By Mike Olmstead, Contributing Writer
Whether it’s skis or wheels, motorized outdoor recreation needs a place to ride. And those places just don’t happen by accident. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, commitment and love of the outdoors by people – whether it is an individual effort or an organization – to make it happen. Typically, individuals and organizations are ‘dedicated’ to a single discipline, i.e., snowmobiles, or ATVs, or dirt bikes, or side-by-sides, or Jeeps…. You get the idea!
However, up on Michigan’s Drummond Island, there’s a unique fellow who wears all those hats – Steve Walker! For years Steve has been the “go-to” guy when it comes to Drummond trail information & suggestions, be it Jeeps, ATVs, or snowmobiles. As you’ll see, Steve has been a visionary and pioneer when it comes to Drummond’s trails and motorized recreation.
Steve came to the Island in 1991 when he and his wife Carol became disenchanted with a big city white collar career, looking for something more fulfilling. They came across a business opportunity on Drummond Island when the Bear Track Inn came up for sale. Steve said “…I thought I’d give it a try!” and jumped in! As he said in an interview, “…it was a way to buy a job someplace I wanted to live!”
The Bear Track is a quaint family style restaurant with a six-unit motel. Food was always great and rooms clean (that’s personal experience talking!!). Steve and Carol purchased the business and made it a successful enterprise. Although Steve admitted that sometimes it was a ‘hard scrabble’ way of life, with the ‘tween seasons’ being the toughest. But they managed the business quite well and their attention to detail and warm people-oriented style ensured a successful business for many years.
Steve was familiar with the Island going back to his college days in the early 70’s when Steve and some buddies would visit the Island for the excellent fishing. His big draw to the Island were the forests, pines and hardwoods, and wilderness.
It wasn’t long after buying the Bear Track that Steve’s interests migrated to Drummond’s trails. His love of the outdoors drove him to explore the Island and its trails, although there was yet no ‘trail system’ per sé! In fact, there were few interconnected trails; that came later as a result of Steve’s efforts. Steve is very quick to point out however this work was done was with help and input of many, many others!
Steve started with his own handwritten map of the Island’s trails, which was the ‘bible’ for the Drummond “Jeep trails” for a few years. The map evolved when one of the Jeep Jamboree trail guides shared his GPS tracks refining the original map considerably, and from there Steve shared the revised map with a DNR cartologist used those tracks to create the ‘official’ Drummond Island “ORV Route” map.
Steve also started the Drummond Island Off Road Club in the late ‘90s, and incorporated it as a Non-Profit organization. By doing so it gave access to DNR grant funding for trail maintenance and improvements. The club is responsible for trail maintenance of approximately 45 miles of 72-inch ‘ORV Route’ trails (Jeeps, full size ORVs etc.), and another 40 miles or so of 50-inch ‘ORV Trail’, (dirt bikes, ATVs & quads only).
Throughout the years Steve also worked with stakeholders to develop trails and connections on the trails. The Jeep Jamboree was a big part of this. In the summer of 1992 Steve met with Mark Smith, president of Jeep Jamboree USA, and Bobby Lague, Jeep Jamboree Local Coordinator after a suggestion by an acquaintance of Bobby’s who had some experience on the Island, and suggested to Mark and Bobby that Drummond might be a great venue for a Jeep Jamboree. After a quick tour of the Island the Jamboree event was a “Go!” for 1993.
And so it was! The Jamboree is celebrating their 32nd year on the Island this year, with another sell out event! Steve – and other Islanders – have remarked many times that the Jamboree coming to the Island is what opened the trails and put Drummond Island on the map as a Jeep trail destination. And a big part of that was all the hours, ideas, and direction from Steve!
Another example of Steve’s work developing the ORV Route was the opening of two new trails for the ORV Route system in the early 2000’s. The new trails helped the continuity of the trail system and established logical ‘loops’, necessary for organized events. And to recognize some of the key individuals in the creation of the ORV Route system the two trails were monikered the “Halfrisch Trail” and “Walker Trail”!
Another one of Steve’s notable accomplishments was his work establishing the State’s first ORV Route System. “ORV Routes” are 72-inch trails for Jeeps and other ‘full size’ vehicles, as compared to an “ORV Trail”, which is the 50-inch trails, for ATVs and dirt bikes only.
