From the Hunt's Guide to
Michigan's Upper Peninsula web site:
An old railroad grade goes from the Ottawa Visitor Center eight miles south to the Land O'Lakes library
downtown. It goes through many habitats - forests, lowlands, beaver ponds, clearcuts, and open areas,
and crosses a stream with brook trout. It all makes for good wildlife viewing, with warblers (chestnut-sided,
Nashville, and yellow) and, around the beaver ponds, beaver, muskrats, mink, and shorebirds. The trail is
one of 36 U.P. natural areas featured in Michigan Watchable Wildlife, in book form or online at
www.michigan.gov/dnr/; go to "wildlife and habitat," then "viewing wildlife" for photos and details.
Hikers, bicyclists, ATVs, snowmobiles, and skiers are all permitted on the trail, so naturalists and
skiers might want to get out early before the ATVers and snowmobilers are up.
The north trailhead starts 100 yards east of the parking lot at the visitor center on U.S. 2 at U.S. 45.
The south trailhead is at the Land O'Lakes library