Events

The NCTA Grand Traverse Hiking Club Chapter will be celebrating National Trails Day on June 4. It will be held at the Guernsey Lake State Forest Campground in Kalkaska County. Hikes will leave from the trailhead parking lot, located 0.15 miles west of the campground entrance gate on Guernsey Lake Road.

There will be a choice of two guided hikes, both out-and-back with no shuttle:

• Long Hike: Parking lot to second crossing of S. River Road. At the beginning of the roadwalk and back, 6.2 miles roundtrip. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the parking
  lot.
• Short Hike: Parking lot to N. River Road and back, 3.6 miles roundtrip. Meet at 10:00 a.m. in the parking lot.

Please contact the Chapter at gtr@northcountrytrail.org if you have interest in being a hike leader or sweep for the short hike.

After the hike(s), we will have a potluck lunch at the best campsite we can claim. We will leave a note on the parking lot kiosk as to the exact location of the picnic. Since parking will be nearly nonexistent at the picnic site, we are asking that after the hike, everyone bring their potluck dish to the picnic site. If it’s heavy, you can drive it up, drop it off on the table, then drive back to the parking lot and leave your car there. Then it is about a 0.2-mile walk back to the picnic.

Items provided by the Chapter: Hot dogs, buns, condiments, and drinking water.

What participants should bring:

• Dish to pass with serving utensil
• Eating utensils (we will not have paper plates or plastic silverware)
• Beverage of your choice (drinking water will be provided)
• Folding chair (picnic tables very limited)

At least four Chapter members will arrive Thursday night to claim a campsite to be used for picnic. If anyone else would like to camp with us, you are welcome. (Contact the Chapter via email if so.)

GPS coordinates: 44.71608, -85.32292. The Island Lake Road and Guernsey Lake Road routes may not be suitable for all vehicles. We recommend M-72 to Dockery Road for those without high clearance vehicles.