Mike's Lenawee and Monroe Blog

Pic for Siler

2008-02-18T09:42:00.003-05:00

I saw this while walking at Trestle Park in Adrian, MI. I think that it's a corporate name that has been carved into the beams of one of the park shelters. I thought that Siler, the creator of the greatlakeshikes yahoo group would get a kick out of it.

Monroe Marshes: Downtown to Sterling Connector Trail

2008-02-16T20:55:00.002-05:00

Here is an aerial image of a section of the Monroe Marsh. The view is from somewhere above I-75 looking east. The southern edge of Sterling State Park is on the left side. Lake Erie is on the top edge of the photo. The now defunct Automotive Components Holdings plant (Ford) is center-right. Click on the image for a close-up view.

Map: Sterling State Park "Secret" Entrance

2008-02-07T21:20:00.001-05:00

This is the DNR engineering map of the back entrance to Sterling State Park. It is a quasi-legal connection right now. It can be hiked and biked. A trail user must cross a set of railroad tracks and navigate a gate, but otherwise, it's a pleasant way to go. Click on the map/image for a close-up view.

Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge: Fix, Brancheau and Strong Units - Map

2008-02-05T12:40:00.000-05:00

Richard Micka placed units of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge on this NOAA map. Click on the map for a more detailed view.

Lake Erie Trail Concept Map

2008-02-03T12:47:00.000-05:00

This is Richard Micka's map of the Old Hull Road along the Lake Erie shore. It identifies some important natural and historic sites along the route. Click on the image to see the image close-up.

Hidden Lake Gardens: All Trails Map

2008-01-28T17:21:00.000-05:00

This is an all trails map of Hidden Lake Gardens. It includes the official marked trails, a seasonal ski trail, Old Munger Road and several legacy trails through little-known areas of the preserve. Click on the map for a larger view.

MI High School Cross Country Courses

2007-11-18T20:22:00.000-05:00

Island Lake State Recreation Area: Hike Reports

2007-11-05T20:53:00.000-05:00

07/20/04

I would also try to push the envelope a bit in terms of camping areas in state parks and other similar areas. For instance, you could rent the cabins at Island Lake SRA and put up a tent outside the building. Or you could carry in a canoe to the canoe campground at Island Lake, leave it there during the day, head to the other end of the park, hike to the canoe only campground, canoe during the evening then hike back out.

07/20/04

Livingston County: Island Lake Recreation Area: By combining the Yellow and Blue loop trails, you can hike for 14 miles without backtracking. The terrain is flat to gently rolling with some hills . The trail surface is natural. The highlight of this hike is the meandering, undeveloped Huron River. Be aware, however, that this is a popular mountain biking area. Contact info.: Island Lake Rec. Area, (810) 229-7067. By the end of 2001, it will be possible to extend this hike into the paved Kensington Metropark trails to the north - adding another 8+ miles. No camping.

07/16/01:

I just hiked the east loop of Island lake Rec. Area with some friends. It's 6 miles and can be 14 if you hike a second loop. I think it would make a nice urban backpack. But you'd have to reserve the frontier cabins. I was also thinking it might be possible to bushwack to the canoe campgrounds - two seven mile days.

04/01/02

Hey guys. I did a little afternoon hiking at Island Lake today and checked out the canoe camps. There are two really nice sites right on the Huron River. There is a well-maintained outhouse, several benches and an unusable water pump. It would be a great place to camp.

There is a small two-track that leads out to the main park road. If you cross the road and enter the parking lot, there is another two track that intersects with the West Loop hiking/mountain bike trail. The trail crosses underneath a railroad bridge and hikers might be tempted to just follow the Huron River into camp, but this is not advisable. The terrain is swampy and difficult. Better to take the two track. So, everything is there for a nice 20 mile overnight backpack. Great trail. Great campsites.

ONE BIG PROBLEM. I asked the park staff if I could backpack into the campground and two different rangers said no. The park rules only allow canoeists to use the campsites. So, I guess it depends whether you want to lug a canoe in for show. Or take your chances. It seems like you'd stand a fair chance of being found out. This is a reason why we need a hiker advocacy group in SE Michigan.

Other options: Chaperone a group of kids backpacking to the organization camp. Or, get one of the rustic cabins on the West side of the park.

04/03/02

Hi Joe!

Your point is a good one, although there are a number of canoe camps along the Huron River in the metroparks. There is one backpacker camp in southeast Michigan. So, if you are totalling the numbers, the need for backpack camps is greater.

And guess how many canoeists were using the camp when I was there? Zero. It seems to me that a hiking group could push to get the camp opened to backpack use during the offseason or when canoeists hadn't reserved it.

Overall, the place seems well-run. So, I'll defer to the people who manage the place. But it does seem funny that an unused existing facility would be banned when there is such a need.

04/21/02

Saturday, I hiked the West/Blue Loop at Island Lake SRA in the suburbs. There were houses and a railroad along the tracks for a bit, but this was a nice 9.2 mile hike. The first 5 miles are pretty flat, but there are a few hills in the second half. There weren't too many bikers out there this early in the spring and they didn't seem to get on the trail until after noon. So, morning hiking would probably be okay. This is well-marked trail. I like a little more uncertainty. Nothing like having to guess which way to go. But, I got my first slight sunburn. Sunblock season has arrived.

http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.aspx?id=462

Dansville State Game Area: Hike Reports

2007-11-05T20:45:00.001-05:00

Dansville State Game Area is to the southeast of Lansing, MI. These hike reports were originally posted on the Great Lakes Hike yahoo group:

04/03/02

I got out for a few miles this evening in the Dansville SGA - maps on DNR web site. The place is just north of the Ingham/Jackson County line. The simplest way is to take US-127 to M-36 East. Turn right on Meridian Rd. Once you hit Dexter Trail, you start getting into the SGA.

The trails I hiked were old two tracks. While not at all rugged, they were very pleasant to hike on. There were some very nice pine forests and the terrain was flat to slightly rolling. It looks to me like it might be possible to get a nice long - 6 to 8 or more mile -hike in there. The best part was Hewes Lake, a nice, unspoiled southern Michigan lake. I got there just before sunset as the reds and oranges fired across the water. As I returned to my car, friendly flakes of snow danced about the sky. Not a bad way to end the day.

04/21/02

Friday night, I bisected Dansville State Game Area in southern Ingham County. There is continuous trail from the work station on Dexter Trail to down to Ewers Rd. That's about two miles one way, so four miles total. The place has a few hills and is really swampy. I wish I had a camera to show the three makeshift bridges over some streams in the southern portions of my route. Yikes. But I didn't slip. Oh, and the bugs! Got my first bug bites of the year. I'm working on finding a circle route or extended point to point in this place. I'll post more as I learn the area.

http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/sga/dansville.pdf

Sleepy Hollow State Park: Hike Reports

2007-11-04T19:12:00.000-05:00

05/26/03

Hello again!

My second hike today was in the Sleepy Hollow SP north of Lansing. I've never been here before, so I decided to go whole hog and loop the lake. It ended up being 9 or 10 miles and was way cool. There is a surprising amount of terrain in the southern portions of the park and you get some nice views of marsh and lake. The eastern side trails between the campgrounds and lake are not really nice, but I was ready to get back to my car. I saw three mountain bikers, two hikers and several fishermen on my hike. Some of the intersection markings are not good. That said, it is hard to get lost. In fact the West Side trails are in a narrow section of public land between road and lake. It's proof that a nice trail can exist on a small corridor of land.

The highlight of the day was a small log crossing over a branch of the Maple River on the NW corner of Lake Ovid. A mountain biker who I stopped to compare notes with checked out the trail ahead on his bike and came back to tell me about the lack of bridge. I responded by saying, "Great. Now I have something to look forward to." With the help of a branch, I was able to schlepp across without much trouble.

07/19/04

Also, regular state parks can be "backpacked" using existing developed campgrounds. Sleepy Hollow State Park would be a good example of this possibility. It might not be wilderness, but that's not why people live in Lansing anyway.

http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.aspx?id=495

Stinchfield Woods: Hike Reports

2007-11-04T18:56:00.000-05:00

02/11/01:

And, while I'm at it, has anyone ever hiked east out of Pinckney SRA on the Losee Lake trail through Stinchfield Woods (U of M property) and into Hudson Mills Metropark? I think it's all contiguous public land. I just ask, because they're planning to get rid of the dam in Dexter and build a trail on the old river bottom. It could add an extra day of hiking to the Waterloo-Pinckney trail.

02/14/01:

I was asking because you can start at Portage Lake in Waterloo Rec. Area. The start of the Losee Lake Trail is next to the end of the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail. If you hike straight through the Losee Lake Trail and bushwack a little, you get to U of M's Stinchfield Woods. On the other side of the Stinchfield Woods is an undeveloped section of Hudson Mills Metropark - more bushwacking on a river. They are planning a new trail to Dexter from there. With the right route, you would probably end up with 40+ miles - enough for a long hike.

05/19/01

Before I started a hike at Pinckney Rec. Area today, I dropped by the headquarters and asked if there was a volunteer hiking trail crew. The ranger told me that the bikers do lots of trail work, but the hikers do nothing. Is this correct? Or is there a local trail crewthat I could link up with? Any help would be appreciated.

BTW, I have a second question: Where is everyone? I hiked the Losee Lake trail. It's short (3.5 miles), but not a bad little hike when combined with some of the other trails. Well, I saw no one. Today was absolutely gorgeous and there are like 5 million people within an hours drive. Did everyone just decide to stay home? Or are there just not that many hikers out there. BTW, this is not an unusual event. I almost always find Metro area trails uncrowded - even on weekends and holidays.

Finally, some advice: Don't go off-trail hiking in a swamp unless you really know what you are doing. I was trying to find a connector from the Losee Lake trail to Stinchfield Woods and ended up ankle high in mud surrounded by thorn bushes with bees dive-bombing me. I just started laughing and asked myself, "What were you thinking?" Anyway, I haven't given up. I'll find that connector yet.

01/26/03

Hi guys!

All the trip reports got me in the mood to type this one.

Our party of three - two human, one dog - set off for some hiking fun on Saturday at Stinchfield Woods. We weren't disappointed.

Stinchfield Woods is a piece of property in the 900 acre range that is owned by the University of Michigan for forestry study and astronomy. It is located just east of the Silver Lake area of Pinckney SRA. If you want to find it on a map, just look at the square bordered by Toma Rd, Stinchfield Woods Rd., Dexter-PinckneyRd. and North Territorial. Aside from a few houses, the land is all open to hiking and skiing between 6AM and 6PM. I don't know about bikes, although I know that during heavy summer bike weekends, you can hike there with little distraction.

Anyway, there are several possible parking spots around the square, but we chose the best one - a small renegade lot on the West side of Toma on state land. We crossed the road, passed through a break in the fence and started hiking.

It's hard to get lost in this place, considering the relatively small area. There are many singletrack trails, but there are also larger two-tracks that the university uses to manage the forest and get its scientists up to the telescopes. There are two older, traditional looking scopes that no longer have lenses near the caretaker's house.

There is also a giant radio telescope that we took a look at. It kind of reminded me of the movie "Contact." Also, we made a midwinter assault on Peach Mountain. Peach Mountain is the location of the radio antenna for WUOM, Michigan Public Radio. I am an avid listener and always love looking way up to the top of the tower and marveling that my favorite radio station is located in such a beautiful place.

Generally, the best way to hike Stinchfield is to just start hiking, get lost and try to find yourself again. I do have some maps, but they are out of print. If it is icy, an assault of Peach Mountain can be dangerous. Ice forms on the tower and falls off. This would be bad, bad. This area has trails that are much steeper than the nearby Waterloo-Pinckney Trail, so ski poles are recommended.

We hiked for 2.5 hours and probably covered 6 to 7 miles. I'll bet that there are 15 to 20 miles of paths in this place, so you can keep returning for different hikes. It kind of reminds me of the Kellogg Forest near Battle Creek.

Oh, yeah, it was cold and we had snow on the ground. But that won't change soon.

06/10/02:

Finally, last night I did a perimeter hike at Stinchfield Woods, land to the east of and contiguous with Pinckney SRA. I parked on Thoma Rd. (small, obscure parking area) and did probably 7 or 8 miles. This place is great, great, great. Lots of steep hills and beautiful forest. The highlights: Laying in the sun at the top of Peach Mountain. They keep is mowed, so it's kind of like an Appalachian bald. You get just enough of a view in an opening to the east to know that in winter this would be one of the best views in SE Michigan. I'm told by the only other hikers I saw that you have to be careful of ice chunks that fall from the WUOM transmitter on top of Peach Mountain. But still, it's kind of neat to know where my NPR comes from. Another highlight was the radio telescope on the west side of the 800+ acre area. Ever seen Contact? Yup. This telescope looks just like the ones in that movie. Big and exotic. Finally, Uof M allows hikers and skiers from 6AM to 6PM.

Vassar State Game Area: Hike Report

2007-11-04T17:03:00.000-05:00

Vassar SGA

03/17/02

Hello!

I was at a conference in Frankenmuth at the end of last week and I just couldn't resist doing a little thumb tour. Of course, I was sick with this crazy virus that's going around and I couldn't hike very much.

That said, I did get a couple of miles in along the Cass River where it crosses M-46 (P.51 of Delorme's). It's in the Vassar SGA and is well-marked by, it appears, the Reese HS out-of-doors club. I really enjoyed the small section I hiked and wondered if anyone knows anything else about it. By my estimation, the contiguous Vassar and Tuscola SGAs are about 10,000 acres total - which put it on par with Waterloo or Pinckney Rec. Areas. Anyone have experience hiking this area?

Anyway, I was intrigued enough that I might head back up on a weekend in the summer. But I figured I'd ask for any local knowledge that might be on the board.

Thanks!
Mike
P.S. Beets are cool.

http://www.reese.k12.mi.us/ExtraActivities/ReeseOutofDoorsClub/tabid/251/Default.aspx

http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/sga/vassar.pdf

http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/sga/tuscola.pdf

Curtiss/Mill Pond Parks: Saline, MI: Hike Reports

2007-10-20T21:42:00.000-05:00

05/11/03

On my way back from used book shopping, I decided to check out a park in Saline to see if it could be incorporated into a nice urban hike. I shot north on Mill Rd. from US-12 to the parking area for Mill Pond Park. Near the parking lot is a small bridge to nowhere -a small island - and some impressive rapids/small waterfalls.

The park is floodplain along the Saline River and an impoundment created by one of Henry Ford's village industry complexes. On both sides of the shore, the Saline River has cut steep banks on which sit very nice houses. I'd guess I walked a bit less than a mile to get to US-12 on marshy mowed grass.

From there, I crossed to Curtiss Park and shot through a nicely landscaped park along the river to the backside. At the back side of the park is a natural area with very muddy and wide paths. I've seen some small waterfalls on the opposite bank of the river here in winter. Then, I retraced mysteps.

There is nothing really to recommend this walk to anyone except those of us in the neighborhood looking for a walk. This route can be lengthened by shooting up a bank through a cemetary and sidewalks to another park called Wilderness Park with its own 2 mile trail system.

I'm also checking to see if Risdon Park can take out some of the sidewalk portions. Risdon is on the site of the estate of the founder of Saline who reached this location by boat from Lake Erie.
I saw nesting swans, ducks, bad-attitude geese, a Henry Ford mill and a nice dam on this walk. Routes in the 5+ mile range can be had here.

High Cliff State Park (WI): Hike Reports

2007-10-20T21:31:00.000-05:00

11/06/02

Hi guys!

I'm dating a woman from Wisconsin, so I've been checking out a few parks there. One that kind of captured my interest is High Cliff SP near Appleton/Green Bay on the east side of Lake Winnebago. It has lots of cool rock formations and, well, cliffs. These cliffs are apparently a part of the Niagara Escarpment.

Now, I know that Niagara Falls and the Bruce Trail to Tobermory is part of this. And I seem to recall a post here about a hidden section in the UP. And would it be wrong of me to assume that the chain of islands from the Garden Peninsula to the Door Peninsula is a section of this escarpment?

Anyway, this whole formation just always intrigues me. Does anyone know how long it is? Do you know of any hidden sections? What,exactly formed it? Any info. would be much appreciated.

Thanks!Nighthiker Mike:)

11/07/02

Re: Niagra Escarpment

Thanks Craig!

I'd love to check this section out sometime. Maybe you could pass on the directions sometime?
Jackson, eh? Too bad I'll be on my way to Wisconsin tomorrow afternoon. It'd be great to catch you for a neighborhood dayhike. Anyway, I think I'll try and catch a bit of the Ice Age Trail in Kettle Moraine SF this weekend. We'll see how it is.

Mike

--- In greatlakeshikes@y..., grypnytail@a... wrote:> Mike:> I've been to a section of the Niagra Escarpment in the Up. It's a50-100'> tall cliff, maybe 1/2 mile long, and very interesting. It's verynear the NCT> and easily accessable from a car (couple hundred yards). I think Ihave pics> on a CD somewhere...> Craig

01/19/03

I hiked about 8 miles on Saturday at High Cliff SP near Appleton/Green Bay, WI. I love the place because it has a portion of the Niagara escarpment. There is rock climbing to be had here and some nice hikes in rock crevices. On this hike, we ended up just looping through wooded areas on the edge of the cliffs along Lake Winnebago. It was cold and the wind was strong on our high route. That said, it was really nice. There is little to no snow in Wisconsin right now, so the dogsled teams that we encountered were using wheeled contraptions and four-wheeled ORVs to drive their teams. Some Boy Scouts were camping in the area and had created ice sculptures at the visitor's center. Hiking was flat and fun. The highlight was a beautiful sunset over Lake Winnebago.

03/30/03

I hiked a new trail today. Even though it was only three miles, the Old Lime Kiln trail at High Cliff is great. High Cliff SP is nearAppleton, WI on the shores of Lake Winnebago. This particular trail rises and falls over a section of the Niagara Escarpment, so it'spretty hilly. The cliffs are pretty broken in this area, so there is opportunity for some climbing and hiking through crevices. There were some mud spots and central to northern Wisconsin didn't quite get the 60s and 70s that we've seen in extreme southern MI, so Lake Winnebago is still almost completely frozen. The old lime kiln is at the trail head and it's pretty cool. I've hiked all the trails in this park except for the horse trails and I'll get those in some time this week. If anyone knows of good trail in the northeast section of WI or near Menominee in the UP, I'd appreciate them.

The most interesting aspect of the hike was the variable weather. We could see snow falling in the distance, but the bright sun was also shining through the cloud banks. Then, suddenly, we couldn't see the other side of the lake and - BOOM - the snow was upon us. Then, five minutes later it was gone.

Spring Break in Wisconsin - Brrrrr!

03/31/03

Then, I checked out the horse trails at High Cliff SP. These are fantastic. For a mile or two, we were on a sharp cliff face and the trail followed the edge. There were a couple of places where it looked possible to scramble down the cliffs. Great lake views. Some up and down. Neat old stone grain silo to check out. Good fieldstone walls. Pleasantly rocky trail at points. We hiked about 6 miles here, but you could add mileage to this section with snowmobile trails and other offshoot horse trails. And you could use the hiking trails in the park proper for a nice long day or two of hiking. I really enjoyed this place despite the drizzly snow that started to drench us.

04/01/03

BTW, I went out again last night and hiked 6 miles of horse trail in High Cliff SP. Wow! For a mile or two, I followed the top of a sheer cliff a couple of hundred feet up. Some of the terrain was reminiscent of the Minister Creek Trail in the Alleghenies. And there were spots where it seemed possible to scramble down to the lake. Lots of crevices and rock outcroppings. And that lake is gigantic - sometimes not possible to see the other side. I'll bet there are 15+ miles of trail in the park. Still, it's just a dayhiking place.

04/02/03

One cool thing, though. I was reading on the mtbr trail review page and a biker says that there is a trail that connects to High Cliff SP. That would greatly increase the total trail possible in a long dayhike.

07/12/04

I've been a regular lately at High Cliff SP near Appleton, WI. First, the out-of-state daypass is $10. I turned around and got Kathy's car with the sticker after that shocker. Lake Winnebago, however, is very cool. If you stand on the cliff, you can't see the other end of the lake - I love that. But you really to get the sense of the immensity of the Great Lakes system. I believe that Winnebago was once a part of Green Bay/Lake Michigan. The Great Lakes are much bigger than just the 5 main lakes.

Fort Custer SRA Hike Reports

2007-10-20T21:19:00.000-05:00

I originally posted the following hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes bulletin board:

12/30/01:

Oh, and we had a great time at Fort Custer (Battle Creek). 8 miles, a midwinter stream ford, frozen lakes and snow, snow, snow. We cleared a picnic table for lunch that had 1.5 to 2 feet of snow on it. That was pretty consistent in the area - and some really fun trailblazing in the areas where no one had been. Here in NW Lenawee County we have 3 or 4 inches. BTW, thanks Dave and his son for joining us on today's hike.

12/31/01

This was one time when the arguments about track/not track breaks down. We had about two feet of fresh powder to hike/ski through. The skiers kind of needed the snowshoers to go first to clear the way. And the good thing about snowshoes is that the force of the foot is dissipated into a wider area - so no postholes to mess up skiers in back. The great thing was that the conditions didn't allow the skiers to get too far ahead of the pack.

Oh, and one more question to add to the ski/snowshoe debate: What about the dogsledders?
Fort Custer State Recreation Area is between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, MI. I would think it would take about 45 minutes to get there from Elkhart. It has about 30 miles of trail with a waterfall and great lakefront trail. It's worth the drive.

04/06/03

Anyway, on my way back from snow-filled and ice-covered Wisconsin, I stopped in at Fort Custer SRA near Battle Creek and hiked a bit around Eagle Lake. The trail around the lake was built by mountain bikers, but I've always found it to be one of the most enjoyable hikes in southern Michigan. I only went out about two miles and doubled back. I started at the boat launch and followed the shore. There were eight swans in a little cove. I liked the little water crossings. They were about four inches up my boot. I especially like the second one that passes right over the top of a waterfall.

The best maps that I've seen are in the Trail Atlas of Michigan. They are the only ones that have all the trails on one map -necessary in this place. This would be a great place for a local shakedown hike. Lots and lots of trail with many opportunities for shorter routes and pretty nice campground near water features.

Erie State Game Area: Hike Report

2007-09-19T19:06:00.000-05:00

This is a hike report that I originally posted on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

Erie SGA

Jan. 20, 2001

Well, Luanne, I've done a lot of thinking about that sort of thing. Mostly because I grew up in SE Michigan (Monroe). And while I have hiked in a lot of places like Isle Royale, G. Canyon, Yellowstone, most of my life is spent in a very industrial/populated region.

It really frustrates me at times. The Erie SGA hike that I mentioned has 5 power plants within view. But it is 4-20 miles of hiking right along the Great Lakes surrounded by some high quality nature. And I almost never see anybody there. I am optimistic by nature and I've hiked there so many times that I don't really see those bad things anymore.

What really frustrates me is that these power plants and dumps and quarries get built in a working class place like Monroe. And people in places like Ann Arbor don't get to see how their lights turn on at night or where their garbage goes. I actually think that I have a more real natural experience seeing the very bad with the very good. It is all part of the same.

As for this project, you could probably discount any SE Michigan hike for reasons like this. And I wouldn't necessarily recommend them to people from far away. But, they are the best I've found and for people in the area, a bit of the beautiful.

Cuyahoga National Park: Hike Reports

2007-09-19T19:00:00.000-05:00

I originally posted this hike report on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

Cuyahoga Valley NP

04/06/02

Hey, anyone else know that they've changed the designation of the the CVNRA to actual national park status? I spent a day out there yesterday. It has the closest waterfalls to SE Michigan and has some pretty steep hiking. Much stronger terrain than the Waterloo-Pinckney. Driving distance from my house west of Adrian was 2.5 hours to trailheads. The drive back to my dad's house in Monroe was just under 2 hours. The park has 35 miles of the Buckeye Trail. The plan is to eventually create a 125 mile trail system on the 35,000 acres. It is in an urbanized area, so you aren't that far from people, but the hiking seems real good. No camping in the park. I think you could overnight in the AYH youth hostel, though and take the train back to the original trailhead. Might make for a nice, fun weekend.

