Camp Greilick Gears Up to Welcome Back Outdoor Enthusiasts

Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation targets a late summer opening for phase one

By Kierstin Gunsberg | May 24, 2025

After several dormant years, 196 acres of parkland just south of Traverse City is set to begin opening to the public late this summer.

For over a century, Camp Greilick has been a base for outdoor adventure, first as a Rotary youth retreat, then a Boy Scout camp, and more recently, an abandoned patch of wilderness left to the critters who inhabit it.

Now, after being acquired by Grand Traverse County in 2024, it’s slated for a comeback as a massive year-round public recreation area for the entire northern Michigan community (critters and all).

The best way to understand what’s ahead for Camp Greilick is to peek back to where and why it was started back in 1923 by the Rotary Club. “The camp was originally created as a space for youth to go out and experience and enjoy the outdoors,” explains Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation Director John Chase.

That focus on outdoor education is the center of the Camp Greilick master plan, which revolves around providing plenty of space and resources for school, youth, and conservation groups to conduct wilderness programming.

“That’s the cornerstone for the property,” says Chase. “Ultimately, if you create opportunities to teach people about the environment around them, then they’ll learn to love the environment and they’ll learn to protect it.”

Federal Cuts Delay Stage One Opening

With 4,300 feet of lake frontage in the Boardman/Ottaway River Watershed, Camp Greilick’s property is loaded with relics of adventures past waiting to be restored or rebuilt—brush covered trail systems, mossy edged event pavilions, and even a towering climbing structure.

But before folks can hit the trails or white knuckle their way up that climbing tower, Camp Greilick will need a whole lot of TLC, including clearing out some rickety old buildings, making major improvements to others, and reopening an emergency access road. Some of that work was set to kick off this spring when the county teamed up with AmeriCorps—a federal program that sends volunteers across the country to help with hands-on community projects like the one underway at Camp Greilick.

The AmeriCorps team was lined up to pitch in around 2,800 hours of labor, tackling trail work, ADA upgrades, cabin repairs, and more. “We were relying on that crew,” says Chase.

But on April 18, his department got word that major federal budget cuts meant AmeriCorps would no longer be coming.

“Their presence would have given us the ability to accelerate the opening,” he says, but adds, “This isn’t going to stop us. It’s just going to slow us down a little bit.”

That means that instead of welcoming hikers and paddlers this spring, the public opening—which will happen in five phases over the next few years—is now nudged out to late summer. And, after a public callout for volunteers, the plan is back on course with a community workday already on the books for mid-June.

Protecting Trails and Waterways

In the meantime, Camp Greilick’s planning crew has finished up the design phase for a new trail network, walking the land with hikers, bikers, disc golfers, and conservation advocates in tow.

When it comes to Camp Greilick’s different trail users, “All of these groups need to play nicely,” says Chase. In other words, they need to be able to roam the woods without literally running into each other. Or, he adds, negatively impacting the ecosystems that surround them.

“We want to make sure that a trail doesn’t get you to a sensitive area,” Chase says. “We also want to make sure that the soils are appropriate and you’re not creating erosion. It’s about strategically placing trails so they are sustainable.”

Some “social trails” which are paths that popped up over the years without planning, may be retired or rerouted to protect the land.

Camp Greilick’s planners also want to get people out on the lakes without introducing invasive species, something that will be prevented by providing onsite watercraft rather than allowing users to bring their own.

Balancing the logistics of protecting the property’s ecosystems while maximizing its uses is why everything is rolling out slowly, says Chase. That measured take is also a way to keep the community’s wants (more winter sports recreation and mountain biking trails top the list) and what they don’t want (light pollution and excessive noise are concerns of neighboring residents) from getting lost in the shuffle.

“We’re not going to jump into one phase until we’ve wrapped up the one before it,” says Chase. “Our goal is to be a good partner throughout the entire community. We operate the parks for the enjoyment of the entire community, and that’s how we intend to operate this development.”

What Will the Park Offer?

From trails to tents, here’s what’s in store for Camp Greilick.

Phase one (set to open late summer 2025): Focuses on low-impact adventure and bringing old favorites back to life. Look for a designated swimming area with improved lake access, kayak and paddleboard rentals for gliding across Rennie Lake, and a freshly renovated 18-hole disc golf course tucked beneath the trees. Hikers, bikers, skiers, and snowshoers will share multi-use trails, while fishers, picnickers, and boulder climbers will find plenty of space to roam.

Phase two: Brings overnight stays and outdoor learning into the spotlight. Six full-service cabins will be up for group rental, along with smaller “glamping” cabins for a cozy night in the woods (showers included). The county also plans to partner with local groups on skills classes in everything from archery to animal rehabilitation. The orienteering course will reopen, and Besser Lodge will host up to 200 guests for events and programs.

Phase three: The halfway mark is all about group fun and team challenges. A wooded amphitheater and hillside chapel will return to use, while the old climbing and zip line tower will be back in action. A facilitated team course will encourage collaboration and problem-solving, and limited hunting will be phased in, starting with bow season under close management.

Phase four: Includes carefully managed access to the camp’s archery, rifle, and shotgun ranges. All will be mapped with safety in mind and tied to environmental protection plans.

The final phase: Introduces a rustic backcountry experience. Tent-only and hammock-only campsites will be scattered across 11 group zones, each served by restrooms and a central 18-stall shower house. It’s a build-your-own-adventure kind of camping for those who like their nature a little more rugged.