61 New Hikes in 2023!

I have a few more hikes to post from my October hiking trip to Ohio, but the turning of the calendar says it is time for my annual summary and reflection post.  2023 was a great year on the trail with God's creation in its natural state.  We did 61 new hikes in 2023, a new record for number of new hikes in a year.  Those 61 hikes covered 155.9 miles of trails across 24 different states.  Major hiking destinations covered in 2023 included Cumberland Island National Seashore in coastal Georgia (I had waited almost 20 years to hike there), Mount Greylock State Reservation, the highest point in Massachusetts, Bash Bish Falls and adjacent Taconic State Park on the New York/Massachusetts line, and Warren Dunes State Park on the shore of Lake Michigan.  We also completed our goal of visiting and hiking in every state park in Georgia.  I went through a difficult and major life change in 2022, but the first year of my "new life" has been a prolific one on the trail.

Looking ahead to 2024, we have a long hiking trip to southern California scheduled for early in the year.  Blog Hike #1000 will probably happen out west in the middle of that trip, which will check off one of my long term goals set many years ago: 1000 blog hikes before I turn 50 years old.  We will also spend quite a bit of time in Indiana next year with the goal being to finish visiting and hiking in every state park in Indiana; we have hiked in about half of Indiana's state parks already, so we will try to do the other half in 2024.  We should also have our usual trips to Ohio and Tennessee.  I am looking forward to another great year on the trail in 2024!

As always, I want to thank you for reading the posts and watching the videos here at Parking Full Time.  Your views, comments, subscriptions, and likes encourage me to keep this project going.  I'll see you on the trail in 2024!

Happy new year, take care, and Lord bless,

David Prager, aka Big Dave, the Parks Professor

2023 Summary and Reflection Video (recorded at Lake Hartwell State Park in South Carolina):

North Bend State Park: Hibbs Cemetery and Nature Trails (Blog Hike #977)

Trails: Hibbs Cemetery and Nature Trails
Hike Location: North Bend State Park
Geographic Location: east of Parkersburg, WV (39.22497, -81.10469)
Length: 3.7 miles
Difficulty: 8/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: October 2023
Overview: A loop hike over hills and along the North Fork of the Hughes River.
Park Information: https://wvstateparks.com/park/north-bend-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949744
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming June 21)

Directions to the trailhead: In northern West Virginia, take I-77 to US 50 (exit 179).  Exit and go east on US 50.  Drive US 50 east 18 miles to SR 31 and turn right on SR 31.  Drive SR 31 south 5 miles, passing through the town of Cairo along the way, to Low Gap Road.  Turn left on Low Gap Rd.  Low Gap Rd. deadends at a 4-way stop at the park entrance in 3.3 miles.  Continue straight to enter the park, then drive the main park road 1.2 miles downhill to the River View Campground, where this hike begins.

The hike: Most state parks located on shores of man-made reservoirs were built at the same time as their lakes, but such is not the case with North Bend State Park.  The park dates to 1951, when the West Virginia State Legislature authorized the purchase of 1405 acres of depleted oil and natural gas fields.  The park opened a few years later, but North Bend Lake was not built until 2002.  The plain-looking concrete dam that forms the lake can be seen in the eastern end of the park today.

            In addition to aquatic activities on the lake, the park offers a cozy 29-room lodge, a 49-site developed campground, a swimming pool, a picnic area, and access to the North Bend Rail Trail, a 74-mile bike trail built atop an abandoned railroad grade.  The park also offers several miles of hiking and mountain bike trails in a part of West Virginia with few quality hiking options.  Most people view the park's Nature Trail as its best trail, and this hike combines the Nature Trail with one of its spurs to form a challenging and primitive 3.7 mile loop.  Be warned that many parts of this trail are hard to discern on the ground, so do not attempt this hike without a park trail map and good route-finding skills.

Start of Hibbs Cemetery Trail

            This hike starts on the Hibbs Cemetery Trail, which begins at a small wooden sign behind the River View Campground check-in building.  The Hibbs Cemetery Trail is marked with blue plastic diamonds, and it begins climbing a narrow finger ridge on a moderate to steep grade.  This finger ridge separates the developed and primitive parts of the River View Campground, so camping areas exist downhill on both sides of this ridge.

