Iron County Board eyes prospects for Cooks Run

CRYSTAL FALLS -- The Iron County Board would like to see a single proposal for operating the former Cooks Run fish hatchery property that incorporates plans submitted by the Forest Park School District and the Friends of Cooks Run.

The 122-acre site in Stambaugh Township 15 miles west of Iron River includes fish rearing ponds, a small coffer dam, several outbuildings and a log caretaker cabin that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built as a Public Works Administration project during the Great Depression.

Iron County took ownership in 1961 from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. But a restrictive reverter clause in the deed requires the land be used and maintained solely for public purposes or else ownership reverts to the state.

The fish hatchery that operated on the site shut down for good in 2013, following a failed attempt to restart operations after the facility stood vacant for several years.

Yet a study the Iron County Watershed Coalition conducted in 2025 found Cooks Run remains a high-quality and productive coldwater stream, with no long-term effects from those decades of use as a fish hatchery. That study called Cooks Run "ideal for brook trout."

County officials have wrestled for years with what to do about Cooks Run, as the buildings and grounds need ongoing maintenance and upkeep.

They solicited proposals this spring that drew two responses, from Forest Park School District and the Friends of Cooks Run.

Forest Park would look to take ownership of Cooks Run, while Iron County would retain ownership under the Friend's proposal.

The Forest Park proposal focuses on providing "an education, environment and community asset that will benefit current the future generations of students while preserving the property's natural resources of public enjoyment."

They would incorporate the site into the district's school forest program, using it as an outdoor classroom where students can gain hands-on experience in forestry, wildlife management, natural resource conservation and environmental sciences. Brock VanOss of VanOss Forestry Services LLC. would be utilized to manage the forests on the property, as he has done for the district's 2,200-acre school forest for more than 10 years.

There would be a reverter claus within the transfer agreement to allow ownership to revert back to the county if no longer used for education, conservation or public benefit purposes.

The school would establish a Forestry and Natural Resources Club, develop student-led monitoring project, programs that would monitor water quality and temperature, habitats studies for local fish, aquatic species and wildlife, studies on tree grows and forest inventory, mapping exercise, monitor forest health and identify invasive species.

They would interact with natural resource professional including the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forestry Service, White Water Associates Inc. of Amasa, GEI Consultants, Coleman Engineering, Wickwire PC and local conservation organizations and forestry professionals.

Under the Friend's proposal, a steering committee -- with members from nine Iron County and regional conservation, recreation and heritage organizations -- would provide volunteer labor to restore the historic cabin on the property, build trails and developing programming

The county may have to contribute some resources toward operations, including maintaining the road to Cooks Run and signage at the highway. Funding would ultimately come from grants, donations and the establishment of an endowment fund.

The Friends proposal would utilize volunteers to staff Cooks Run for year-round opportunities. Ultimately they would seek to add an ADA-compliant vault toilet and eventually an ADA compliant fishing pier. The Friends would also partner with local schools on educational uses.

The board was expected to further discuss the two proposals at an upcoming meeting.

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Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.