Cabin Adventure- Day 1

October 27, 28, 29 Mike took a couple days off from work so we could enjoy our anniversary with a trip to Fern Dog's cabin.  The weather was changing almost constantly, with rain one minute then sunshine the next.
We headed up US 31 turning off on M-120 to go northeast, there was still beautiful autumn color in the trees.

We saw the sign for Pines Point (M-120 and west on Garfield Rd. to south 168th Ave.) and decided it was a good time to revisit this place.  It is beautiful here, right along the White River.
Pines Point is in the Manistee National Forest and there is a fee to visit.  You will find that the canoe/kayak is a walk-in landing. This site is popular for tubing on the White River during the summer, with a half-hour float around the peninsula located in the picnic area. It is quiet and secluded, surrounded by towering white pine.

Tilly got out of the car to stretch her legs and have a sniff here and there.  She likes going for car rides, but it is getting very hard for her to get in and out of the car.  We have to put the front seat all the way forward then she can get her front paws up on the floor of the backseat area.  Usually she needs a boost with her rear half.  Not sure how many more trips she will be with us.
 
Mike wanted a different way to go north, so checking my Michigan County Atlas by Dave Brown, I saw the Walkinshaw Wetlands were just a bit north from here, so that's where we went.  I don't know much about this place.  Here is some info about Walkinshaw Wetlands.  It is a 1,000 acre expanse of marsh and wet meadows.  America's third largest bird the Sandhill Crane, known for its leaping displays in the spring mating season, nest here in the Walkinshaw Wetlands, part of the Manistee National Forest, southeast of Walkerville.

Next stop Green Cottage Access point on the Pere Marquette River, also in the Manistee National Forest.  This site has canoe access, a boat launch, parking, toilets, angler walk-in fishing.  And this green cottage.  Nearest intersection is Peacock Rd. and 72nd St., this is just a few miles southwest of Baldwin.

Pere Marquette River
After this we bumped over to Baldwin and stopped in at the US Forest Service Ranger Station.  This is a great places to stop for info and maps, I even bought three new nature books.

Along M 37, at some point we turned west again and drove through the towns of Irons, Dublin, and Wellston.  Dublin General Store located at 18372 Hoxeyville Rd Wellston, MI 49689 is a favorite stop, they have tons of good stuff, we got some beef jerky.  They have 50 varieties of delicious home cured jerky. 

We went north on Synder Rd. and Mike saw Stronach Dam Rd. and thought it looked interesting, so we followed this to the east and it dead ended at Consumer Energy property with this sign.

So we all bailed out of the car for more exploration to find... the Pine River.  Checking the map later I realized we were just south of the Cooley Bridge on M-55, huh.

What a cool little stop that turned out to be!  I found 6 different kinds of wildflowers blooming, Brown-eyed Susan, Spotted Knapweed, goldenrod, asters, Bouncing Bet, and Red Clover.
We finished our drive arriving at the cabin,

made a fire in the woodstove, went for a walk, ate good stuff, relaxed.  Ah.

South To Saugatuck

2010 11 01 There really are not many wildflowers still blooming here in Michigan, Witch Hazel, Chicory, Queen Anne's Lace, Common Mullein, Red Clover, Hoary Alyssum, Bouncing Bet, Asters, Common Dandelion are some you might find bravely holding on to their petals!



We even had a bit of snow this morning (November 5), first snow of the season!  So for this adventure we choose a nice walk in the woods, the South Trail at Saugatuck Dunes State Park.


Most of the parks and places we visit are FREE!  No fee to get in.  Of course we do pay for these places with our tax dollars. Michigan State Parks require a fee for a sticker. 


So if you don't have a Michigan State Park sticker and you want to visit Saugatuck Dunes State Park it is very near Shore Acres Park 6602 138th Avenue, Saugatuck  (remember Laketown Township Parks from 2010 08 23).  It is free to park here and access the state park trails.


If you park at Shore Acres you will be right in front of the state owned Felt Mansion , which was built by inventor of the comptometer, Dorr E. Felt.  Cool.