Boulders along Hibbs Cemetery Trail

            The trail stays near the top of the ridge as it passes some large boulders and rock outcrops.  The trail map indicates that Hibbs Cemetery sits in this area, but I either could not find it or walked past it unawares.  At 0.5 miles, you reach a trail intersection as the park's lodge comes into sight on the right.  The Hibbs Cemetery Trail ends here.  To continue this hike, turn left and cross over a small hill to reach the 4-way stop road intersection at the park entrance; you drove through this intersection on the way in.  Walk diagonally across the intersection to pick up the Nature Trail, which you will follow for the rest of this hike.

Joining the Nature Trail

            Marked with orange plastic diamonds, the Nature Trail heads into a narrow strip of woods with park roads above you to the left and below you to the right.  When I hiked here, the Nature Trail as shown in the park map was overgrown and practically impassible, so I ended up hiking an unmarked and unofficial trail that stays well below the top of the ridge.  This choice reduced the length and elevation gain of this hike, but I rejoined the Nature Trail at 1.2 miles into my hike.  I have learned over the years that trail maintenance can be an issue in West Virginia's state parks, and this is one place where that issue comes to the forefront.

Hiking the Nature Trail

            A moderate to steep downgrade brings you to a park road crossing at 1.4 miles.  Next comes a surprisingly flat section of trail that treads through nice forest as you partially circle a low knob on the left.  Beech and maple are the most common trees in this forest, and this section of trail is really quite pleasant.

Grassy area along river

            Just shy of 2 miles into the hike, the flat section ends as you begin a steep switchbacking descent to the North Fork Hughes River.  This section of trail has recently been rerouted, and orange plastic diamonds seem to be everywhere here.  You cross a tiny stream without the aid of a bridge before finally making it to the river bank at 2.4 miles.  The riverside area has a thick grassy groundcover, and you will have to rely on the orange plastic diamonds to stay on the trail: it is indistinguishable from the surrounding forest in this area.

North Fork Hughes River

            The scenic riverside area lasts only a few hundred feet before you begin the steep climb away from the river.  Ignore the Tanker Run Spur Trail, which exits right, and keep following the orange plastic diamonds to remain on the Nature Trail.  At 2.65 miles, you reach picnic shelter #1 at the top of the ridge.  Restrooms are available here, and this shelter makes a nice place to rest and enjoy a trail snack before beginning the final leg of the hike.

Picnic Shelter #1

            Next the trail passes through a steep and narrow ravine to reach picnic shelter #2.  Another steep descent on narrow trail drops you below the rock cliffs and returns you to the river at 3 miles.  Some Canada geese greeted me along this section of the river.

Hiking along the river

            The balance of the hike uses narrow trail that treads sometimes near the river and sometimes along the bluff high above the river.  A couple parts of this trail cling perilously to the hillside.  A final switchback brings you down to the primitive campground, where a left turn on the park road will bring you back to the campground check-in station to complete the hike.

Shawnee State Park: Lookout Trail (Blog Hike #976)

Trail: Lookout Trail
Hike Location: Shawnee State Park
Geographic Location: west of Portsmouth, OH (38.72549, -83.17625)
Length: 1.6 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2023
Overview: A loop hike to an overgrown lookout.
Park Information: https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/shawnee-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949700
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming August 2)

Directions to the trailhead: From Portsmouth, take US 52 west 6.6 miles to SR 125 and turn right on SR 125.  Drive SR 125 west 4.8 miles to Mackletree Road and turn left on Mackletree Rd.  The parking lot for the Lookout Trail is 0.3 miles ahead on the left.

The hike: Often referred to as Ohio's "little smokies," a reference to the steep and massive Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina, Shawnee State Park is located on Ohio's land of greatest relief.  The State of Ohio acquired the park's land in 1922 and named it the Theodore Roosevelt State Game Preserve, making it one of the oldest public parklands in Ohio.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked to improve the park in the 1930's, and it officially became a state park after the creation of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in 1949.

