During our planning meeting this past spring, the Friends decided to prioritize and address the degradation of the Trail along Crystal Lake, specifically, the section between County Farm and Mollineaux Roads. At the time, we did not anticipate the rash of accidents, including some needing medical treatment, that would occur along this segment this summer.

Consequently, we jumped into action and received an estimate for the work needed to make that segment much safer. GREAT NEWS! When learning of this, a family with long-time ties to Crystal Lake stepped-up and pledged to match up to $10,000 donations to this project! Keep reading to learn more about this tremendous gift!

The rehabilitation work to be performed by the contractor has been divided into seven sections. Each one of these actions will address the safety concerns and make riding these sections a much more pleasant experience. As the age of the Trail approaches 20 years, these are important measures to keep the trail safe and in good repair for the use and enjoyment by the community and our visitors.

Specifically, this work will include resurfacing selected areas with limestone that have become sandy, washed out or muddy or where grass and weeds have encroached the original trail pathway.  We will restore the width of the trail to the 8-foot required surface in several areas where it has become dangerously narrow. 

The total cost of this project is approximately $31,000. The Friends would like to have this work completed as soon as possible, so it’s critical for us to raise the needed funds right away.

For the Love of Crystal Lake and Philanthropy

The $10,000 matching pledge is in honor of a wonderful Crystal Lake family legacy. Edward Glenn Sluyter bought property on the east shore of Crystal Lake in the 1920s and built a cottage there in 1941. His wife Florence and daughters Anne and Janet would spend the summers there, with Doc Sluyter driving up on the weekends. Anne had fond memories of Crystalaire Camp, making pies at the Cherry Hut and the freedom of summers at the lake. She shared her love of the lake and the area with her husband Earl Dryden and their merged families. In recognition of this love and their philanthropy, their children have made a gift of $10,000 to the BVT in the form of a match, in honor of Earl and Anne S Dryden.

Earl & Anne S Dryden

To help the Friends pay for this critical safety project, please make an online donation here or send a check to:

Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail
P.O. Box 474
Beulah, MI 49617-0474

Please indicate with your donation that it is for the “Crystal Lake Matching Campaign” and before the September 30th cutoff. This will literally DOUBLE the impact of your gift! Thank you in advance for helping us achieve our vision to create a world-class trail in Benzie County that connects healthy and active communities.

Edward Glenn Sluyter and his wife Florence

The Sluyter Cottage on Crystal Lake