On to the trail!  Saugatuck Dunes State Park is a 1,120 acre (4.5 km²) Michigan state park. It is located on Lake Michigan between Saugatuck, Michigan and Holland, Michigan.

                                                           South Trail at Saugatuck State Park

                                                       What is over this dune?

Lake Michigan of course!

Lake Michigan 

 We had plenty of day left to drive to Lawrence and Mary Bell Wade Sanctuary owned by Michigan Nature Association.  This sanctuary has 72 acres located three miles east of Saugatuck in Allegan County Michigan on the eastern end of Silver Lake. The Wade Memorial contains a lovely beech-maple forest as well as numerous dogwood and hemlock trees on a high bluff overlooking the lake. 


This sanctuary was given to MNA by the Wades, who were prominent citizens of Holland, Michigan. It is a fine example of a beech-maple forest with hemlocks that have grown back after a wildfire that occurred in the early 1900’s. Silver Lake abuts the southwestern portion of the sanctuary.

The view of Silver Creek from Wade Sanctuary

So after all this wonderful time in the woods and dunes, we went north for home but along the way we saw a house torn down by a machine.


                                                          So long house!
We had another great day with gorgeous weather, especially for November 1st! 

Sisters complete (a variation of) a triathlon!

2011 October 18  My sweet sister, Sugar, and I completed our first "triathlon"!  We began at Rosy Mound Natural Area (13925 Lakeshore Drive Grand Haven, MI 49417) dragging our bikes out of our cars all by ourselves, already some exertion! 

We rode south on the bike path along Lakeshore Avenue all the way to Palomita Reserve (10630 Lakeshore Dr, West Olive, Michigan 49460) owned by The Land Conservancy of West Michigan,  about a 10 mile (round trip) bike ride.
Returning to Rosy Mound Natural Area we stowed our bicycles into the cars, then off we went on the second part of the triathlon, taking over 1000 (stair)  steps to Lake Michigan and back.  

 While at Lake Michigan we completed the third portion of this trek by swimming (our finger tips) in the lake!

Fun time!
 We saw lots of Hepatica leaves along the trail.

Rosy Mound is a classic Great Lakes dune system including high wooded dunes, foredunes, beach and a dune blowout. A 0.7 mile (one way) hiking trail from the parking area to the Lake Michigan shoreline includes 1,000 feet of stairs up and down the dunes and scenic views of woods, the dune blowout and Lake Michigan. A unique shade canopy, dune boardwalk trail and pit toilets are located near the beach. Improvements to this 164 acre park were completed in April 2004.  No pets.

We are "triathlon-ers".  Ha Ha!

Pickerel Lake and Townsend Parks

October 17, 2011   

Pickerel Lake Park  (6001 Ramsdell Road NE Cannonsburg, MI 49317)

was our first stop of the day, 46 degrees- sunshine, blue sky.   

Michigan has been  having wonderful autumn weather. 
Pickerel Lake Park is a favorite in this area (just NE of Grand Rapids  Michigan) because of the interesting trails.  Larch Swamp trail, Sandy Knoll trail, woodland trails, and the main trail which circles the lake for an easy
1.9 mile walk.  You can cross country ski here, or fish from the docks.

There has been a big tree on the top west end of Pickerel Lake that a beaver chewed almost all the way through.  Well we found that tree was finally down.

First here are two pictures from 2010 of the tree.

The tree today (below).

Near the beaver tree, one of the many boardwalks at Pickerel Lake Park.

Next park for the day is Warren Townsend Park  (8280 6 Mile Road Cannonsburg, MI ), just a mile south from Pickerel Park on Ramsdell to 6 Mile Road. 

This park has a stone shelter, scenic footbridges, baseball diamonds, cross country skiing, fishing, hiking/walking, nature trails, a playground, and

restrooms.

Footbridge over Bear Creek at Townsend Park

We walked north on the Red Pine Trail, about a mile round trip, then checked out the enclosed shelter and Bear Creek.

                           Remanants of Bittersweet Nightshade

Still some wildflowers, this is a weed called Cheeses (always plural).

Another beautiful day!!