Hamilton Michigan and Allegan Forest

2010 09 29 Marie and I stopped at the George Schutmaat Memorial Park in Hamilton
Michigan on the Rabbit River.  There is a train trestle bridge there and waterfalls. 



To find this park as you travel south (SE) on M 40 (Lincoln Rd) turn east (NE) onto 47th street then south (SE) on Willyard.

Trestle Bridge over the Rabbit River in Hamilton Michigan

We saw one of our favorites, True Forget-me-not.

Then off to some interesting places in Allegan County, 133rd Avenue is one place we have found spring wildflowers blooming early, there is a train bridge here,  the road is one lane, date on the bridge is 1908!   

133rd Avenue Allegan County Michigan

See the train goes on the top, the one lane 133rd Avenue goes under the train bridge, the road goes over a small creek,  two bridges in one photo.  This year we found the train bridge has a fresh coat of paint.

Next off to Allegan Forest!  We went to check on the American Columbo (Frasera caroliniensis), this herbaceous plant can be 10 feet tall!  We saw this plant blooming earlier this year, now we found the dried stalks of the American Columbo!



American Columbo Blooming

 Close up of the American Columbo flower

Near here in a wonderful field we found Partridge Pea (Chamaechrista fasciculata).

We actually saw a fair amount of plants flowering, many types of Asters.
We also found Crooked Lake, down a somewhat scary two-track.
 After this we headed home and briefly visited the roadside park south of Grand Haven (Agnew?).
We have a list of parks and places we have been to together in the last four years, over 300 on the list and it is certainly not a completed list!