Lake Hudson SRA: Hike Reports

2007-09-16T19:27:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

01/19/01

Lenawee County: Lake Hudson State Rec. Area.

There are no trails, but just wild and hilly land along a lake. I bet it would be about a 10 or 12 mile hike around.

01/28/01

Lenawee: Lake Hudson SRA:

Take M-34 West from Adrian. Turn South on Morey Hwy. The park will be on the right.

05/02/02

Tonight I headed out to Lake Hudson SRA in Lenawee County. This has to be one of the least used parks in the whole state system. My understanding is that the park only gets about 90,000 visitors per year. That's about 270 per day for 3,000 acres. And I'll bet most of that comes from deer hunting and muskie fishing. Anyway, this place is desolate. It's a bunch of old farm fields with lots of hills, streams and woodlots. In the middle is a big, undeveloped lake.

There aren't really any trails in the place, but there are some hunting two tracks. I followed one out 2 or 3 miles and skirted a bunch of wooded areas. This might be a really fun place to just get lost in. The best thing is that this place is absolutely in the middle of nowhere. I drove a really nice paved road out and didn't seen any cars driving by for 15 minutes. All I heard the whole hike was the wind whipping across the plain.

Lillie Park: Hike Reports

2007-09-16T19:23:00.000-05:00

I originally posted this hike report on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

5/31/3

I also checked out more of Lillie Park off of Platt Road south of Ann Arbor. This is another Pittsfield Township park. It's just about the strangest location for a park - right at the intersection of I-94 and US-23. The hike has constant traffic noise and wide, unappealing stone and paved paths. There are some sections of dirt singletrack. However, these were very muddy today. The township website says the park has 2.8 miles of trail, but there is probably more like 3.5 miles if the renegade dirt paths are included. On the positive side, there are two small lakes in the park and the section of rough trail around the northern lake is quite nice. This trail cuts up close to shore and has a small beachlike quality. There are sections of impressive boardwalk and some pretty high scenic viewpoints. This is a good place to walk the dog. And considering the aggressive, unleashed dogs that I encountered regularly on this hike, the target audience appears to have been achieved. I tell you, an apology every once in awhile would be nice.

Nan Weston Preserve: Hike Reports

2007-09-16T19:17:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

05/01/01

I went for a little hike (2 or 3 miles) yesterday in the Nan Weston Nature Conservancy preserve/Sharonville SGA west of Manchester. Geez, the wildflowers are amazing right now - I literally saw thousands of trilliums. I'd recommend the place to SE Michigan hikers. If you dig around in the maps a little, you can put together a good 10+ mile route.

03/27/02

I got about 5 miles in today at Sharon Hollow (P.31,Delorme's). I started from the Nature Conservancy parking area on Eusedes Rd(Section 29 on the map below). I crossed a bunch of streams - neat little bridges. I connected with the two track along the Sharon Hollow impoundment and hiked west into the game area. I followed the edge of a field along the River Raisin to where is crosses Sharon Valley Rd. I crossed and headed out to the small lake in section 36. Then I came back. 1.5 hours total. A few frogs were chirping. Lots of sandhill crane action. Lots of deer scurrying about.

Trail conditions were okay, but a bit muddy in spots. There are trails pretty much along the whole route and you can get in a good 9 or 10 mile straight line hike in the rest of the game area. But you have to know what you are doing to connect the paths. It's not too hilly, but it's a nice change of pace from Waterloo-Pinckney and you'll see no one else.

http://www.midnr.com/pdfs/wildlife/sga/sharonvl2001.pdf

Oak Openings Metropark: Hike Reports

2007-09-16T19:03:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

11/05/01

Re: What a Sunday!

What did I see this weekend? Fighter jets. I hiked a ten mile loop at Oak Openings west of Toledo. All of a sudden, I hear a big whoosh and two fully loaded fighter jets scream over at Cessna level. Crazy. Your mind starts to wander after that.

07/24/02

Re: Hike report: Munson Park, Monroe

--- In greatlakeshikes@y..., "Susan Falk" <sfalk@o...> wrote:> Toledo as in Ohio?>> Susan

Yup. BTW, the best long trail in Toledo is the 17 mile Trail at Oak Openings Metropark. There are over 100 miles of trail there, so you can pick several routes. The place has sand dunes, lakes and oak savannah - globally rare environment. There is a backpack campground, but it might only be for scout groups. There are a few private campgrounds in the neighborhood. The place also connects to the Maumee State Forest for additional trail miles. And the 40+ mile Wabash-Cannonball Trail bisects the park. Before Dave jumps in, I'll mention that the NCT is scheduled to pass through the park.

10/01/02

The NCT will pass through Oak Openings Preserve Metropark near Toledo. The trails already exist, but are unmarked as NCT. They have over 100 miles of pathway. There is a boy scout campground in the park for backpackers. That would be about an hour from you. I would recommend it, especially during hunting season. Hunting is banned there - and no bikes. The NCT passes east and west from the park for about 40 or 50 miles along a rail corridor.

02/24/03

Re: Oak Openings Preserve/NCT Trip Report

Nice to see the report on Oak Openings. You really should see it when there is no snow on the ground. The terrain is very much different than most area hiking. The Oak Savannah is very strange to see. The endangered Karner Blue Butterfly is native to the area. I read in the Toledo Blade that the park is hoping to purchase an additional 100 acres for the park from an old industrial park. And a trail link to Secor Metropark might potentially be in the long range plan. Of course, the Wabash Cannonball, which passes through, is 47 miles long and is not far from the towpaths in its southern areas. And the Maumee State Forest connects in the south. There are a couple of small waterfalls in the park.

Lakelands Trail State Park: Hike Reports

2007-09-14T18:59:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

07/27/01

I've been scouting the western end of the Lakelands Trail SP. And I've come up with an 80+ mile loop between Jackson and Ann Arbor.

Start at the Waterloo-Pinckney Trailhead at Portage Lake in Waterloo Rec. Area. Hike 36 miles to Silver Lake in Pinckney Rec. Area.

Hike 5.5 miles north on the Potowatomi Trail to it's brief encounter with Kelly Road (dirt, low use, wooded).

Hike north on Kelly Road for one mile to horse trail head in Pinckney Rec. Area. I'm looking for a trail alternative to the Kelly Rd. hike.

Hike two miles or so on the horse trails to their intersection with Lakeland Trail SP.

Hike west on Lakeland Trail 30 or 35 miles (gravel and natural surfaces) to intersection with Sayers Rd.

Hike south on Sayers, east on Coon Hill Rd. and south on Dunn Rd. Half of this road hike section is paved. Half is not. This is the least desirable section of the hike and lasts 3.5 miles. There are possible alternatives on possible state owned rail beds or the Haehnle Audubon Preserve.

At the end of Dunn Rd. you are close to Portage Lake. From here there are a couple of miles of rough trail back to the Waterloo-Pinckney trailhead and your car.

Camping on the north side would be a challenge, but I think it's cool that there is an 80 to 85 mile route in southern Michigan with less than 5 miles of road hiking.

08/04/01

I hiked the Lakelands Trail from N. Territorial Rd. in Jackson County almost to Stockbridge tonight - about 7 miles out and back. The trail is in good shape for hiking. I did run into a problem area. A farm seems to have taken over the right-of-way about a half mile west of the Stockbridge trailhead.

I also have a question for anyone who knows. On the back of the state game area maps DNR rules prohibit camping on "state lands other than state parks and recreation areas" from April 1 to Oct. 1. This of course means it's possible to camp in, say, a state game area in the fall/winter months. Does this rule apply to Department of Transportation rights of way? The far western end of the Lakelands trail is apparently owned by the Michigan DOT. If the above camping rule applies, then a hiker could camp in the right of way - making a backpack possible.

Thanks in advance!

08/09/01

I haven't forgotten about you. I pulled all my maps together tonight and I'm gonna try to get 'em photocopied to send out. I probably won't send them out until I have a little more of a chance to check out some spots in person and make a legible guide.

BTW, I've hiked probably half of the Lakelands Trail and it looks like it would make a nice hike. You would pass through some little towns that would make nice lunch/dinner breaks and potential places to stay. I'm scouting potential camping spots in Gregory and Unadilla State Game Areas. Sections of both seem within about a mile of the trail and are legal for dispersed camping Oct. 1 to April 1.

Problem spots:

1) West of Stockbridge: A farm breaks the trail. I think the states till owns a right-of-way through it and it's definitely physically possible to hike through. But, a hiker might want to hike really fast on this section of the trail.

2) Trail connection to Portage Lake Campground/Waterloo: I spent afew hours last week trying to hike a rough trail along the south side of Portage Lake and ended up with prickers all over. I concluded that the trail doesn't exist. This probably adds a mile or two of road hiking - Total: about 7 miles.

11/26/01

Well, start at Big Portage Lake in Waterloo RA. Use the cabins at Sugarloaf Lake or Mill Lake Center. Then, use existing trails to hike into the town of Pinckney. I'll bet there is lodging of some type there. Then hike the trail west to Stockbridge. There is a place to stay there. Then, hike the trail back to Big Portage Lake - and 2 miles of roads. Each day would probably be about 20 miles. I know the whole route is 67 miles or so. That would be a nice challenge nearby without much road hiking.

02/19/02

Re: Waterloo-Pinckney

Hey, John!

Funny that you mention that attempted connection from Losee Lake to Stinchfield Woods. I tried that last summer. I got stuck up to my ankles in muck and was besieged by thorn bushes. Kind of took mybreath away. But there is a spot where you can pop out onto a short road hike.

On the other side of Stinchfield Woods, there is contiguous metropark land. I've been wanting to test the hypothesis that you could hike through into Hudson Mills Metropark. Then, there is contiguous land pretty much to Dexter.

I've also been working on a route from the extreme western Waterloo Pinckney across state land to the Haehnle Audubon Sanctuary. I've found some really interesting paths and it looks like a definite possibility.

I'm also trying to traverse Haehnle. If I'm right, I'll be within a mile or two of Lakelands Trail and an almost complete 70 mile loop.

04/01/02

Oh, yeah, on my way home, I scouted the eastern sections of the Lakelands Rail Trail. I tracked it from the Pinckney horse trail area to a few miles east of Hamburg. Much of it is undeveloped old railbed perfect for hikers. It may go further, but I've checked it to almost US-23.

10/04/03

Andy!

It's my understanding that the Lakelands Trail railbed is continuous - and in public ownership to Hamburg. I even remember scouting this section of trail within the past few years. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

BTW, there is a Jackson County Park campground at Swains Lake very near to the western end of the Falling Waters Trail in Concord.

10/06/03

Re: Great SE Michigan Traverse (was WP extension)

Okay, okay, I am not encouraging anyone to tresspass on prison property. However, the Jackson prison complex contains quite a bit of land that is not behind gates. In fact, normal county dirt roads traverse the complex. You can't go off the road and walk across the empty fields, but you can certainly drive on these roads to get to a restaurant or home or whatever.

Given the fact that I can take my car down these roads, I don't think that there is much problem in walking down them. In fact, the roads that I was on were quite picturesque.

10/06/03

Re: Great SE Michigan Traverse (was WP extension)

Hi Dave!

It's okay. These are public roads that pass within the prison complex. They have farm areas and lots of unused land. If you can drive through, I don't see any reason why walking would be illegal. Of course, it might be good to call the prison beforehand. Oh, and don't say hi to hitchhikers:)

07/20/04

Lakelands Trail

I would advise anyone to read the "State Land Rules" on the following website. It covers all state land that is NOT a state park or recreation area. It opens some additional camping possibilities that might help with a backpack. For instance, sections of the Lakelands Trail and, I believe Falling Waters Trail are state owned but not designated "state park." This likely means that there are some sections of the corridor in which it is legal to camp.

www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370-31657--,00.html

Pinckney SRA: Hike Reports

2007-09-13T20:36:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

05/14/01

I got out twice this weekend.

On Saturday, I hiked the horse trail loop at Pinckney Rec. Area. And I had a really great hike (about 6 miles or so). There were very few horse droppings and the trail is pretty much the same quality as the Waterloo-Pinckney. And I found a connection to the Lakelands Trail SP. I saw three people on horseback and that's it. I think the Poto would have been a lot busier. And I think that it might be possible to connect to the Crooked Lake/Poto trail on closed roads, paths. That would make a nice alternative backpack.

Speaking of which... I remember reading a while back about camping rules in State Recreation Areas. Can you backcountry camp during the off season? There was a nice little peak in the hills that would begreat for a tent. I'd like to use it this fall.

03/13/03

Re: waterloo-Pinckney thru-hike

Hey guys!

I know that I've mentioned this before, but the horse trails in Pinckney are a very valuable hiking resource. They are completely open to hikers and, in most cases, have a much better hiking tread than the horse-open sections of the Waterloo-Pinckney. There are some really nice hills and good vistas.

If you ask for the horse maps at the park offices, they usually have them, but you have to be a bit insistent. Using the existing Poto,you can link from the Doyle Rd. area into the horse trails where a direct connection exists to the Lakelands Trail. It's a short roadwalk.

You can also create a loop by shooting north on the road that is closed near the Crooked Lake campground and walking through Hell to the horse trailhead on M-36. There is a very short section on busy M-36, but it doesn't last long. Then, you can double back onto the Poto near Doyle Rd.

Lost Nation State Game Area: Hike Reports

2007-09-07T23:33:00.001-05:00

This is a series of hike reports that I originally posted on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

01/19/01

Hillsdale County: North Country trail through Lost Nations state game area and Baw Beese Lake. I've heard that the local NCTA group is going to have a bivouac area there soon for overnights. But the Lost Nation section is great - about as hilly as the hilly sections of Waterloo-Pinckney.

01/20/02

I did some hiking yesterday on the North Country Trail in Hillsdale County through the Lost Nation SGA.

Some comments:

Beautiful. Beautiful. Sections of this trail are as nice as any trail I've seen in southern Michigan. At one point, I was on the "peak" along the valley of a rushing stream as it made an oxbow down below. A few hundred feet later, I crossed a little stream making a ten foot drop over some rocks. Then I saw a couple of frozen lakes a few steps ahead. Lots of hills. Just wonderful.

Trail conditions: Very tough in some spots. Lots of deadfall from some fall storms. It seems that the storms that took out the trails at TK Lawless and Kellogg Forest also did this one in at some places. It's really unfortunate, because you can see fresh blazes on the trees and the trail is wonderfully laid out. One other problem are two gaps that necessitate road hikes. One is a half mile on pavement (bad), the other is dirt on a little used road (not bad).

My understanding is that dispersed camping is allowed with free permit until May 15. It's a little out of the way, but it's a nice overnight in Southern Michigan - a rare thing.

04/23/02

Hey Guys!

I spent some time after work the last two days hiking sections of the North Country Trail in Lost Nation State Game Area in Hillsdale County (extreme southern Michigan).

Map: http://www.midnr.com/pdfs/wildlife/sga/lostnatn2001.pdf

Last night, I started from the middle parking area on Tripp Rd. in section 14 and hiked the dotted line (NCT) west, then north. I followed blue blazes until I got to the parking area on the extreme southern fringe of section 10. From there, the NCT seems to dead end on the southern side of the E. Branch of the St. Joseph River. It's a nice place to dead end, but I was a little disappointed. There is a small dirt road that crosses the river nearby, and I'm going to check to see if I can make it to M-34 following the north/east bank of the river. That would put it in striking range of the Baw Beese Trail. BTW, the trail in this section has the feel of a rail trail. It's an old two track, but the terrain is pretty - swamps/ponds bordered by hills. I was struck by how much the "spring colors" of the trees seemed similar to fall colors. Round Trip hike was approximately three miles.

Today, I hiked from the parking area near the romantically-named "Lake No. 8" in section 24 to the NCT intersection with Pittsford Rd. Dudes! This is a great hike. I passed four or five lakes, one small waterfall, followed a small stream and looked down an impressive valley to the St. Joseph River. The coolest thing was all the hills. This has to be one of the hilliest sections of trail in southern Michigan. Up and down. Up and down. Close to Pittsford Rd. is a hill with a USGS marker that I think tops out at almost 1100 feet. The view is great. It almost felt like I was in the mountains. Oh, and the wildflowers were spectacular. I love trilliums. The only drawbacks were a few muddy spots and about ten big trees that came down in a winter storm. They are close to the ground and navigated without too much effort. Round Trip tonight: 5miles.

You can get an 8 or 10 mile one way hike out of this place with a few small road walks. Total hikers observed on all my hikes here: 0.

10/01/02

With a few sections of road hiking, the trail through Lost Nation and the Baw Beese Trail are pretty long. There was talk about a bivouac area being created, although I don't know if that ever came to pass. Right now, however, it is legal to disperse camp in the state game area. Just watch out for hunters. There are some really nice sections there, but it's a place that attracts crazies.

10/6/02

Hi again!

I got sick of grading papers at school, so I headed 25 minutes west to the NCT in Hillsdale. I hiked some of the Baw Beese Trail. It now appears to be continuous from Black Bridge Rd at the intersection with M-34 all the way to Jonesville. That's a distance on the order of fourteen miles. South from that section, there is a small gap into the Lost Nation SGA with another mostly continuous 7 or 8 mile section. So, you could get about 20-25 miles of hiking out of it maybe.

The northern sections of the Baw Beese suck. It's a blacktopped sidewalk less than a foot removed from M-99. The trail is really nice in the city of Hillsdale. It's one of the more interesting paved railtrails that I've seen with lake views and some nice wooded areas as well as some city history elements. South from there is the undeveloped rail bed to M-34. It's kind of nice and ends at an old rail trestle. The Lost Nation section is way cool, but unhikeable right now because of the hunting. I saw a guy with a deer on his car truck roof - first time I've seen that this year.

Question: Does the NCT blaze paved railtrail sections? I saw abunch of people out on the trail. It seems to me that those rollerbladers and bikers might buy into the dream a bit if they knew they were on the trail. I know this has been raised on the board recently, but is this official NCT policy not to blaze this kind oftrail.

02/02/03

Great stuff. Bummer that I didn't hear about this when you were passing through Lost Nations. I kind of like that place, except for the dumping ground areas.

I read an item from the trip journal about a 3+ mile trail section on private land near Lost Nation SGA. I was vaguely aware of this after a workday with the Baw Beese Chapter a few years ago, but I have no idea where this is. Do you have any details? Road directions/parking suggestions?

07/20/04

Also, I know that a few years ago the NCT was working on a bivouac area in the Lost Nation SGA. Perhaps there is a place there that can be camped even during the summer. I would thoroughly research any and all possibilities.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Chapel Loop Hike Report

2007-09-07T20:49:00.000-05:00

This is a hike report that I originally posted on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

06/30/03

On Friday, Kathy and I did a ten mile version of the Chapel Loop. We took the trail to Chapel Falls from the trailhead, followed the cliff top to Mosquito Beach and then skipped Mosquito Falls and took the short route to the parking lot.

Personally, this is my favorite Michigan dayhike. It's just stunning. Views, good temperatures... There are only a few things that could be better with this hike. The trail out to Chapel Beach is a bit too flat and wide for my liking. And the forest in that area seems like a quick replant from some previous era. Also, bugs can be bad, bad on the Mosquito Beach side of things. Finally, the shortcut trail on east side of Mosquito Creek/River is very muddy.

But that is all nitpicking. The cliffs are impressive and Chapel Beach is the most gaudily beautiful spot in Michigan. Water flows eems low right now, so the river mouth into the lake jogs to the west, forming a warm water swimming hole on the beach for the Boy Scouts we saw there.

We saw three pairs of hikers and one Boy Scout troop on our 9.7 mile hike.

Pointe Mouillee State Game Area: Hike Reports

2007-09-06T18:57:00.000-05:00

I originally posted most of these hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group. At least one was originally posted on thebackpacker.com.

10/02/00

Pointe Mouillee is that rare thing in Metro Detroit - a large, wild place. The waters of the Detroit and Huron Rivers and Lake Erie meet here. It is possible to see passing freighters, a lighthouse, the coast of Canada and the distant Detroit skyline.

The game area is essentially a marsh reconstruction project. Hikers follow the tops of 18+ miles of dikes. Pelicans, arctic terns and thousands of swans are among the bird life that can be spotted here.

The hiking is flat, and a perimeter hike of the game area (10/11 miles) takes about 4 or 5 hours.
Hunting, of course, is popular here and the eastern shoreline is closed from Sept. -Jan. for hunting seasons. Directions to Hike Take I-75 to the S. Rockwood/S. Huron River Dr. exit. Follow S. Huron River Drive east to U.S. Turnpike. Follow this south a few hundred yards to a dirt parking area on the south side of the Huron River. Park your car and hike. Contact Information Maps can be picked up at any time outside the DNR offices on Campau road just north of the Wayne/Monroe county line.

Call the MI DNR at Pointe Mouillee for details: (734) 379-9692

02/08/01:

I've done some night hiking at Pointe Mouillee SGA (about 20 minutessouth of Detroit). There's a lighthouse and you can see the moonglow for 20+ miles. When the freighters start moving again, you can see 'em all lit up. Just be careful with your car, because it's a kind of lonely place.

4/15/01:

BTW, I saw my first trail arrest yesterday. I was hiking the dikes at Pointe Mouillee and all of a sudden, two sunglasses-wearing, official-looking DNR guys on ORVs came by with a guy in handcuffs. Maybe he was a biker!

05/01/01:

I was also out at Pointe Mouillee SGA a few weeks ago. I just love seeing the birds. We've been talking about sandhill cranes in another thread. Well, it's possible to see hundreds of swans congregating here. I've also seen pelicans in the marshes. And there is a new bald eagle's nest across the Huron River. It's a really nice - albeit flat - hike (10-12 miles).

05/14/01:

On Sunday, I took my dad out to Pointe Mouillee. We only went about 3 miles, but saw three freighters and what we think was a bald eagle. Great weather.

7/25/01:

Last week, I hiked out and watched a few of the tall ships just south of Detroit. I saw a lighthouse, the mouth of the Huron and Detroit Rivers and the west end of Lake Erie. On my way out I was buzzed by a bald eagle. And all of this happened within view of the Renaissance Center. Hike Detroit!

12/22/01

This reminds me, though, of the pelicans I saw at Pt. Mouillee SGA a few years back. You wouldn't think of seeing them in Michigan. And I've seen bald eagles within view of the Ren Cen. Oh, and I saw a list of sighted birds from Mouillee. Apparently, there was once a flamingo in Michigan there. I'm not much of a birder, but I find them fascinating. I especially like the fact that they often blowour biased "hiker" view of good natural experience out of the water. A truly wild experience isn't always about hills and woods. Sometimes it's just a muddy patch near a factory.

04/29/02

On Sunday, I did an out and back at Pointe Mouillee SGA. It wasabout 7 miles along Mouillee Creek - a broad marshy river really -and some giant wetland ponds until I hit the coast with a great view of a couple of freighters and the Detroit River light. Of course, a cold front was coming through on my way back and I walked directly into 40 mile per hour winds. A car blew off I-75 very close to my hike. Kind of fun, though. Take I-75 to S. Rockwood exit. Take S.Huron River Drive to US Turnpike. Turn left or right to multipletrailheads. Maps on the DNR website.

03/03/03

On Sunday afternoon, I hiked at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area with a group of four. I've written about Pointe Mouillee before, but...

