2024/2025 Updates
The Idema Explorers Trail saw significant advancements in 2024, including the completion of the six-mile Bayou Segment. Stay tuned for a dedication event in early summer 2025! Several important segments of the Idema Explorers Trail were also recommended for grant funding to support their future development. Read on for details…
To see a map of the entire Grand River Greenway and Idema Explorers Trail, as well as the projected schedule for each segment, please click here.
Bayou Segment
A major milestone in West Michigan’s trail network has been achieved with the completion of the Bayou Segment of the Idema Explorers Trail. The six-mile Bayou Segment links over 1,000 acres of parkland and completes the western third of the Idema Explorers Trail. Improvements include 2.4 miles of newly constructed trail through Robinson Township, the recently expanded Lydia Secory Verplank Memorial Bridge—a 14-foot-wide, multi-use pedestrian bridge over Stearns Bayou, featuring two scenic overlooks, and new wayfinding signage in Grand Haven to support navigation and connectivity.
“This will complete a 13-mile-long route from the end of the Grand Haven pier to Riverside Park, connecting several Greenway parks together while also establishing the longest continuous section of the trail to-date,” said Ottawa County Parks & Recreation Commission President Kelly Rice.
Learn more about this project: news.miottawa.org/bayousegment
Bass River Segment
Construction of the first three miles of the Bass River Segment is planned for 2025. This phase will connect Riverside Park in Robinson Township to the Bass River State Recreation Area in Allendale Township. A management agreement with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) allows the trail to be built through the 1,665-acre property.
To support the project, the MDNR applied for a $750,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant, which was recommended for approval in December 2024. With designs finalized and permits secured, construction bidding is expected to begin in mid-2025. Trail users can look forward to scenic waterfront views along Kirby Bayou at Riverside Park and Max Bayou at the Bass River State Recreation Area.
Ultimately, the Bass River Segment will span more than 7.4 miles from Riverside Park to Eastmanville Bayou Open Space. Easements for the second phase have already been secured, and topographic and wetland surveys are currently underway.
Eastmanville Connector Segment
In December 2024, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) recommended a $400,000 grant for the Eastmanville Connector in Allendale Township. After state legislature approval, construction is expected to start in late fall 2025. This 2.3-mile project will link Allendale Township neighborhoods to Eastmanville Bayou Open Space and add nearly 0.7 miles along the Grand River, further expanding the trail network.
