Dolan Trail, Maher Sanctuary, Barry County Fen

2013 05 13 Last week we drove about 60 miles from Grand Haven to the Dolan Trail in southeast Kent County.  Dolan Trail,  a 1.1 mile loop trail, property of Trout Unlimited, is along the Coldwater River.  We have been here before and, as last time, we were careful not to go too far on the North Country Trail, which is also here along the Coldwater River.

 Coldwater River in Kent County, Michigan

     Dolan Trail

This is the back side of a Wild Geranium...

There were signs of severe flooding, we did see wildflowers and the weather was cool (32 degrees) and sunny.

We enjoyed the Dolan Trail but I got in a bit of a hurry to move on.  Usually our day out together seems to go by fast.  We do try to savor the moment.  The weather was very nice and we walked more than a mile but then we moved on down the road into Barry County to Maher Audubon Sanctuary.

We saw trillium,

 

Two-leaved Miterwort ( Mitella diphylla),

   Cain Creek,

Marsh Marigold.

 

 After Maher we went west to a small fen.  Along the way we saw beautiful spring green trees and grasses.

Since it was a cold day we saved the fen for last, but still didn't find much blooming...

We did see that someone had cut down bunches of shrubs along the path and throughout the fen, including Nine Bark, which they left in piles everywhere.

 

                Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea) Carrot Family

                Swamp Valerian  (Valeriana uliginosa) Just buds...

 

Still some Marsh Marigold...

 



A beautiful day at the fen.