Pointe Mouillee is located mostly just south of the border of Wayne and Monroe Counties east of Jefferson/US Turnpike and just west of Lake Erie. While many maps show it as a conglomeration of swampy islands, it is very much hikeable due to the work of the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Pointe Mouillee was originally formed as the Huron River delta. Silt and other material would create a marshy area at the mouth ofthe Huron. Since the Detroit river sideswipes the delta from the north, no marsh was ever present at the north side of the rivermouth. All was pushed to the southern banks. The French settlers and Native Americans found great hunting here. The French gave the place its name - "wet point." Hunting is still a very popular activity here. As the level of the Great Lakes increased, the marshes began to deteriorate. This became especially true after the sand bar islands that guarded the rivermouth ceased to exist. It was very much likely that the marshes would soon be lost. So, it was decided that hunting fees and federal monies would be used to recreate the barrier islands using capped dredge material from the shipping channels.

The result was the creation of a seven mile barrier island called "the banana." I don't know how long it took to create this, but my understanding is that 40 to 50 million dollars were spent recreating the marsh. If you've ever hiked there, you can believe it. There are +30 miles of dike, most lined with giant boulders. Most human interference is a hindrance to outdoor experience, but the scale of this project always caused me a little bit of awe.

Anyway, the reconstruction project has been - it seems -successful. The place is one of the best places to bird in Michigan. On our hike on Sunday, we saw hundreds of swans flying information above us. We also spotted pheasants and other grounddwelling birds. We also spotted many ducks and a few geese. Muskrats and other marsh animals live in the area as well.

Our route took us around the perimeter of the game area. The place is about 4,000 acres in size and the perimeter hike is about 10 to 12 miles in length. The hiking is exceptionally flat.

However, the hiking can be difficult. The dikes have little give and can be hard on the feet. We also encountered large snow drifts in some spots -a few approached 3 feet in depth. We were lulled into a false sense of security in the first mile and didn't bring our snowshoes. This was a mistake. We persevered.

Perhaps the best characteristics of Pointe Mouillee are the extremely broad views. There are few trees in the game area - it is a marsh. It also abuts the confluence of Lake Erie and the Huron and Detroit Rivers. You can see forever. While we hiked, we saw a cold front moving through. The dark skies fought the brighter pastels that dominated the east. Soon sleet and snow began to fall. The winds turned bitter and became merciless. I would estimate the winds in this treeless region to be 20+ miles per hour constantly as we hiked. It took the breath away.
We passed a lighthouse and an old shipwreck on our hike. We even listened for - and heard - the foghorn from the Detroit River Light in a place guarded from the wind. When the weather is clear, a hiker can see offshore islands, the mainland coast of Canada, the old Boblo island needle and the Renaissance Center in the distance. During warmer months freighters pass on a regular basis. This is especially nice at night when the freighters and lighthouse illuminate the night sky.

We also passed a hearty crew of ice fishermen halfway through the hike. The banana holds a small harbor of refuge for boaters. This is a popular place for ice fishermen who temp the big fish of the big lake during the bitter months of the year. Besides the ice fishermen, we saw no hikers and no bikers. The place is so vast in its scope, however, that even weekends seem desolate.

Pointe Mouillee is a good example of how human interaction with nature can work well. It's also a good example of a great - and beautiful - natural environment close to a highly urbanized area. You would never know at the tip that you were within eyesight of the homes of millions.

The DNR administers this location and maps can be found on its website. I would recommend a visit.

03/15/03

Pointe Mouillee SGA has 30 miles of trail, but is much less user friendly. It is on the border of Wayne and Monroe Counties. Take I-75 to S. Rockwood exit. Take S. Huron River Drive east to US Turnpike. The park is mostly south on this road with several parking spots. Look at www.dnr.state.mi.us for maps - look in online mapsand state game and wildlife areas.

01/08/04

I really like Pte. Mouillee State Game Area (Monroe County) in the winter. There are no trees, so the wind whips unimpeded across the landscape. And since Lake Erie gets pretty much frozen flat, the wind could start in Buffalo and not hit anything until it hits your face. The slight gradations in the winter sky get so pronounced here. And the only people out are a few ice fishermen in the emergency harbor of refuge. I also like it because I can watch the tugs and ice breakers sometimes working in teams to cut the shipping channel past the Detroit River Light.

Desolate isolation!

02/29/04

Hike Report: Pointe Mouillee SGA

I just thought I'd post a little trail report for one of the better early spring hikes.

Saturday was such a nice day that I decided to do one of my favorite local 7 milers. Pointe Mouillee is a banana shaped dike system that juts into Lake Erie at the meeting point of the lake and Huron and Detroit Rivers.

I saw probably 500 or so swans flying around. I love to hear the mechanical "wuh-wuh" sound of their winds as they pass over. There were also hundreds of geese and ducks. This is an area that also has bald eagles, but I didn't see any in the open water areas. Of course, I didn't feel like systematically checking off the thousand or so birds that were just hanging out along the open water. So, maybe there were a few.

Lake Erie is almost completely open water at this point, so the early boater that I saw had lots of space. I did notice that the shipwreck at the easternmost point had moved a little since last year. The hull is just rusting away as the waves lap up.

Trails were quite hikeable. There was some mud, but no snow anywhere. However, the well-drained dikes tend to provide good hiking sooner than true natural surfaces. Monroe is a good early hike spot because it is the most south and east you can get in Michigan. This means it has the highest temperatures and the least snow in the state. Also, Lake Erie moderates temperatures upward in the winter.

3/3/4

Hey guys!

The Isle Royale post about seaplanes reminded me of something I saw while hiking at Pt. Mouillee (on far easter border of Wayne and Monroe County line).

While hiking, I was buzzed twice by a seaplane with the pontoons on. I guess the guy was trying to impress, but I was just curious if anyone knew of a place on the Detroit River that uses these things for transportation. One guess is the development on the old Boblo Island. But, I suppose it also could have taken off from the coolest airport in Michigan on Grosse Ile. Or maybe island transportation from Windsor to the Lake Erie Islands.

Always cool, though to see one of them things fly by.

05/25/04

I like Pte. Mouillee just because it's very different from other local hikes. The hiking takes place on 15 or 20 miles of dikes. The dikes have natural surface two tracks up on top. Given that this is a man-made structure, there is less give to the dikes than most trails. There are not designated "trails", however, the design of the place makes for nice hiking possibilities. The hiking is completely flat. However, the fact that this is a very large marsh next to large expanses of open water means that you get better long-distance views in this place than any other park in the region.

If you look at the map that the state puts out, you can identify the "trails" as the perimeter lines of each "unit." The coolest area might be the "banana." That is the reconstructed barrier island at the easternmost section of the game area. The view is dramatic.

05/25/04

The Detroit River Light can be accessed in a couple of ways. Take I-75 South to the South Rockwood exit. The road you exit onto is S. Huron River Drive. Take this east as far as you can go. Drive slowly because this is a notorious speed trap. Once you dead end, you will turn right onto a road called U.S. Turnpike. It might also be called Jefferson. Take this right for a very short distance and then turn left onto a potholed road just on the south side of the Huron River. Park in the DNR lot. This is Pointe Mouillee. If you follow the south bank of the Huron, you will eventually hit the confluence of the Huron and Detroit Rivers and Lake Erie - 2 or 3 mile hike. The Detroit River light is offshore. You can hear the foghorn. Bring some binocs for a good view. BTW, there are some other navigational structures in the area that can be seen on a clearday. Maps can be found on the DNR website under Pointe Mouillee State Game Area.

05/26/04

All are open to hiking. However, from the beginning of waterfowl season through Jan. 1, the game area is closed. Sept. 15th comes to mind as the close-off date. I've seen pelicans and bald eagles and hundreds upon hundreds of swans at the game area.

I'm hoping that one day there is a trail connecting Pointe Mouillee with Lake Erie Metropark and the Humbug Marsh. That would besomething.

07/20/04

Camping in the summer is not permitted at all. Camping is permitted with the free permit between Sept. 10 and May 15. Be aware that certain state game areas have specific regulations. Pointe Mouillee, for instance, is closed from 11 PM until 4AM each day. It is also closed in some spots from the beginning of waterfowl season until Jan. 1.

Potato Creek State Park: Hike Report

2007-09-06T18:42:00.000-05:00

This is a hike report that I originally posted on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

02/02/03

On Saturday, I headed out with Kathy for a little hiking fun at Potato Creek SP, just west of South Bend, IN. We did about 4 miles on trails #1 and #2 in the northern sections of the park. Terrain was rolling with some good inclines. The lake is a great visual feature and the forest is very pleasant. The lake is currently frozen, so the only "hikers" we ran into were ice fishermen toting their gear out to the lake. Snow was pretty thick on the trails and temperatures were about 36 when we went out. The result was difficult hiking in marginal conditions. It kind of reminded me of sand hiking as the snow on the hills slid us down a half step for every one walked. Snowshoes probably would have been a good option, especially considering that this area seems to get lake effect snow.

That said, this is a really nice place. I'd estimate that there are about 15 miles of trail when you total the hike routes, bike path and bridle trails. There is camping available, although it is in established campgrounds. There also seem to be a few old roads that are not always marked on the map.

Overall, the place seemed a lot like Fort Custer SRA in Michigan. The trails were nice with some good route options in a developed park setting.

Hike rating: 3 boots out of 5.

05/11/04

To the west, you've got Potato Creek State Park just south of South Bend. This isn't a bad park and you get some nice trails along some manmade lakes. We've had a good time hiking there in the past.

I've hiked a little bit in NE Indiana, but I haven't found a really great magic bullet hike yet. I've tried Potato Creek SP near South Bend, Pokagon SP near Coldwater, MI and the Pigeon River SWA near Mongo. Potato Creek and Pokagon are quite nice for dayhiking although they are quite developed. Both have some nice lakes and decent hills. I've always thought that Pigeon River would make for a nice longer distance trail considering the amount of public land -11,000 acres - but the only thing I've seen is a rather sandy horsetrail. But I need to explore it more.

St. Patrick's Park, IN & Madeline Bertrand Park, MI

2007-09-06T18:34:00.000-05:00

This is a hike report that I originally posted to the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

08/30/03

Hi guys!

I got a new hike in on Thursday night between Niles, MI and S. Bend, IN. Madeline Bertrand Park in MI and St. Patrick's Park in IN connect along the banks of the St. Joseph's River. There are about 4 miles of hiking on each side of the border. Terrain is generally flat, although there is a steep river bank portion slightly inland from the river. I saw several nice streams that I'd like to bushwack along at some point. Trails are generally wide skiing paths that seem to be maintained by a motorized vehicle. The MI side has woodchips in spots that make hiking difficult.

Neat items: The Potowatomi tribe seemed to be holding a meeting of some sorts in St. Patrick's Park. There was a large, branch-covered structure that was really neat. I also heard some chanting from adistance. There is a Sept. 11th Memorial on the Indiana side. It looks a bit odd, but it was thought-provoking. Since both of these parks are county parks, there are ballfields and such. However, the hike was pretty nice. Finally, this hike currently extends across two time zones. I forgot about the time change and had to hoof it back to MI quickly so that my car didn't get towed/locked in.

Madeline Bertrand County Park Map - Niles

2007-09-02T17:44:00.001-05:00

This is a map of the Madeline Bertrand (Berrien) County Park in Niles, MI. The Red Trail is 1.2 miles in length. The Yellow Trail is 2.3 miles in length. The Green Trail is 2.2 miles in length and is shared by hikers and bikers. Click on the map for a larger view.

Potato Creek State Park (IN): Mountain Bike Trail Map

2007-08-30T15:32:00.000-05:00

This is a map of the new 6.7 mile mountain bike trail system at Potato Creek State Park near South Bend in Indiana. The trail is multi-use. Click on the map for a larger view.

Onsted State Game Area: Hike Reports

2007-08-12T06:24:00.001-05:00

I originally posted these hike reports for Onsted State Game Area on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

01/20/02

I got the hiking bug again today - funny how that happens - and decided to check out a little spot 5 minutes from my house. It's funny, isn't it, how we will drive half a day to get someplace to hike and we forget about what is right underneath our noses? Well, Onsted isn't the world's greatest hiking spot, but I saw 5 or 6 really nice frozen lakes, a set of rapids on the River Raisin and some really nice glacial hills. All in all, not bad. There are no "official" trails, but there are lots of hunting paths and a few dirt roads that I hope to string together for a nice 5 or 6 mile route. And if I can get permission from Sauk Valley - an old ski hill - I'd be able to add more miles and a high point. We'll see.

Anyway, the place is right near MIS. Don't go out of your way to get there, but you could do an Irish Hills hike day, do 5 or 6 miles at Hidden Lake Gardens, 4 or 5 miles at Onsted SGA and a 3 mile lake loop at Somerset SGA. And you could still catch some soup and sandwiches at the Beach Bar on Clark Lake. Anyway, just an idea.

05/10/02

Onsted SGA doesn't really have a legitimate good hike. I was really hoping I could string together a few hunting trails and renegade paths into a good 4 or 5 mile hike - the place is hilly, lake-filled and beautiful - but, unfortunately the only routes I could see were killed by a big swamp and well-used dirt roads. There are a couple of one-milers, though, so if you want to walk the dog...

05/02/03

Okay, here's the deal on Onsted SGA - not Onstead, like the sign says. First, you can find maps on the dnr website. Go todnr.state.mi.us. This will route you to the correct page. Then click on the left side bar that says online maps. Then click on the link "state game and wildlife areas." This will give you a list with a map of Onsted SGA on it.

Here are a couple of spots that I've hiked. If you take Brix south from US-12 to Grassy Lake Rd., turn right, you'll end up at a small parking area with a two track. That two-track shoots back around over some hills and by a lake. Then it connects with a gated seasonal road that would not be a bad little hike. There are three small lakes at the beginning of the road that can be hiked out to, but they are pretty swampy. You'd probably have to hike on GrassyLake to get back to the car. That would probably be a one to two mile loop. Not bad if it's across the street, but a bit short for a real hike.

I have also parked at the boat launch for Deep Lake on Laird Road. If you look across the road from the parking lot (by the mailbox), you'll see a little path into the woods. This goes back maybe .75 miles and then peters out in the woods. When I hiked this, I was looking for a connection around the backside of Grassy Lake to the seasonal road mentioned above. That would have made for a really nice 4 or 5 mile loop. Unfortunately, you have to cross a mud bog type area on old shipping crates to get to an upland region. Then, within view of the seasonal road, you reach impassable swamp. Hike route denied. Bummer.

So, It's worth a little trip. I have my eyes on two areas, though. One is just West of the Brick Walker Tavern. The state park Walker Tavern complex owns land on the south side of US-12. This land extends to lakeshore that I've seen from a small dead end road. The only way to get there would be to hike in. It might make a three mile hike if I'm lucky. I just don't know where to park. I also have been salivating over the Sauk Valley Resort property. I drive by MIS every morning and look at Prospect Hill like it's forbidden fruit. I've even gone out to try to get permission to hike the property, but didn't get much enthusiasm. It used to be an old ski resort and still has lots of the old pathways. There is even a map of it in the first edition Trail Atlases. I might just rent their cabin to hike it.

Walpole Island First Nation

2007-08-12T06:11:00.000-05:00

Squirrel Island

06/11/3

A few years back, my friend Chris and I decided to have a Saturday afternoon epic adventure and circle Lake St. Clair in his Toyota pickup truck. We quickly passed through the urban stuff, bopped around Harsen's Island - did a bit of not-terribly-appealing hiking there. Then we took the ferry across the St. Clair River at Algonac. This was a pretty cool thing made even more so by the "Walpole Island First Nation - unceded territory" signs put up by the aboriginal peoples who retained control of the area. Now, the good stuff. While we were bumbling around this first nation, we ended up on Squirrel Island. This place had a bunch of very bad two tracks along the very narrow shipping channel. Of course we got stuck. This led to the very surreal experience of being stuck in the mud miles from anyone who could help as thousand foot freighters passed by just yards offshore. We got into the habit of moving our truck a few feet and then stopping to wave madly at the crewmembers on deck. Anyway, we finally threw enough stray material into the muckholes to get the truck moving and off the island. Ever since, however, I've wondered about the hikeability of this place. It seems to have lots of two-tracks that might make for a very interesting lakeshore/shipping channel/first nation hike. Does anyone have experience that might be helpful in this regard? Also, if anyone knows how to access the Lake Ste. Claire National Wildlife Refuge on the Ontario side, I'd appreciate it. We were never able to find this place.

Falling Waters Trail: Notes

2007-08-06T09:35:00.001-05:00

I originally posted these hike notes on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

Falling Waters

05/15/02

I had a couple of hours tonight and decided to scout the Falling Waters Trail out of Jackson. It's an old rail bed, but I think it just might make a great hike. It goes through some pretty wild area with lots of lakes, streams and marshes. There is a small section that is paved in the city of Jackson, but once it heads into thecountryside, the trail turns to single and double track. I'm not sure if there are any bridges out, but it seemed passable to Homer -with a small break in Concord. I'm not quite sure how much is publicly owned beyond that, but the railbed goes to at least ThreeRivers. So, it's at least 25 miles long, maybe 50. Anyway, I'm going to start hiking it.

05/16/02

Okay, so when's a trail not a trail?

Answer: Falling Waters Trail

I decided to call around to get more info. on this thing and apparently, it still is in private ownership. I talked to the guy who is spearheading the place. He's spent about 10 years trying to get the state to buy it. Apparently, the county and cities support it and some sections near Jackson are public.

The funny thing is that he told me he grew up hiking the trail and earned his Boy Scout hiking badge on trips on the thing. And from the looks of it, it's probably the most used non-trail in the state of Michigan. In fact, it's the only non-trail I know of that has a real name as cool as "Falling Waters." This guy even gave me suggestions on good sections to hike.

But, I guess the next time I stop in one of the trail parking lots, I'll just have to ignore the thing.

07/06/03

Also, the MMBA website had a post with a DNR purchase plan for 108 acres of the "Falling Waters Trail" in Jackson County. This is an old railbed in Concord, Spring Arbor and Summit Townships. If you follow the Lakelands Trail or Waterloo-Pinckney to Jackson Prison, you are not far from the Jackson city trails. These use the Falling Waters railbed. The western end of this purchase takes the hiker almost to Homer and close proximity to the eventual path of the NCT.

I've hiked many of the paths that lie on this route and a hiking route from Lake Erie to Lake Michigan doesn't seem too outlandish.

09/25/03

I was reading the Natural Resources Commission minutes for July and I came across the discussion and vote to purchase the Falling Waters Trail in Jackson County. The purchase covers about 9 miles SW of Jackson. This is an old railbed that reaches almost to Homer. This is good news and means that there are only a few short missing sections to a trail that connects the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail to the North Country Trail route.

BTW, in terms of railtrails, the Falling Waters Trail is really nice. There is one section that bisects a lake with water on both sides. And it also follows a river for a nice stretch.

10/06/03

I got on my bike today and biked about 5 miles of the Jackson Intercity Trail and Falling Waters Trail. I did most of the paved portion through town and a bit of the dirt pathway that starts at Weatherwax Drive and heads west.

Trail conditions west of Weatherwax are unimproved, which makes hiking the preferred mode of transportation. The vegetation is very nice, even on the paved city portions.

I ran into a nice older couple and the man said he'd been running that trail for 20 years. That's the funny thing. I've never seen atrail that has gotten so much use without being public. The thing had a name, an advocacy group and many users while it was still private land. Now, the state - I believe - only bought the line to Concord. This man said that another line branched to the south - on maps it heads to Hanover and Horton. He said he'd run it regularly for years.
The paved trail also veers south along Weatherwax into populated areas. I'm not sure how far that section of trails goes. Also, I'm curious if the informal use of the trail extends past the purchase along the line into Homer. If it does, there might well be a useable connection to the NCT route right now.

Finally, the trail basically connects to Ella Sharp Park - the site of 10 to 15 miles of disjointed dirt trail.

07/20/04

Also, the Jackson County Parks Department will soon take possession of the Falling Waters Trail from the MDNR, making an 18 mile trail across Jackson County a fairly imminent possibility.

8/12/4

I would advise anyone to read the "State Land Rules" on the following website. It covers all state land that is NOT a state park or recreation area. It opens some additional camping possibilities that might help with a backpack. For instance, sections of the Lakelands Trail and, I believe Falling Waters Trail are state owned but not designated "state park." This likely means that there are some sections of the corridor in which it is legal to camp.

www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370-31657--,00.html

Erie Marsh Preserve Notes

2007-08-06T09:23:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

Erie Marsh

01/19/01

Monroe County: Erie Marsh Preserve/Erie State Game Area.

The Woodtick Peninsula in the game area is a 4 mile hike each way. It involves wading in the shallows and ends at an island at North Cape. And campable from Oct. 1 to April 1. And if the state ever got its act together, the peninsula could connect to about 8 or 10 miles of dike in the Nature Conservancy's Erie Marsh and about 2 or 3 miles of dike in Luna Pier. You could hike for 20+ miles with a little effort. Also, two or three more bald eagles nests. Honorable mention: Lighthouse/freighter hike at Pointe Mouillee SGA (10 or 12miles).

01/28/01

Monroe: Erie Marsh/SGA:

Take I-75 to the Erie Rd. exit just a few miles North of the Ohio border. Go East until this road dead ends in a parking lot in sight of a power plant. Hike East until you hit Lake Erie. Begin hiking south to the end of the peninsula. [Note: I was out there this weekend, and winter ice forms a natural bridge into the preserve, allowing for a 10+ mile one-way hike.]

02/04/02

Well, it was a nice day on Sunday, and since I had no power back home, I decided to hike the Erie Marsh south of Monroe. I ended up doing about 10 miles or so, although you could increase the mileage a bit.

The place is owned by the Nature Conservancy and managed by the Erie Shooting Club. So, I'm often greeted by members of the shooting club when I stop in. They are a little protective of the place, but can give good tips on dike conditions. The place is one big diked marsh. So, the wildlife is incredibly diverse. I was constantly being buzzed by hawks and you can see bald eagle nests in some spots. The view of Lake Erie is mostly obscured by the Woodtick Peninsula - the only backpackable Great Lakes shoreline in MetroDetroit - but you can see the lake about halfway through the long loop. You also get good views of inland bays, open pools and creeks. Indian Island is also in the bay - it's the site of an old native American settlement and has been the focus of occasional archaeological research. The Toledo Harbor Light can also be seen.
You really have to pick your spots when hiking here. 20% of the trail I hiked was a big mud pit. It dries out in summer. But that's when the bugs are fierce. This is probably the buggiest place I've ever been in the summer. Once you hit March, you also start hitting endangered species closures.

You can find good maps in the Trail Atlas of Michigan and on the DNR website (Erie State Game Area).

Drawbacks include freeway noise and occasional power plant views. But, it's a nice long hike with lots and lots of wildlife in a place where you will almost certainly see no other hikers.

East Sandusky Bay Preserve

2007-08-06T00:10:00.000-05:00

This post first appeared on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Forum:

East Sandusky Bay

01/06/04

The proposed East Sandusky Bay Preserve has expanded by 14 acres. Within the last year, over a thousand acres of land on Lake Erie have been purchased for hiking trails and nature study. This preserve is located a bit east of (Big) Cedar Point.

www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040105/NEWS17/40105003

Additional Links:

http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=13023&folder_id=251
http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=11064&folder_id=251
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/ohio/preserves/art10093.html
http://www.eriemetroparks.org/Whats%20Happening/Master%20Plans/ESB%20Master%20Plans.htm
http://www.greatlakesdirectory.org/oh/010604_great_lakes.htm

Blue Creek Conservation Area

2007-08-05T21:10:00.000-05:00

The Blue Creek Conservation Area in Whitehouse, OH is a 577 acre site that was once the location of the Toledo House of Corrections - a prison farm. The property is being redeveloped as a Toledo Metropark highlighting both Toledo's farming heritage and the natural values that are present in the land. The park is currently under development and only open during special events.

I have found several references to this location on a few web sites. Here they are:

Toledo.com:

The Blue Creek Conservation Area in Whitehouse is the site of the former Toledo House of Corrections. Metropark is partnering with the Lucas Soil and Water Conservation District and Nature's Nursery to use the site as a center for nature, agriculture and wildlife education and restoration. An adjacent property, known as the Nona France Recreation Area, recently became park of Metroparks and will continue to be used for active recreation under an agreement with the local jurisdiction.

