If You’re Hanging Out on Apple Island, You Shouldn’t Be

Orchard Lake, MI — As you’re looking for something to do on a hot summer day, Apple Island located on Orchard Lake may seem like an attractive option, but it isn’t — unless you want to run afoul of area police

Several teenagers who had a bonfire there last month won’t face criminal charges, but they were asked to leave the island, which is owned by the West Bloomfield School District, C&G Newspapers reports.

If you want to visit the island, you’ll have to wait until next year. The school district and the Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society conduct tours every May; otherwise, the island is off limits to the general public. Second-graders regularly visit the island as part of their curriculum.

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Orchard Lake Police Chief Joe George said trespassing on the island isn’t unheard of, but when police and fire personnel have to respond, they’re potentially taking responders away from other emergencies.

“The real fear that the Police Department has, that we have, is that … when people are on the island not on tours, they have a tendency to have a campfire, and that has a tendency to cause serious damage,” West Bloomfield School Superintendent Gerald Hill told the newspaper.

The Historical Society said it had record numbers at its Apple Island tours last month and is inviting people to leave reviews on its Facebook page.

» Read more on C&G Newspapers.

Image credit: Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society