse Hiking Club, and the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association have been planning to reroute a portion of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) to the south end of the Village of Kalkaska and through the downtown district. The new trail will eliminate “road walk” sections of the trail and provide public access to the North Branch of the Boardman River. This June, they finally broke ground on the project, which will bring the trail along the river and include a new ADA-accessible trailhead and boardwalk. The half-million-dollar project involved fundraising with multiple organizations and is expected to be completed the first week of September, with an official ribbon cutting and luncheon on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Pictured: The current NCT map through the Village of Kalkaska.