Boardman River Trail

The Boardman River Trail Committee, composed of various partners and spearheaded by Richard Naperala, formed in 2010 to explore feasibility of developing a 24-mile trail that follows the Boardman River Valley from Traverse City to the North Country Trail (NCT). Most of the proposed trail is in forested area on existing dirt paths and two-tracks. From the NCT users can continue on to connect with the Vasa Pathway and head back to Traverse via the TART Trail, resulting in a 46-mile loop.

The Boardman River Trail (BRT) will be developed in three sections; the first extending from the NCT to Mayfield, the second from Mayfield to Beitner Road and the final section from Beitner Road to the existing Boardman Lake Trail in Traverse. Timeframe for trail development will depend on the feasibility findings.

Trails users will enjoy lakes, rivers, boardwalks, bridges, scenic vistas, forest and wildlife. The BRT will also serve as a connecting trail for people to safely walk or bike to the soccer fields, the YMCA, the Nature Education Reserve, Kingsley and the NCT. The trail will be ideal for backpacking, bike camping, trail running, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, bird watching, photography and wildlife study.