From the official Metoparks web site:

In the next 10 years, the park district plans to open the Fallen Timbers Battlefield in Maumee; the Blue Creek Conservation Area in Whitehouse; the 300-acre addition to Pearson; a 28-acre park on the Maumee River in downtown Toledo known as the Middlegrounds; and a greenway with an all-purpose trail from Secor to Oak Openings Preserve Metroparks.

I posted this entry on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group when I first learned of Blue Creek:

Whitehouse Metropark

04/20/04

I've never heard of this place before, but the Toledo Metroparks are apparently creating a new 577 acre Metropark near Whitehouse on the site of the old Toledo Workhouse. From what I've read, there is a creek that extends through the property, there is oak savanna habitat and glacial grooves.

It's kind of neat to think about what is happening around Toledo in terms of parks. This site is close to Oak Openings Metropark, the Wabash-Cannonball Railtrail, a series of canal parks and other planned canal trails. You can really see something nice coming together there. And for you NCT lovers, the trail goes right on through.

www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?ID=/20040419/NEWS17/404190377

This is the official Metroparks Blue Creek Conservation Area Page:

http://www.metroparkstoledo.com/metroparks/bluecreek/

Whitehouse Nature Center - Albion College

2007-08-05T20:47:00.000-05:00

The Whitehouse Nature Center on the campus of Albion College is a perfect example of the kind of hiking that is present almost anywhere in southeast and mid-Michigan. The center property is 144 acres in size and contains a variety of environments along the Kalamazoo River. The hiking is not incredible, but it's not bad, either. And there are five or six miles of trail. That's enough for a nice two hour hike.

Here is a hike report that I originally wrote on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

Whitehouse Nature Center

05/25/02

I got out before the storms this morning for an approximately 5 mile loop hike in Albion. The
Whitehouse Center is owned by Albion College and is about 200 acres in size. There are about 5 miles of trail although there are a few small unofficial spurs. Highlights of hiking here include the Kalamazoo River and a small stream. A well-constructed pedestrian bridge over the Kalamazoo is also very pleasant. The trails are easy to hike. Some are grass. Some are dirt. Some pass through old fields. Others skim the river's edge. This is a good place for kids. And it's also a good spot if there is a threat of bad weather and you don't want to get too far off the beaten path. The nature center is also very nice - I almost walked in on a seminar. The trailhead is just to the east of the Albion College football field. Info. can be found in the Trail Atlas of Michigan and the MI Watchable Wildlife Viewing Guide. I'd recommend this place to those within an hour of Albion.

Map:

http://www.albion.edu/naturecenter/map.asp

Trail Guide:

http://www.albion.edu/naturecenter/trails.asp

MI Watchable Wildlife Viewing Guide Entry:

http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/wildlife/viewingguide/slp/98Whitehouse/index.htm

Directions to Center:

http://www.albion.edu/naturecenter/location.asp

Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Notes

2007-08-01T20:49:00.000-05:00

The following notes were originally posted on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

Detroit IWR

07/10/02

Hey guys!

The posts on the two articles about Sleeping Bear, etc. got methinking again about the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The Fish and Wildlife Service is taking public comment for the first refuge management plan. The refuge currently starts at Zug Island and stretches to the mouth of the River Raisin at Sterling SP in Monroe. Future plans call for the refuge to extend to Sandusky. And the Canadians are working on a similar extention along the DetroitRiver/Lake Erie coast - possibly to Pointe Pelee.

This is one of those long term kind of projects. The FWS is more in coordination on this until it can purchase more shoreline. However,the possible boundaries include Pointe Mouillee SGA, Sterling SP, Erie Marsh Preserve/SGA, West Sister Island Wilderness, Middle Sister Island Provincial Park, Point Pelee NP, Ottawa NWR, Little Cedar Point NWR, Maumee Bay SP and bunches of smaller areas. It's the kind of place that might eventually be really natural again. Lots of it is marshy and old industrial area that is not really all that built up.

Anyway, I went to their public comment session in Monroe recently to ask about trails and they seemed very positive. Of course, it's early. Comments can be made to the Shiawassee NWR office in Saginaw.

07/10/02

Re: Detroit River IWR

Oh, I know. Zug Island is a tough place. Another way to look at it is that the lower Rouge won WWII for America. There was no comparable hub for industry like it in America. And it still is a pretty powerful industrial area. Of course, lots was sacrificed for that.

Still, in terms of ecological diversity, you'd be hard pressed to find a place more valuable than western Lake Erie and the lower Detroit River. It's amazing what is out there. If you'd like to hike out there sometime, I'll take people on tours. I'll bet there are more species of animals/fish/birds/plants in that area than any other section of the state. And those fences keep people away -leaving some habitat undisturbed.

And, Michigan had no trees a hundred years ago. Things can get better with effort.

05/28/03

There was a good article in the Toledo Blade today about the expanded Detroit River IWR and Ottawa NWR complex in the Lake Erie West region. There is a cool map which shows the
project boundaries. This is my home hiking turf. I've spent countless hours on the trails in this complex and just love the fact that the area is expanding. I was at one of the original brainstorming meetings and find it pretty neat to see some of the plans already coming to fruition.
www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030528/NEWS06/105280040

07/06/03

Hello!

The Toledo Blade had a small article about 150 acres that will soon be purchased for the Detroit River Int. Wildlife Refuge near Estral Beach. Add this to the 200+ acres that have recently been transferred to the refuge in the same area and the thousands of acres in the Pointe Mouillee SGA. It's going to be interesting to see this corridor develop. Perhaps it might eventually connect to the Pointe Aux Peaux State Game Area and Sterling State Park.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030705/NEWS06/107050105/-1/ARCHIVES30

07/08/03

The Michigan Seagrant is a partnership between MSU and U of M that promotes the Great Lakes. They have a website that shows the Greenway projects currently in the works for the Detroit River.

http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/greenways/map.html

09/27/03

Hi guys!

The DRIWR has been expanded by 600 acres. Detroit Edison is turning over 600 acres at Fermi II for wildlife management in the refuge tothe FWS. I'm interested to see what the specifics of this are. Is Detroit Edison donating the land? It doesn't sound like it. Will there be public access? Considering the several times I've tried to visit the Michigan Nature Association Lotus Preserve at the site and been turned away by the guards, I'd doubt it. I do know that the Boy Scouts were working on hiking trails on this land before 911.

So, this could be very good news or not much at all.

Mike

http://www.monroenews.com/articles/2003/09/26/news/news03.txt

09/30/03

The Trust for Public land has taken title to the 400 acre Humbug Marsh - the last undeveloped mile of the Detroit River shoreline. It will become part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Hooray!

Also, some follow-up on the Fermi property. Apparently, DTE Energy donated the 600 acres around Fermi to the DRIWR. It will not be open to public access in the current security climate.

01/09/04

The City of Monroe planning documents, however, do include plans for trails on the old interurban tracks between Toledo and Detroit. Also, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is off to a fast start. There are many miles of trail along the shore that are unconnected. With a good overall plan, these could be connected for a really nice shoreline route. I could see that happening in the next 20 years.

Crosswinds Marsh Hike Reports

2007-08-01T20:18:00.000-05:00

The following reports were originally posted on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group.

01/19/01

Wayne County: Crosswinds Marsh. 5 to 10 miles of trail. This place is a reconstructed marsh - to replace the marsh destroyed at MetroAirport. And it is really cool. There's a bald eagle's nest and lots of birds. And some easy canoeing. And a hill is rising right next door at the landfill that is accepting Toronto's trash and sewer sludge. My hope is that there is a plan to eventually incorporate it into the park as a scenic overlook or ski hill.

Jan. 21, 2001

A few more comments on the Toronto trash issue...

My understanding of the issue is that Canadian trash is considered international commerce under NAFTA. Even if the state wanted to stopit, they would probably get sued - and I'd imagine lose.

The issue does have another side. I believe that Michigan and other states send hazardous waste to Ontario in large volumes. Ontario can't really stop that from happening either. So, if we make them keep their trash, they are libel to make us keep our biohazards.

This dump has been there even before this deal was signed. The lack of Toronto's garbage wouldn't really make any difference at the site.

My big concern is what happens afterwards. There are a lot of quarries and dumps in my area that just get fenced off and left. But these places can be put to public use if designed right. If these places are held to high environmental standards and later become large public spaces, I think everybody wins. And in a very flat section of Michigan, a big hill with a scenic overlook on top would be a very nice addition to a park.

BTW, the local government has been very supportive of the dump. It provides jobs and tax money in an overlooked, rural part of WayneCounty.

Complexity reigns.

07/22/01

Well, after hiking in Ohio, I headed back to Monroe for a wedding reception. Afterwards, I found out I had a little more time on my hands and decided to do a little more hiking - this time at Crosswinds Marsh.

Crosswinds Marsh is a Wayne County Marsh Interpretive Preserve. It is restored marsh, created to replace wetlands destroyed for the new terminal at Metro Airport. You can get there by taking I-275 to Will Carleton (South of Detroit near the town of Waltz). Head west on Will Carleton, past the dump to Haggerty. Turn Right and you are there.

While this is not at all a strenuous hike, it is an interesting place. There is a lot of open water - enough for a 2 mile canoe trail. There is a 4.5 mile horse loop around the perimeter of the preserve that is essentially a gravel road with one water crossing. You could hike this if you wanted.

There are also 6 or 7 miles of hiking trail. These range from dirt to gravel to boardwalk. The trails pass through cattail marsh, wooded swamp areas, open water and open meadows. You can see muskrats, fish, geese and a bald eagle's nest on the south end of the park.

This area is great for kids and a nice respite from a populated area. While I was hiking, I saw 3 or 4 kids fishing and a few couples. I also ran into a group of young people who were badly in need of bug spray. I gladly helped them out.

When combined with Pointe Mouillee SGA and Lower Huron, Oakwoods, Willow and Lake Erie Metroparks, Crosswinds Marsh helps make the Downriver area a great way to get out there in an urban setting.

01/08/03

Re: Fw: E-M:/ Granholm says no to Toronto Trash

I'll bet Granholm plays this issue up big - because it doesn't require much expenditure from the state budget. If she talks tough or even changes the situation, she'll get political mileage for free.
I know this dump well. I hike occasionally at the Crosswinds Marsh that borders the place. There is a bald eagle's nest right there.

A few things to consider: Sumpter Township gets some ungodly percentage of its annual revenue from the tipping fees on the garbage. I believe it's something like 80%. This is a rural, but growing area, with lots of parkland in the Metroparks, etc. I'll assume that if the garbage doesn't flow, they'll have to find other ways to fill the township treasury - like maybe a big old development on some farmland. Or, maybe they'll just lay off the police.

But, the dump is there. It won't close if Toronto stops shipping. Garbage will come from Ohio or New York instead. So: spend lots ofenergy stopping the garbage for zero gain to local residents. Why not lobby for a new a natural area instead?

But I do find it difficult to think that some hardscrabble northern Ontario town couldn't make use of all the money that is generated by growth in the waste management industry:)

03/15/03

I have three suggestions. Crosswinds Marsh is a restored marsh on Haggerty Rd. in extreme southern Wayne County. Take I-275 to Will-Carleton (I think) and head west. Once you zoom past a landfill, the park is on the right. It's nice and would be interesting at this time of year. Crosswinds is a Wayne County Park and offers 6 to 10 miles of trail.

Brighton State Recreation Area Horse Trails

2007-07-21T22:13:00.001-05:00

I originally posted this hike report on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group.

05/22/02

Brighton SRA - Brighton, MI.

I hiked some of the horse trails on the west side of the park. I must have done about 6 or 8 miles. There are 18 miles of horse trail. The trails are nice and despite a few muddy patches were fun to hike. This is a well-used horse area on summer weekends, so that might not be the best time to use them. I also think that you could start on the far west end and backpack into the rustic horse campground - 9 miles in, 9 miles out. The next timeI head back, I'll look for a connection to the hiking and mountain bike trails on the east side. All told, there are 38 or 39 miles of trail and several rustic campgrounds and cabins.

http://www.michigandnr.com/Publications/PDFS/RecreationCamping/brighton_equestrian_trails_map.pdf

Bear River Recreation Area Notes - Petoskey

2007-07-10T08:05:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike notes on the Great Lakes Hikes yahoo bulletin board:

Bear River Valley

05/18/03

Here's a bit more on the lower peninsula waterfalls. Both "NaturalMichigan" by Tom Powers and "39 Petoskey Walkabouts" by GaryBarfknecht make mention of the waterfall in the Bear River Valley Recreation Area near Petoskey. I've never hiked it because I saw the fake waterfall near the gaslight district in town. However, there are trails on both sides of the river (3 to 4 miles total) that will supposedly take you to the real waterfalls upstream. Apparently, the Bear River loses 75 feet in less than a mile near Lake Michigan - according to Mary Hunt of Hunt's Guides, the biggest stream drop in the lower peninsula.

05/24/03

The Bear River Valley Recreation area is built right into the city. However, the valley is quite steep and allows for good isolation from urban feeling. This river is excellent. There were continuous rapids along the mile long section we walked. And, just to verify, there is definitely at least one waterfall there. It is possible to hike the other side for a 2 or 3 mile walk. Additional mileage can be gleaned by the many walkways in the area. If you are in the gaslight district, just find the creek close to the nearby pier and follow it upstream.

Update: I did eventually visit the waterfall upstream. It is very cool. I posted a report about it at www.blogsmonroe.com/expatriate

Hidden Lake Gardens: Hike Notes

2007-07-08T20:05:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike notes on the Great Lakes Hikes and thebackpacker.com forums.

Hike Name: Hidden Lake Gardens
Location: southeast MI
Length: 5
Submitted by: reformed lurker
Date Submitted: 12/4/00

Description:

Sure, it's not wilderness. But Hidden Lake Gardens has some nice hilly hiking in a part of Michigan where this is limited. The hiking is consistently up-and-down and is similar to the Waterloo-Pinckney trail to the north.

Animal life is typical of SE Michigan - deer, turkey, owls, etc. - and trail maintenance is superb.
This area is especially nice in winter. You can see tropical and desert environments in the conservatory.

No camping is available on-site, but Walter J. Hayes State Park is not far away.

Directions to Hike: The Gardens are on M-50 ten minutes west of Tecumseh. Drive time from Ann Arbor, Jackson or Toledo is less than an hour.

Contact Information Contact Hidden Lake Gardens (run by Michigan State University).

Phone: (517) 431-2060

Address: Hidden Lake Gardens, Tipton, MI 49287

04/21/02

Sunday, I did a 5 mile loop at Hidden Lake Gardens (on M-50 nearTipton in Lenawee County). This is some really great trail. It's got some up and down, but the best part is the way the trail often hugs the edge of a hill. At times you have to balance yourself on a little ledge of trail. Fun. Fun. Fun. Lots of deer. Beautiful trees and flowers. The place is 4 minutes from my house, so it's a nice after work hike. I wish they would extend the trail to 10 miles, but hey, it's a landscape arboretum. When it's snowy you can hang out in the desert conservatory and dream you're in Arizona. That's better than hot chocolate.

Heritage Park (Adrian): Hike Notes

2007-07-08T19:57:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

07/06/04

One thing that I would like to point out is how personal this kind of stuff is. The Adrian hike/bike trail is about ten or 15 miles in length. It was built by a bunch of twentysomethings who make their living fixing bikes at the local bike shop. They are cool guys who love their sport and their much-maligned town of Adrian. They decided to do something to make the place a little nicer by creating and maintaining a trail. They had some technical help from the MMBA but, for the most part, it's just a bunch of locals who pull branches every couple of months. It is nothing sinister. And I love hiking the trail. It helps make hiking a part of my everyday life.

01/23/03

I figured with the weather like it is, it was a perfect day for an afternoon hike. So, I zipped on over to Heritage Park and did one of my usual six mile loops.

Notes:

A) The sound of the very dry, windswept snow made whistling noises when I crunched my feet. The pitch of the crunch was directly related to the depth of the drift that I was stepping into. I literally spent 20 minutes just listening to the snow.

B) Ski goggles are a blessing and a curse. They kept my eyes from watering in the cold weather, but they really fogged my glasses up. I fell into the pattern of removing the goggles until my face got cold, then putting the goggles on until my glasses fogged. Back and forth. Back and forth.

C) With my ski mask and hood on, I became very aware of my breathing. After I lost interest in listening to the snow, I started to listen to my breathing. In and out. In and out.

D) I felt very comfortable temperature wise with several thick layers. I normally generate a lot of heat when I hike. I took my pulse on several occasions and noticed that I was getting a really good workout without any accompanying persperation.

E) Tinted goggles are a great thing. Mine are yellow. Once my eyes adjusted, the color of the world seemed to match that of a dusky summer evening. Of course, the sunset was incredible in its own right. Didn't need the goggles for that.

F) Not much wildlife out today. I only saw one dove flying overhead.

G) The water of the South Branch River Raisin was still open. And the water seemed very, very clear. I didn't see any fish.

I really love the isolation of winter hiking.

04/29/02

Tonight I did a 6 mile loop at Adrian's Heritage Park. This place is one of the coolest urban hikes in SE Michigan. It is hilly and has a bunch of streams. There is one ascent that rivals a section of Waterloo-Pinckney and the NCT in Lost Nation for steepest hill in southern tier Michigan. Of course, one section of trail goes so close to some baseball fields that you should bring a glove for homeruns. Anyway, I talked to a guy named Brett who helps build the trail. He says they have 6.8 miles of trail currently and they'll get it up to 9 in the near future. Adrian also purchased an easement along the River Raisin on the southern border that will eventually make the trail about 15 or 16 miles in length. This probably ties Hidden Lake Gardens for best hike in Lenawee County. Go M-52 to north of Adrian. Turn east at the sign for the park. Multiple trailheads. Maps are available at the bike shop just a few miles south on M-52.

Point Pelee National Park

2007-06-27T23:15:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

10/27/02

Hello all!

I just want to remind all the SE Michigan hikers that this place is nearby...

I hiked with some friends on Saturday from the Marsh Boardwalk to the tip of the Lake Erie sandspit here for a total of about 8 miles. We used a combination of trails through woods, marsh and along beach. The Canadian national park service likes to limit the number of trails in the park for wildlife purposes, but you could probably double or triple the hike total if you hiked down the eastside of the spit as well.

Anyway, you get views of two lighthouses, a couple of offshore islands and passing freighters. The woodlands are nice, but most of the interior spit is marsh. That is unique in its own way. The place also harbors cacti.

We saw an old cemetary and several thousands ducks in one large mass flying about one foot over the lake at breakneck speeds. The visitor's center is nice with helpful rangers and film clips. There is a group camping area, but I'm not sure about camping regulations.

This is not rugged hiking by any means, but it is extremely beautiful with great sunsets only 35 minutes from downtown Detroit. It should be on every Metro hiker's regular hike list.

Mike

BTW, the trees had very little color. They were all still green. Lake Erie regulates the temperature. They should have color well into November.

02/04/03

Cross the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit and head to Pointe Pelee National Park in Canada. It's a long sandspit into Lake Erie.There are two offshore lighthouses, miles of snow-covered beach, a completely frozen Lake Erie - looks like the Arctic - and ice formations at the southern tip of mainland Canada. There are about 7 or 8 miles of trail and a really nice visitor's center. It's probably an hour or 1.5 hours from you. And the trip to Canada is really fun if you've never done it. Bring birth certificate or passport.

5/28/3

Re: Point Pelee

Hi Jeremy!

Point Pelee is a bit of undiscovered "Detroit" gem. I've been there 8 or 10 times in the past decade. In the winter, it has impressive ice formations and feels like the arctic. In the summer, it has miles of beautiful beaches. In the spring and fall, birds and butterflies cram the point.

PP is about 45 minutes from the Detroit/Windsor border. You can shoot straight there or loop along the lake. If you loop, you can stop at the Ojibwa Prairie Preserve in Windsor, Fort Malden in Amherstburg and the John R. Park Homestead along the top of the lake. There are a few other conservation areas in the vicinity. I'd do an Essex County Conservation Area Web search to find them. TheChrysler Canada Greenway is a bike trail that gets near the point from near Windsor.

I've always enjoyed hiking the park, although it is a bit small to be a classic hiking destination. I would spot a car at the Visitor's Center and go back to the Marsh Boardwalk Trail. I would walk the boardwalk and then take the hike/bike trail south to the tip, using the various park trail systems to increase natural surroundings and hiking distance. They are all connected. This ends up being in the neighborhood of seven or eight miles.

BTW, there are some nice dirt "unofficial" trails that parallel the hike/bike trail at various points just inland from the beach. These are the best options when creating a longer distance hike in the park. There are many types of marsh here and some are quite beautiful. When you reach the tip, you can take the motorized tram back to the Visitor's Center parking area or hike the beach. Be sure to check out the cactus area. Funny to think of naturally occuring cacti on Lake Erie, but here it is.

The park is about seven kilometers in length and both sides can be hiked along the beach. One of these days, I'm going to hike the entire east side, but I've only gone a few miles so far.
There is an organizational camp in the park, but individuals camp at Wheatley Provincial Park. This place is nice with bluffs onto Lake Erie and some nice interior water elements. A bit further up the coast is Rondeau Provincial Park. This is a great, great place that is large and mostly undeveloped. The campground area isn't much, but I've been wanting to get back. I think it might just have the best Western Lake Erie hikes. I also want to bike Pelee Island.

Ramsdell Nature Park: Hike Notes

2007-06-27T09:51:00.000-05:00

I originally posted this on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

Ramsdell Nature Park

05/04/03

This place used to be an old farm. The farmer spent lots of time creating ponds and natural stuff and decided in his will to give the property to the county parks system. It's not what I would call a great hike, but it is a really nice place and I really enjoy it because I can just see that farmer sitting up in heaven - if you believe in that sort of thing - having a laugh at how much fun I was having. I got caught in a thunderstorm there once.The way cool thing is that the farm house is a residence for the park caretakers. They get to live there free if they mow the trails and do maintenance. Doesn't sound like a bad deal to me. BTW, I figure there are 5 or 6 miles of trail in the park.

Sharon Hills Preserve: Hike Report

2007-06-27T08:29:00.000-05:00

I previously posted this hike report on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

05/30/02

Oh, I also checked out the Sharon Hills Land Preserve on the east side of Sharon Hollow Rd. near Manchester. It has a 1.2 mile "trail"that I lost about half way through. The nice part of this place was a bald-topped hill with nice views and some globally rare oak savannah habit. Bet some weird birds pass through this spot. I hope they get more land - currently about 70 acres. The Sharon Short Hills are some of the most impressive hills in SE Michigan.

Somerset State Game Area Hike Reports

2007-06-26T22:43:00.000-05:00

These are some hike reports that I originally posted on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

01/19/01

Honorable mention: Somerset SGA - a nice 2 to 3 mile loop around a lake with an island in the middle. That would make a great camping spot in the fall.

01/23/02

Just thought I'd post about this nice little place in HillsdaleCounty...

Yesterday was a glorious sunny day near 50. So, after sending my students on their merry way, I headed off for some hiking. I started at the small parking area (US-12 west from US-127 to Stearns Rd., right turn, lot 3 miles down on right - S of Jackson), then dropped down a big hill. I looped a rather large marshy lake with ghost trees along its edges. The great thing is that lots of the hills were once farmland, so they had a mountain bald feel to them. If ound one spot that would make a really nice campsite that had views of the whole area.

There was also an isolated peninsula that looked out on a second large lake. This would also be great for camping - no one would ever find you. Then I doubled back for a loop along the largest lake -Lombard. It has a nice island in the center and lots of the shore is pine-forested. The whole place reminded me of Wakely Lakes Foot Travel Area, although at about 1,000 acres it is a good deal smaller. Still, it is in the middle of nowhere, so car sounds are pretty rare even on the roads. And I bet the stars would be incredible.