            Shawnee State Park has many fine amenities.  The park is centered around a pair of lakes formed by two dams on the same stream: Roosevelt Lake and Turkey Creek Lake.  The lakes offer the usual aquatic recreation, and the park also has a marina on the Ohio River at a separate nearby unit.  A wild disc golf course plays up and down the steep hills, and the park had a ball golf course until it closed in 2019.

Roosevelt Lake, near the trailhead

            Although Shawnee State Park has only 1095 acres, it is surrounded by 69,603 acre Shawnee State Forest, which is by far Ohio's largest state forest.  Thus, the park feels much larger and more remote than it actually is.  Shawnee State Forest is known for its long, primitive, and very rugged backpacking trails that provide some of the toughest hiking Ohio has to offer.  Though nowhere near the length or difficulty of the backpacking trails, the Lookout Trail described here starts in Shawnee State Park but quickly enters the state forest.  Thus, it gives you a taste of what hiking is like in this area without overwhelming you with distance or difficulty.

Start of Lookout Trail

            A small sign and trail map mark the trailhead for the Lookout Trail.  Marked with painted pink triangles, the wide single-track dirt Lookout Trail begins climbing through dense forest on a moderate but persistent grade.  The forest here is dominated by beech and oak trees, and the fall colors were near peak when I hiked here in late October.

Climbing on the Lookout Trail

            Just past 0.2 miles, the trail curves left to cross a small creek on a wooden footbridge.  Next comes something unexpected: a gradual descent.  You never get back down to lake level, and a few hundred feet later the trail curves right to continue the moderate climb.  This section of trail crosses back and forth between Shawnee State Park and Shawnee State Forest; the transitions are both unmarked and unnoticeable.

Crossing a small creek

            Two switchbacks bring you to a trail intersection at 0.6 miles with options going softly left and sharply right.  We will take the trail going right eventually, but first angle left to quickly reach the lookout for which this trail is named.  Sadly, this north-facing "lookout" high above Roosevelt Lake is very overgrown, and these days it offers almost no view.  The excellent wooden shelter with a bench still offers a nice place to rest after the hardest part of the climb.

Lookout on the Lookout Trail

            Back on the main Lookout Trail, the climb continues but at a more gradual rate before topping out at 0.8 miles about 100 feet below the top of this hill.  Next the trail curves right and begins a gradual descent.  The forest is beautiful here, but rocky and rooty trail ensures that you need to mind where you step.

Descending from the highest point

            After a steeper descent, you intersect the Markleberry Trail, a bridle trail, and what appears to be an old road at 1.2 miles.  As indicated by the pink triangles, turn right to continue descending on the old road.  The Lookout and Markleberry Trails run conjointly for a few hundred feet before the bridle trail exits left.  Stay straight to continue descending, still following the old road.

Descending on the old road

            One switchback later, the trail abruptly turns right to leave the old road.  Be sure to look for the pink triangles so you do not miss this turn.  A steep descent deposits you on the shoulder of Mackletree Road in a few hundred feet, where a right turn and a short road walk return you to the parking lot that contains your car.  If you want to do more hiking, the 5 mile Park Loop Trail stays entirely in Shawnee State Park (not Forest) and circumnavigates both of the park's lakes.  I came here on a day when I had a long drive ahead of me, and I would have hiked that trail if I had allotted more time at Shawnee State Park.

Paint Creek State Park: Little Pond and Harmony Trails (Blog Hike #975)

Trails: Little Pond and Harmony Trails
Hike Location: Paint Creek State Park
Geographic Location: between Hillsboro, OH and Chillicothe, OH (39.25130, -83.35641)
Length: 2.9 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: October 2023
Overview: Two short loops, one around a pond and another beside Paint Creek and some cliffs.
Park Information: https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/paint-creek-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949633
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming September 27)

Directions to the trailhead: Just east of the Ross/Highland county line, take US 50 to Rapid Forge Road and turn north on Rapid Forge Rd.  Drive Rapid Forge Rd. north 2.2 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, then park in the first parking lot on the right where the Little Pond Trail begins.  If you want to drive to the Harmony Trail's start, continue south on the park road to cross the dam, then turn left and drive downhill to the picnic area parking lot below the dam.

