MARQUETTE COUNTY, Mich. — Maintenance work is underway on the Iron Ore Heritage Trail between Negaunee and Republic, where crews this week began grading and laying gravel in Ely and Humboldt townships to smooth ruts and build up low, sandy sections ahead of the busy fall color season.
The Iron Ore Heritage Recreation Authority (IOHRA), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ ORV sponsor for the C Route, said the project is part of its regular seasonal work and is expected to wrap up by Sept. 20. Funding comes through the state’s ORV trail permit program (Michigan Trail Fund tags).
“A lot of people ask, you know, how much work does goes into a trail, and it’s really like a mini road commission. With use of a trail, it gets rutted, it gets bumpy, especially in sandier areas, so that needs to be graded out, resurfaced with either gravel or just grading, and that makes it smoother and just keeps it better for everyone to use,” said Bob Hendrickson, IOHRA trail administrator.
Hendrickson said IOHRA performs two gradings each year — one in spring and one in summer — and works with local DNR representatives and contractors to target the highest-need areas.
“We do two gradings, one in the spring, one in the summer. Part of the funding comes from the Michigan Trail Fund tags, the trail tags that people use on their ORVs, and then working with the local DNR representatives and the contractors, we choose the areas that were best to be improved,” he said.
While the trail will remain open during the work, users should expect to encounter equipment and brief delays. IOHRA is asking riders to slow down, yield to crews and be alert for limited sightlines in work zones. Officials also note that the designated ORV corridor from Negaunee toward Republic is restricted to machines 65 inches wide or narrower; full-size vehicles are not allowed on that section for safety reasons.
“We don’t close the trail during these maintenance times. What we do want to make people aware that there is heavy equipment out there. A lot of these equipment takes up the whole trail, but you want to make sure that you’re just aware that these things are being taken place, and also, typically during the fall season, you start having an increase of traffic on the trail, so just being aware that there’s going to be an increase of traffic in the next few weeks,” Hendrickson said.
The current gravel and grading focus spans segments east of Iwanoen Road in Ely Township and east of Wolf Lake Road in Humboldt Township. After fall maintenance wraps up, IOHRA will prepare to hand off winter operations to local snowmobile clubs.
The Iron Ore Heritage Trail is a 47-mile multi-use corridor that runs from Republic through Humboldt, Ishpeming and Negaunee to Chocolay Township, with both motorized and non-motorized segments. IOHRA said the fall work will improve riding conditions now and help set the trail up for winter grooming and use.
Trail users are encouraged to plan extra time, ride cautiously in active zones. The IOHRA also reminds everyone that full sized cars and trucks are not permitted on many areas of the trail, and encourage everyone to follow posted width restrictions on trails to avoid dangerous situations.
