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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted Oct. 4, 2004   Text © 2004 Michigan Department of Natural Resources, courtesy Ann Wilson, DNR communications representative, Office of the Press Secretary, Marquette; and Ronald Yesney, DNR West U.P. recreation specialist. Photos © 2004 Dana Richter and Michele Anderson for Keweenaw Now.

Keweenaw Point Advisory Committee submits recommendations to DNR

MARQUETTE -- The Keweenaw Point Advisory Committee (KPAC) has submitted its recommendations to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for  recreation and resource management of the state's recent Keweenaw Tip purchase of 6,275 acres for public access, recreation and conservation. 

DNR staff and KPAC will hold a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5, in the Mohawk School. The meeting is open to the public. Both the DNR staff and the committee members welcome public comments on the committee's recommendations. In addition to accepting public comments at the Oct. 5 meeting, the DNR will accept written comment for 30 days after the public meeting. Written comment can be submitted until Nov. 5, 2004, to Ronald Yesney, MDNR, 1990 US 41 South, Marquette, 49855 and by email to yesneyr@michigan.gov.

The management recommendations are the fruit of nine months of meetings and research on the part of the volunteer committee members representing various interests of both local residents and visitors to the Keweenaw Point area -- from non-motorized and motorized sports to logging, birding, fishing, hunting, conservation and environmental protection. Approved after sometimes lengthy discussions and public input at the KPAC meetings, the recommendations fall into the following categories: Camping, Maintenance and Enforcement, Motorized Access, Non-Motorized Access, Public Access and Roads.

Keweenaw Now is publishing the recommendations here on five pages, plus two maps: motorized and non-motorized trails. The minutes of the Aug. 17, Sept. 7 and Sept. 21 KPAC meetings will be posted soon.

Camping Recommendations

• Motorized primitive campsite. Accessible by high clearance SUV or car -- to be developed with toilet, fire ring, table and tent pad. Motor homes, trailers, or similar large recreational vehicles will not be able to get into these sites.
• Non-motorized primitive campsite. May or may not have toilet or table but will have tent pad and fire ring.
• Wilderness campsite. Will have tent pad and fire ring.

A. High Rock Bay
This area has long been used as a camping area. Originally it was thought that a small primitive motorized campsite could be developed just to the north of the big pines, where most now camp, near the boundary with The Nature Conservancy property. However, there may be insufficient land here due to the proximity to the TNC land. There is the possibility of locating a non-motorized campsite on TNC land at the rocket launcher site as people currently use this spot as a camping area (noted below). A State Forest Campground may be the most reasonable solution to accommodate motorized campers at this popular location.

B. Schlatter Lake
Develop motorized campsites at two locations around the lake with three camping pads per location. Suggested areas include (a) the existing camping location along the SW side of the lake and (b) the existing camping location located on the east side of the lake. For future expansion, a third campsite might be considered along the NW corner of the lake near the High Rock Bay Road.

C. Schlatter Lake Island
Camping will continue to be allowed here. Small groups of only a few people will be allowed under the general State Land Rules. Reservations for large groups of over 20 people such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church groups, etc. will be required. Reservations will be by Special Event Use Permit only and issued by Baraga Area Forester. Only a limited number of camping dates will be allowed annually. This will be determined by (the DNR's) FMFM (Forest, Mineral and Fire Management) Division.

A large group of visitors with motor boats camp on Schlatter's Lake island. (June 2004 file photo © 2004 Dana Richter. Reprinted with permission.)

D. Hoar Lake
Develop three motorized campsites at various locations around the lake including (a) the existing, traditional camping location, (b) somewhere along the north shore of the west bay and (c) along SW shore. Each campsite to have no more than three pads per location. Campsites to be located at least 100 feet from shoreline so that beach will become a "commons" area for all campers.

Road easements will have to be acquired from the Hoar Lake loop road to state property around the lake before any development can occur at the proposed campsites (b) and (c) above.

 

A view of Hoar Lake as seen from an existing, traditional campsite. (June 2004 file photo © Michele Anderson)

E. Keystone Bay
After a new access road is constructed around the private parcel and a parking area and toilet is installed, develop a State Forest Campground in the vicinity of the beach. All campsites are to be set back at least 100 feet inland from the drop or break to the beach. No camping will be allowed on the beach, which will be a "commons" area. 

Mouth of the Montreal River, showing west side of river, near proposed primitive campsite. (June 2004 file photo © Michele Anderson)

• Mouth of Montreal River -- one-3 pad campsite on east side of the river. Two and possibly three campsites to be located on west side of river. Beach and first terrace at river mouth are to be a "commons" area. Campsites will be located farther uphill from the shoreline or river. Archeological survey of potential campsites is a must at this prehistorically active location.
• Montreal River east of the old dam site -- for hikers of the proposed trail system.
• Fish Cove -- location to be determined but should be in the western cove.
• Keystone Point -- inland a short ways behind remnants of old fishery buildings.
• Mouth of Hoar Creek in Big Bay
• Mouth of Union Creek at the east end of Keystone Bay
• Keweenaw Point -- somewhere between High Rock Bay and the Point, if possible. Extensive wetlands encroach the shoreline in most areas south of Gill Lake and may prevent much development.
• High Rock Bay -- either just to the north of the "commons" area in the big pines on DNR property, or if there is not enough land to accommodate the campsite, on The Nature Conservancy's rocket launcher site.
• Copper Lake -- one, three-pad campsite, at the lake for hikers. To be constructed at the end of the existing logging trail. Logging trail to be gated or otherwise blocked to vehicular traffic where it enters state land.

• Lost Lake - two single tent pads at widely separated locations.

Go to page 2: Maintenance and Enforcement Recommendations and Motorized Access

*Editor's note: Keweenaw Now is providing this Michigan Department of Natural Resources information as a public service.