The hike: Straddling the Ross/Highland County line in south-central Ohio, Paint Creek State Park was established in 1972 as part of Ohio's great reservoir and state park building era.  The park protects 5652 acres along its namesake creek and reservoir, and it sits on the boundary between glaciated north/west Ohio and unglaciated south/east Ohio.  Several rare plants live here including the Sullivantia and the Smooth Cliffbrake fern.

            Like most parks from its era, Paint Creek State Park has many amenities including a swimming beach and marina on Paint Creek Lake, a 197-site developed campground, a 21 hole disc golf course, and several picnic areas.  In terms of trails, the park offers 25 miles of bridle trails, 12 miles of mountain bike trails, and several miles of hiking trails.  The park's longest hikes all involve the bridle trails, but this hike combines two short hiker-only trails with a road walk to explore both the area above and the area below Paint Creek Dam.

Trailhead for Little Pond Trail

            Begin with the Little Pond Trail, which starts beside its namesake pond downhill and behind the restroom building.  A small brown sign bearing the universal hiker symbol marks this trailhead.  The Little Pond Trail forms a tight loop around its namesake pond.  The leaves on the sycamore, oak, and beech trees that line this pond were in full fall colors when I hiked here in late October, and lush honeysuckle dominated the understory.

Little Pond

            At 0.25 miles, the trail crosses a wooden bridge over Little Pond's main feeder stream.  Winding and minor undulations take you down the west side of the pond.  At 0.6 miles, you reach a trail intersection at the pond's dam.  We will eventually turn left to cross the dam, but first continue straight to climb a small hill and reach a wooden overlook platform.  This platform overlooks a narrow rocky gorge that sits downstream from Little Pond's dam, and you can also see Paint Creek Lake further downhill to the right from here.

Rocky gorge below pond dam

            A trail that connects to the park's bridle trail system continues past the platform, but this hike returns to Little Pond's dam and crosses the dam.  Curving right and climbing slightly brings you to a second overlook platform on the opposite side of the narrow gorge from the one you visited earlier.  A support pier suggests a bridge may have connected these two overlook platforms in the past.  Passing over a final hill returns you to the parking lot to complete the Little Pond Trail.

Start of Harmony Trail

            Your next task is to get to the start of the Harmony Trail, the other trail on this hike.  You can hike there by hiking the main park road southeast across Paint Creek Dam and then turning left to descend on another park road to the picnic area where the Harmony Trail begins.  Alternatively, you could drive to the picnic area parking lot on the park roads; the road distance is about 0.6 miles one way.

Paint Creek below the dam

            Walk through the picnic area but stay close to the creek to begin a clockwise journey around the Harmony Trail.  Some nice views across Paint Creek poke through the trees to the left, and the cliffs you see across the creek hint at the scenery that lays ahead.  The wide flat dirt trail stays close to the creek on the left.  Park maintenance personnel were blowing leaf litter off of the trail with lawn mowers when I hiked here.

Cliffs above Harmony Trail

            1.9 miles into the hike, the trail curves right as the scenic limestone cliffs appear on the left.  The cliffs grow taller and get closer to the trail as you continue north, and some interesting cracks in the cliffs become evident.  At 2.3 miles, you return to the picnic area and close the loop.  Retrace the road walk 0.6 miles to return to the Little Pond Trailhead and complete the hike.

Indian Creek MetroPark, Springfield Road Area: Trillium and Indian Mound Trails (Blog Hike #974)

Trails: Trillium and Indian Mound Trails
Hike Location: Indian Creek MetroPark, Springfield Road Area
Geographic Location: south of Oxford, OH (39.43897, -84.76891)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2023
Overview: A loop hike partly along Indian Creek passing an ancient burial mound.
Park Information: https://www.yourmetroparks.net/parks/indian-creek-metropark
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949507
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming May 10)

Directions to the trailhead: From Oxford, take SR 732 south to the community of Reily.  Where SR 732 turns left to continue south, continue straight on Springfield Road.  Turn right on the west side of Reily to remain on Springfield Rd., and drive Springfield Rd. less than 1 mile to the park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park and park in the only parking lot.

