The Ottaway Crossing Footbridge

Our goal, with your support, is to build a footbridge that spans the river where the Sabin Dam once served as an east-west crossing, providing the missing connection between miles of trails, a user-friendly trail loop within the Natural Education Reserve, and access to the new Great Lakes Incubator Farm.

This 160-foot pedestrian bridge will span the Boardman-Ottaway River at the location of the former Sabin Dam, providing access from the Grand Traverse Conservation District’s Boardman River Nature Center on the river’s west side to miles of recreational trails on the east, including the Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation Trails, Inc.’s (TART) Boardman-Ottaway River Trail that extends 24 miles into the river valley. This trail is part of a larger 41+ mile loop that connects the recently completed Boardman Lake Loop Trail, East Creek Reserve Trails, Brown Bridge Quiet Area, Muncie Lakes Pathway, North Country Trail, Vasa Pathway and the TART. The project also provides a critical non-motorized link to the Keystone Soccer Fields and the Great Lakes Incubator Farm.

Named the Ottaway Crossing, in honor of the river’s original name and the indigenous community, this impressive feat of engineering will span the entire floodplain allowing wildlife, anglers, and paddlers unfettered access beneath.

Your Generosity Will Provide:

• Access to stunning natural beauty and high-quality recreational opportunities just minutes from downtown Traverse City

• Closure to the dam removal project on the Natural Education Reserve: The footbridge will be completed during the final stages of restoration work, allowing the river and bottomlands to heal together

• Greater access to educational programs at the Great Lakes Incubator Farm and the Natural Education Reserve

• The missing connection that will link 40+ miles of regional trails