"Ski trails are not yet open for the season! Stay tuned."
In early November, that was the whole status line under Lake Lansing North Park Winter Hours and Activities on the Ingham County Parks winter conditions page. Since July, crews have been rebuilding the trails and boardwalks at Lake Lansing Park North, at 6260 E. Lake Drive. Ski season at North now depends on both the weather and the end of a $2.69 million project.
The county has also changed how you get skis onto that trail. Starting November 15, Ingham County Parks offers a weekly, monthly, or full-season rental of cross-country skis or snowshoes. Under the old model, you went out when the rental counter was open. Under the new one, you go out when you want.
What Is Being Built Between the Trailheads
The county's park page still says what it has said since summer. The grant project to improve the North trails and boardwalks "started on July 6, 2026 and will continue into the Fall of 2026." The main trail system is closed at both trailheads. The eastern trailheads have limited access, but you have to come back out the way you went in. The Trey Pond trail stays open from the North Park.
The county's May 2026 committee packet lays out what the work involves. The plans come from the county's consultant, Spicer Group, and the work is split into three divisions:
- Division A focuses on wetland features and site access.
- Division B has the largest share of new trail and boardwalk.
- Division C connects the park to the MSU to Lake Lansing Trail and adds bike loops and signs.
Across the park, the plans call for crushed limestone paths, with standard, binder, and wetland sections. The boardwalks are being replaced with new ones on helical piers. The list also includes interpretive and trail ethics signs, recycled trail markers, benches, trash receptacles, an entrance gate, and native landscaping. On its projects page, the county describes the goal as widening the stone-chip trail for ADA access, replacing boardwalks and benches, and adding interpretive signs.
On May 12, 2026, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners approved Resolution 26-241. It hired Anderson Fischer & Associates for no more than $2,614,122. The firm's bid of $2,698,222 came down after the county accepted some alternatives. With a $75,000 contingency and $1,000 for prevailing wage, the total project cost is $2,690,122.
Three Michigan DNR grants help pay for it, matched with county Trails & Parks Millage money. They are a $500,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for Division A and two $300,000 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grants for Divisions B and C.
That breakdown shows how much of the bill is local. The three grants add up to $1.1 million. That leaves about $1.59 million of the total project cost, or roughly 59 percent, to come from the county's side, mostly the millage on Ingham County tax bills.
Why a Boardwalk Project Decides the Ski Season
At North, skiing happens on the park's trail system. The county's park page lists 10 miles of trails along with cross-country skiing. Choose Lansing's January 2026 winter guide also lists 10 miles at Lake Lansing North for winter skiing. That's the same system that has been closed at both trailheads since July. For now, the ski trails and the construction zone are one and the same.
In the September 14 Parks Commission packet, the parks director reported having "walked progress boardwalks at LLN." The Lake Lansing manager was "coordinating and corresponding with Spicer and Anderson Fisher in regards to LLN grant project." The boardwalks were going in by mid-September. The park page still describes the work as continuing "into the Fall of 2026."
When the trails reopen and the first good snow falls, skiers will be on a newly rebuilt route. Until then, check both the park page and the winter conditions page, and expect the two to change on different days.
The Rental Change That Starts November 15
On the same day it hired the contractor, the board adopted Resolution 26-242. It creates a season-long cross-country ski and snowshoe rental program across the parks system. The resolution says the point is to let people ski or snowshoe "outside of the Parks operational ski rental hours." The season runs November 15 through March 15. Each set carries a refundable $50 deposit, with a $100 cap per family, and tuning is free.
The table compares the new fees with last winter's hourly rate at Lake Lansing North. According to Choose Lansing's January 2026 winter guide, North rented gear on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weather permitting. The price was $12 an hour for adults and $6 an hour for children 12 and under. Those are last season's terms. The last column shows how many hours of hourly rental each new option equals.
| Rental option | Youth, 12 and under | Adult, 13 and up | Hours at last winter's hourly rate, youth / adult |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | $30 | $55 | 5 / about 4.6 |
| Monthly | $75 | $135 | 12.5 / about 11 |
| Season, Nov 15 to March 15 | $150 | $250 | 25 / about 21 |
For an adult, the weekly rental pays for itself at about five hours on the trail in that week. That's two weekend afternoons. The season rental pays for itself at about 21 hours across four months, or a little over an hour a week. Someone who skis twice a week on the Lake Lansing North loops would get there by mid-season.
Family math works differently because of the deposit cap. Two adults and two kids on season rentals would pay $800 in fees. The deposit stops at $100 instead of the $200 that four sets at $50 each would cost. You get that deposit back at the end of the season.
Who Gets the Most Out of the Season Rental
Last winter, the rental counter at North was open on weekends. With hourly rentals, that meant skiing on Saturday or Sunday between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. A season set at home lets you ski on a weekday before work, after school pickup, or on the morning after an overnight snowfall. The rental counter no longer limits when you go.
That fits a park that's about to have rebuilt boardwalks and a planned link to the MSU to Lake Lansing Trail. In a season of short daylight and uneven snow, being able to go whenever conditions are good is a big part of the value. The season rental's flat price fits that kind of skiing better than an hourly rate does.
The county may adjust daily rental hours and hourly rates for 2026–27. The figures above are the comparison point from last season.
Before You Load the Car
- Check two county pages. The winter conditions page shows whether the ski trails are open. The Lake Lansing North page shows whether the construction notice is still up.
- Plan on the vehicle entrance fee. Lake Lansing Park North charges a vehicle entrance fee all year. The county posted its 2027 parking passes on its parks news page on October 30, 2026.
- Leave the dog home on ski days. The county's Bike, Hike, or Walk page says dogs are prohibited on the North trails in winter when the ski trails are open.
- Use Trey Pond while the main loop is closed. The Trey Pond trail stays open from the North Park while the main trail system is under construction.
- Mark November 15. The season-long rental period opens that day and runs through March 15.
At Thornton Realty Team, we follow changes like these in Haslett and across Greater Lansing because they shape a winter around here. That might be a rebuilt boardwalk in your favorite park or a new way to get skis for the season. If you have questions about Haslett and the area around Lake Lansing, we're glad to share what we know, whether or not a move is on your calendar.
