In 1957, Boy Scouts of Michigan had to travel to other states for hiking trails, so they solicited the State of Michigan to establish and construct a hiking trail in Lower Michigan. The Potawatomi Trail was formally approved in an agreement between the State of Michigan and the Portage Trail Council Boy Scouts of America in early 1962. Construction took two years, and the Potawatomi Trail Committee, made up of Boy Scouts, borrowed $163 to install steel marking posts along the trail, while Michigan Bell Telephone aided in building two bridges over waterways. The trail officially opened on May 23, 1964. Originally about 12-14 miles long, it was extended over many years to the current 17.4-mile trail system by Wendell Aten, assistant manager of Pinckney Recreation, and Boy Scouter Bill Baker. The first Potawatomi Trail Committee fundraising winter hike took place on January 13, 1968, and continued until 2020. Over the years, the Potawatomi Trail Committee raised well over one quarter million dollars to support the trail’s use and upkeep through many fundraising hikes. Many Eagle Boy Scout projects also aided in maintaining the trail. Its establishment began with the foresight of Boy Scouters Glenn Seaver, Jim Tompkins, and Dave Brown, followed by many Boy Scouts and volunteers who helped build and maintain it.