TROUT CREEK, Mich. (WZMQ) – When Cameron Asam purchased 24 acres adjacent to Agate Falls near Trout Creek, he never thought he would become involved in a war of words. Soon after he announced his plans for “Firefly”, a small cottage development, several falsehoods started appearing on social media. Asam wants to set the record straight.
“People are upset that I was allegedly cutting off public access to the public waterfall, which is not true. The reason I bought this property is that it has access to the falls. There are 10s of 1000s of tourists that walk by every single year,” explained Asam.
His property will in no way impact people’s ability to access the falls. An easement owned by the state exists to ensure the public’s access to the falls. It protects Agate Falls and the trails leading to them.
“It’s owned and maintained by the DNR, so from the easement down to the river, for the most part, is owned by the DNR, and then the state,” said Asam.
At the urging of his attorney, Asam put up No Trespassing signs around the small parking lot closest to the falls, an area that has always been owned privately. Asam plans on constructing six geodesic dome cottages on the site, a move he believes will help commercial activity in the area.
“It will just give folks that are walking through here anyway, the chance to stay here for a couple of days and go visit local vendors and eat at different restaurants and bars and stuff,” said Asam.
Locals we spoke to are excited about the new venture.
“Purchasing this property doesn’t change the access to the public part of the waterfall, there’s public parking, there’s a public path, there’s a public everything, and it’s just a matter that somebody owns this property. Now, and we just need to park in a different spot,” said local outdoor enthusiast, Devon Ray.
WZMQ 19 reached out to some of the individuals concerned about public access to the falls but no one was available to speak with us at the time of this post.
