Boy Scout Roundtable Presentation from August 2015

1. Historic Trails
Presented at Huron Trails Roundtable
August 2015

2. Agenda
Why scouts hike historic trails?
Historic Trails award vs. 50-Miler Award
Sources for historic trails
Organize/lead a hike safely
Create a historic trail

3. Why Hike Historic Trails?
1)Physical fitness and citizenship
development
2)Exciting component out outdoor program
3)Go towards advancement
4)Greater purpose
5)Help commemorate
an event

4. Histroic Trails vs 50-Miler

5. Historic Trails Award
To earn the award, members of your unit must plan and
participate in a historic activity. A unit historic activity
requires members to:
1) Locate a historic trail or site and study information relating to it.
2) Hike or camp two days and one night along the trail or in the vicinity of the
site.
3) Cooperate with an adult group such as a historic society to restore and
mark all or part of this trail or site.
Historic Trails Program Application

6. 50-Miler Award
In order to qualify for the award the group of which the
individual is a member must fulfill all of the following
requirements.
1) Make complete plans for the trip, including possible advancement.
2) Cover 50 consecutive miles in a minimum of five consecutive days
3) During the time complete a 10 hour service project
50-Miler Application

7. Differences in Awards
2-nights on trail
no mileage limit
“Large scale” service
project
5-nights on trail
50 consecutive miles
10hr service project/youth

8. Historic Trail Sources
National Park Service, Michigan State Parks
and More...

9. National Park Service
MotorCities National Heritage Area:
1) Focus on Automotive history and labor history
2) Location: Sites across Southeast Michigan
3) Information: Call 313-259-3425 to request a visitors guide
4) Interactive map available on the MotorCities National Heritage Area
website
5) Could be tied to hiking the Iron Bell Trail if camping opportunities are not
available.
What is a National Heritage Area

10. National Park Service
River Raisin National Battlefield:
1) River Raisin National Battlefield Park preserves, commemorates, and
interprets the January 1813 battles of the War of 1812 and their aftermath
in Monroe and Wayne counties in SE Michigan.
2) Location: Monroe, MI
3) Information: Open year round 9-5. Call 734-243-7136 for a visitors guide.
4) Location of several Eagle Projects
River Raisin Battlefield
River Raisin Battlefield Facebook

11. National Park Service
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore:
1) Sand dunes and lush forests
2) Location: Empire, MI
3) Information: Camping, hiking trails, $5.00/person for 7-days access for
organized groups. Call 231-326-4700, ext. 5010 for visitors guide.
Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes

12. National Park Service
Isle Royale National Park:
1) Rugged, isolated island
2) Location: Off coast of Houghton, MI
3) Information: Greater fees due to ferry cost; peak season is late-July
through mid-August; Call (906) 482-0984 for information.
Isle Royale Info

13. National Park Service
Keweenaw National Historic Park
1) Michigan’s rich copper mining history plus mine tours at Quincy Mine
2) Location: Calumet, MI
3) Information: mid-May through August, 7 days/week; Call (906) 337-3168
Keweenaw Heritage Site

14. National Park Service
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
1) Sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, lakes, forest, and
shoreline
2) Location: Munising to Grand Marais, MI
3) Information: Challenging hike, rugged/remote areas for scouts. Call 906-
387-3700 for information.
Pictured Rocks Visitors Centers

15. National Park Service
North Country Trail
1) National Scenic Trail: Longest continuous hiking trail in the United States
through seven states
2) Location: MI,MN,ND,NY,OH,PA,WI
3) Information: Website allows troops to explore by state. For Michigan
Information. Interactive web map and downloadable GPS information.
North Country Trail

16. NPS Centennial Celebration
1) The National Park Service turns 100 on August 25,
2016.
2) Find Your Park Experiences allow your troop to identify
an opportunity that matches interests.
3) A Call to Action remains the foundation for the 2016
centennial preparations.

