During the 17th-century Beaver Wars, Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) warriors used it as an eastward escape route after attacking villages of the Illinois Confederacy.

[3] Likewise in 1780, the creek furnished an escape route for 16 Americans and Frenchmen led by Jean-Baptiste Hamelin and Thomas Brady, who were attempting to flee back westward to Cahokia after raiding the British stockpiles at Fort St.

The former site of Hoosier Slide was acquired by Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) to construct a coal-generating power plant in the late 1920s.

In 1832, Isaac Elston bought 160 acres (65 ha) of land including Trail Creek and the harbor, intending to build a road to homesteaders in central Indiana so that they could export farm crops to Lake Michigan.

Early visitors to the region were captivated by its rugged beauty, its abundance of wildflowers and berries, and especially the majestic Hoosier Slide and other sand dunes.

Incorporated in 1836, Michigan City's early prosperity was due to the flowing waters of Trail Creek which afforded good locations for lumber and gristmills.

Federally threatened, endangered, or candidate species noted in LaPorte County include the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), the eastern massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus), and Mitchell’s satyr butterfly (Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii).

Trail Creek is one of very few Indiana streams with coldwater habitat capable of supporting salmonid (trout and salmon) spawning.

This report offered a multi-faceted and substantive plan focused on nonpoint sources of pollution, with recommendations to reduce sedimentation and nutrient loading to the stream of Trail Creek.

IN DECEMBER of 2003, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) issued a detailed technical report regarding excessive E. coli levels in Trail Creek entitled “Trail Creek Escherichia Coli TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) Report.” This report indicates that for point sources of E. coli pollution, such as wastewater treatment plants, the “NPDES permitting and monitoring requirements will provide the necessary reasonable assurance that these sources are not contributing to violations of state E. coli standards.” For non-point sources of E. coli pollution, the report concludes that: “non-point sources will need to be monitored locally for implementation of BMPs (best management practices) or in providing access to watershed grants to assist in reducing non-point sources to meet the load allocations (LA) developed under this TMDL.” The preparation of this watershed management plan update is the next logical step in achieving cleaner water in northwestern LaPorte County as envisioned by IDEM in 2003.

Decrease nutrient loading in Trail Creek to the target concentrations (0.05 mg/L ortho-phosphorus, 0.05 mg/L total phosphorus, 0.25 to 0.1 mg/L nitrogen ammonia, 1.0 mg/L TKN, and 10 mg/L nitrate-nitrite); 4.

Maintain a natural stream channel and flow In 2011, the Trail Creek Watershed Steering Committee decided to begin the implementation of the WMP.

Achieve improved water quality through urban and agricultural BMPs The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) 2010 fish consumption advisory listed brown trout, carp, rock bass, smallmouth bass and walleye as group 3 or 4 (limit consumption to one meal every 1 to 2 months), with all other fish species limited to one meal per week unless a child or pregnant woman.

Trail Creek is a designated trout and salmon stream, and supports one of the few remaining cold water fisheries in Indiana.