The hike: Flowing through a channel that winds from north to south, Indian Creek is one of the largest creeks in Butler County.  The creek rises near the Ohio/Indiana state line west of Oxford before flowing south through western Butler County.  Indian Creek empties its contents into the Great Miami River in southwest Butler County near Ross, which is the town I grew up in.

            Located in rural Reily Township in western Butler County just a few miles east of the Indiana state line, Indian Creek MetroPark consists of 5 disjoint areas near and along its namesake creek.  Each of the park's 5 areas provide points of interest that include Pioneer Church, a brick church building that dates to 1829, and historic Bunker Hill Cemetery.  For hikers, the park's only area to contain official trails is the Springfield Road Area featured here.  Two trails explore both the upland and creekside habitats, and this area also features a small ancient burial mound.  The hike described here uses both trails, and it gives you a tour of everything the Springfield Road Area has to offer.

Start of the Trillium Trail

            Pick up the Trillium Trail as it heads north from the parking lot.  Strategically placed wooden posts block vehicle access, and a simple wooden sign that says "Trillium Trail" marks this trailhead.  The initial segment of this hike follows an old park road that is now closed to vehicles.  Some old asphalt lies underfoot, and dense honeysuckle lines either side of the road.

Leaving the cul-de-sac

            Just past 0.2 miles, you reach the cul-de-sac at this road's end.  Angle gently left to begin descending on single track dirt trail.  Maple trees are the most common tree in this forest, and the fall leaves were near peak when I came here in mid-October.

Indian Creek

            After a moderate descent, you reach the first overlook of Indian Creek.  Although the creek was quite low when I came here, the large channel filled with rocks testifies to this creek's power after a good rain.  Next you top a low ridge and continue downstream to reach the first real point of interest: an old stone structure perched beside Indian Creek.  While I could not find any information about this specific structure, the structure is clearly not natural, and its size and creekside location suggest the remains of an old bridge.  Take some time to ponder what might have been here many years ago.

Stone structure along Indian Creek

            Past the stone structure, you climb a steep set of wooden stairs to reach an intersection with the Indian Mound Trail at 0.8 miles.  Turning right here would give a short-cut back to the parking lot, but this hike turns left to visit the ancient burial mound, which is reached in a small grassy clearing just shy of 1 mile into the hike.  The oblong mound is only a couple of feet high today, but it is fun to imagine what this area might have looked like several hundred years ago.

Ancient burial mound

Hiking through the pine planting

            Next the trail curves right to begin the final segment of this hike.  Soon you pass a small pond and enter a white pine planting, as indicated by the perfect row and column configuration of the trees here.  Judging from the size of the trees, this pine planting is probably 80-90 years old.  At the north side of the pine planting, the trail comes out at the parking lot, thus completing the hike.

Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge: Turkey and Bird Trails (Blog Hike #973)

Trails: Turkey and Bird Trails
Hike Location: Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge
Geographic Location: east of Seymour, IN (38.93987, -85.80098)
Length: 1.6 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: October 2023
Overview: A lollipop loop passing several wetlands with good bird-viewing opportunities.
Refuge Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/muscatatuck
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949428
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming September 13)

Directions to the trailhead: In southern Indiana, take I-65 to US 50 (exit 50A).  Exit and go east on US 50.  Drive US 50 east 2.6 miles to the signed refuge entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the refuge.  Drive the main refuge road 2 miles, turn right, then turn right again to enter the parking lot that serves the Turkey and Bird Trails.  Park here.

The hike: My October 2023 visit to Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge was my second visit to this collection of wetlands.  On a cold day in January 2002, I drove out here from my home near Cincinnati and did a 5+ mile hike on the refuge's East River and West River Trails.  I had a very wet and muddy hike that day, and those trails were later closed to better protect the Muscatatuck River's floodplain.  More than 21 years later, I drove out here again from my hotel in Cincinnati, and I had a damp but shorter and much more pleasant hike.

