TrailPark Street and Bliss Street
John A. Woollam Trail
Oval Beach goers can follow a scenic walking trail between the Saugatuck Chain Ferry landing on Park Street and the Lake Michigan attraction thanks to a familiar donor. The new John A. Woollam Nature Trail fulfills a long-held Saugatuck city vision of a path taking hikers off two-lane and winding Perryman Street — the lone east-west paved route to the beach — through woods to the popular park and back.
- Starts
- Park Street and Bliss Street, by the ferry landing
- Ends
- Oval Beach
- Length
- About 1 mile
History
John A. Woollam was a principal in the nonprofit Oval Beach Preservation Society’s $1.5-million purchase of 20.65 acres north of Perryman from Dunegrass developer Dune Ridge SA LP in 2017. The land has since been transferred to the city for public use. It will remain undeveloped as a public park with no improvements except primitive trails, viewing platforms, benches, steps, stairs or ropes to help pedestrians and erosion control structures, per deed terms.
The Mt. Baldhead Stairs
From the chain ferry landing you can walk to Mt. Baldhead Park to climb the 303 stairs to the top of the tallest sand dune in town, then follow the beautiful winding paths to the beach. If stairs aren't your speed, take a stroll down the John Woollam Trail to the beach.
