2021 Priority Projects

The Iron Ore Heritage Recreation Authority will work on the following priority projects for 2021:  Finish the weather shelter/fishing piers project slated in Negaunee and Negaunee Township.  We have hired Wuebben Contractors through bidding process and they will be working through the spring and early summer to build two weather shelters–one at the Negaunee Carp River crossing and the other near the Pine Hill Pond in Negaunee Township. They will also be placing steps down to the pond for fishing opportunities and add three accessible fishing piers at the Carp River.

Our second priority project is to build the new Negaunee Township trailhead at the SW corner of M35/CR492.  We will be putting this project out on bid this spring/summer. The project will include paved parking lot, pit toilet (like at Lions Field in Chocolay), signage, bike racks, seating, trail connector, and landscaping.

A third project includes sprucing up the trail in Republic Township. We will be bidding out this project which includes grading, adding bike path aggregate, culvert extensions, and rolling.

We will continue ORV trail maintenance using our ORV grant dollars and IOHT monies.

We will order and install mile markers where we have gaps:  several in Republic Township, at least one in Negaunee Township, and two in Chocolay Township.

More interpretive signage is included in this year’s plans, including one at the Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum to showcase the grounds of the Museum, one about the Tilden Mine, and a third on Changing Energy Sources in Mining.

We will work on a new map to be more user friendly, smaller overall size, but more urban orientation/landmarks where needed.

We will partner with the City of Negaunee and Republic Township to cut the ribbons and dedicate their new trailhead facilities.

We will look to grant funds to help pay for upcoming projects in 2022 and beyond.

Lastly, but certainly not the least, is continued maintenance, including fixing asphalt in Negaunee, aggregate erosion near Chocolay River, and other items that spring up every year. We will use a combination of volunteers, paid contract laborers and adopt-a-mile groups to maintain the trail.  With larger maintenance projects, we use a bidding system.