Questions by DNR COs with regard to a permitted event in 2006 eventually led to the establishment of the trail system. As a result of the incident it became apparent that there was a need for ‘official’ or ‘sanctioned’ trails to accommodate the burgeoning popularity in Drummonds trails within the ‘Jeep community’, and eliminate future DNR/user conflicts.
Steve was a central figure in the development and launch of what is now the Drummond Island ORV Route System. He was part of a coalition that consisted of at least a dozen separate stakeholders, from Drummond Island Off Road Club, Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association, and Jeep Jamboree to the Nature Conservancy to three separate branches of the DNR (Wildlife, Forestry, Law Enforcement)!
At the end of the day the coalition developed a trail solution compliant with all applicable regulations and was acceptable to all interested parties, though not without a LOT of give and take and compromise. It was a two-year process culminating with the inauguration of the ORV Route System in the spring of 2009.
Steve was also instrumental in the development and opening of the Turtle Ridge ORV Park, one of the Drummond Island Resort’s many attractions. It was Steve’s vision to develop sections of the Resort’s wooded property into an ORV Park, and the Drummond Island Resort management bought into the plan. It was thought, and proved true, that the ORV Park would be an excellent complement to the State trails. The park has proven to be a desirable and appealing venue for ORV enthusiasts
ORV park development started in 2003 with early surveying and laying out of challenging routes and obstacles. Steve tapped the expertise of various groups for input, suggestions, and direction in the park’s development. Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association, Mud Sweat & Gear Off Road Club, Jeep Jamboree, and of course the Drummond Island Off Road Club were some of the notables consulted.
Drummond’s ORV trail system gets a lot of attention from the ATV community as well, and Steve is no stranger there either. With approximately 90 miles of trail available to the ATV and dirt bike crowd, there are plenty of options for the trail rider, from ‘easy’ two-tracking to gnarly and technical rocks and hills. Steve performs a lot of the Drummond Island Off Road Club ORV Route and ORV Trail maintenance from his ATV for the convenience of being able to easily go anywhere on the trail system. Steve has a couple of quads that he runs the trails with, and he enjoyed an occasional afternoon ride with his wife Carol!
And Steve just didn’t limit his trail riding to the warm weather months, either! He was also an active snowmobiler, and part of the Drummond Island Snowmobile Club. He was the club’s treasurer for a couple of terms, and also ran the big trail groomer keeping the Island’s snowmobile trails open and safe for eight years.
Steve would sometime ride 250 miles a day when he was working a guided snowmobile trip, and he made the trek on the famous US/Canada winter ice bridge numerous times. Steve had a couple of sleds and similar to the ATVs, it wasn’t unusual for Steve to take an occasional afternoon ride with his wife Carol. And of course, you could always stop by the Bear Track in season for a tip or update.
Not surprisingly, Steve has had a seat on a number of clubs, committees, boards, and other organizations as a part of his support of the Drummond trails. Here are just a few:
• President, Drummond Island Off Road Club
• DNR Biodiversity Planning Commission
• EUP Citizens Advisory Board
• 134 Byways Commission
• Treasurer, Drummond Island Snowmobile Club
And there are more! However, this will give you a sense of the type of individual Steve is: experienced, committed, knowledgeable, willing to jump in and help, not afraid to share an idea or two, and a strong sense of civic responsibility!
Steve made it a point that he couldn’t have done everything he’s credited for alone – that he’s had much help over all the years. One person Steve singled out was Mike Kelly, who was worked with Steve for a lot of the ORV Route and ORV Trail development. Steve shared that Mike was never one to get in the limelight, and Steve wanted to make sure he was recognized for his efforts!
Steve sold the Bear Track in 2015 to local businessman Dan Waltz, and the restaurant is still the same great place for breakfast, lunch, or hooking up with other Jeepers/ATVers/Snowmobilers!
Unfortunately Steve lost his wife, riding partner, and best friend to cancer in 2023. Carol is remembered by all as caring, hardworking and knowledgeable, always had a smile for you and always pleasant.
You might say Steve is ‘semi-retired’ now! Steve remains active however in a number of endeavors, and always a resource for many aspects of Drummond Island trail systems.
Bottom line? What it’s really all about, Steve once said, is to “…jump in your Jeep, run any trail you want deep into the wood, park, turn the key off, and just let the day happen!”
Considering all of his accomplishments, experiences and people he’s had the pleasure to meet over the years Steve simply says “…it’s been a lot of fun!” •