Oh, yeah, details. I'm thinking you could put a 7 or 8 mile loop together. Dispersed camping is legal from Sept. 10 until May 15.

Sterling State Park: Hike Reports

2007-06-26T22:01:00.000-05:00

These hike reports were originally posted on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo group.

7/01/03

Re: Trail Report: Sterling State Park

Jeremy,

There are no rustic campsites. All 256 are RV accessible. Also, the campground is out in the open. Shade would be at a premium. However, you could probably just set up your tent and pull your sleeping bag down to the beach and sleep near the waves. I've always liked the view from Sterling into the lake. And I'd love to see a sunrise. However, there are several power plants visible from the campground - the largest is the Edison plant which tends to dominate the southern view. Basically, if you have a couple of friends from college and want a nice place to down a few beers around the campfire with really nice showers, this is the place.

During non-summer months, Lake Erie beach camping is available at Erie State Game Area farther south.

So, Sterling is not unpleasant, but it wouldn't be my first choice to camp at.

7/01/03

Hello!

Warning: this is a bike report:)

After $13 million dollars of renovation, I figured that SterlingState Park (Monroe, on Lake Erie) might be interesting to checkout. So, Kathy and I got on our bikes and spun around the place.

We started near one of the beach houses and followed a new 0.6 milepaved trail just inland from the beach. Very nice.

Then, we shot across a new bridge across interior marsh and zoomedaround the 2.8 mile Marsh Trail. Again, this trail is paved. We saw lots of birds and enjoyed the lush foliage that lined the trail. We also loved the many turns on this trail that made the biking interesting.

As we finished the loop, we followed a paved path along the park road and more interior marsh. I'd imagine this section added a couple of miles to our bike. So, we only ended up biking about 6 miles and did most of the park.

Then, we got off the bikes and walked the 1 mile round trip shoreline trail along the Lake. Nice views.

Every structure in the park is new. The beachhouses are new. The gigantic park headquarters are new. The trails are all smoothly repaved. The picnic areas are new. There are also nice interpretive displays in a couple of spots that focus on things like the old Monroe Piers. Anyone who had ever visited this place prior to the renovation will be impressed. Much improved.

However, there were some big disappointments. The new trail system seems only to add a few paved miles to the original system. I was hoping for much more. The park also ignores about half its current acreage. Uplands interior to the marshes are not used at all. I am hoping that eventually, some natural trails will be created here.

My biggest disappointment was the lack of any renovation to the US Army Corps of Engineers contaminated dredge site between the beach and boat launch. This area still has a rusty fence around it. There are paths along the top of the dikes that have been fenced off for as long as I've been alive. I was hoping walkers might get access to these. But no. And the shoreline trail did not even get repaved.

However, this park is much better than before. The campground is now right on the lake and I can already see the connector trail to the City of Monroe being worked on. It will make a nice daylong bike in a few years.

07/12/04

While Sterling SP (Monroe) is not a hiking destination, it does have a nice set of paved trails. They are also doing a really nice job of restoring marsh to the old campground and headquarters areas. Demolition of a nearby paper plant is in progress. The end result will be an enlarged battlefield park connected to Sterling along a Lake Erie marsh.

Woodtick Peninsula Hike Reports

2007-06-26T21:34:00.001-05:00

I posted the following hike reports to the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group. They may contain some useful information:

09/28/00

If you live in SE Michigan and get the bug for a slightly more rugged hike, this might be a possibility.

The hike follows a peninsula of land along Lake Erie. You may have to over/under fallen trees and you will definitely have to wade if you want to go farther than a couple of miles. There is no "trail", but generally stay as close to the shoreline as possible.

At certain points, the hikeable portion of the peninsula breaks into a series of small islands. Just wade to the next one - the water is usually only about a foot deep.

Bald eagles nest nearby and all kinds of birds and aquatic mammals are present.

The drawback to hiking here is an obvious industrial presence. The hike starts just behind a power plant and other factories can be seen along the shore. But, you can also see lighthouses and passing freighters.

Camping is legal with a free DNR permit from Oct. 1 to April 1. Watch for hunters in season, hike with a partner and make drop-off arrangements if camping, rather than leaving your car at the trailhead.

Directions to Hike: Take I-75 to the Erie/Temperance exit just north of the Michigan/Ohio border. Go east from the exit towards the power plant. The road dead-ends into a small parking area. Continue east on foot to the beach. Then, hike south along the shore or up on the factory dikes.

Contact Information: Contact the MI DNR at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area: (734) 379-9692
1/19/01

Monroe County: Erie Marsh Preserve/Erie State Game Area. The Woodtick Peninsula in the game area is a 4 mile hike each way. It involves wading in the shallows and ends at an island at North Cape. And campable from Oct. 1 to April 1. And if the state ever got its act together, the peninsula could connect to about 8 or 10 miles of dike in the Nature Conservancy's Erie Marsh and about 2 or 3 miles of dike in Luna Pier. You could hike for 20+ miles with a little effort. Also, two or three more bald eagles nests.

1/28/01

Monroe: Erie Marsh/SGA: Take I-75 to the Erie Rd. exit just a fewmiles North of the Ohio border. Go East until this road dead ends ina parking lot in sight of a power plant. Hike East until you hitLake Erie. Begin hiking south to the end of the peninsula. [Note: Iwas out there this weekend, and winter ice forms a natural bridge into the preserve, allowing for a 10+ mile one-way hike.] Contact: Pt. Mouillee SGA at (734)379-9692; maps available at dnr.state.mi.us

7/16/01

I'd also like to backpack the Woodtick Peninsula in Monroe County. It's legal with a free permit during the fall/winter, but I know boaters camp there all the time in the summer and I think you might be able to convince a DNR guy to let you camp there. It's the only place where you can legally backpack on Lake Erie in Michigan - 4 miles or so each way in a little-known area.

9/22/03

On Sunday, I did a little exploratory hike at the Woodtick Peninsulain SE Monroe County. This was a small beach hike. My intent was to judge the current composition of the peninsula. I found that the series of islands that made up the peninsula last year are now connected. However, the connection to the southern peninsula is problematic. One route takes the hiker through knee to waist high water. The second passes through what looks like ankle high mud. The third passes through disorienting marsh reeds. None is a particularly easy solution. I didn't feel like running the gaunlet, so I stopped at 1.5 miles out and decided to return. I'll head back in the coming weeks to find the correct route. Still, the peninsula looks ripe for the taking.

10/04/03

Hike Report: Woodtick Peninsula

A few weeks ago, I reported on the status of the Woodtick Peninsula in extreme SE Monroe County. I had the choice between mud, water or marsh reeds. Today, I went back. The wind was blowing pretty strongly out to sea. This meant that the water in Lake Erie was being stacked up along other areas of the shore. This left water levels along the western shore noticeably lower. It was clear that this had been happening for a few days because the shoreline mud hada chance to solidify. This advantage to the hiker was nullified in some spots by the fact that the solidified wet sand that was present a few weeks earlier had turned into dry, shifting powder. But, I'll take solid mud any day.

Anyway, in years past, there had been a break in the peninsula very near to the base. This made it quite difficult to make it to the later portions of this 5 mile one-way shoreline hike. I even saw small boats pass through the gap at times. One of my favorite hiking moments was when one of these boaters asked me if I was shipwrecked. "No, just hiking," was my response.
This year, the peninsula seems pretty much solid. There was only a small section of weak mud. Several other hikers had placed drift planks on top of the mud. Patiently, I balanced my weight onto these and had little trouble passing onward.

Overall, I hiked about 5 miles, 2.5 miles each way. Lake Erie was quite placid. The beach grasses were very interesting. One section had about 30 or 40 bunches shaped like Afros that were turning purple on the beach. A few had broken from their root system and were tumbling down the beach. Temperatures were quite nice. I also had to pass over the Consumer's Energy hot water outflow area. This was actually quite interesting because it created a large area of whitewater into the lake. Sandbars had formed around this outflowarea. Birds congregated in the many hundreds on these small sandy islands.

Two lighthouses were visible, several sailboats, as well as a lonely fisherman in a boat offshore.

Nice day.

The "trailhead" (one of the most dangerous trailheads in MI) is offof I-75 at the Erie Rd. exit. Drive east to the power plant and parkby the blue barrels. Walk to the lake and hike south.

10/05/03:

Well, the thing is only a mile off of I-75. It's not a park, just a parking area put there by Consumer's Energy. There always seems to be broken glass and for several years, a guy was living in his van there. He was an old Vietnam Veteran who would write warnings on all the area signs warning people to take care of the area or else.

One time, I was a little late in getting back before dark and I ended up raising the awareness of some toughs with a shoreline bonfire. They started to follow me. I picked up a big piece of wood and waved it around as I headed back to my car.

That said, the power plant people have cameras focused on the parking lot and they sponsor beach cleanups. I also see Luna Pier police patrols occasionally. The peninsula is worth it. Bald Eagles, truly wild areas, lots of broad lake views. But it is hard to get past the first half mile.

01/08/04

The Woodtick Peninsula (Erie, MI) solidifies in winter and the vegetation cuts down to reveal a more dependable hike along Lake Erie. Constant wind action also takes snow off the hiking routes. The water outtake from the power plant gathers bald eagles in the wintertime.

Dequindre Cut Walk Info.

2007-06-18T10:04:00.000-05:00

I received this post on an email group that I belong to. I think that a hike down the Dequindre Cut might be very interesting. It's June 24th.

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris L. [mailto:clesnies@...]
Sent: Fri 6/8/2007 7:52 PM
To: clesnies@...
Subject: Re: Dequindre Cut Walk

Hello all, Sorry about the lack of updates. Been a little busy with other things at the moment. Ok, so we have scheduled the Dequindre Cut walk for Sunday, June 24th. While there were some good suggestions for parking, I think that parking near the new Staples on E. Jefferson on Joseph Campau might be the best choice. There's some condos over there, the Atwater Block brewery is there, and it's a reasonable distance to the southern entrance of thecut. Be prepared to be there at 10am. We'll nail down a specific meeting spot as the date gets closer. As far as what kind of attire should be worn, I would suggestfull-length jeans/Dickies along with a long sleeve shirt. You can pickup some button-ups cheap at thrift stores and they'll keep you relatively cool. I would recommend thick-soled shoes; no flip-flops, sandals, or slip ons. We'll be walking on rocks, dirt, assorted brush, in addition to whatever has been accumulated down there over the years(paint cans, glass bottles, rail spikes, rail ties, etc). I've included a Google Map of the walk in the bottom of this e-mail. This shows the approximate meeting location and highlights the actual cut in green. The cut itself is about 1 to 1.5 miles long. Factor in the walk from the meeting spot and you have a 2-mile walk at least. Expect to be out and about for 2 to 3 hours. Because of this, I would suggest bringing some water and some snacks - granola bars, trail mix, or pretzels work well. Someone asked about breaking off from the group during the tour. While I cannot stop anyone from staying at a bridge or deciding they need to leave in the middle of the hike, I would advise against it. There's pretty much only a couple easy ways in, and we'll be using two of those entry points on our hike. The issue of safety also comes into play here. One or two people alone are easier targets than a mob of 10-20 people. As far as talking points go, most of it will be informal. I'm not going to make everyone stand around for an hour while I blather on about nothing in particular. At each of the bridges there will be opportunities to stop and photograph the artwork.. While there we'll probably inform tour-goers of the particulars about the pieces at that spot. So there won't be continuous blather but expect bursts of it at each bridge. If you think that someone you know may be interested in hearing about this project, or may wish to contribute to the Dequindre Cut Walk in any way, send their e-mail address my way and I can include them onfuture e-mails.

Regards,Chris Lesnieski
E-mail: clesnies@...
Cell: 734-945-0280
Link:http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&om=1&msa=0&msid=102278440991339833954.00000112814a725467e82

Chris L. wrote:> Hello all!>> First off, I'd like to thank you for your interest in this project. > The more people we have involved or engaged in this project, I believe> the more successful and unique experience the walk will turn out to be.>> This initial e-mail is primarily for giving you my contact information> (found at the bottom) and to throw out a couple of ideas to everyone. > As this project becomes more fleshed-out, I will send out e-mails> updating everyone on the specifics of it. Of course, your input is> more than welcome on any of these issues or anything else you may> foresee!>> One issue which might seem to be the most problematic is the issue of> when. In terms of time of day, ideally it would be nice to conduct> this walk in the morning when it's cooler and when we are less likely> to encounter other people down there. In terms of a calendar date, we> will probably be looking at sometime in July. Holding it in two or> three weeks (early to mid-June) may be a bit of a rush. The Detroit> fireworks will happen the last weekend of June, so I don't believe we> need to make that weekend any busier as it is.>> The other issue - for now - is more logistical in nature. Mainly,> where will people park, get picked up at, enter and exit the cut, and> if anyone can provide transportation. It has been suggested that we> park somewhere close to the RenCen, possibly at McNarney's on Franklin> St. From there, entering the cut on the south end at E. Jefferson,> walking the entire cut to a few blocks north of Gratiot, where we will> come top-side on Division. For the trip back to everyone's cars,> having a bar or establishment that has some sort of bus shuttle us> back would be ideal. Vivio's was one name thrown out there that I> will be looking into.>> Now, here's some links to get people caught up on the background, the> location, and the types of things to experience down in the cut.>> Probably the most-linked article in regards to the cut:> http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/dequindre.aspx>> An update on the cut which links to a Freep article:> http://www.modeldmedia.com/inthenews/dequindrecut9207.aspx>> Google Map showing path to be walked:> http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&om=1&msa=0&msid=102278440991339833954.00000112814a725467e82> <http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&om=1&msa=0&msid=102278440991339833954.00000112814a725467e82>>>>> If you think that someone you know may be interested in hearing about> this project, or may wish to contribute to the Dequindre Cut Walk in> anyway, send their e-mail address my way and I can include them on> future e-mails.>> Regards,> Chris Lesnieski> E-mail: clesnies@...> Cell: 734-945-0280>

Ocqueoc Falls Article

2007-06-03T16:16:00.000-05:00

The Alpena News has an interesting article about Ocqueoc Falls:

http://www.thealpenanews.com/stories/articles.asp?articleID=4149

Rogers City Bike Path

2007-06-03T16:10:00.000-05:00

The Alpena News had an article about the Rogers City Huron Sunrise Trail.

Excerpts:

"Completion of design work later this year will set the stage for a proposed extension of the Rogers City Huron Sunrise Trail from P.H. Hoeft State Park to 40 Mile Point Lighthouse.R.S. Scott Associates, Inc. has been selected to design the extension, which would add another 2.1 miles to the 3.2 miles of existing bike path that runs from Rogers City to the state park."

"“It completes the original application, which was from Seagull Point to the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse,” Schaedig said. “40 Mile Point Lighthouse is a good destination point.”

Article Link:
http://www.thealpenanews.com/stories/articles.asp?articleID=4230

Allen Park Walking Tracks

2007-05-28T09:38:00.000-05:00

The City of Allen Park lists these walking tracks on their website:

Walking Tracks
Community Park (Gahona & Philomene)
Kennedy Park (Euclid & Shenandoah)
Milward Park (Pleasant near Reeck)
Riel Park (Euclid & Quandt)

Lake Hudson SRA: Lake Contour Map

2007-05-26T18:48:00.003-05:00

This is the lake contour map that is available at the park offices of Lake Hudson State Recreation Area. Click on the map for a larger view.

Holdridge Lakes Trail: Holly SRA

2007-05-26T10:36:00.000-05:00

I picked up these two maps from the trailhead for the Holdridge Lakes Mountain Bike Trail system at Holly State Recreation Area a few years ago. Click on the images for a larger view.

Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area Trail Map

2007-05-26T10:28:00.001-05:00

There are many maps of the Pontiac Lake SRA horse/bike/hike trails. The MMBA and DNR websites are good sources for alternative maps. I found this map at the trailhead several years ago. It focuses on the horse/bike trails. Click on the map for a closer look.

Losee Lake Hiking Trail: Old Map

2007-05-26T10:18:00.000-05:00

The MI DNR has placed new numbered posts along the Losee Lake Trail at Pinckney State Recreation Area. They have also created a new hiking trail map on the DNR website. However, these are some old Losee Lake trail maps. Click on the maps for a larger view.

Hidden Lake Gardens "Secret" Trails

2007-05-20T15:55:00.000-05:00

Here is the recently developed GPS map of the "secret" trails at Hidden Lake Gardens. I added the extension to the defunct Munger Rd. and a connector trail from the park roads.

Munson Park Hike Reports

2007-05-20T08:37:00.000-05:00

Munson Park

July 9, 2004: One of the funnier things I've seen lately was an ad in the Monroe Evening News. In big bold letters, the ad said "Visit the MunsonPark Trail." It was paid for by Jack's Bicycle and Fitness, which had its name in small print at the bottom. I'd never seen an ad for a trail before. But there it was. I kind of think that bikers would do this way before hikers would. But the trail really did need/does need some more users to keep the pathwell-defined.I think they might be on to something. I am tending more toward theidea that Michigan has enough trails already. They just aren'tpublicized enough. Better publicity would spread the users out, increase awareness and, hopefully, support.This might be a bit off-topic, but Detroit is always comparing itself negatively to places like Chicago and Cleveland. Well, one thing that Detroit has that these cities don't is an immense number and quality of great nearby trails. It could be a marketing focus. But right now even the locals have little awareness of what is really out there.

April 17, 2004: Anyway, today I did a five mile route at Munson. I did the same trail last weekend and geez it was different. The temps were way up, the sun was blazing and the forest was very green. It was oneof those days where you could hear the crackle of the forest. Little guys were moving everywhere and it was kind of like you couldhear the green stuff sprouting up. Several snakes, a frog and amouse all ran away from me at various points. Lots of neat wildflowers.

October 19, 2003: Good Morning! Last year, I tried to hike the newly-created second forest loop at Munson Park in Monroe. I did it at night, got completely lost and turned my ankle. Maybe it's the bad karma, but I never finished that loop...Until yesterday. It was a glorious day. Sun and leaves made for anamazing show of colors. At times it seemed like I was blinded bythe bright yellows. Munson Park is just off N. Custer Road in Monroe, adjacent to the low-use Custer Airport. The park has about 8 miles of marked trail. Five or six miles of this is really good hiking trail. The trail makes heavy use of a hundred acre or so plot of land. The forest is so dense that night falls early and the inevitable switchbacks are hidden by the trees. Terrain is very flat, although the trail builders made sure that every possible slope became part of the route. On a number of occasions, the trail will make a sharp turn and shoot in between two closely-spaced trees on a small hill. This might seem like a bit of a gimmick, and it is. However, Monroe is situated on lakeplain, and the trail would be very boring without quick turns and dives in between trees. Generally, the trail is composed of several small loops. The first wooded section is 1.8 miles. The second is 2.2. The third is about a mile and a half. Mileage is marked along the trails at 0.2 mile intervals. Additional mileage can be had by walking abandoned access roads and farm paths. More mileage can be had by walking the park fitness trail and connecting to the Monroe Riverwalk. Probably the most interesting part of the hike was the prairie that has been restored in the center section of the hike. An old farmfield has been planted with native plants. Right now, the field is filled with black-eyed Susans. I counted the number of flowers in a small patch and extrapolated to the entire field. My guess is that there are 5 to 10 million black-eyed susans in that field. I could give one to every 30th person in the country!BTW, my thanks to the Eagle Scout who was out trimming trail on this day.

April 29, 2002: On Saturday, I helped clear about a mile of brush for a trail at Monroe's Munson Park. The city, a local bike shop and the MMBA are getting together to create a five mile wooded trail in a county thatis mostly known for its excellent marsh hikes. Of course it started raining almost as soon as we got started. We were thoroughly soaked by the end, but it'll be a nice, albeit flat trail when we get done with it. And it'll connect to the River Raisin Greenway that goes about seven miles and will soon connect to a refurbished SterlingState Park on Lake Erie. Greenway maps available from Monroe City planning office.

June 2, 2002: Oh, and this morning I helped create more trail in Munson Park inMonroe. Looks like 5 to 7 miles of new trail in the park woods. This'll connect to 8 or 9 mile of River Raisin Greenway, which will connect to 8 or 9 miles of reconstructed trail in the currentlyclosed Sterling State Park. We're looking at a 20 to 30 mile trail system by 2003.

July 23, 2002: Hey guys. I think I mentioned before that I've been helping to build a trail in Monroe. Well, it's about two-thirds complete, but open to hike or bike. Essentially, Monroe had about 100 acres of woods inthe back of it's biggest park that they decided to turn into a trail system. The woods are divided into two sections. Each will have it's own loop. The southernmost loop is complete and hikeable. It's about 2.5 to 3 miles long. The northern woods will have a 3 mileloop - it is scheduled for completion on Aug. 17, 4PM. Monroe isn't very hilly, but the trail tries to maximize the terrain. It's loopy, but the forest and cover is thick. It's gets very dark, very fast. The loops are currently accessed by a 0.5 mile hike along a two track skirting two bean fields. Monroe got a grant from the fish and wildlife service to return this to native prairie in the future. This will add to the natural surroundings and increase trail length.The trail system also connects the walking trail in the front of Munson Park. This connects to the Riverwalk, which will connect to Sterling SP by next year. Sterling is also scheduled to expand by 25%.Take I-75 to the Elm Rd. exit. Take Elm west. The name of the street changes to N. Custer, but it's about 5 miles west from thefreeway. The park is on the right. Enter park. Drive on dirt roadpast fountain and hill as far as you can go. Park. Head to the two track on the east side of the beanfield. Nice hike. Recommended for Downriver/Monroe/Toledo hikers.

November 3, 2002: Okay, so Friday afternoon rolls around and all I want to do is hike,but something comes up at work, and I have to stay until 4:30 (I'm usually out by 2:30). Well, anyway, by the time I get home, it's getting dark outside. And I still have to get my car to Monroe - 45 minutes away - for a tuneup. So, I make the fateful decision to throw my Petzl Tikka into the car and do some night hiking. Anyway, I get to Monroe at about 6PM. I decide to run the Munson Park loops in the dark - about 7 or 8 miles. I have hiked the first loop many times, so I have no problem with that. But I'm only half familiar with the second loop. Bad decision #1 - hiking alone at night on unfamiliar trail. So, things are moving along swimmingly on the trail until I get to the second loop. After a bit I convince myself that I'm going in circles. I decide to cut out of the woods and take a shortcut back to my car. Bad decision #2 - going off trail alone at night in unfamiliar surroundings. So, I think I'm going in the right direction across some farm fields until I see an American flag in the distance. I initially think it's from the ballfields at the front of the park, but soon realize that it's the big flag at the car wash on Telegraph Rd. No place for hikers. Bummer. This means that I need to backtrack. But it also means that I know exactly where I am. So, I head in the direction of the Frenchmen's Bend subdivision and pop out at a little park, but turn my headlamp off to move stealthily to a sidewalk. Bad decision #3. This is a bad decison because I immediately twist my ankle. Later it swells up, but this means no weekend hiking for Mike. Anyway, the subdivision route is about an extra mile, but it's a sure bet on streetlit sidewalks. At this point I'll take it. I return to my car, take a deep breath and return home with vows thatI'll never be that stupid again. Anyway, I need to find some other poor sap to hike at night with. I need to bring a compass. I need to be sure of my route. And I should have thought a bit before making fateful snap decisions. Daylight savings time sucks.

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Old Map

2007-05-15T19:41:00.000-05:00

This is an older map of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. Some of the trails on this map are currently closed. A new trail has also connected the refuge to the Magee Marsh. Click on the map for a closer view.

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Current Map - 2007

2007-05-15T19:39:00.000-05:00

This is a scan of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge trail map. I picked it up in May of 2007 at the refuge entrance. Click on the map for a closer view.

Pinckney SRA: X-Country Map

2007-05-13T15:42:00.000-05:00

This is a map of the Pinckney State Recreation Area Cross-Country Ski Trails. Click on the map for a larger view.

