Even before I had my first Jeep, a 1990 Wrangler, I wanted to attend a Jeep Jamboree. The closest Jeep Jamboree to me is the Jeep Jamboree on Drummond Island in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a five hour plus drive away! I never made it to a Jeep Jamboree before I was without a Jeep for a period of time, and ever since I have been back in a Jeep, a 2014 Wrangler Unlimited Sport, I have wanted to get to Drummond Island!
Jeep also started the Jeep Badge of Honor program in 2013, a Jeep Brand sponsored, mobile phone-based app program. The Jeep Badge of Honor program awards badges to Jeep owners who check-in and off-road at almost 50 Jeep Badge of Honor Trails across the United States.
The Jeep Badge of Honor program is free, and after registering and completing the GPS enabled trail check-in, Jeep will send you the badge for that specific trail for free!
The South Marble Head Loop Trail on Drummond Island is a Jeep Badge of Honor trail.
With COVID-19 causing Jeep to cancel the 2020 Drummond Island Jeep Jamboree, I decided that I needed to get to Drummond Island to see it on my own, and get my Jeep Badge of Honor Trail – South Marble Head Loop Badge!
I found an outing on social media organized by New Holland Overland LLC for the 2020 Labor Day weekend, so I had my opportunity to get to Drummond Island and get my South Marble Head Badge of Honor.
Drummond Island is located off the eastern point of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, accessible via a vehicle ferry from Detour Village, for a short 1-mile crossing.
The first night on Drummond Island, before meeting up with the group from New Holland Overland LLC was spent camping at Township Park, right on the shore of Lake Huron.
We met the group from New Holland Overland LLC at the Drummond Island Visitors Center on Saturday morning, aired down, and set out on the trails.
From the Visitors Center, Marble Head is due east, towards Glen Point. After a few hours on the trails, a lunch stop, we got to Marble Head late afternoon.
Click on the map below for details of our trip from Gaia GPS
The Marble Head Trail itself is not too technical, however the Steps at Marble Head can present a bit of a challenge, depending on the line you choose.
Being a rock “rookie”, I chose the easy, or “vehicle preservation” line. If you go down the Steps, you must come up in order to get out and back down the trail!
Take it SLOW down the Steps, as I learned, after tagging my lower control arm mount. It turned out to only be cosmetic, or trail rash!
Once you are on, or near, the South Marble Head Loop Trail, the Jeep Badge of Honor app will register your check in however, I wouldn’t feel right displaying the badge and not completing the Steps!
I was very surprised when I received my badge exactly one week after completing the South Marble Head Loop Trail!
Drummond Island was a blast, and I look forward to going back to explore even more of the island, now that I have my Jeep Badge of Honor!