Out by Green Lake Township Memorial Park there is new asphalt on an old railroad grade. The township cleared that corridor years ago, and as of late September it carries the first paved section of the Interlochen Community Art Trail. Closer to campus, crews are building a second section that starts at the Interlochen Center for the Arts pedestrian tunnel. A portion of that work is expected to be finished by Sunday, Nov. 15.
So after at least eight years of planning, Interlochen has trail you can see. What it doesn't have yet is one trail. The plan calls for 3.5 continuous miles from the Four Corners area at US-31 to Memorial Park. Right now it exists as separate pieces, and the one that would carry the route across the Little Betsie River toward the Interlochen Community Center has no money behind it. That bridge is the story of this trail for the next few years. The county ballot question voters decide on Tuesday, Nov. 3 bears on it, though less directly than the yard signs might suggest.
One Paved Piece, One Under Construction
Here is where the planned route stands this week, piece by piece:
| Piece | Where it runs | Status as of late October 2026 | Who's paying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Green Lake Township Memorial Park to Vagabond Road, on the cleared rail grade | Construction and paving finished in late September | Part of the overall project funding |
| Phase 2, first portion | From the campus pedestrian tunnel toward the Little Betsie River | Under construction, with a portion expected done by Nov. 15 | About $320,000, split equally between the Interlochen DDA and Interlochen Center for the Arts |
| Little Betsie pedestrian bridge | Across the river, toward the Interlochen Community Center | Identified as the next major need | Not yet funded |
| The rest of the 3.5 miles | Out to the Four Corners area at US-31 | Future phases | Depends on additional funding |
A couple of details are still in flux. The Ticker's December 2025 update described Phase 1 as running from Memorial Park to Vagabond Road. An earlier Record-Eagle report talked about a possible half-mile stretch from the ball field to Vagabond Lane, back when that was still a proposal. The October construction updates also describe the new asphalt as paved, without announcing a formal opening. Before you plan a walk on it, the project's own site at InterlochenCommunityArtTrail.com is where updates, maps, and design plans get posted.
Why the Campus Piece Went Second
The section starting at the tunnel was chosen for a reason. 9&10 News reported that during the summer season, up to 3,500 Interlochen Center for the Arts students walk local roads to reach businesses and grocery stores. State park traffic adds to the congestion, and the area has few traditional sidewalks. Last year the campus put in a pedestrian tunnel under the main road. The new Phase 2 section picks up from that tunnel and heads toward the river.
Interlochen Center for the Arts said in its October release that the sections now moving forward give "students, employees, and visitors" an alternative to walking along busy roadways. President Trey Devey called it "a meaningful step forward, and one worth celebrating," and added that "there is significant work and investment still ahead to realize the full vision for this trail."
The land is a big part of why progress comes in pieces. The trail crosses property it doesn't own. The Interlochen DDA chair, who is also the District 1 county commissioner, told 9&10 News that the project needed leases and permission from both Interlochen Center for the Arts and the State of Michigan, because the route passes through the state park. "It's been a bit of a process," he said, and later called the eight-plus years "a long walk."
The Bridge Is Where the Math Gets Hard
At 9&10's estimate of $3 million to $3.5 million for the full project, the trail averages roughly $1 million per mile. Interlochen's own release puts the total at more than $3 million. Against that, the $320,000 campus section is a small share, and it took two partners splitting the cost to get it under contract.
The money so far has come from a familiar group: Green Lake Township, the Interlochen Downtown Development Authority, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and private donations raised by the nonprofit Friends of the Interlochen Community Art Trail. Interlochen's release named the bridge "a significant next step" and said it would let the trail continue toward the Interlochen Community Center "and other nearby destinations." No price for the bridge has been announced.
Without that crossing, the campus segment can't continue to the Community Center. The finished trail is planned as a 10-foot-wide paved path with ADA-accessible ramps, enhanced crosswalks, and visual and sound art, and getting that route across the river comes next.
What the Nov. 3 Ballot Says, Word for Word
That's why the countywide trails proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot matters here. In its October release, Interlochen Center for the Arts said TART Trails' "Trails Connect Us" initiative lists the art trail among projects that could benefit if the millage passes. TART's list includes it alongside the Three Mile Trail Extension, the Nakwema Trailway, Bayfront and Peninsula Drive improvements, and the Buffalo Ridge Trail Extension.
This is the question as it appears on the Grand Traverse County 2026 proposals document:
Shall Grand Traverse County levy a new tax of up to 0.3 mill ($0.30 per $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the County for a period of six (6) years, beginning in 2026 and ending in 2031, inclusive, for the maintenance, development, improvement, administration, and enhancement of recreation and transportation trails within Grand Traverse County?
The county estimates the levy would raise $2,635,012 in its first year, 2026. For a property with a $100,000 market value, which means $50,000 in taxable value, the county puts the cost at about $15 a year. The same document notes that under state law, part of the revenue may be captured by tax increment financing authorities. The Interlochen Downtown Development Authority is one of them, the same DDA that co-funded the campus section.
The ballot language doesn't set aside a dollar amount for any particular trail, Interlochen's included. Under the county resolution, a Trails Advisory Committee would recommend priorities, budgets, and funding criteria, and the Board of Commissioners would keep final authority over spending. The Ticker reported that a Trail Millage Coordinator, "likely to be TART Trails," would run the program under a professional-services agreement. If voters approve it, the Little Betsie bridge would compete for that money alongside projects across the county. It would not be guaranteed a share.
Commissioners voted 5-2 to put the question on the ballot. According to The Ticker, Chair Scott Sieffert said he didn't see constituents in his district using the trail system, and Commissioner Rob Hentschel objected to spending tax dollars on what he described as limited trail use. 9&10 News reported other concerns raised at the meeting about taxing residents who don't use trails and taxpayers on fixed incomes. On the other side, Interlochen Public Radio identified Friends of Grand Traverse Trails as a group advocating approval, arguing that a countywide program can connect trails across municipal borders.
All of this is general information, not tax or financial advice. Your own bill depends on your taxable value, so check your situation with the county or a tax professional.
Where the Route Could Eventually Lead
The longer-range idea runs east. Interlochen organizers have talked with TART Trails head Julie Clark about possible future connections through Blair Township to Traverse City. TART's Blair Township Trail project lists goals of connecting Blair with Interlochen and linking Traverse City, Chum's Corners, Grawn, Interlochen, and Thompsonville. Those are goals, and no ballot line or contract commits to them yet.
The art is closer at hand. Several sculptures by a local sculptor are already on display in Interlochen's commercial areas and could eventually be placed along the pathway. 9&10 reported the plan to mix visual and sound installations so that, in the DDA chair's words, "as you're biking, you'll have different things to look at."
For now, the next date on the trail's own calendar is Nov. 15, when part of the campus section is due to be finished. After that, the next step is the bridge over the Little Betsie, and no one has announced who will pay for it.
The trail is one of those projects that changes how a place feels to live in, piece by piece, and the team at Craig Real Estate keeps track of it the way our neighbors do. If you're thinking about what a quieter walking route, or the future bridge, could mean for a property near J. Maddy Parkway, schedule your free consultation and we'll go through it with you.
