Work to create a 0.8 mile-long mountain bike trail at Braman Hill will begin this week after Leelanau Township approved at its Sept. 9 regular meeting a contract with YouthWork Industries for $7,486.
During the township’s 20252026 budget process earlier this year, the board allocated $10,000 for a bike trail, the first of its kind, at Braman Hill. The project itself is part of the township’s five-year parks and recreation plan.
In order to complete the project, which will require both volunteers and paid work, Leelanau Township’s parks and recreation member Tom Mayhew said they chose to contract with the nonprofit YouthWork Industries, a program that teaches green collar skills to youth. Youthwork itself is a program of Child & Family Services of NW Michigan, and has done a considerable amount of work in Leelanau County for the National Park Service and the Leelanau Conservancy. Within Leelanau Township, participants in the program have done trail work at Kehl Lake that includes a long stretch of board walk. For the Braman Hill bike trail, youth in the program will begin the rough trail work, and volunteers will be needed to complete the rest of the job.
