With increased use and popularity throughout the four seasons, partners are working to make crucial updates and improvements at the Vasa Pathway, including the expansion and maintenance of the Vasa Pathway Bartlett Road Trailhead and the construction of a new maintenance and grooming facility at Timber Ridge. These projects are completed through impressive collaboration between TART Trails, the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and Grand Traverse County.
Parking Lot Surface, Drainage, and Landscaping Improvements
We plan to pursue a professional review, design, and repairs/construction of the Vasa Pathway trailhead at Bartlett Road. Native species will be incorporated to accommodate stormwater runoff better and improve trailhead aesthetics.
We want to design, construct, and install two gateways to identify access to the Vasa Pathway and the Vasa Bike Park from the trailhead.
In October 2024, TART Trails, Grand Traverse County, and Prein & Newhof (the design/engineering consultant) held a public meeting to review the Vasa Pathway Bartlett Trailhead renovation project. Prein & Newhof shared a preliminary design (30% plan concept).
Project partners are seeking public input to inform the remaining design and engineering. Please provide your input below, if you could not attend the public meeting.
Please review Exhibit 1, the preliminary design explored during the meeting. Thank you for your input.
New Year Round Maintenance and Grooming Facility at Timber Ridge
TART Trails has long outgrown the current grooming barn located at the Vasa Pathway trailhead located off Bartlett Road in Williamsburg. NMMBA is currently without a facility and has entered into a yearly agreement to store equipment at Timber Ridge Resort. TART and NMMBA want to share a facility at the southeast corner of the Timber Ridge property, provide a maintenance area, and house an office for grooming and maintenance operations. In addition to the building facility, the proposed location offers better access to the south side of the Vasa Pathway which receives and holds more snow compared to the existing Bartlett Road trailhead. This move will extend grooming in the early and late portions of the winter season. More to come…