The Environmental Education Laboratory is a system of trails located on 80 acres of wooded township land, a couple of miles east of Manistique. The purpose of the Lab is to provide hiking, nature appreciation and environmental education opportunities for the general public and local schools.

Manistique Environmental Education Lab
Environmental Education Lab

Hiking / Snowshoeing

Location: End of Krummich Road - Manistique, MI

Directions From Manistique:
head East on US-2
turn left and head North on CR-433
turn left on KRUMMICH RD. (West) and follow until the road curves to the South and ends at the entrance of the Environmental Lab.

12 Trail Loops - 2.5 Total Miles

The Environmental Lab includes a wooden platform overlooking the Jamestown Slough, a wetlands boardwalk trail, and trails through several forest types. There are color coded trail markers and interpretive signs and an outhouse at the trailhead.

The lab was built to provide environmental education opportunities for the local schools and general public. It contains a wide variety of flora, fauna, topography, soils and stages of succession.

Environmental Education Lab

EEL Facebook

Enviromental Lab photo credit Environmental Education Lab facebook
Environmental Lab

EEL Facebook

Environmental Education Lab photo credit EEL Facebook

Several trails have been added in the past few years, and a MI RecPass grant allowed the Environmental Education LAb committee to upgrade a large loop of the trail to be wheelchair accessible. The grant also totally re-did the outhouse, which we now believe to be the nicest in the county (accessible AND cedar-paneled...you don't see that every day!). Accessible parking and additional interpretive signs were also part of the grant.

A scout project, Schoolcraft County Foundation Grant, and a recent gift from the UP Travel and Recreation Association are allowing us to add new trail signs, have a new entrance planter, and make some wetland boardwalk repairs.

It should be noted that the wetland boardwalk will continue to be a work in progress. After some major repairs by Carmeuse Lime and Stone in 2020, the boardwalk has generally been much better. Even with regular maintenance, however, slippery boards in shaded areas are often an issue, and people should always watch out for broken boards.


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