            Established in 1966, Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge protects 7880 acres of wetlands and woodlands along its namesake river.  The refuge's main purpose is to provide habitat for waterfowl and other birds, and wildlife watching is one of the main activities at this refuge.  The refuge also protects some historical points of interest: a log cabin and 2 pioneer cemeteries exist on its grounds.

            Like most national wildlife refuges, Muscatatuck offers a 4 mile tour for automobiles but only short trails for hikers.  Most of the refuge's trails explore the wetlands, and all of its trails are less than 1 mile in length.  This hike combines 2 of the refuge's longer trails to form its longest possible hike without doing a road walk.  Also, this hike explores both the woodlands and wetlands at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, and it allows you to do some good wildlife viewing in both of those habitats.

Start of Turkey Trail

            Start on the Turkey Trail as it heads into the woods at the rear of the parking area.  Two interpretive signs, one large and one small, stand at this trailhead.  Trails at Muscatatuck are unblazed, and these trails were narrow but obvious on my visit.  After only a few hundred feet, the Turkey Trail splits to form its loop.  To save the best wetland for last, I chose to angle left here and use the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

Hiking through the woods

            The winding trail heads the general direction of north through a dense forest that contains a large number of beech trees.  A few large oak trees also live in this forest.  The terrain is very flat with only minor ups and downs.  Some short spur trails head left to a wet grassy meadow.  The meadow should be a good area for wildlife viewing, but I saw no wildlife when I came here on a late Friday afternoon.

Grassy wet meadow

            Just past 0.5 miles, you reach the start of the Bird Trail.  Angle left to leave the Turkey Trail and begin the Bird Trail, which forms a loop through similar forest and terrain.  True to its name, I heard and saw many common birds while hiking this trail including blackbirds, robins, blue jays, and mourning doves.

Algae-covered pond

            At 1.15 miles, you reach the east end of the Bird Trail where it rejoins the Turkey Trail.  Angle left to continue your clockwise journey around the Turkey Trail.  Soon you reach the best wetland on this hike: an algae-covered expanse of open water.  I saw a blue heron here, and this pond is the best spot for waterfowl viewing on this hike.  Continuing a little further south closes the Turkey Trail's loop, where angling left brings you back to the trailhead to complete the hike.  If you want to do more hiking, the refuge has several other short trails that beckon your exploration, or Muscatatuck County Park in nearby North Vernon has many miles of trails through rolling terrain.

Fort Custer Recreation Area: Blue Trail (Blog Hike #972)

Trail: Blue Trail
Hike Location: Fort Custer Recreation Area
Geographic Location: between Battle Creek, MI and Kalamazoo, MI (42.31123, -85.36183)
Length: 3.4 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2023
Overview: A loop hike around Whitford & Lawler and Jackson Hole Lakes.
Park Information: https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/details.aspx?id=448&type=SPRK
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949309
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming July 19)

Directions to the trailhead: Between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, take I-94 to 40th Street (exit 88).  Exit, go north on 40th St., then almost immediately turn left on Michigan Avenue.  Drive Michigan Ave. west 1.6 miles to McCollum Street and turn right on McCollum St.  When McCollum St. ends in 0.5 miles, turn right on SR 96.  Drive SR 96 east 4.7 miles to the park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, then turn right at the first intersection past the gatehouse.  Drive this road to its end at the parking lot for Whitford & Lawler Lake, where this hike begins.

The hike: The name Fort Custer Recreation Area correctly implies that this land has military history, but in fact there has never been a fort here.  The federal government acquired the land in 1917, and the United States military operated several induction and training centers here over the next several decades.  Known as Camp Custer, over 100,000 troops trained here during World War I, the Officer Reserve Corps and Civilian Conservation Corps trained here in the 1920's and 1930's, more than 300,000 troops trained here during World War II, and Navy Reserves and Marine Corps Reserves trained here during the Cold War.  The name was officially changed to Fort Custer in 1940, and in 1968 the facility was turned over to the State of Michigan.