Pinckney SRA: Bridle Trail Map

2007-05-13T14:47:00.000-05:00

This is a map of the bridle trails at Pinckney State Recreation Area. Click on the image for a larger view.

Holly State Recreation Area: Old Hiking Map

2007-05-13T14:32:00.000-05:00

The hiking trails have been renumbered in recent years. This is the old trail map. It has some details not present in newer maps. Click on the map for a larger view.

Waterloo SRA: Old Bridle Map

2007-05-13T14:20:00.000-05:00

The bridle trails at Waterloo State Recreation Area have been remarked in recent years. This is the old map. It has some detail not present on the current maps. Click on the map for a larger view.

Tecumseh Park Grid

2007-05-12T08:06:00.000-05:00

Here's a chart that shows the Tecumseh Parks and Facilities. Click on the image for a larger view. The chart originates from a Tecumseh City Newsletter.

Fitzgerald Park Brochure

2007-04-29T20:30:00.000-05:00

This is the official park brochure for Fitzgerald Park, circa 2003. Click on each brochure page for a larger view.

Lincoln Brick Park: Notes

2007-04-29T16:14:00.000-05:00

Lincoln Brick Park
5/3/03

I headed out tonight for more hiking in Grand Ledge. This time I did the loops at Lincoln Brick Park. The terrain is great. Basically, the park has parallel trails along the river - one on top of the ledges, one along the river. Both are nice. Those sandstone outcroppings in that old quarry are very nice.

On the south (or east) side of the park, I took the TallmanTrail to its end in someone's yard. It looked as if the trail continued through the yard to Tallman Rd. And, in fact, it does. I didn't want to hike through until verifying legality. I asked a few people on the way back to my car and they said that the family lets people hike through.

I still want to confirm with the city, but this allows access to the Grand Ledge city sidewalk system. A hiker can take this one mile into Grand Ledge and cross the Grand River onRiver St. A short hike takes the hiker to Island Park and eastern terminus of the Ledges Trail - the end of my 4 to 5 mile hike reported earlier.

There does appear to be another river park on the sidewalk section. I saw climbers there last night. It seems possible, at least, that there might be a path along the riverbank down there from the neighborhoods on the cliff. It also seems like this hike might be extended by using sidewalks farther east past the River St. bridge.

Fitzgerald Park: Hike Notes

2007-04-29T16:08:00.000-05:00

Fitzgerald Park
5/2/03

After getting out of my conference tonight, I decided to get a little hiking in and headed to Grand Ledge. I started at the parking area for Fitzgerald Park and proceeded to hike about 2.5 miles of the 3 designated miles of trail. There are many more trails, it seems, that have been created by renegade hikers.

I took several of these, including one that followed the bank of one of themost gorgeous little streams in this part of the state. It had bubbling rapids and small waterfalls. I followed it back to a pretty large drop over some sandstone. This had a small human impoundment on it that was mostly collapsed. It made for a nice rush of water and good view. This made up for the trash that seemed to proliferate in some spots.

There were also some dramatic ascents/descents in this park, with great views of the stream bed up high and flowers all around.The Grand River in this section of the park has a sand beach as you get nice views of the dam. Then, I passed the sewage treatmentplant, a playground and an old revival barn from the 1800s to reach the Ledges Trail. This is way cool and provides rock formations that can be observed and climbed on.

For some reason, a section of this area has been turned into a disk golf course - don't ask me why. After a bit, I passed under a dramatically high railroad trestle and on to a beautiful picnic area at Island Park. I may check this place out again tomorrow. I'm hoping to find a route through town with pedestrian access to Lincoln Brick Park. I probably hiked about 4 or 5 miles tonight and hope to get a good ten-miler for my regular rotation. Waterfalls. Rock Formations. Bubbling streams. Big rail trestle. This is not a bad place.

Hiking Notes: Monroe County Community College

2007-04-23T18:05:00.000-05:00

Note: I wrote these trail notes in 1999. The information is basically still accurate. There is one exception. The second bridge described below is now chained closed. The best access to the bird sanctuary is from an access on Raisinville Road.

Monroe County Community College Hike

Location: Monroe Township

Name: Exercise Trail Trail

Distance: 2+ miles

Surface: Cut grass

Difficulty: Easy

Directions: From Downtown Monroe, Follow Monroe Street (M-125) south over the river and turn right on Front St. (M-50). FollowM-50 west to the traffic lights at Raisinville. Turn left. Follow Raisinville a mile or two. The community college is on the left. Park in their lot. Total distance from Downtown Monroe is 5 miles. The drive takes 5 or 10 minutes.

Facilities: There are restrooms, water and pop machines inside of the community college buildings.

Contact: Monroe County Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd., Monroe, MI 48161; (734) 242-7300

Description:

I have to admit that my expectations were not high when I pulled into the parking lot. I remember walking this trail when I was a kid and I figured that a decade and a half of decay wouldn't have improved the trail. I was surprised.

The trailhead is just outside the entrance to the health education building - the first parking lot that you encounter driving south on Raisinville. Look for a large wooden signboard. To follow the trail, look for numbered exercise stations and occasional posts with arrows.

The trail initially heads north away from the left side of the building. It follows a long area of brush and trees. Birds and rabbits were numerous. At about. 4 miles, the trail makes a u-¬turn around the other side of the brush heads back towards the health center. The markers are not clear when you reach the center, but you can walk around the back of the building towards a station in the middle of a field. Walk along the east side of a ditch towards a bridge over which you cross.

From here, you should follow the grassy area between a parking lot and the west side of the ditch. The next station is in a rather secluded area of trees and mowed grass surrounded by brush. This would be a nice place to have a picnic.

Follow the edge of the woods around to a similar cleared area. You should see and cross a second walking bridge. Once you cross, you will see a large log to the left obviously placed there to direct you to the right. As you walk west, you will see a path lead into the woods to your left. Take this. In a few yards, you will be able to see a pond behind some brush. When I was here, I saw some people with fishing poles. Apparently there are fish in the pond. Walk around the pond and continue heading west.

When you almost reach Raisinville Rd., the trail will make another u-turn. Return across the bridge and follow the edge of the woods to the west. For a time, you will need to follow closely along the community college access road. The exercise trail continues very close to Raisinville Road, but I found it more interesting to cut across the front lawn of the college along a large landscaping pond with a fountain in its center.

As you leave the pond, you will see a hill ahead. Walk towards the historical marker at its summit. The sign describes the fact that the site of the community college used to be a debtors settlement. Those who died at this "potter's field" were buried underneath the hill- so don't walk too heavily. Apparently, people were buried at the site until the 1940's.

At this point, you need to cross two entrances and return to the entrance of the health education building and your car.

Recommendation: I enjoyed this trail. My recommendation would be to walk it early in the morning, at dusk, or when community college classes are not in session. Otherwise, I imagine that this could be a very busy place. The pond in the woods was a complete surprise and bears some further investigation. I also enjoyed the historical marker of the potter's field. This trail offers some variety from the otherwise paved trails along the River Raisin.

Hiking Notes: Bedford Branch Library

2007-04-23T17:50:00.000-05:00

I wrote the following hiking notes in 1999:

Bedford Branch Library

Municipality: Temperance, Bedford Township

Trail name: Library Nature Center Trail

Trail Distance: .25 miles of designated trail loop; 1 mile including umnaintained loop trail

Surface: woodchips on maintained sections, dirt and sand in umnaintained areas

Difficulty: Easy

Directions: From Monroe, travel south on Monroe Street (M-125) to within 1.5 miles of the Ohio border. Turn right on Sterns Road. After about 3.5 miles, turn right on Jackman Road. Follow the library signs about 1.5 miles and park in the southwest corner of the lot. The drive from Downtown Monroe is 19 miles and takes about 20-25 minutes.

Facilities: Water, bathrooms and books are available within the library. Monthly, guided nature walks are also conducted by library staff.

Contact: Contact the Bedford Branch Library: 8575 Jackman Rd., Temperance, MI 48182; (734) 847-6747

Description: The Bedford Branch Library is the jewel of the Monroe County Library System. Facilities are modern and a nature center has been developed behind the building. To find the trailhead, head left of the main entrance. Follow this for a quarter mile until you
almost return to the parking lot. This is the end of the maintained path. At this point, you will see a well-worn dirt trail heading off to the right. There are occasional spur trails, but if you follow this main path, you will pass through a wooded area and reach an intriguing dune area. When I visited in June of 1999, there was a pond in the middle. This would be a very nice place to read a book or eat lunch. Follow the edge of the dune area to the right and pick up a trail that leads back into the woods. After a short walk, you will hit an intersection. Stay left. The trail to the right leads to private property. The trail to the left leads back to the dune. Again, follow the dune to the right and pick up another trail that connects to the trail back to the library. The unmaintained trail totals about.75 miles. Just a note: 1 believe that the unmaintained trail crosses Bedford Schools property, so be mindful of school hours.

Recommendation: I found this trail to be very interesting. Birders, families and residents of Bedford would especially like this trail.

Barton Park Area Map - Ann Arbor

2007-04-22T10:16:00.000-05:00

Click on the map pages for a larger view.

Stranahan Arboretum - Toledo

2007-04-04T18:52:00.000-05:00

Here is a map of the Stranahan Arboretum:

Lewis Avenue Sidepath

2007-04-04T17:16:00.000-05:00

A sidepath is a wide, paved, roadside edge that allows bikers and walkers to move safely away from traffic. Sidepaths do not have a physical separation from the roadway, except for a white line. The following sidepath was constructed in Temperance:

Lewis Avenue Sidepath

Municipality: Temperance, Bedford Township

Trail Name: Not applicable

Trail Distance: 3.5 miles on each side of roadway; 7 miles total

Surface: Asphalt

Difficulty: Easy

Directions: From Monroe, follow Monroe Street (M-125) south to Luna Pier Road in Erie township .. Take a right and follow Luna Pier road/County Road 151 for just over 4 miles to Lewis Avenue. Make a left onto Lewis. The bikeway begins about two thirds of a mile to the south at the intersection of Lewis and Pickard Road. Although there are various possibilities for trailheads, the best choices appear to be Carr Park on the east side of Lewis near the north end of the bikeway or at the Monroe County Community College Whitman Center near the south end of the bikeway.

Description: While this is not a particularly natural area, I do think that this is a good example of what could happen in other areas of the county. On each side of Lewis Avenue is a signed and marked bike lane through the heart of Temperance. Lewis
Avenue is a busy road and bikers/walkers are not separated from traffic. The lane, however, is fairly wide and a family of five that I saw on the path had no trouble. Curbs might be a problem in Temperance and there do not appear to be pedestrian crosswalks at either end of the path. There are several restaurants and stores in Temperance to stop at for a drink or dinner.

Recommendation: This is a good place for residents of Temperance to walk or ride.

Oak Openings: June 1998 Map with Fire Trails

2007-04-03T21:36:00.000-05:00

Click on the images for a larger view.

Toledo Botanical Garden Map

2007-04-03T15:31:00.000-05:00

Click on the map to see a larger view.

Classes You Can Take

2007-04-02T06:53:00.000-05:00

Southeast Michigan has many community education-type courses that area residents can take. Here are just a few links to find these courses:

Monroe County Community College community education courses:

http://www.monroeccc.edu/ccs/lifelong.htm

Michigan Learnport - Online Professional Development Classes for Teachers:

http://www.learnport.org/

Michigan Online Community College Courses:

http://vcampus.mccvlc.org/

Monroe Public Schools' community education courses:

http://www.monroe.k12.mi.us/community/index.html

Pewabic Pottery Classes - Detroit:

http://www.pewabic.com/class-schedule.htm

Toledo Museum of Art Classes - Toledo:

http://www.toledomuseum.org/School_main.htm

Zingerman's Bakehouse Classes - Ann Arbor:

http://www.zingermansbakehouse.com/content/pages/classes.php

Monroe Harbor Plans: Circa 1988

2007-03-25T18:52:00.000-05:00

This plan comes from the Aug. 1992 US Army Corps: Detroit District Reconnaissance Report for the Monroe/Bolles Harbor improvement project. The map itself is circa 1988. Click on the map for a larger view.

Monroe County Archaelogical Site Map

2007-03-24T17:58:00.000-05:00

This is a general map that shows the locations of known Monroe archaelogical sites. It was included in the 1991 update of the Berlin Township Land Use Plan. Click on the map to see it in larger size.

Dodge Brothers Park - South Rockwood

2007-03-24T16:07:00.000-05:00

This is a basic map of the South Rockwood Village Dodge Brothers park. It comes from the Feb., 1992 Village Open Space Plan. Click on the map for a larger view.

Village of South Rockwood Parks Map

2007-03-24T15:53:00.000-05:00

This is from the Feb. 1992 Village of South Rockwood Open Space Plan. It shows the village parks. Click on the map for a larger view.

Berlin Township Park Inventory

2007-03-24T15:47:00.000-05:00

This is a map from the 1991 Berlin Township Land Use Plan Update. It shows the township parks.

I-275 Bikeway

2007-03-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

City of Monroe: Park Inventory

2007-03-21T16:41:00.000-05:00

The City of Monroe periodically produces something called a Recreation Systems Plan. It is chock full of cool park information. The following park inventory was taken from the 2000-2004 City of Monroe Recreation Systems Plan:

MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL DISTRICT RECREATION RESOURCES

The City of Monroe owns 36 parks and three recreation facilities. In addition to city-owned and managed facilities, the city programs activities at several school district-owned properties.

In order to evaluate recreation resources, park land was divided into four categories that correspond to national standards but are more closely tied to use by the Monroe community: neighborhood parks that primarily draw from the adjacent residential areas and typically do not exceed five acres; community parks that serve as recreation resources to the community as a whole and will generally range from 5 to 20 acres; regional parks that draw from outside, as well as inside, the City of Monroe; and green/open space which is park land of varying acreage, much of which is currently undeveloped, that serves principally for passive recreation purposes.

Neighborhood Parks

Altrusa Park. A very small park located in the heart of downtown with benches and a small picnic area. This site provides access to the Riverwalk along the banks of the River Raisin. Altrusa is utilized mainly by downtown workers, residents and shoppers.
Facility Summary: 0.1 acre, park benches.

Arbor - Lorain. A small "vest-pocket" park site at the intersection of Arbor and Lorain Streets. The park provides a few pieces of playground equipment, including swings, a bench and a climber. Facility Summary: 0.12 acre, playground equipment, 1 bench.

Boyd Park. The Boyd Park playground includes a basketball half court and several pieces of new playground equipment. This is an historical site with descriptive plaque. Boyd School was demolished several years ago, but the playground remains.
Facility Summary: .544 acres, playground equipment, 1 basketball ha!fcourt.

Calgary Park. Calgary is a neighborhood park located on an oversized subdivision lot in the northwest part of the City. The site includes a small selection of playground equipment, a backstop and a picnic shelter. The park is intended primarily for use as a tot-lot. A drain along the north site boundary limits the use of the longest boundary line.
Facility Summary: 1.9 acres, playground equipment, picnic shelter, backstop.

Frenchman's Bend Park. A small neighborhood park with playground equipment and some open space in the Frenchman's Bend Subdivision located in the northwest part of the city. Facility Summary: .4 acres, playground equipment, open space.

Hoffman Park. The nearly 3 acres of Hoffman Park are found in a residential area west of Telegraph Road and north of Seventh Street. Poor access hinders the use of the park for the residential neighborhood west of the site. The neighborhood park provides playground equipment and a large open play area Substantial additional development could occur on the site. Facility Summary: 2.7 acres, playground equipment.

James and Hendricks Park. A mostly undeveloped site in the northwest part of town at Roessler and Hendricks Streets, the sites are adjacent at this intersection forming a large "L" shaped parcel of over 3 acres. The site contains a newer playground structure. Most of the site is used by neighborhood children as a large open play field for a variety of games. The Hendricks Street right-of-way partially divides the sites and could be vacated to create a larger space. Facility Summary: 3.3 acres, playground equipment and a large open play field.

Lavender Park. Lavender Park is a small neighborhood park and tot-lot. Several pieces of playground equipment are available. A tennis court, picnic shelter, a basketball half court and a storage box for playground games are also on the site. Lack of parking limits access to local residents only. Facility Summary: 1.2 acres, 1 tennis court, 1 picnic shelter, 1 basketball half court, 2 park benches.

Manor Park. Playground equipment, two roller sport courts, a ball field, an open play field and a picnic pavilion are included on the Manor Park site. A small paved parking lot is available off of an adjacent subdivision street. Facility Summary: 5.5 acres, 2 roller sport courts, 15-car parking lot, picnic shelter, playground equipment, 1 ball diamond and an open play field.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park. Adjacent to the former Orchard School. This site is owned by the Monroe Public School District but is programmed and maintained as a neighborhood playground through a long-term use agreement with the school district. The site contains 2-basketball courts, playground equipment, a picnic shelter, an open field and cooking grills. Facility Summary: 3.4 acres, playground equipment, picnic shelter, cooking grills, 2 basketball ha!fcourts.

Mason Run Area. Plans are underway to dedicate a portion of open space (approximately I acre) on East Elm Avenue along the north bank of the River Raisin between Michigan A venue and Winchester Street. The park name is to be determined at a later date and would serve current residents of the area as well as a proposed housing development.
Facility Summary: 1.9 acres, currently undeveloped.

Plum Creek Park. Plum Creek runs diagonally through the park: site. Residents from the nearby residential area can use the picnic shelter, playground equipment and basketball court. Lack of parking limits access to only neighborhood residents. An historic monument with reference to the 2nd Battle of the River Raisin is located on the site. Facility Summary: 2.4 acres, 1 basketball ha!fcourt, picnic shelter, playground equipment, historic marker.

Winston Park. A small neighborhood park located at the end of Winston Court in the southwest comer of the City. Playground equipment, a picnic shelter and park benches are' the primary park elements. A portion of the playground equipment that was recently removed due to excessive wear should be replaced.
Facility Summary: 0.4 acre, playground equipment, 1 picnic shelter, 2 park benches. ;'z

Community Parks

Cantrick School. A middle school site with a pool that is programmed during the summer months by the City Recreation Department through a long:-term lease with the school district. The variety of activities available and access to paved parking make Cantrick a valuable community facility, providing the only outdoor public swimming pool in the city, where hundreds of children learn to swim each summer. Facility Summary: 9.5 acre school site, 3 ball diamonds, 2 tennis courts, 2 basketball ha!fcourts, paved school parking lot, 1 soccerlfootball field, 1 outdoor swimming pool.

Elm Avenue Bike Path. A paved path, that begins in downtown Monroe near the Custer Statue at W. Elm Avenue and N. Monroe Street. The path continues west along the south side of Elm, crossing over to the north side of Elm at Cranbrook Park and continuing on to Munson Park. The path is approximately 8 feet wide and two miles in length. The view of the River Raisin along the way has great appeal for the walkers, joggers, bikers and in line skaters who use the path year round. Other parks located along the Elm Avenue Bike Path include St. Mary's, Roessler Field, Mill Race Park, Veterans, and St. Antoine's. Benches in several locations provide resting-places along the path. Some sections of the riverbank are host to patches of wild flowers and grasses.
Facility Summary: 10,560 linear feet (a two mile pathway that is 8feet wide), view of the River Raisin.

Father Cairns Park. Located south of West Eighth Street between Union and Roessler Streets, the park includes 1 lighted ball field with spectator seating, 1 full court basketball court, 1 roller sport court, a picnic pavilion playground equipment and a storage shed. Parking is inadequate for the facility. Several mature trees on the site should be preserved. Facility Summary: 1.8 acres, 1 ball diamond, 1 roller sport court, and picnic pavilion.

Heck Park. Heck Park is the site of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, conceived and built through the efforts of the local chapter of Vietnam Veterans. Located just west of the 1-75 exit, the park is visited annually by hundreds of tourists and local citizens. The City of Monroe and the County of Monroe jointly own the property. A row of pine trees shields the site from a railroad track on the west side of the site. One of the two ball diamonds is lighted. A large picnic shelter and playground equipment are available near the north diamond, although the playground equipment is outdated and in need of replacement There is also a large open play area near the playground. There are public restrooms and an equipment shed located near the front diamond The City and the County have recently cooperated on improvements to the entrance road, parking area and the park drainage system. Additional city/county improvement projects are proposed for the future. Paved parking is available for 60 cars. A gravel base lot allows for another 60 cars. Nine flagpoles surrounded by a flowerbed at the park entrance display the United States, State of Michigan, and City of Monroe flags along with flags from several major local corporations.
Facility Summary: 20.3 acres, memorial walkway and monument, 2 ball diamonds, 1 picnic shelter, playground equipment, large open play area, restrooms,jlagpoles andjlowerbed.

Hellenberg Field. The site is located adjacent to the River Raisin and includes a boat launch and shore fishing. One ball field is available. Other site amenities include a paved parking lot, playground equipment, restrooms and a large open field area There is also a pedestrian bridge connecting to a natural area on Sterling Island. Sterling Island is in need of a shore erosion control plan to preserve the natural area on the island.
Facility Summary: 9.2 acres, river access with fishing and boat launch, 1 ballfield, picnic shelter, restrooms, and paved parking lot.

Linear Park System. A series of properties and historic sites located on or in close proximity to the banks of the River Raisin, which flows through the city from west to east. These properties serve as major focal points for local recreation participation and also attract a significant level of visitors from outside the local area. Improving linkages between components of the existing system and developing ways to complete the extension of the system are very important to maintaining the integrity and appeal of the overall park system. There is potential to connect the system to the path system within Sterling State Park by acquiring property andlor easements for a trail between the city and the state park property. Facility Summary: 237 acres including Munson Park, Elm Avenue Bike Path, St. Antoine's, Cranbrook, Veterans, Mill Race, Roessler, St. Mary's, Gateway, Loranger Square, Altrusa Park, Sawyer House, Soldiers and Sailors, Rauch, Hellenberg Field/Sterling Island and Sterling State Park.

Navarre Field. The Monroe Public School District owns this property. A large football/soccer stadium dominates this complex. Two roller sport courts, playground
equipment and a lighted baseball diamond are also available. The site is adjacent to a residential neighborhood. The ball diamond, playground equipment and the roller sport courts are programmed and maintained by the city through a long-term use agreement with the school district. The football/soccer facility is used by the school district and is annually -leased to a semi-professional football team for practices and games. Facility Summary: 10.7 acres, 1 football/soccer stadium, 1 baseball diamond, 2 roller sport courts, and playground equipment.

Riviere Aux Raisins Park. Plans for this park are still in the development stages. The City-owned 1.9 acre site at the northwest comer of North Dixie and East Elm Avenue will serve as a monument to the 1813 River Raisin Massacre. The Memorial Cairn will be relocated from a nearby location on the north bank of the River Raisin. Landscaping~ parking, signage~ and benches are included in the plan. Currently there is a flagpole and historic marker on the site. Facility Summary: 1.9 acres flagpole and historic marker.

Roessler Field at Riverside School. Roessler Field is owned by the Monroe Public School District, but is programmed by the City of Monroe through a long-term use agreement with the school district. The site provides a playground area with equipment, 4 ball diamonds with spectator seating, one of which is lighted and an equipment storage shed. The outfields of two of the ball diamonds also serve as practice football/soccer fields in the fall. The balldiamonds are maintained by the city, while the school takes care of the playground area.. Shore fishing is available on the riverbank along the south edge of the park.
Facility Summary: 20.1 acres, playground equipment, and 4 ball diamonds, shore fishing, football/soccer field, gravel parking lot adjacent to the ball diamonds, limited paved parJdng at Riverside School./

Sawyer Homestead. This property located on East Front Street across the street from-· Soldiers and Sailors Park is on the National, State and Local Registers of Historical Places. The Sawyer Homestead stands on what was once a 500 acre farm belonging to Francois Navarre, the first white settler in Monroe. The current structure was built in 1872-73 as the residence of Isaac Sawyer. The home served as the headquarters for General Winchester before the 1813 Battle of the River Raisin. The property was deeded to the City of Monroe in 1938 by descendents of Isaac Sawyer. The property is managed by the Monroe Women's Center~ which frequently hosts cultural events and reenactments of historical events. The facility provides a splendid example of the architecture of the 18008. It contains catering facilities and is available to rent for special occasions. Flowerbeds are maintained around the perimeter of the home. There is a small gazebo outside the west entrance. The site has paved parking for 26 vehicles.
Facility Summary: 1.1 acres, historic site, architectural and cultural significance, 3-story home converted to use as a catering facility, cultural center and historic reenactment site.

