HAUNTED MICHIGAN: The Drowned Camper of Pickerel Lake

There are a handful of Pickerel Lakes throughout Michigan. This particular one is in Kent County, just northeast of Grand Rapids and less than two miles north of Cannonsburg….and it has an interesting little urban legend that comes with it.

A trail snakes around the lake through the woods, over inlets, and over bridges. There’s one part of the trail of which you should be aware, if you walk it sometime. The legend says if you walk the trail to the back (northside) of the lake, you will encounter something unusual. That part of the trail is just down a hill from Camp Roger, a summer camp for kids.

Many years ago, one of the campers was swimming in Pickerel Lake. Due to the excitement he was experiencing, he became over-confident and somehow drowned. How he drowned is unexplained, but it’s believed he was somewhat over-enthusiastic and aggressive in his playfulness. This could be proven by what he is said to do to current visitors…..his spirit has been known to run down the hill toward hikers shouting “I’m gonna push you in the water” (some say he says “…in the lake!”) but before he reaches you, his image vanishes.

The north part of the lake and the camp are known in paranormal circles as containing some kind of supernatural activity. Maybe, just maybe, if you walk the trail late some cloudy day around dusk, you might be taunted by a little boy who doesn’t exist.