On-the-ground training will soon be underway at Horseshoe Lake boating access site in Marquette County, courtesy of a partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Army National Guard.
Work will include graveling, shaping and crowning the access road to the boating access site on Horseshoe Lake. The lake is located south of Republic and west of M-95.
The Michigan Army National Guard will stage their training activities from the abandoned campground located on Horseshoe Lake July 13-18.
During this time, the road to the boating access site will be closed. Additional boating opportunities nearby are available at Witch Lake, Twin Lake and Squaw Lake.
“We are very grateful and proud of the partnership we have with the Michigan National Guard,” said Dan Dowdy, Baraga State Park manager. “This training exercise not only provides a valuable training exercise for the guard but benefits our public lands and access to outdoor recreation.”
Dowdy said that property owners along Horseshoe Lake Road may encounter trucks and equipment entering the facility.
The program falls under the U.S. Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training program, which provides training opportunities that increase deployment readiness of the Army National Guard, while performing services that benefit public lands.
The project will be completed by the 1432nd Engineer Company based in Kingsford and 1437th Engineer Company based in Sault Ste. Marie – both part of the 107th Engineer Battalion – as part of their monthly training cycle.
Crews will utilize a variety of Army engineer equipment to improve Horseshoe Lake Road and access to the public boating access site.
This project builds upon a strategic relationship between the DNR and the Michigan Army National Guard started in 2020, when a similar training exercise was successfully completed at the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park to improve several park buildings, and complete a substantial road project.
Project materials are estimated to cost $10,000 and will be funded through the Michigan State Waterways Fund. The restricted fund, which is derived from boat registration fees and the Michigan marine fuel tax, helps fund the construction, operation and maintenance of public recreational boating facilities. The Michigan Army National Guard will donate the skilled labor for the project.
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