Soldier/Sailor's Park. Located on the banks of the River Raisin~ the park is well equipped with tennis courts~ a basketball court, a picnic pavilion, horseshoe pits~ and shuffleboard courts. Shore fishing opportunities are also available. The park has some historic significance as one of the two former sites of the Custer Monument, now located in the
downtown area adjacent to St. Mary's Park. A flagpole dedicated to soldiers missing in action or prisoners of war is located near the center of the park.
Facility Summary: 1.2 acres, shore fishing, picnic shelter, 4 tennis courts, playground equipment, 1 basketball half-court, 2 horseshoe pits, 2 shuffleboard courts, historic marker. park benches.

St. Mary's Park. St. Mary's Park is an attractive facility on the north side of the River Raisin, south of Elm Street. The park is situated in an area of significant interest with many large historic buildings. Lighted tennis courts, basketball courts and bocce ball courts provide active recreation opportunities. The site also includes park benches, playground equipment, many large mature shade trees, a band shell and a picnic pavilion. Downtown Monroe is connected to the site by the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Footbridge over the river. A large paved parking lot invites visitors to begin a tour of historic Monroe from this point. This is also the location of the historic Custer Monument. A water fountain in the middle of the river adds to the aesthetic appeal of the park.
Facility Summary: 3.0 acres, Custer Monument, picnic shelter, band shell, paved parking lot, 2 lighted tennis courts, 2 basketball half-courts, playground equipment, bocce courts.

Veteran's Park. A paved bicycle/pedestrian path connects Veteran's Park to Cranbrook Park. There is also a paved walking path along the riverbanks. Veteran's is located due west of Telegraph Road on the north side of the River Raisin. Mill Race Park is on the opposite side of the river. A footbridge could provide a useful connection to Mill Race. Veteran's Park includes paved parking for about 75 cars, playground equipment, restrooms and picnic shelters and several cooking grills. The site also includes monuments in memory of World War I, III and Korean War Veterans. Shore fishing is also available.
Facility Summary: World War III! and Korean War Veteran's Monuments, 3 picnic shelters, playground equipment, paved parking lots, paved bicycle/pedestrian path, fishing, restrooms, cooking grills.

Regional Parks

Munson Park. Located on the extreme west side of the City, Munson Park includes 179 acres adjacent to Monroe Custer Airport. Less than half of the acreage is developed with a large amount of acreage remaining available for development. Munson is the only true regional park available in the city. It includes both active and passive areas although the emphasis is on active pursuits. Four lighted baseball/softball diamonds with spectator seating, 8 soccer fields, 4 tennis courts, playground equipment, a storage shelter, a jogging/exercise trail and 2 sand volleyball courts are found on the developed part of the park. Winter recreation activity areas include an outdoor ice skating on a pond locate9- near a sledding hill. Paved parking lots provide parking for about 200 vehicles. Picnic shelters near the playground equipment offer respite from the active areas. The ball diamonds are serviced by a two-story concession building with a food concession and restrooms on the lower level and a scorekeeping 10ft on the upper level. The City offers community garden plots where local residents may grow fresh vegetables and fruits on part of the undeveloped part of the site. The site also contains the Park maintenance garage, which houses recreation supplies, equipment and maintenance vehicles, as well as a workshop area. The site is primarily accessible by auto since it is on the western edge of the City. However, nearby residents can access the facilities on foot or bicycle.

Plans for development of Munson Park were prepared several years ago. The plans expressed the intentions to construct a golf course, an indoor community recreation and aquatic center, and other additional facilities on the site. However, these plans have been modified and a new proposal calls for the addition of a large soccer complex as well as plans for more youth/family oriented sports fields and facilities to be developed on the site. Currently, many of the youth events have to be held simultaneously at numerous locations across the city, making it difficult for parents to transport their children and attend concurrent events. Consolidating facilities at Munson Park would substantially improve facility maintenance efficiency and reduce travel time costs of the park maintenance crew. Facility Summary: 178.9 acres, restrooms, 4 fenced softball/baseball diamonds, 2 sand volleyball courts, 8 soccer fields, natural ice rink, 2 picnic pavilions, jogging/exercise trail, 4 tennis courts, open field play area, and community gardens.

River Raisin Battlefield Visitor's Center. Located on the city's east side across Elm
Avenue from the north bank of the River Raisin. The site is along the route of the proposed extension of the city's Linear Park System that will eventually connect to Sterling State Park. The visitor's center is a former residential home owned by the county of Monroe, consisting of 1800 square feet, located on a ~ acre lot and adjacent to an additional 3.25 acres of open space owned by the Monroe county Historical Society. The center interprets and memorializes the 1813 Battle of the River Raisin; the largest armed conflict in Michigan's History. The county of Monroe is currently working on, plans to implement nearly $200,000 of improvements to enhance recreational and educational and tourism opportunities. Facilities Summary: 3.75 acres, 1800 square foot historic interpretive center, land is currently on the National Register of Historic Places.

Green/Open Space

Cranbrook Park. This is one of 2 parks that separate North Custer Road from the River Raisin. The series of linear road and riverside parks, linked together by a paved bicycle/pedestrian path offer convenient access to the natural beauty of the river. Flowering ornamental trees are planted throughout the length of the park. Shore fishing is also available. An historical marker is located on the site with reference to the first blacksmith shop to serve the settlement along the River Raisin.
Facility Summary: 1.3 acres, paved bicycle/pedestrian path, shore fishing, historic marker.

Gateway Park. A small historical site with a floral display in downtown Monroe, G~teway Park serves as a pleasant place to sit on a park bench and an attractive entrance to Downtown. An historic marker is located on the site with reference to the Old Southern Railroad. Facility Summary: .4 acres, 1 park bench, floral display, and historic marker.

Labor Park. A small green space in the middle of a commercial area and a residential neighborhood. There is an historic marker on the site with reference to Col. John Allen. Facility Summary: 0.12 acre, park bench, picnic table, and historic marker.

Loranger Square. A square adjacent to the City Hall/County of Monroe governmental complex, providing a pleasant open space to eat lunch or stop for a rest. The county courthouse, an historic site is located on the south east comer of the square. Loranger Square is historically significant as one of the two former sites of the Custer monument The site also contains a monument honoring local men and women who served in the Gulf War. The Lotus Fountain and an elaborate floral bed add to the appeal of the site. Facility Summary: 0.92 acres, park benches and picnic tables, historic site and monument, Lotus Fountain, floral display.

Marquette Park. Marquette Park is an undeveloped 2.37 acres site.

Memorial Park. Sometimes referred to as Kentucky Memorial Park, this park is a pleasant shady space on the northwest comer of Monroe and Seventh Streets. It is an old cemetery and an historical site dedicated to a group of soldier's from a Kentucky regiment Park benches provide a place for visitors and residents to sit under the large red oak trees. An elaborate floral bed is planted on the east side of the park along Monroe Street.
Facility Summary: 0.66 acres, 2 park benches.

Mill Race Park. A park of substantial size, Mill Race suffers from poor access. Telegraph Road fronts the east side of the site though there is no access to the roadway. Fox Drive, a narrow residential cul-de-sac on the south side of the park, is the only public access onto the site. The River Raisin runs along the north boundary of the park offering fishing opportunity. A fish ladder is located in the river adjacent to the park site. Access could be improved with a footbridge to the linear park system on the north side of the river.
Facility Summary: 14.2 acres fishing access.

Oak Forest Park. An undeveloped natural area with a substantial stand of mature shade trees and natural areas. It is probably best left in a natural state, though the development of nature study trails could enhance the use of the site by the public.
Facility Summary: 7.0 acres, undeveloped natural area.

Rauch Park. A linear green space that serves as an entryway into the city off of the 1-75 corridor, providing a buffer between residential and industrial development on the city's east side. The park is divided by Winchester Parkway and fronts the River Raisin. An historical marker is located on the site with reference to the Port of Monroe. As a gateway into the city, this location is ideal for additional floral beds and ornamental trees.
Facility Summary: 2.1 acres, open space.

River Raisin Memorial. A small green space with an historical marker noting the River Raisin Massacre. The historical marker is in need of repair. Plans are underway to repair and relocate the marker to the proposed Riviere Aux Raisins Park. Riviere Aux Raisins Park is a proposed 1.9-acre park near the comer of East Elm Avenue and North Dixie Highway. Facility Summary: Historical marker.

St. Antoine's Park. This park is a small green space with an historical marker depicting the former site of historic St. Antoine's Church. Facility Summary: Historical monument, 2 benches.

Facilities

Arthur Lesow Community Center (ALCC). A two-story neighborhood community center located at the comer of Eastchester and East Second provides recreation activities that are open to the public, although the majority of participants come from nearby neighborhoods. Facilities 'include an art room, boxing gym, weight/fitness room, game room, kitchen, gymnasium, meeting room, locker and shower facilities, administrative offices, storage areas and an elevator for access to the upper level. Paved parking for 48 cars is available adjacent to the building. The ALCC was built in 1968 with a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The city of Monroe owns the building. The facility and programs are operated by a private non-profit organization governed by a board of directors with five (5) full time staff and approximately 10-15 seasonal and part-time staff. The City of Monroe, the County of Monroe, the United Way, grants, donations and user fees provide funding. The ALCC is a valuable recreation resource, but it is much too small to service the needs of the entire community.
Facility Summary: Gymnasium, multi purpose rooms, weight fitness room, kitchen, locker/shower facilities, administrative offices, elevator, paved parking.

Monroe Multi-Sports Complex. The 70,000 square foot complex contains two ice rinks and spectator seating. One of the rinks can be melted down to create a large floor for a variety of events, including indoor soccer and trade shows. The complex also contains a pro shop, conference rooms, administrative offices, storage areas, locker/shower facilities and food concessions. Skate rental and skate sharpening are available at the pro shop. Paved parking for 280 vehicles is provided at the site. The Multi-Sports Complex, constructed in 1997, is located northwest of the North Dixie and E. Elm intersection.
Facility Summary: 70,000 square feet, 2 ice rinks, 1 rink can be used for dry floor events, pro shop, conference rooms, administrative offices, storage areas, food concession and paved parking.

Monroe County Cemetaries

2007-03-17T14:58:00.000-05:00

Historic Monroe Walking Tour

2007-03-17T12:53:00.000-05:00

Randy's Roadside Bar-B-Que Menu

2007-03-15T18:21:00.000-05:00

Click on the image to make it bigger.

Adrian - Heritage Park Map

2007-03-13T17:01:00.000-05:00

Click on the image to increase the size.

Los Jimadores Menu

2007-02-17T14:11:00.000-05:00

Analog TV Station List: Monroe, MI

2007-02-16T21:48:00.000-05:00

This list was created with a radio antenna tower located at my dad’s house in Monroe, MI. It is based completely on the analog signal that he is able to detect. This list was dependent on the weather conditions at the time of creation. Additional stations may be possible. Lansing did not seem to be coming in well, so a station like 47 might be possible on a better day/night.

Channel Location Network Direction Degree (360) Reception

2 Detroit Fox N/NE 40 Perfect
3 Cleveland CBS E/NE 85 Fair
3 Kalamazoo NBC W 275 Good
4 Detroit NBC N 0 Perfect
5 Cleveland ABC E 90 Fair
5 ? CBS N 0 Poor
6 Lansing Poor
7 Detroit ABC N 0 Perfect
8 Cleveland NBC E 90 Good
8 Kalamazoo W 270 Fair
9 Windsor CBC N 0 Perfect
10 Lansing NBC NW 310 Poor
11 Toledo CBS S 180 Perfect
12 Flint Poor
13 Toledo ABC S 180 Perfect
15 200 Poor
16 Windsor N 0 Fair
18 Detroit TBN N/NW 330 Poor
20 Detroit N 0 Perfect
22 Uxbridge Global N/NE 45 Fair
23 Cleveland Univision E 90 Poor
24 Toledo NBC S 180 Perfect
25 Cleveland PBS E 180 Poor
27 Bowling Green PBS S 180 Good
28 Flint PBS N/NE 20 Poor
30 Toledo PBS S 180 Perfect
31 Ann Arbor Pax N 0 Perfect
32 Windsor TVO N 0 Perfect
33 Dearborn WHPR N 0 Poor
34 Toledo WBTL/HSN S 180 Good
36 Toledo Fox S 180 Perfect
38 Mt. Clemens HSN N 0 Good
40 Toledo Pax S 160 Good
42 Windsor CTV N/NE Very Poor
43 Cleveland E 90 Poor
48 Toledo S 180 Good
50 Detroit N 0 Perfect
52 Sandusky, OH TBN Poor
54 Windsor French-CBC NE 40 Fair
56 Detroit PBS N 0 Perfect
62 Detroit CBS N 0 Perfect

Money Radio List

2007-02-16T20:41:00.000-05:00

I like to listen to radio shows about money. So, I have made a list of radio programs that involve the subject that are available to people in the Monroe and Lenawee County, Michigan areas. This is a rough and constantly changing list. There have been and will be errors and changes. The list appears below:

Revised Dec. 10, 2006

Saturday:
3-4AM
Wall Street Week and Fortune, Ch. 28 (3:30-4)
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
4-5AM
U.S. Farm Report, Ch. 53
Building Wealth, Ch. 47 and Ch. 10 (4:30-5)
On Main Street, Ch. 47 (4-4:30)
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
5-6AM
U.S. Farm Report, Ch. 13
Marketwatch Weekend, Ch. 62 (5:30-6)
Wall Street Journal, Ch. 47 (5-5:30)
Enterprise Report, Ch. 47 (5:30-6)
Building Wealth, Ch. 10 (5:30-6)
Global Business, 91.7, WUOM FM (5-5:30)
Wall Street Journal Weekend, 1140AM and 810 WGR
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
The Treatment/The Business, 101.9 FM, WDET
Wisconsin Farm Report, 1670 AM Madison
6-7AM
Wall Street Journal Weekend, 610 AM WTVN
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
Farm Report, 720 AM WGN
Marketplace Money, FM below 91.7
7-8AM
Money Sense, 1370 AM WSPD
Mr. Fix It, 720 AM WGN
Right on the Money, 740 AM; Toronto?
Money Show, 560 AM (7-7:30AM)
Motley Fool, 101.9, WDET
Marketplace Money, 820 AM WOSU
Money Show, 850AM?Ohio?
Follow the Money, 1220 AM WHKW Cleveland 7:30-8
Home Repair Clinic, 1180 AM WHAM
Wall Street Journal Weekend, 970 AM WKHM
8-9AM
Money Show, 1170 AM
Plan, Invest, Achieve, 1230 AM (8:30-9)
Mr. Fix It, 720 AM WGN
Hire it Done, 1270 AM WXYT
Classifieds, 8:15, WLEN 103.9 FM
Around the Home with Greg Crawford, AM 590 WKZO, 8:30-9AM
The Appliance Doctor, 1600 AM WAAM
Follow the Money, 1220 AM WHKW Cleveland 8-8:30
Home Repair Clinic, 1180 AM WHAM
9-10AM
Home Investment Show, 1430 AM
Real Estate Show, 970 AM WKHL
Mr. Fix It, 720 AM WGN
Money Matters with Brian Kurtz, 580 AM CKWW
Hire it Done, 1270 AM WXYT
At Home, 1100 AM WTAM
Financial Planner, 9:45-10AM, WKZO 590
At Home with Gary Sullivan, 550 AM WKRC
9:30am - 10am: Straight Talk About Money w/ Googins Financial, 1670 AM Madison
The Appliance Doctor, 1600 AM WAAM
Financial Coach Show, 1370 AM WSPD, 9:30-10
The Mortgage Marshalls, 1310 AM WDTW, 9-9:30
Housecalls with Rick Wolf, 1190 AM WOWO
Home Repair Clinic, 1180 AM WHAM
Travel Show, 940 AM Montreal
10-11AM
Law Show, 1600 AM WAAM
Larry Kudlow, 770 AM WABC
Making Money in Real Estate, 890 AM WLS
At Home, 1100 AM WTAM
The Investor’s Edge, 880 AM WRFD
Michigan Out-Of-Doors, Ch. 28, 10:30-11
Travel Savvy, 1560 AM WTOD
Home Fix It, 750 AM, WSB
At Home with Gary Sullivan, 550 AM WKRC
The Lawyers, 590 WKZO
1670 AM Madison: Your Home, Your Money 10-10:30AM; Real Estate 10:30-11AM
The Appliance Doctor, 1600 AM WAAM
The Business Reality Network, 1310AM WDTW
Housecalls with Rick Wolf, 1190 AM WOWO
Home Improvement Show, 1140 AM WRVA
Handyman Show, 970 AM WKHM
Mutual Fund Show, 890 AM WLS
This American Life, 89.1 FM, WEMU
11AM-12PM
Mutual Fund Show, 890 AM WLS, 1370 AM WSPD, 1190 AM WOWO, 1180 AM WHAM
Money Show, 560 AM (11-11:30) Creative Asset Solutions
Home Fix It, 750 AM WSB
Financial Freedom Report, 97.1 FM WKRK
At Home, 1100 AM WTAM (11-11:30)
Street Beat, Ch. 62, 11-11:30
Wilderness Journal, Ch. 28, 11-11:30
Money Talk, 620 AM WTMJ
The Lawyers, 590 AM, WKZO, 11:15-12:00
Larry Kudlow, 770 AM, WABC
At Home with Gary Sullivan, 550 AM WKRC
The Business Reality Network, 1310 AM WDTW
Travel Show, 1020 AM KDKA
Handyman Show, 970 AM WKHM
Real Estate Show, 940 AM Montreal
Real Estate Show, 890 AM WLS
Money Watch, 102.3 FM, 11:30-12; WPOS
12-1PM
Money Show, 103.9 FM WLEN (12:15-12:30)
Motley Fool, 870 AM WKAR
Larry Kudlow, 770 AM, WABC
Mutual Fund Show, 1190 AM WOWO, 610 AM WTVN, 620 AM WTMJ
Mutual Fund Show, 1100 AM WTAM, 1140 AM WRVA
The Dolans, 970 AM WKHM
Clark Howard, 590 WKZO, 1560 AM WTOD
Handel on the Law, 750 AM, WSB
At Home with Gary Sullivan, 550 AM WKRC
Faith Real Estate, 1370 AM WSPD
The Financial Freedom Report, 1310 AM WDTW
The Safe Money Show, 1220 AM Cleveland WHKW 12-12:30
Home Improvement Show, 1120 AM KMOX
Ask the Attorney, 1020 AM KDKA
Real Estate Show, 890 AM WLS
1-2PM
This American Life, 91.7 FM WUOM
Sound Money, 870 AM WKAR
The Careful Capitalist, 1600 AM WAAM
The Dolans, 970 AM WKHM
Clark Howard, 590 WKZO, 1560 AM WTOD
Real Estate Show, 1140 AM WRVA
Handel on the Law, 750 AM, WSB
Real Wealth Radio 1670 AM Madison
The Money Pit, 1600 AM WAAM
Financial Food For Thought, 1220 AM WHKW Cleveland
Home Improvement Show, 1120 AM KMOX
2-3PM
Findling Law Hour, 97.1 FM WKRK
Travel Show, 970 AM WKHM
Clark Howard, 590 WKZO, 1560 AM WTOD
This American Life, 820 AM WOSU
The Money Show, 720 AM WGN
Handel on the Law, 750 AM, WSB
The Money Pit, 1600 AM WAAM
The Home Show, 1540 KXEL
KMOX Money Show, 1120 AM
Market Matter, 940 AM Montreal
3-4PM
Dailey and Stearn Law Show, 760 AM WJR
The Bottom Line, 1600 AM WAAM
Travel Show, 970 AM WKHM
Great Getaways, Ch. 23, 3:30-4
Clark Howard, 590 WKZO, 1560 AM WTOD
The Money Show, 720 AM WGN
The Home Show, 1540 AM KXEL
KMOX Money Show, 1120 AM
Findling Law Show, 97.1 FM
4-5PM
This American Life, 870 AM, WKAR
Ken Stern and Your Money, 760 AM WJR
Moneytalk with Bob Brinker, 890 AM WLS, 1040 AM WHO, 1180 AM WHAM, 770 AM WABC
The Bottom Line, 1600 AM WAAM
Great Lakes Outdoors, Ch. 28, 4-4:30
Clark Howard, 590 WKZO
Money Pit Home Improvement, 1560 AM WTOD
Legally Speaking, 720 AM, WGN
The Careful Capitalist, 97.1 FM
5-6PM
Moneytalk With Bob Brinker, 760 AM WJR, 890 AM WLS, 1040 AM WHO, 770 AM WABC, 1180 AM WAAM
Classifieds, 5:40, WLEN 103.9 FM
Rick Steve’s, Ch. 30
Clark Howard, 590 WKZO
Money Pit Home Improvement, 1560 AM WTOD
The Alpha Mortgage Show, 820 AM, WBAP
Ask the Lawyer, WGPR, 107.5 FM 5:30-6, 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month
6-7PM
Moneytalk With Bob Brinker, 760 AM WJR, 890 AM WLS, 1040 AM WHO
Tom Martino, 970 AM WKHM
Clark Howard Show, 1190 AM WOWO?
7-8PM
Clark Howard Show, 1190 AM WOWO?
Tom Martino, 1040 AM WHO
Bob Brinker, 820 AM WBAP
Handel on the Law, 610 WTVN
Bruce Williams, 1540 AM KXEL
8-9PM
Moneytalks, 800 AM CKLW
Tom Martino, 1040 AM WHO
Bob Brinker, 820 AM WBAP
Money Show, 1180 AM WHAM; This might have been a one time thing.
Handel on the Law, 610 AM, WTVN
Bruce Williams, 1540 AM KXEL
9-10PM
Bruce Williams, 1540 AM KXEL
10-11PM
Legally Speaking, 1510 AM WLAC
Globe Trekker, Travel Channel (used to be Ch. 56)
Tom Martino, 1040 AM WHO
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
Bob Brinker, 820 AM WBAP
11-12AM
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
12PM-1AM
BBC World News, Ch. 30, 12:30-1
Globe Trekker, WTVS, Ch. 56 12:00-12:30
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
Handel on the Law, 750 AM WSB