17. State of Michigan
Iron Belle Trail
1) Links existing trails to travel from Belle Isle to Iron Mountain.
2) Location: Trails throughout Michigan
3) Information: hiking route (1,259 miles), bicycling route (774 miles);
Interactive map available
Iron Belle Trail
DNR Iron Belle site

19. State of Michigan
Michigan Historical Museum
1) Celebrate Michigan's rich past, from the time of the state's earliest peoples
to the late 20th century through exhibits and reenactors.
2) Location: Lansing, MI
Michigan Historical Museum
Michigan Historical Museum Facebook

20. State of Michigan
Hartwick Pines Logging Museum
1) Museum exhibits and forest trail.
2) Location: Grayling, MI
3) For information call (989) 348-2537; The park offers camping, picnicking,
biking and seasonal activities.
Hartwick Pines Logging Museum

21. State of Michigan
Fayette Historic Townsite
1) Iron ore ghost town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
2) Location: Garden, MI
3) Information: Fayette Information; Camping at State Park; Rich cultural
lessons
Fayette Historic Townsite

22. State of Michigan
Find historical landmarks near your location
visit the Historical Marker page
1) Marker spotlight
2) Stories
3) Traveling Through Time - The Markers Guidebook

23. State of Michigan
Silver Lake Sand Dunes
1) State park location with sand dunes, lighthouse and camping.
2) Location: Mears, MI
3) Information: The BSA planted the dune grass to prevent erosion,
Reasonable prices, opportunities for hikes. Swim Safer would be
necessary if doing water activities.
Silver Lake State Park

24. State of Michigan
Informative Newsletters from Michigan DNR, historic sites
and state parks: Email Signup

25. Local
Wolcott Mill Metropark
1) Four parks in one with historic center, farm center, trails, mill and more
2) Location: Romeo, MI
3) Information: Programming often offered. Call 586-749-5997 for information.
Wolcott Mill Metropark

26. Local
St. Clair Metropark -
Voyageur Encampment
1) Historic re-enactment/interpretive programming
2) Location: Harrison Township, MI
3) Information: Aug 29-30, 2015 however yearly/ongoing programming
St. Clair Metropark

27. Local
Parker Mill Park
1) A well-preserved example of a small-scale grist mill that was once
common in Michigan.
2) Location: Ann Arbor, MI
3) Information: Frequent interpretive programs available; Located along part
of the Iron Belle Trail
Parker Mill County Park

28. Other Resources
1) Archeology in Michigan - http://www.miarch.org/michigan.html
2) Michigan’s Top 11 Water Trails -
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/08/07/best-water-
trails-michigan/31285485/
3) Some councils sponsor an annual heritage hike as part of a local heritage
celebration.
4) Your city hall or local historical society may have a list of historic trails
created by members of the society for civic pride. Feel free to use these
resources even if they don’t have a commemorative patch, or create a
patch if you want.

29. Ohio
Fallen Timbers Battlefield and Fort MiamisNational Historical Site - Toledo, OH
(1 hour)
Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial - Put-in-Bay, OH (2.5 hours)
Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Cleveland and Akron, OH (3 hour drive)
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument - Xenia, OH (3.5 hour
drive)
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park - Dayton, OH (3.5 hours)
National Aviation National Heritage Area - Dayton, OH (3.5 hours)
Hopewell Culture National Historic Siite - Chillicothe, OH (4+ hours)

30. Indiana
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore - Porter, IN (3 hours)
Also parts of the Trail of Tears & Lewis & Clark Trails

31. Other Ideas for Historic Trails

32. Organizing a Hike
Safety and Fun

33. Hike Safely
1) Follow the Guide to Safe Scouting
2) File a Tour and Activity Plan (if needed)
3) Plan ahead
4)Practice hike safety at all times.
a) Wear proper footwear
b) Proper hydration
c) Match trail difficulty/length to scout abilities
d) Scheduled rest stops

34. Leave No Trace
Practice Leave No Trace and
Tread Lightly! principles.
1) Make sure not to litter.
2) Leave artifacts where they are
3) Avoid all forms of vandalism.

35. Create a Historic Trail
Perfect Troop or Eagle Project

36. Tips for Creating a New Historic Trail
There are four primary considerations in making a
successful historic trail:
1) Geography
2) Content
3) Safety
4) Property rights

37. Geography
In order to have a manageable
trail, the sites must be close
enough to each other that they can be walked
or biked for the Hiking or Cycling merit badges,
and so that visitors will not spend an
unreasonable length of time getting from one to
the other.

38. Content
In addition to selecting sites
that are close, the site needs
significant content to make the transit time
worthwhile.

39. Safety
The safety of Scouts (or other)
hiking or biking a historic trail
should be the first concern.

40. Property Rights
Scouts and those hiking the trail
should never trespass on anyone’s land!

41. Questions?

42. Huron Trails Boy Scout Roundtable
Presented by:
Tammy Mayrend
Roundtable Commissioner
Jeffrey Kennedy
Roundtable Staff