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By Joan Young
The Michigan Dragon Trail that will ultimately circle Hardy Dam Pond near White Cloud in Newaygo County continues to move toward that goal. There are now 34 miles of the proposed 40+ that are open for quiet recreational use.
“The Dragon” moniker comes from the shape of Hardy Dam Pond as seen from the air. It looks much like a dragon with a long sinuous tail. That silhouette appears at the top of country boundary signs along the trail.
Prior to 2010, Mecosta and Newaygo counties, along with Consumers Energy—the primary land owner, began discussing the possibility of a long recreational trail. In 2015, each of the counties dedicated $150,000 to the project, the Fremont Area Community Foundation chipped in a cool half million, and a professional trail designer was engaged. Although hikers and runners are welcome on the route, the primary design is for mountain bike use. Dips, banked curves and winding trail are the norm.
Eleven sections of trail are marked with number-color combinations. These start with 1-brown at the east side of the dam and proceed counter-clockwise around the pond until closing the loop with 11-pink. The most recent update states that all sections except 7-mint, which is the longest segment, are complete. The incomplete portion is 11 miles long, on the west side of the pond.
Although dispersed camping is not allowed, there are several places along the route to camp. There will need to be one more campsite near the north end to allow for multiple loop-hiking options since most recreational backpackers aren’t interested in 20-mile days. However, when the final section is open, one could deal with the 20-mile stretch with no campground by starting in the middle of that piece and then returning there several days later.
West Michigan Mountain Biking Alliance does maintenance and cleanup on the trail. The trail is primarily used by cyclists. Although technically, hikers have the right-of-way, this doesn’t make sense when cyclists come up behind a hiker and need to pass. Hikers should simply be aware that there are a lot of bikes. For the most part the bicycle riders are polite and usually alert hikers when they approach, but hiking on weekdays instead of weekends can reduce the pressure of the faster user group.
Of course, the presence of Hardy Dam Pond suggests all sorts of multi-use adventures. One could paddle and hike, paddle and ride, loops, out-and-back trips, and base camping with day outings are all wonderful possibilities. Newaygo State Park also offers disc golf.
Segment 1-brown is a mile of Americans with Disabilities Act accessible trail with accessible parking. A few portions of the trail are on dirt roads. But the trail is mostly natural surface, and bridges (one of the primary expenses) have been placed over streams so there are no fords to dampen boots or tires. However, the trail may be muddy at certain times of year, and updates and possible closures can be found on the trail’s Facebook page, under Michigan’s Dragon at Hardy Dam.
Most parking options are not free. County parks charge a day fee, or passes for a longer period are available. Note that both Newaygo and Mecosta counties have parks, so be sure your pass is good in the lot you want to use.
I’ve now sampled 17 different miles of this trail. If you can choose a sunny day, you’ll have a blue-sky blue-water experiece. Much of the trail gives views of the pond while remaining in the shelter and shade of trees. A breeze often comes off the water. This is without a doubt one of the best recreational plans conceived in west Michigan. See www.thedragon.us.
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