A new outdoor destination is in the works in the South Haven area.
The South Haven Area Recreation Authority and Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy are planning a groundbreaking for the Porter Legacy Dunes Trail and Boardwalk on June 20. The partners say the new trail will offer spectacular views of Lake Michigan and accessible recreation for all, just south of Pilgrim Haven Natural Area.
Porter Legacy Dunes is a 48-acre forested dune off 18th Avenue.
SHARA and the land conservancy worked together to protect the land in 2020 with support from a $2.3 million grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and a $750,000 match provided by the conservancy and its donors. In 2022, the organization received a $100,000 legacy grant from Entergy-Corporation to design and begin development of the trail system at Porter Legacy Dunes. The conservancy and the recreation authority then worked with the National Park Service and graduate the University of Michigan on the design of the trail system.
Additional grants have now made work possible, and the total project is expected to cost around $925,000.
The partners say when finished, the attraction will offer a peaceful half-mile loop through the woods with a fully accessible boardwalk that leads to a dune-top overlook deck.
Ground on the project will be broken at 3 p.m. on June 20, and the preserve will remain closed to the public during construction. It’s expected to be finished in October.
