The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced that the trail connecting Petoskey to Mackinaw City is completely open.

The North Western State Trail bridge projects are finished and the trail is open from Petoskey to Mackinaw City. The Carp Lake River Bridge replacement (pictured above) was the final piece of the trail improvement project.

This bridge is part of the 32-mile trail located on the former Grand Rapids to Mackinaw railroad between Petoskey and Mackinaw City.

The trail is part of a full trail network which connects Petoskey, Mackinaw City, Cheboygan, Gaylord and Alpena. It is open year-round to all nonmotorized users, and snowmobiles from December 1 to March 31.

“The Carp Lake River Bridge was the last major piece of the 188-mile trail network,” said Emily Meyerson, the DNR's northern Lower Peninsula trails coordinator. "You can now ride a bike on a trail from Alpena to Charlevoix."

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