Camp Newaygo is celebrating the restoration of its Wetland Trail more than two years after the area experienced serious fire damage. The 100-year-old camp encourages resilience and independence while giving children a safe place to grow, according to their website.
The camp is recognizing the trail’s return with a grand opening event at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22. The event will be open to the public with no admission costs.
In addition to celebrating the trail, Camp Newaygo will also be opening the new Hidden Lake Environmental Center at the event.
Jalisa Danhof, director of Camp Newaygo, said that she sees the environmental center as a place where togetherness will increase the camp’s impact.
“We hope that it creates a passion in young people,” she said. “We hope that it helps educators do their jobs better through additional trainings and resources, and we hope it gives peers an opportunity to connect with one another.”
In 2024, a brush fire caused damage to nearly 1.5 acres of wetland and 400 feet of the boardwalk on the Wetland Trail. The restoration process was a tedious process that required multiple crews and volunteers to rehabilitate the trail and reopen it to the public.
Danhof said that because of the direct access through the bog that the trail provides, putting the pieces together was a complicated task.
“You’re essentially doing boardwalk Jenga where you’re dispersing the weight… in a way that should not be possible as an engineer,” she said.
The trail's access is one of the things that makes it so unique, Danhof said, claiming it's the only bog trail in the world with a direct pathway through a bog.
Additionally, the trail is now compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), meaning that trails are now wider, turnarounds are available every 200 feet, and solid pathways are accessible for both wheelchair and walker users.
For nearly four decades, the Wetland Trail has been open to students, researchers, and families for them to experience the unique environment firsthand.
