It is not easy to find wild places in Monroe County. Monroe is certainly not the most developed county in the state. But most of its open space is dedicated to farming. This is a great thing, but every once in a while, you need to get lost.
One of my favorite places to do this in Monroe County is on the Woodtick Peninsula in the Erie State Game Area.
Take I-75 to the Erie Rd. exit. Head east towards the Consumer's Energy Erie Power Plant.
As you drive, you will see several interesting things. On the south side of the road, you will see a small DNR parking area. The DNR owns a small right-of-way that heads back into some deep brush. I have never found that this path leads anywhere interesting.
You will also see a Consumer's Energy wildflower area. This is quite nice to look at in the warmer months.
But the good stuff is at the dead end of the street. Park at the very end of the street and walk straight out to the beach. Consumer's Energy asks that you stay along the shore. From here, you can walk as far south along the shore as you are able.
From the parking area you can actually walk about four miles to the tip of the peninsula. This is not always possible. The peninsula has been eroded over the years and often it is a series of islands.
There are several ways around this difficulty if you choose. One is to wait until the dead of winter and walk across absolutely frozen ice. This has some dangers, but during a very cold January it is possible and reasonably safe. The better option is to wait until the warmer months and find the offshore sandbars. If you wear waterproof boots, watershoes or sandals, you can usually find a sandbar that connects to the next island.
I like this place because it is just mile after mile of beach. You can see the Toledo Harbor Light and the old Turtle Island Lighthouse. And once you get out of sight of the Erie Power Plant, you might as well be in the middle of a wilderness somewhere.
I have had some interesting interactions in this natural area. Once a man in a small boat pulled up near me. He yelled out, "Are you shipwrecked?" "No, just hiking," I answered. That was beautiful! I also ran into some boaters from Ohio who asked where they were. I told them that they were in Michigan and they were kind of surprised.
Another area of note is the power plant warm water discharge. This area almost always has open water in the winter. So, this is a good place to see eagles and other birds in the winter. I also see many people fishing this area, mostly immigrant families. Be aware that the currents in this area are extremely dangerous. Also, be aware that power plant people have been extremely nice to outdoorspeople who access the shore here. Try not to tresspass on Consumer's Energy land.
This peninsula, coincidentally, serves as a protective barrier for the Nature Conservancy's Erie Marsh Preserve. Together, this is a dynamic natural area that is home to bald eagles, hawks and all manner of small mammals.
It is a special place.
Erie State Game Area Map:
Directions from the birding community:
Cool aerial photo:
Here's a blog post about the "Lady of the Lake" camp that was once found at the base of the peninsula:
Here are some of my old hike reports:
Here is another old hike report:
2 comments:
Just wanted to say thanks for this detailed and informative post. Always on the lookout for unusual places to hang out along the underrated Michigan Lake Erie shore. Sounds as though barefoot might be a possibility in summer for getting from island to island, too, eh?--Jim in Ann Arbor
Jim!
Barefoot is definitely possible. But there are dangers. This is still western Lake Erie and there is always the possibility that you'll hit some glass or a zebra mussel shell.
And I've seen many clammers out there over the years, so you might knick a clam shell or some reed grass.
But, there is something to be said for living dangerously:)
Mike
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