Negwegon - Black River - Ossineke Blueway

INFORMATION ON TRAIL SECTIONS

Route:  BLACK RIVER TO NEGEWAGON STATE PARK BEACH

Distance: 4.5 Miles

Access Sites:  05-09 & 05-10

Shoreline Land Use: Waterfront residential along southern section, most of the segment’s shoreline is undeveloped forests and beaches.

Points of Interest: Black River Island is a narrow low island. The island is part of a shoal that extends east into Lake Huron north of the Black River mouth.

Rest Stops: Rest stops on state park shoreline

Hazards & Cautions: A rock and bedrock shoals run from the shoreline out to Black River Island.

Comments: There is a parking lot at the Negwegon Beach.

Route:  NEGWEGON SP BEACH TO SOUTH POINT

Distance: 3 Miles

Access Sites:  5-10 & 4-01

Shoreline Land Use: Public, forests, beaches and wetlands

Points of Interest: Bird Island and cobble beaches

Rest Stops: All public lands

Hazards & Cautions: Boulders around South Point

Comments: There are back country camping sites at South Point. It is necessary to register and pay a fee with the DNR State Parks.

Route:  SOUTH POINT TO OSSINEKE STATE FOREST CAMPGROUND

Distance: 6 Miles

Access Sites:  04-01 & 04-04

Shoreline Land Use: Mostly public, lowland conifer and hardwood forests and wetlands

Points of Interest: Scarecrow Island, Hardwood Point and Bird Island

Rest Stops: Snug Harbor

Hazards & Cautions: With low lake levels there are extensive areas of exposed bottom lands and wetlands. Accessing the water from Snug Harbor requires a long portage over the exposed bottom lands. This is not the case at the Ossineke State Forest Campground.

Comments: This is the southern entrance into Thunder Bay. Influenced by bedrock and fluvial deposits, the southern parts of the bay are shallow. Combined with low lakes levels, exposed bottom lands, intermittent wetlands and Great Lakes marshes are common, especially in Squaw Bay.  Great area for birding from watercraft.