Ft. Custer Horse Friends
Association

• Check out the pictures from the 2021 Fall Campout! Pictures provided by Judy Johnson.
• NOTICE:There are several reports of a downed tree on the G trail sort of midway. It is passable but use caution. Our lumberjacks have not been able to get out there.
  Heavy equipment is being used to clear the road that parallels the G trail.  If that is not something your horse is comfortable with, it would be best to avoid this area. The work is mostly on the other side of the fence from the trail but they are clearing a certain distance from the road and may have to work close to the fence. It is not known long this work will  take.
• A chance to ride on the shores of Lake Michigan! Check out the info here!
• FCHFA riders, Jan Enyart and Judy Johnson, featured on the DNR Horseback Riding page.  Check it out!

New Equestrian Campground Opened for Reservations
Construction of a new equestrian campground with 7 large campsites has been completed.  The new campground is now open for camping.  Reserve your site by using the DNR reservation system.

DNR web site reservation system 

After choosing Fort Custer as the park and the size of your camping vehicle it will take you to a map where you can choose the Equestrian site of your choice.  There is a description of each site.
 
These are primitive sites with no electricity or water hookups. There is a hand pump and pit toilet.  Manure should be deposited in the manure bunker near the outhouse not in the woods.  Site No. 7 is a drive through.  The others are a back in or out situation.  Picket poles are located in the back of the site.  A fire pit and picnic table are at each site.  Please clean up after ourselves and let’s make this a grand success.

Fort Custer Recreation Area is located in Southwest Michigan near the small town of Augusta between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. While there are many opportunities for outdoor activities our group's focus is the equestrian trail system.  There are almost 20 miles of wooded, marked trails for equestrian use within the park, some with water crossings. Our "Maps" section has more info.  The equestrian trailhead allows easy parking, even for big rigs. You need not be member of our group to ride at the park.  But we would sure love to have you join! Hope to see you on the trails!!!

When parking at the trailhead, please clean up all manure around your trailer and put it in the manure pit at the edge of the parking area. Also, anyone who would like the compost is welcome to take it.

Fort Custer is getting so popular it is important that we use parking at our staging area to its best advantage.  Ideally we can get three rows of trailers. For that to happen the first row has to be as far forward as possible - see map. First comers please pull forward and leave just enough room for trailers to drive in front of you   (On the map, for example, the big rig is in a pretty good spot but could be forward a bit. The dark truck and trailer could come forward a lot.)  The second row should also allow enough space in front on them to allow for a trailer to pass - judge space by the longest trailer in the front row.  Same for Row number 3.  Admittedly this would be an ideal situation but that’s what we’re trying for.  Make sure you are not blocking anyone in and let’s do our best.  We want as many folks as possible to enjoy our beautiful trails.

Board member Wayland Funk has volunteered to coordinate an ongoing fund raiser through Tribute Horse Feed Partners Program.  If you use Tribute Feeds please save the proof of purchases on feed bags and click the link below to contact Wayland about getting the proofs to him:

 
Contact Wayland

Each one is worth $.25 for the club and could provide a small but steady source of funding for the club.  As we were unable to have our two campouts, which are our major  fundraisers,  any extra funding is especially important. 


(Proof of Purchase from any Tribute feed bag is eligible. These are examples.)