Boston Pond Nature Area

Coming on the heels of a successful effort to expand our Paavola Wetlands Nature Area in 2006, this 26-acre parcel on Boston Pond was acquired to create a new nature area at a highly visible location along the US-41 Copper Country Trail National Scenic Byway.  As part of the KLT’s Corridor Initiative, the Boston Pond Nature Area offers the public a chance to visit the southern shore of Boston Pond, surrounded in part by Michigan DNR lands.  Both Boston Pond and Paavola Wetlands lie along Boston Creek. 

Mining was central to the pond’s creation, with water used by local stamp mills to process the ore pulled from deep underground.  The pond also helped sustain local farms for a number of years, providing water for potato farms in the immediate area. The stamp sand remains on our landscape, though it has been remediated on the State land near Boston Pond.  Today the pond supports a popular fishery.

The State provides access for fishing and small watercraft on the northeastern portion of the Pond.  Seeing the opportunity to enhance the story of the Copper Country Trail through the interpretation of our region’s natural resources, KLT has been working steadily to clean up the property and make the site accessible to the public. The pavilion, universally accessible trail, and viewing platforms on the shore of Boston Pond were added to the nature area in 2014 as part of the National Scenic Byways program. The area is rich in heritage worth sharing relating to early mining and agricultural efforts.