The Nature Conservancy in Michigan to Open Clark Mine Trail Gates Nov. 1 to All Vehicles
Clark Mine Trail, and other seasonal trails, will remain open throughout deer hunting and snowmobile seasons
Media Contacts
-
Ryan Hermes
TNC
Phone: 517-999-7745
Email: ryan.hermes@tnc.org
The Nature Conservancy in Michigan (TNC) today announced the Clark Mine Trail gates will open Nov. 1 to all vehicles and remain open throughout deer hunting and snowmobile seasons. Clark Mine Trail gates, and other seasonal trail gates, will all be opened by the end of the day on Nov. 1.
The trail has been closed to full size vehicles, campers, and heavy trucks during peak visitor season to increase user safety and control traffic volumes. According to data collected by TNC, as many as 200 vehicles per day are accessing nearby Manganese Road in peak season.
“Since we purchased the Keweenaw Heartlands last year, we have consistently heard from community members about increasing numbers of vehicles on roads and trails. This not only creates worry about impact on road and trail infrastructure, but also presents a safety concern for ORV/ATV users where vehicle access types conflict,” said Julia Petersen, Keweenaw Peninsula project manager for The Nature Conservancy in Michigan. “By closing gates to Clark Mine Trail during busier months and opening them during the winter, we believe we have struck the right balance to both maintain trail condition and protect ATV/ORV users, while ensuring hunters still have access.”
The decision to open the Clark Mine Trail gates follows feedback from local community members who wanted to ensure access to the trail for hunting season.
“The Keweenaw Heartlands project is very much community driven, and I want to thank everyone—especially those who live in the Keweenaw community—for their feedback,” Petersen said. “The community will have a chance to provide further input at our next public meeting after Thanksgiving.”
TNC asks residents who use Clark Mine Trail throughout the winter to follow “Leave No Trace” principles, which includes taking out whatever you bring in. Camping is not allowed in the Heartlands, and neither are fires. Hunters are also prohibited from setting up permanent deer blinds.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 81 countries and territories (40 by direct conservation impact and 41 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.
More from Michigan
Hunting at TNC Properties in Michigan
We allow hunting at some TNC preserves in Michigan as a tool to reduce the damage deer cause and protect biodiversity. Learn which preserves allow hunting and how to get a permit.
The Places that Protect Michigan’s Biodiversity
TNC is protecting important habitats that provide food and shelter for endangered or threatened species across Michigan.
The Legacy of the Keweenaw
TNC has been working with partners to ensure the protection of the Keweenaw Peninsula for people and nature since 1982.