Glenlore Trails – An immersive activity for the whole family

Neon colors light up the woods in Commerce Township’s Glenlore Trails.

By Valene Ayar

With autumn officially upon us and Halloween right around the corner, there is no shortage of fun family activities in which to partake. From cider mills and pumpkin patches to Halloween parties and haunted houses, this time of year offers so many opportunities for some quality family time.

And now you can add one more excursion to that list — right here in our own backyard!

Glenlore Trails in Commerce Township began as a simple way to keep the community entertained while keeping an idle staff occupied during lockdown and social distancing when non-essential activities were disallowed. What started out as an outdoor light show on a wooded trail has morphed into so much more.

I had an opportunity to speak with the managing partner as he shared with me the genesis of Glenlore Trails. He also shed some light (no pun intended) on the metamorphosis of the park and what we can expect this fall.

Problem begets opportunity

Bluewater Technologies is a live event company that often coordinates corporate events. They are responsible for much of the visual and auditory magic at events like Electric Forest and other corporate-sponsored events looking for a little “oomph.”

In 2020, when businesses were struggling to pay the bills, the company was taking a financial beating as their business depended solely on other companies and non-essential events.

When I spoke to the managing partner, Scott Schoeneberger, he related how it all began. “We had the equipment and a staff with nothing to do, so we thought about how we can use those two factors while still keeping things safe for everyone.”

Using what they had, they took to the outdoors. And what better than an outdoor trail with plenty of space to comply with social distancing protocols? Hence, Glenlore Trails was born.

What is Glenlore Trails?

Located in Commerce Township, on a nature trail that spans many cities, Glenlore Trails is a mile-long stretch that is a fully immersive and interactive experience. In the words of Scott, “It is like walking through a movie.”

Now that social distancing protocols have been lifted, Scott spoke to me about how the experience has evolved into so much more than what it was originally. What started out as mostly just a visual and auditory experience has become much more interactive and tactile. Visitors can now partake in different games and activities that involve all the senses and that resemble what you would find at a fair or carnival.

Some nights, they even have live music with an electric violinist which adds even more to an already spectacular experience.

Haunted forest

When I asked Scott what they had planned for Halloween, he spoke with enthusiasm and excitement as he told me about the theme. He said we can expect an incredibly exciting and fully advanced technological experience with a “fortune and tarot theme.” He told me about one of the activities which involves standing in front of a machine and receiving a print-out of your fortune. Immediately my mind went to the movie “Big” starring Tom Hanks. He chuckled and said “Yea. Something like that.”

While Glenlore Trails is an activity for people of all ages, he said that the Haunted Trail was targeted toward those 14 years and older and that they also had specific nights targeted towards adults on dates.

What else can we expect?

The partners and staff show no signs of stopping or slowing down any time soon. Although their original intent and vision for Glenlore Trails morphed into something beyond anything they could have ever anticipated, they have decided to expand that vision and create even more.

They have recently also partnered with Emagine Entertainment and are creating a new Haunted House in downtown Birmingham where the old Birmingham 8 movie theater was.

When I asked Scott what we can expect from this new Haunted House, he compared it to the Erebus Haunted House in Pontiac. He said they would also be implementing all of their best technology and tools to add to the experience while still employing actors and customary jump-scares that we find at traditional haunted houses.

We can’t wait!

Check out glenloretrails.com to learn more and purchase tickets to this new and exciting adventure the whole family can enjoy. Glenlore Trails is wheelchair/stroller compatible.