A 51-year-old woman was assaulted on the TART Trail Thursday near Boardman Lake.

The woman was walking with her dog at around 5pm on the trail in the area of Square Deal Country Store. A man came up behind the woman and grabbed her pants, pulling them down around her knees. The man then ran away. The suspect is described as heavy-set and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and camo pants. Authorities are still attempting to locate the man and will step up patrols in the trail area.

In a post on its Facebook page Friday, TART Trails wrote: "We are sorry to have to share this unfortunate report of an attempted assault on the trail near Boardman Lake yesterday afternoon. While incidents like this are rare, it points out the importance of reporting any suspicious behavior on the trail by calling 911 if you see any criminal activity occurring while using the trail. If you have any information about this report, please contact the Traverse City Police Department immediately."