            The eastern part of the former Fort Custer is still used by the Michigan National Guard and other branches of the armed forces, but the western 3033 acres were developed into a park called Fort Custer Recreation Area.  The Michigan Department of Natural Resources acquired the land in 1971, and today it offers many fine amenities.  On point, the park offers a 219-site developed campground, fishing on several lakes and the Kalamazoo River, and more than 40 miles of trails including bridle and mountain bike trails.  The hike described here follows the Blue Trail around two of the park's larger lakes, thus providing a good overview of the scenery this park has to offer.

Whitford Lake Trailhead

            This hike forms a true loop, so you can go either direction from the parking lot for Whitford & Lawler Lake.  This description starts at the right (south) side of the parking lot, which is marked by post B1.  As in most Michigan state parks, major intersections in this trail system are marked by numbered posts; this hike passes posts B1 through B10 in increasing order.  A sign that says "Whitford Lake Hiking Trail" and an information board that contains a trail map stand near post B1.  The B in the post numbers stands for "Blue" from the Blue Trail.

Hiking along the prairie edge

            The trail heads southeast along the edge of a tallgrass prairie with Whitford & Lawler Lake out of sight through the trees to the left.  Black walnut and oak trees are the most common trees in this lakeside forest.  After 0.6 miles of very flat hiking, you reach an old concrete silo, a remnant of this land's agricultural days before it was a military center or a park.

Old concrete silo

            Next the trail climbs to top a low and broad ridge before descending to cross the main feeder stream for Whitford & Lawler Lake.  At 1.5 miles, you reach a primitive cabin.  This cabin sits near the east end of Whitford & Lawler Lake, and while I have read that excellent sunset views can be had from behind this cabin, I did not wait around to confirm that fact when I came here on a chilly Wednesday morning.  Continue straight at posts B3 and B4, which are passed in quick order.  Some dying red cedars live in this area, and honeysuckle seems to grow everywhere.

Water source for primitive cabin

            1.7 miles into the hike, you reach post B5, where you need to make a decision.  The trail going left goes between Whitford & Lawler and Jackson Hole Lakes, and it provides a short-cut back to the parking area.  To also go around Jackson Hole Lake, angle right to top another low ridge.  Next the trail descends to cross the main feeder stream for Jackson Hole Lake near post B6.  A balance beam type bridge will get you across the creek with dry feet if water levels are normal.

Crossing a feeder stream

            At the next couple of unmarked intersections, angle left where spur trails exit right and head for the equestrian trailhead.  Now on the north side of Jackson Hole Lake, continue straight at posts B7 and B8 where spur trails exit right to reach the main campground.  A couple of spur trails go left to the shore of Jackson Hole Lake, but better lake views lie ahead.

Canada geese

Jackson Hole Lake

            At 2.8 miles, you reach an open grassy area with spectacular views across Jackson Hole Lake.  I saw some Canada geese and other birds here, and benches encourage you to sit, rest, and do some bird watching.  When you reach post B9, turn left to head for a small parking area, which is an alternate starting point for this hike.  The short-cut trail you passed earlier comes into this parking area from the left, so you want to angle right at post B10 to begin the final segment of this hike.  A little more hiking along the lake returns you to the main parking area to complete the hike.

Warren Dunes State Park: Dunes/Beach Loop (Blog Hike #971)

Trails: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Warren Dunes State Park
Geographic Location: south of Bridgman, MI (41.90786, -86.60391)
Length: 4.3 miles
Difficulty: 8/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: October 2023
Overview: A loop hike over sand dunes and along a Lake Michigan beach.
Park Information: https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?type=SPRK&id=504
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949172
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming August 16)

Directions to the trailhead: In southwest Michigan, take I-94 to Red Arrow Highway (exit 16).  Exit and go south on Red Arrow Highway.  Drive Red Arrow Highway south 2.3 miles to the state park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and drive the main park road to the large beach parking lots at its end.  The hike starts at the far right (inland) side of the last (northern-most) beach parking lot.

