Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) Superintendent Dusty Shultz recently announced the issuance of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Kettles Trail Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA). The National Park Service (NPS) has selected a modified version of the Preferred Alternative (Alternative 4) presented in the EA.
The Kettles Trail will be constructed on federal lands in the detached Bow Lakes area of the National Lakeshore. Currently, only the southern half of the Bow Lakes area is owned by the NPS and the trail system will be confined to federal lands lying south of Lanham Road. These lands include many glacial formations, including dry kettles, wetlands and a bog.
Under the Selected Alternative, the Kettles Trail will include a single track primitive trail system of 2.2 miles, including a loop and a spur trail to two bog overlooks. A new gravel parking facility (6-8 cars) would be developed off Baatz Road near the intersection with Fritz Road. The plan also allows for the possible construction of a universally accessible trail segment from the parking area and a vault toilet.
In a response to public comments, several proposed trail facilities near Lanham Road, including another small formal parking lot and a short universally accessible trail segment and overlook were eliminated in the Selected Alternative.
The EA, FONSI, and a summary of public comments received are available at: parkplanning.nps.gov/kettlestrail.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
