Image courtesy Traverse City Tourism
By Emily Bingham | ebingham@mlive.com
There's a little-known hideaway sitting out in the waters of Traverse City's West Grand Traverse Bay: Power Island, a public park and nature preserve maintained by Grand Traverse County.
A great daytripping destination via power boats or kayaks, this secluded spot also has trails, picnic areas and rustic campsites that can be reserved for overnights. There's also some rich history here -- the island was once owned by Detroit auto titan Henry Ford.
Read on for more information on this island gem in northwest lower Michigan.
Power Island is about 3.5 miles from the Bowers Harbor boat launch on Old Mission Peninsula, and 6.5 miles from Clinch Park Marina in downtown Traverse City. Another island, teeny-tiny Basset Island, is connected to Power Island by an isthmus.
Each island has five rustic campsites, which must be reserved ahead of time through Grand Traverse County. (Basset Island does not have drinking water available.)
Power Island is roughly 200 acres, with three miles of shoreline. Basset Island is just one acre, located at the northeast tip of Power Island. (In this photo, Power Island is in the foreground; Basset Island is the little spot of land connected to it on the top left side. The land in the background is Old Mission Peninsula).
Via Google Maps
The island is in West Grand Traverse Bay, in Grand Traverse County, which is in Michigan's northwest Lower Peninsula.
Image via Google Maps
The closest boat launch to the island is Bowers Harbor, which sits about halfway up Old Mission Peninsula. In 2014, for the first time in more than 100 years, Grand Traverse County decided to provide ferry service to the island from Bowers Harbor; however, the ferry was used by the public so infrequently that service was discontinued after 2016.
Now, the only way to get to the island is if you own or rent a boat (or happen to know someone who owns or has rented a boat). Experienced kayakers (and strong, confident paddleboarders) can also get there by paddling the 3.5 miles to the island from Bowers Harbor.
Power Island has a long history of being an outdoor playground: According to TraverseCity.com, in the early 20th century, it was owned by Henry Ford, who brought society elites like Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone (of Firestone Tires) here to entertain them. It's said at one time there was even a dance hall on Basset Island. At that time Power Island was known as Marion Island, a name that sometimes still appears on maps today.
In the 1970's, Ann Arbor-based philanthropist Eugene Power, an early 20th century microfilm and publishing pioneer, donated money toward an effort to help give the island to the Nature Conservancy -- which in turn gave it to the county for use as a natural area. The island became known as "Power Island" as a result. (People familiar with Ann Arbor will recognize his name from the University of Michigan's Power Center from the Performing Arts.)
Amenities on the island include a dock with this highly Instagram-worthy rustic sign, plus picnic areas and hiking trails that weave through lovely northern hardwood forests.
The island is a beloved destination for swimming, hiking, bird watching, wildlife watching, picnicking, geocaching, and of course, tying up boats for lazy summer afternoons.
Camping on the island(s) runs May through September; more information on reservation information can be found online via Grand Traverse County Parks & Rec.
Scroll through the gallery for more photos of this Michigan gem
NASA satellite image via Wikimedia Commons
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