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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Forest, Minerals and Fire Management Division (MDNR/FMFM) will hold a public forum, Tuesday April 5, to review proposed alternatives on the future use of the Escanaba to Hermansville Rail-Trail. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. ET, and will take place at the Bay College Heirman University Center, located at 2001 North Lincoln Road in Escanaba.

The route under consideration, if opened, will link Escanaba directly to Hermansville and provide critical access to the western UP, however this particular system has four variables in the list of recommendations.

Having been in the planning stages since 2007 the “Hermanaba”, a tag name given to the 23.76 mile project, has the potential for riders to start at a trail head on the UP State Fairgrounds in Delta County or in the village of Hermansville in Menominee County with the opposite points as end destinations.

It is part of the Rails-to-Trails program that has been growing across the State since many abandoned railroad grades were turned over to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The MDOT then allowed the MDNR/FMFM to include the varying segments as part of a strategic plan to some day have a connecting system of trails that would allow long distance travel of ATV/OHV enthusiasts. Having such a designated system would also allow for funding through the trails program, including outright grants through the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.

The idea has not been without some objection as some of the land owners who have land on either side of the grade questioned their ability to access parcels, especially those involved in agriculture, once the trail system is enacted.

According to MDNR Trail Specialist Ron Yesney, those parcels that already have access will continue as before. If a new access point is requested, it will come under review and be limited in some regards, following a requirement to keep rail access (potentially) available if the land should revert back to the railroads and again become active. This follows a federal statute.

The MDNR/FMFM Division had previously held a public hearing and accepted written testimony on the project and that input enabled them to put together four alternative proposals.

While the project has received strong support from the user community, including the Sportsmen’s Off-Road Vehicle Association (SORVA) of Delta County, it recently collected another petition of support from the NORMENCO Sportmen’s Club, with 150 signatures added to those hundreds already collected from SORVA.

There is also a faction of the communities wanting to see the entire stretch remain “non-motorized”, sighting concerns of past abuses of the grade. With those points of consideration included, the planning of the final four alternatives of the Hermanaba has taken those issues under consideration:

> Motorized vehicles greater than 62 inches in width should be prohibited to help alleviate illegal dumping of refuse with full size vehicles while still permitting side-by-side use.

> Hunting on the corridor should be prohibited in response to public concerns.

> Stay on trail signs would be placed adjacent to open areas along the corridor to prevent unlawful operation and trespassing.

> Informative and stay on trail signs would be placed along the Michigan State University Experimental Forest.

> Individual concerns will be addressed as received once a plan of implementation is established.

> The possibility exists to establish a multi-use trail on the undeveloped segment of State owned Felch Grade and develop a multi-use trailhead just north of US Highway 2&41 on state owned land.

As with all the other designated ATV/OHV trail systems throughout the Upper Peninsula, the Hermanaba would be adopted by local clubs for maintenance and repair.

Future planning for the inter-connection of existing trail systems in Delta County include the Escanaba to Gladstone corridor, with final connection at a point in Rapid River that would tie in the 2,200 mile network of trails and routes located within the Hiawatha National Forest.