The Iron Ore Heritage Trail's 4.3-mile Lakenenland Extension through Chocolay Township is entering its final days of construction, with vegetation work and site cleanup scheduled to wrap up the week of Sept. 14.

The project upgraded the existing trail corridor from Kawbawgam Road to Lakenenland Sculpture Park, according to a press release from the Iron Ore Heritage Recreation Authority. Crews installed a new crushed aggregate surface matching the rest of the trail, rebuilt sections of the railbed and added an ADA-accessible two-car parking pad at the Lakenenland trailhead.

A bicycle rack and interpretive panels highlighting the area's natural features and cultural history are also part of the project.

The extension stays open to both motorized and non-motorized users. Motorized vehicles are restricted to 65 inches wide or narrower, including side-by-sides, four-wheelers and motorbikes, because the trail is too narrow for wider vehicles to pass each other.

Two grants funded most of the work: $300,000 from a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) trust fund grant and $100,000 from the Michigan Trails & Greenway Alliance, for a total project cost of about $450,000, MyUPNow.com reported.

Trail administrator Bob Hendrickson of the Iron Ore Heritage Recreation Authority told MyUPNow.com on Aug. 31 that the trail surface was nearly finished at that point, with final grading still ahead. Hendrickson described the new section as a "storytelling trail" where each stretch has its own character.

"It's a different part of Marquette County. It's not as rugged, much sandier, a lot more conifers and blueberries," Hendrickson said in the Aug. 31 interview. "I'm really hoping people are going to enjoy this, and it'll make a really good asset of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail."

The corridor passes through pine groves and sandy terrain distinct from the trail's more rugged other sections. WNMU reported on Aug. 21 that the project was on schedule for mid-September completion.

The Lakenenland Extension is part of the DNR trail system known as "C Route," which connects to Munising and Shingleton. The authority has not announced a formal ribbon-cutting or opening date. Residents with questions can reach Hendrickson at 906-235-2923.