Sunday
1-2AM
Handel on the Law, 750 AM, WSB
Second Chance Financial, 103.5 FM WMUZ, 1-1:15AM
2-3AM
Handel on the Law, 750 AM, WSB
4-5AM
Moneytalk, 1040 AM WHO
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
5-6AM
Wall Street Journal Report, Ch. 3 – cable (5:30-6AM)
Moneytalk, 1040 AM WHO
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
6-7AM
Business Week, Ch. 7 TV (6:30-7AM)
Clark Howard, 620 WTMJ (until 6:30AM)
On the House, 1670 AM Madison
7-8AM
Motley Fool, 101.9 FM, WDET
Debt Free Diva, 105.1 FM (7:30-8AM)
Money and More/Crossbridge Financial Hour, WHAM 1180 AM
On the House, 1670 AM Madison
8-9AM
The Power of Money, 1000 AM WMVP
Danbury Realtors, Ch. 36 TV (8:30-9AM)
Hire it Done, 1270 AM WXYT
Wall Street Journal Weekend, WTVN, 610AM
Follow the Money, 1600 WAAM
Wealth Management, 1370 AM WSPD, 8-8:30
Law Show, 1180 AM WHAM
9-10AM
Real Estate Insiders, 760 AM WJR
Business School, Ch. 28 TV (9:30-10)
Hire it Done, 1270 AM WXYT
Money Matters, 750 AM, WSB
At Home with Gary Sullivan, 550 AM WKRC
Chris Moore’s Moneytalk, 1190 AM WOWO?
Home Repair Clinic, 1180 WHAM
Your Money, 1020 AM KDKA
Moneytalk, 940 AM Montreal
Hardcore Mortgage Show, 97.1 FM
10-11AM
Chris Moore’s Moneytalk, 1190 AM WOWO?
Hard Core Real Estate Show, 97.1 FM WKRK
Real Estate Insiders, 760 AM WJR, 890 AM WLS
Business Today, Ch. 10, 10:30-11
This American Life, 101.9 WDET
Money Matters, 750 AM, WSB
At Home with Gary Sullivan, 550 AM WKRC
Handel on the Law, 1670 AM Madison
Home Repair Clinic, 1180 AM WHAM
Your Money, 1020 AM KDKA
11AM-12PM
Hard Core Real Estate Show, 97.1 FM WKRK
The Home Loan Center, 103.5 FM WMUZ
Real Estate Insiders, 760 AM WJR, 890 AM WLS
Streetbeat, Ch. 62 TV (11-11:30)
Real Estate, Ch. 6 TV (11-11:30)
Builder’s Open House, Ch. 4 TV (11:30-12)
Sound Money, 91.7FM, WUOM
Meet the Press, 1670 AM Madison
Glink, 750 AM, WSB
At Home with Gary Sullivan, 550 AM WKRC
12-1PM
This American Life, 870 AM WKAR
Christian Health and Wealth, 880 AM WRFD (12-12:30PM)
Meet the Press, 1600 AM WAAM, 1670 AM Madison
Travel Show, 970 AM WKHM
Jim Wycoff Money Hour, 550 AM WKRC
Handel on the Law, 1140 AM WRVA
Travel Show, 710AM WOR
The Money Pit, 590 AM, WKZO
Glink, 750 AM, WSB
Ken Stern, 890 AM WLS
1-2PM
The Clark Howard Show, 1190 AM WOWO
Travel Show, 970 AM WKHM, 710 AM WOR
Rick Bloom, 1400 AM
Justice Talking, 870 AM WKAR
Handel on the Law, 1140 AM WRVA, 1670 AM Madison, 1020 AM KDKA
The Money Pit, 590 AM, WKZO
Dave Ramsey, 770 AM, WABC
2-3PM
The Clark Howard Show, 1190 AM WOWO
Home Stewardship, 103.5 FM WMUZ (2:30-3)
Shopping Smart, 970 AM WKHM
Summit Financial, 550 AM WKRC
Handel on the Law, 1140 AM WRVA, 1020 AM KDKA
Travel Today, 590AM WKZO
Clark Howard, 750 AM, WSB
Dave Ramsey, 770 AM WABC
3-4PM
This American Life, 91.7 FM WUOM
The Clark Howard Show, 1190 AM WOWO
Easy Street, 760 AM WJR
Best of Rick Bloom, 1600 AM WAAM
Shopping Smart, 970 AM WKHM
Travel Today, 590 WKZO
Dave Ramsey, 770 AM WABC
Dollars and Sense, 1120 AM KMOX
4-5PM
Moneytalk with Bob Brinker, 760AM WJR, 890 AM WLS, 1040 AM WHO, 770 AM WABC
Best of Rick Bloom, 1600 AM WAAM
The Dolans, 970 AM WKHM
Dave Ramsey, 590 WKZO
The Small Business Advocate, 1560 AM WTOD
Dollars and Sense, 1120 AM KMOX
Chris Moore, 1020 AM KDKA
This American Life; 91.3 FM; WGTE
5-6PM
Handel on the Law, 1370 AM WSPD
Moneytalk with Bob Brinker, 760 AM WJR, 890 AM WLS, 1040 AM WHO, 770 AM WABC
Check for Money Show on 560 AM WRDT, 5-5:30
The Dolans, 970 AM WKHM
Money Matter, 820 AM WBAP
Dave Ramsey, 590 AM WKZO
The Small Business Advocate, 1560 AM WTOD
Chris Moore, 1020 AM KDKA
6-7PM
Bob Brinker’s Moneytalk, 1180 AM WHAM, 890 AM WLS, 1040 AM WHO, 820 WBAP, 770 AM WABC
Handel on the Law, 1370 AM WSPD
The Travel Queen, 1600 AM WAAM
Tom Martino, 970 AM WKHM
Moneytrack, Ch. 30, 6-6:30PM
Forbes on the Radio, 1560 AM WTOD
Chris Moore, 1020 AM KDKA
Investment Show, 890 AM WLS
7-8PM
Moneytalk, 1140 AM WRVA
Mortgage Matters, 103.5 FM WMUZ
Handel on the Law, 1370 AM WSPD, 1670 AM Madison
On the Money, 720 AM WGN
Real Estate Radio, 550 AM WKRC
Your Money, 1140 AM WRVA
Venture, CBC, Ch. 9
Clark Howard, 1110 AM
Forbes on the Radio, 1560 AM WTOD
Bob Brinker, 820 AM WBAP
Travel Michigan, 760 WJR
Chris Moore, 1020 AM KDKA
8-9PM
Insurance Talk, 97.1 FM WKRK
Money Show, 1030 AM WBZ
Handel on the Law, 1670 AM Madison
Forbes on the Radio, 1560 AM WTOD
Bob Brinker, 820 AM WBAP
Meet the Press, 750 AM, WSB
Ask the Experts, 1180 AM WHAM
8-8:30 Chris Moore, 1020 AM KDKA
9-10PM
The Clark Howard Show, 1190 AM WOWO, 620 AM WTMJ
Insurance Talk, 97.1 FM WKRK
Money Show, 1030 AM WBZ; 9-9:30PM
Profit Zone, 1040 AM WHO
Money Show, somewhere between 600 and 650
Justice For All, 1120 AM KMOX
10-11PM
Brian Gongol Show, 1040 AM WHO
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
Justice For All, 1120 AM KMOX
11-12AM
Tom Martino, 1040 AM WHO
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
Meet the Press, 1310 AM WDTW
12-1AM
Tom Martino, 1040 AM WHO
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
Handel on the Law, 1670 AM Madison

Weekdays:
1-2AM
Mondays, Clark Howard, 620AM WTMJ
Shopping, 710 AM WOR Mondays
2-3AM
Mondays, Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
Mondays, Clark Howard, 750 AM WSB
Shopping, 710 AM WOR Mondays
Meet the Press, Mondays, 1120 AM KMOX
3-4AM
Jim Cramer, Chicago
Mondays, Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
Glink, Mondays, 750 WSB
4-5AM
First Business, Ch. 47 (4-4:30)
Be a Millionaire, Ch. 10 (4-4:30)
Mondays, Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ
Glink, Mondays, 750 AM WSB
5-6AM
Wall Street Journal This Morning, 890 AM WLS and 970 AM WKHM and 1530 AM WCKY
Wisconsin Farm Report, 1670 AM Madison
Business Show, 940 AM 5-5:30 Montreal
6-7AM
Jocks and Stocks, 670 AM Chicago
Lou Dobbs, 680 AM CKWW 6:50AM
8-9AM
Classifieds WLEN, 103.9 AM, 8:40 am
Safe Money (Monday), Entrepeneurship (Tuesday), 690 AM WNZK
9-10AM
Money Show, 1070 CHOK, 9:30AM
Bob Allison, 690 AM
10-11AM
Money Matters, 10-10:30; WBCL 90.3 FM, Fort Wayne, IN; WBCY 89.5 FM, Northwest, OH; WBCJ 88.1 FM, W. Central, OH; 106.1 FM, Muncie, IN; 97.7 FM, Adrian, MI
Bob Allison, 690 AM
11AM-12PM
Monte Korn Law Show, 690 AM WNZK (Monday and Tuesday)
12-1PM
Business Report, 12:20PM WLEN 103.9 FM
Classifieds WLEN, 103.9 AM, 12:45pm
1590 AM, Money Show?; Jackson - West
590 AM, Money Show?; Jackson – West
91.1, Pittsford, Money Show, 12:25-12:55PM; WPCJ
1-2PM
Business Hour, 780 AM WBBM (Eastern Time)
Dave Ramsey, 590 AM WKZO
Clark Howard, 750 AM WSB
Lou Dobbs, AM 580 CKWW, 1:50PM
Jim Cramer, 1020 AM KDKA
Money Matters, 1:30-2:00, 88.1,88.5,89.3 and 89.3 FM
2-3PM
Dave Ramsey, 600 AM WSNL and 1260 AM (Jackson – West), 590 AM WKZO, 1600 AM WAAM
Clark Howard, 1560 AM WTOD, 750 AM WSB
2:30-3 American Advisor, WHKW, 1220 AM Cleveland
A Money Moment; 2:30-3PM; WBCL 90.3 FM, Fort Wayne, IN; WBCY 89.5 FM, Northwest, OH; WBCJ 88.1 FM, W. Central, OH; 106.1 FM, Muncie, IN; 97.7 FM, Adrian, MI
3-4PM
Dave Ramsey, 1560 AM WTOD, 600 AM WSNL
Classifieds WLEN, 103.9 AM, 3:15 pm
Money Show, 1030 AM
Clark Howard, 620 AM WTMJ, 750 AM, WSB
This American Life (Friday) 101.9 WDET
96.7 FM; Money Matters; 3:30PM-4PM
4-5PM
Dave Ramsey, 1560 AM WTOD, 600 AM WSNL
5-6PM
Dave Ramsey, 1560 AM WTOD
Business Report, 5:20 WLEN 103.9 FM
Classifieds WLEN, 103.9 AM, 5:40 pm
6-7PM
Dave Ramsey, 1560 AM WTOD and 970 AM WKHM
Marketplace, 91.7FM WUOM (6:30-7PM)
Marketplace, 820 AM WOSU (6-6:30)
The Nightly Business Report, Ch. 28: 6:30-7PM
BBC World News, Ch. 28 and 30, 6-6:30
NewsHour, Ch. 56, 6-7; Ch. 30, 6:30-7:30
Jim Cramer, WKRC, 550 AM
Lou Dobbs, AM 580 CKWW, 6:50PM
Marketplace, 91.3, WGTE, 6-6:30
7-8PM
The Nightly Business Report, Ch. 30: 7:30-8; Ch. 56: 7-7:30PM
Let’s Talk Real Estate, 880 AM WRFD (Tuesday)
Dave Ramsey, 970 AM WKHM
BBC World News, Ch. 56, 7:30-8
NewsHour, Ch. 28
Bruce Williams, 1540 AM, KXEL
On Air With In Business Magazine, 1670 AM Madison
8-9PM
Investing Show, 800 AM CKLW
Bruce Williams, 1540 AM, KXEL
Wall Street Week With Fortune, Ch. 27, 28 and 56 (Fri., 8:30-9)
Dave Ramsey, 970 AM WKHM; 800 AM CKLW
Money Show, 1220 AM Cleveland
Follow the Money, 600 AM WSNL (Mondays and Wed.)
Tax Recovery Show (Tues.) 940 AM Montreal
Financial Playbook (Wed.) 940 AM Montreal
Law Show (Fri.) 940 AM Montreal
Money Matters; 91.1, Pittsford; WPCJ; 8:30-9PM
9-10PM
Bruce Williams, 1540 AM, KXEL
Law Show, 840 AM WHAS (Monday)
Money Matters, 710 AM, WOR
Clark Howard, 940 AM, WMAC, Macon, GA
Law Show (Fri.) 940 AM Montreal
10-11PM
Bruce Williams, 1600 AM WAAM
Ask the Lawyers, 103.5 FM WMUZ (Tuesday: 10:30-11:30)
Dave Ramsey, 550 AM
11PM-12AM
Bruce Williams, 1600 AM WAAM
The Simpson’s, Ch. 50, 11-11:30
Dave Ramsey, 550 AM
12-1AM
Bruce Williams, 1600 AM WAAM
1-2AM
Building Wealth, Ch. 47 (Friday, 1:30-2)
Wall Street Week and Fortune, Ch. 28 (Friday, 1:30-2)
60 Minutes (Wednesday): Ch. 11, 1:30-2:30
Shopping, 710AM, WOR
2-3AM Shopping, 710AM, WOR

KGO San Francisco streams for 24hrs shows like Moneytalk in their archives.

Allen's Cove

2007-02-06T19:45:00.000-05:00

Allen's Cove is just a little remnant natural area squeezed between Luna Pier and the Toledo Beach Marina on Monroe's Lake Erie shore.

It can sometimes be accessed in a couple of ways. The first is to head north out of Luna Pier on Harold Drive and onto Allen Cove Rd. You can stop along Allen Cove for a distant view of the open water and marsh of the cove and the wooded area on the other side.

In fact, this is probably the BEST way to see Allen Cove. And I'd recommend making a little walk of it by starting at the boat ramp on the south side of Luna Pier, walking through town, along the pier and then on the bike lane on Harold Drive until you reach Allen Cove. It would make a nice little walk.

Allen Cove is interesting for three reasons. First, it's a marshy natural area that attracts birds and wildlife. Second, there are American Lotus beds in the cove. My favorite reason, however, is that there is a bald eagle's nest in the wooded area close to Lake Erie. With good binoculars, you might be able to see it.

There is, of course, another way to see the nest and that's within the Toledo Beach Marina itself. I have, in fact, driven to the marina and shopped at the little store there. As I was walking out, I asked if I could walk into the wooded area. I was given permission and walked towards the nest. It was pretty cool. This was several years ago and that type of permission is by no means guaranteed, especially since there are new owners at Toledo Beach.

http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=Toledo+Beach&t=k&om=1&z=14&ll=41.823909,-83.418846&spn=0.027887,0.05785

Pointe Aux Peaux State Game Area

2007-02-06T19:16:00.000-05:00

One of the recent additions to Monroe's natural areas is this little state game area off of Pointe Aux Peaux Road. If you're curious, the pronunciation is "Point-ah-poe." Someone with better French skills would have to interpret for you.

This place is just one or two hundred acres of marshland. When the DNR purchased the place, I decided to hike it a few times. There is a small parking area just off of Pointe Aux Peaux Rd (see map link below). It's gravel and marked with a DNR sign.

I started my hike by heading diagonally across the open field adjacent to the parking lot. The goal was to hit the SW corner of the field. From there, I would hike due west in the forest to skirt a marshy area and then due south to hit the dike shown on the DNR map. At that point, I would hike due east on the dike until I passed over the marsh and onto the opposite bank.

I last hiked this place a few years ago when water levels were low. At that time, I was able to follow the east bank of the marsh out to the Lake Erie shore. And from there, I was able to hike out onto the rock crib shown jutting out into the lake. It was pretty cool, with nice views back towards Monroe and Sterling State Park.

I am not at all sure about the current status of this game area. Since I last hiked it, there has been a pretty significant wildfire in the area and I know that the emergency vehicles cut roads into the marsh to fight the fire. These "roads" might still exist. I am also unsure if water levels now preclude access to the rock crib.

This place, however, does have some intriguing possibilities. First, since it allows potential access to the Lake Erie shore, it "might" be possible to legally access shorefront along some of the adjacent resort communities. Remember that all shoreline up the ordinary high water mark is publicly owned and accessible. So, there might be a legal route to this via Pointe Aux Peaux.

It is also legally possible to camp during the fall, winter and spring on state land that is not a state park or recreation area with a free DNR permit. In the past, I have seen people camp in the field at Pointe Aux Peaux. It is, of course, an open question as to whether someone "should" camp or access the shore in this area. I guess it's one of those case-by-case situations.

Anyway, this is an interesting natural area and worth at least an occasional visit for Monroe nature lovers.

http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/sga/ptauxpeaux.pdf

Area Hikes: Crosswinds Marsh

2007-02-04T20:50:00.000-05:00

Crosswinds Marsh is one of the most unique natural areas in SE Michigan. When Metro Airport expanded a few years back, the wetlands at the airport needed to be replaced. This is where they replaced them. The result is a beautiful Wayne County park that touches the northern border of Monroe County.

What can you expect? Well, this still is SE Michigan and the terrain is flat. There are woods, marsh and prairie habitats. Some of the trail is boardwalk. Some is made from compact gravel. It is possible to create a 5+ mile hike by connecting some of the smaller loops or the long-distance horse trail. Most trails, however, are fairly short.

There are several interesting landmarks in the park. The first is a bald eagle nest in the southern section of the park. Another is a neat water control structure in the SE quadrant of the park. There is a nice screened picnic area near the main trailhead and the horse trail requires a water crossing in the NW section of the park.

One of the more disturbing aspects of this park is its close proximity to a landfill that lies just beyond the park boundaries to the east. This is the landfill that Toronto trucks most of its garbage to. At times, you can see the trucks moving refuse from the trail system.

That said, I have always enjoyed my visits to this wonderful place.

Thanks to the local birding community for the following links:

http://www.geocities.com/daspery/Crosswinds_marsh.html

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/se_mich/locations/crosswnd.txt

Here are some hike reports that I originally posted about Crosswinds on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

http://extremesouthmichigan.blogspot.com/2007/08/crosswinds-marsh-hike-reports.html

Note: The photo above was taken from the official Wayne County Parks web site covering Crosswinds Marsh.

Cheap Stuff: Damascus House

2007-01-23T19:55:00.000-05:00

One of the better area second hand shops is the Damascus House Search and Save on Smith Street in the City of Monroe.

This past weekend, my wife and I stopped in and found a turkey roaster for $3 and a tie for 50 cents. During past visits, I have found a good quality Barcalounger for $10 and a really great stone-topped cabinet for $5. The cabinet matches the kitchen in our new house perfectly and holds my grilling equipment.

The Damascus House has a wide assortment of items. They have books, clothes, household items and electronics. I think that the best part of this place is the furniture. They always seem to have something worth considering and the prices seem lower on the larger items than at other second hand stores in the region. I guess the items are priced to sell given the limited space in the store.

One of the quirky aspects of this store is the fact that the local prison has a work release program at the store. It is almost guaranteed that you'll see someone in a striped uniform moving furniture around. Personally, I think that this is a great thing. And the Damascus House does work to help the poor in the Monroe area. So it is a good place, even if the religious theme of the store might be off-putting to some.

Hours are 10AM to 4PM, Wednesday through Saturday.

Give it a look. Contact Information:

Damascus House Search and Save

212 Smith St.

Monroe, MI 48161

(734) 242-8136

Cheap Stuff: UM Property Disposition

2007-01-23T19:38:00.000-05:00

Let's face it, we live in a throwaway society.

Want proof? Just drive down any street on garbage night and you are likely to see hundreds of items and materials that could be reused.

That's why I love second hand shopping. It helps the environment. It often helps a charity fund its operations. And the goods for sale are often sold for a great discount from retail.

The University of Michigan Property Disposition is one of these great second hand spots. This is the place where all of the old furniture, office detritus and computers go when the university community deems it surplus. This place is great for filing cabinets, office chairs and old computers.

Our home office, for instance, sports a $30 five-drawer Steelcase filing cabinet that would probably have cost a couple of hundred bucks if purchased new.

This place is also good for strange objects. My wife and I have seen x-ray machines, oscilliscopes and fake human cadavers during previous visits.

Check out the link below for more information:

http://propertydisposition.umich.edu/

Watch Where You Step: Monroe's Potter's Cemetary

2007-01-21T14:59:00.000-05:00

Thousands of people drive past the Monroe County Community College campus on Raisinville Rd. every day without thinking about that little tree-covered hill framed by the road and college parking lots.

But that hill has some history. And it reaches back to the days before the community college began to grow nearby.

Prior to the arrival of MCCC, the site was a potter's farm and field. Those who were bankrupt, poor or otherwise disadvantaged moved here to farm the surrounding land. If they earned enough money to become self-sufficient, they left the farm.

Many, however, died on the site. And the dilemma was, of course, what to do with the body of someone without savings and, often, no family. That's where the hill comes in. Standards were different then, and the dead were placed in a mass grave. That mass gravesite became the hill.

I discovered the hill during regular walks that I used to take on the MCCC campus. I wanted as much terrain as could pack into my walk and the hill provided some. Only after several walks did I read the historical sign at the top of the hill. I had to laugh at my innocent-turned-morbid search for terrain in flatland Monroe.

This spot and sign is worth a look. I snapped a picture that appears above.

Johnny B's...Good!

2007-01-21T14:22:00.000-05:00

I am biased when it comes to Johnny B's Pizza and Grinders in downtown Deerfield. John is a very close friend of mine. I remember sleeping on his family's porch on Front Street in Monroe on warm summer nights.

But my bias does not change the fact that Johnny "B" makes some great pizza. My wife and I ate the "Hawaiian Islands Specialty Pizza" on Friday night. And it was a treat. John's hand-tossed crust is soft inside, but with a distinct crispness on the outside. His sauce is a bit less tart than Tiffany's and the rest of his ingredients are fresh and good. The cheese is especially good.

The menu at Johnny B's includes pizzas made with hand-tossed, thin or cheese-layered crusts. He has a wide range of specialty pizzas, from the Hawaiian that we tasted to steak, taco and the multi-itemed "B's Supreme." Other pizza-related items like grinders and cheese sticks are also available.

Johnny' B's also offers several dinner items. You can buy manicotti, tortellini, mosticolli, ravioli and saccotino. And John's Greek, Roman and Buffalo Chicken salads also seem like a good bet.

John's prices are about what you'd expect in a pizza place. Small one-item pizzas range from $5 for a small to $12 for an extra large. Multi-itemed and specialty pizzas are extra.

Maybe Johnny B's biggest selling point is that he delivers pizza to many areas without any other pizza delivery service. He delivers as far north as Milwaukee Rd. near Britton, east to Wells Rd. in Dundee, south to Yankee Rd. near Ottawa Lake and west to Palmyra. The chart above shows John's delivery area.

If our previous visits to Johnny B's are any indication, Johnny B's does a brisk delivery business.

Johnny B's is open from 11AM until 10PM on Sunday through Thursday and 11AM until Midnight on Friday's and Saturdays.

The number is (517) 447-4000.

Hillary?

2007-01-21T14:06:00.000-05:00

I love politics.

And I find the candidacy of Hillary Clinton to be very interesting.

Her position on the War in Iraq is hawkish. She voted to give President Bush authority. And she is in favor of capping troop levels. She is NOT in favor, currently, of withdrawal.

Most of the Democratic Party candidates are under enormous pressure to go "anti-war." And most others, like John Edwards, are moving in that direction.

On the Republican side, there is almost a jailbreak quality to Republican war opposition. Senators like Chuck Hagel are becoming strongly anti-war.

So, it seems to me that almost all of the Democratic candidates and most of the Republicans will be forced into a position advocating an end to the war.

I think that it is at least possible that Hillary Clinton might be the only candidate in the field who could keep the United States in Iraq. She has enough liberal "street cred" to possibly withstand the strong anti-war sentiment in her party. And, as the first legitimate female presidential candidate, she could probably pull the strongly anti-war female electorate with her come general election time.

Before you start throwing invective my way, I want you to know that I am not a Hillary supporter. I don't have a horse in this race yet. But I think that Hillary's positioning is VERY IMPORTANT in terms of our national foreign policy. She could be the "last man standing" for the current Iraq policy.

Adultery = Life in Prison?

2007-01-20T08:56:00.000-05:00

As a happily married man with a wonderful wife, I can think of nothing worse than the idea of adultery.

But, I think that our Michigan court system is taking it a bit far.

Apparently, adultery is still a felony in the state of Michigan. And Michigan also has a law that requires any felony that involves sexual penetration to be classified as first degree criminal sexual conduct.

Add to this the fact that the Michigan State Supreme Court has required lower court judges to follow the literal letter of the law when making decisions and, well, you've got a mess.

Check out this Yahoo article for more information:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070118/lf_afp/usjusticesexoffbeat_070118055859