Flowing through Emmet and Charlevoix Counties, the Maple River has long been celebrated for its cold, spring-fed waters and exceptional trout habitat. Though the state no longer uses the “Blue Ribbon Trout Stream” designation, the Maple remains a standout fishery—home to native brook trout, brown and rainbow trout, and critical spawning grounds for migratory species. Over the past two decades, CRA has led a comprehensive, stem-to-stern restoration effort in the watershed—removing the Lake Kathleen Dam, replacing more than a dozen failing stream crossings, and completing extensive in-stream habitat improvements. In 2023, the Free Spanning the Maple River initiative was completed, making the Maple the first major river in the United States to be fully reconnected along its entire length. Today, more than 55 miles of river now flow freely to Burt Lake and beyond. Due in part to CRA’s restoration efforts, the Maple River has been selected as one of the rivers where Michigan may reintroduce the Arctic grayling—a native species absent for nearly a century.