The hike: Established as a state park in 1930, fantastic Warren Dunes State Park protects 1952 acres of sand dunes and adjacent land along Lake Michigan.  The park is named for local businessman Edward K. Warren, who purchased the land in 1879.  Warren later established his namesake foundation that developed and managed the dunes before they were a state park.

            Today Warren Dunes anchors the southwest corner of Michigan's vast state park system, and it is actually closer to Chicago than Detroit or Lansing.  The park is one of Michigan's most popular state parks with over 1 million visitors each year.  Many of those visitors come here in the summer to access the park's Lake Michigan beach, so try to plan a spring or fall weekday visit to avoid the crowds but still get decent weather for hiking.  I found the park nearly deserted when I came here on a chilly and breezy Monday in mid-October.

            In terms of amenities, the park has a huge 222-site developed campground, a large swimming beach on Lake Michigan, several picnic areas, and 6 miles of hiking trails.  The route described here forms a loop through the main dune area.  Note that the difficulty of this hike is much higher than you would expect for a hike of this length and 200 feet of elevation gain: the soft sand that forms most of this hike's treadway makes for tricky footing and slow going.

Heading east from the beach parking area

           3 trails start from the northern-most beach parking lot.  One trail heads down to the beach; it will be our return route.  Another trail starts north into the woods before angling right to climb Mount Randall; that trail is not used on this hike.  You want to start on the trail that heads due east, climbing through soft sand with Lake Michigan at your back.  Trails at this park are unmarked, but major intersections are identified by numbered posts.  Starting this direction provides the most direct route to post #2, and it gets the hardest climb of the hike over with first.

Climbing through soft sand

          The trail climbs steeply through bare soft sand.  The wall of sand in front of you might occupy most of your attention (and your breath), but be sure to take an occasional peek over your shoulder: the views across Lake Michigan behind you get better as you climb.  At 0.6 miles, you reach a saddle between Mount Randall on your left and Tower Hill on your right.  Continue straight to descend even more steeply than you climbed.

Looking back at Lake Michigan

            0.9 miles into the hike, you reach post #2, which marks a trail intersection near a picnic shelter and a parking lot.  A Michigan historical marker to Edward K. Warren, this park's namesake, also stands here.  To continue this hike, turn left to begin heading north on the interior side of the dunes.

Post #2

            At post #3, angle right where the trail that climbs Mount Randall goes left.  For the next mile the wide dirt trail heads north through a flat wetland area with the sand dunes through the trees on your left and Painterville Creek on your right.  Dense lowland forest grows here, and some wet areas will need to be negotiated if it has rained recently.  I saw 3 deer while hiking this section of trail, and what this part of the hike lacks in scenery it more than makes up for in ease.

Hiking along the wetland

            Just shy of 2 miles, you reach post #4 and another trail intersection.  Turn left to begin climbing on a moderate grade.  Although this area is in the sand dunes, the sand is stable enough to support a dense forest, and the footing is better than the soft sand you climbed up before.  Pass posts #5 and #7 in quick fashion, continuing straight both times.

Interior side of dunes

            The trail gets narrower as you climb through the heavily forested dunes, but avoid steep side trails that exit right or left.  At 2.4 miles, you exit the forest as you reach the top of the dunes.  This point gives a fantastic view down to Lake Michigan, and it provides that one-shining-moment feel that you typically only get when entering the beach area of an oceanside hike.

Looking down to Lake Michigan

            Now back on soft sand, the trail descends steeply and curves right to reach a trail intersection at post #14.  Turn left to continue heading for Lake Michigan.  Topping one final dune deposits you on Lake Michigan's beach.  Turn left to begin hiking south along the beach with Lake Michigan on your right.

Hiking along Lake Michigan

            The final segment of this hike is a beach walk that will take you back to the beach parking area.  Strong winds buffeted me on my visit even as several sea gulls seemed to enjoy them.  The lake-level beach is completely flat, but soft sand again makes for slow going and tricky footing.  At 3.9 miles, when the parking lots and beach structures come into view, angle left to climb slightly away from the beach, return to the parking lot, and complete the hike