BAY SHORE, MICH. – A slice of land hailed as the largest remaining shoreline from Charlevoix to the Mackinac Bridge is now part of a forthcoming nature preserve set to open to the public next year.

The nonprofit Little Traverse Conservancy, which just acquired the 56-acre forested tract with its prominent feature being a quarter-mile of frontage on Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan, has acquired the preserve, making it the most current to be safeguarded.

Situated in Bay Shore, roughly ten miles northeast of Charlevoix in northern lower Michigan, the land “felt like an already-made nature preserve,” according to the organizers, with walkways that had been utilized by the neighbors for a long time.

When finished, the new preserve will have a number of important elements, such as strollers, wheelchairs, and walkers supported by universally accessible routes that help people of all mobility levels enjoy the land.

Additionally, all signage will be in the native language of the area, Anishinaabemowin, with English following.
According to the conservancy, the preserve has been dubbed Enji-minozhiiyaamigak, or “The Place of Peacefulness,” in remembrance of the area’s past and the Bay Shore Band of Odawa who formerly called it home.

About 150 families and multiple main donors made the development of the preserve feasible, according to Chief Development Officer Emily Hughes.

The preserve is scheduled to open to the public in the fall of 2024, according to the conservancy.