WHITE CLOUD, Mich. — Ever wanted to slay a dragon? Well, if you complete all 45 miles on the Dragon Trail, you come close.
The Dragon Trail wraps around White Cloud’s Hardy Dam, replicating the look of a dragon from an ariel view.
The trail connects Newaygo and Mecosta counties' parks and campsites along Hardy Pond’s lakeshore. The trail caters to mountain bikers with steeper paths while some areas are ADA-friendly. Anyone can utilize this trail—whether you want to go on a short walk or a day-long excursion.
The trail also is set to greatly impact the surrounding economy, as bikers and nature enthusiasts who flock to the trail are expected to visit local businesses. Newaygo Director of Parks and Recreation Nick Smith said this is a huge reason for the project in the first place.
Prior to developing this trail, Michigan State University did an economic impact study, and they estimated about a $4 million economic impact on the area.
“Which was really exciting and kind of why one of the reasons we kept moving forward with this project,” Smith said.
The area has already seen an uptick in visitors. Smith said the trail received about 80,000 visitors before the trail was officially opened.
“Even previously to the 80,000 number we were already looking at $2 million in economic impact with a trail that was only half done... So we're really excited to see where that usage goes and see the impact on our community and our local businesses,” he said.
Preservation was a keyword for the design of this trail. Keeping natural features with stones and gravel and minimizing how much land was carved out for the path were essential.
Smith said the design team strived to avoid erosion and make it seem like the trail was always there.
“The goal of the design is to minimize the impact on the natural environment as much as possible,” he said. “Some of the trail techniques we use using rock from the landscape and minimizing runoff to minimize erosion.”
To find more information and see the trail map, click here.