Warren Woods State Park (Blog Hike #1026)

Trails: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Warren Woods State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of New Buffalo, MI (41.83450, -86.62438)
Length: 1 mile
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: September 2024
Overview: A short lollipop loop past large trees of many kinds.
Park Information: https://www.michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/WarrenWoods
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=972525
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: In extreme southwest Michigan, take I-94 to Union Pier Road (exit 6).  Exit and go east on Union Pier Rd.  Union Pier Rd. becomes Elm Valley Road after the first intersection.  Drive east a total of 2.7 miles from I-94 to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park and drive the narrow dirt road to the parking cul de sac at its end.  Park here.

The hike: Like the nearby much larger Warren Dunes State Park, Warren Woods State Park sits on land once owned by Edward Kirk Warren, a local industrialist and inventor.  The park consists of 311 acres that contain one of the last virgin beech/maple forests in Michigan.  The land is leased to the State of Michigan by private owners for use as a park; the park was established in 1949.

            While the woods lack the scenery of Lake Michigan's sand dunes at Warren Dunes State Park, they are nice woods that offer lots of serenity and solitude: I passed only 1 other person when I came here on a nice afternoon in mid September.  The park has no amenities other than a short trail system and a picnic table.  The hike described here forms a lollipop loop through the center of the park's best woods.

Trailhead area

            From the parking lot, walk through the wooden posts that are designed to block vehicle access and head north on the single track dirt trail.  Trails at Warren Woods State Park are unmarked, but the path was wide and obvious on my visit.  Immediately this park's appeal becomes obvious: you are surrounded by mature forest with large oak, silver maple, and beech trees.  Forests this old are rare in the eastern United States, so take your time as you hike to enjoy the surroundings.

Bridge over Galien River

            At 0.2 miles, you reach a wide area with benches and interpretive signs.  Continue straight to descend some wooden steps and cross the Galien River on a wooden bridge.  The Galien River looks like a large creek at this point.  The river follows a winding course with slow flow as it heads southwest toward Lake Michigan, which it empties into at nearby New Buffalo, MI.

Galien River

            After crossing the river, you reach the trail intersection that forms the trail system's main loop.  I chose to angle left and use the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.  The trail undulates gently through an area with slightly higher elevation as you pass some of the largest beech trees in this forest.  Thus, the spectacular woodland scenery continues.

Hiking through mature beech woods

Hiking along the Galien River

            0.4 miles into the hike, you reach another trail intersection just as the Galien River comes back into view on the right.  The trail going straight leads to another parking lot in the north end of the park, so you want to turn right to continue the loop and begin hiking south with the river to your left.  The riverside area contains more large trees, and some landslide areas can be seen across the river.  At 0.8 miles, you close the loop.  Turn left to re-cross the river and hike back out the entrance trail, thus returning to the trailhead and completing the hike.

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://www.michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/FortCuster
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949309
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

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://www.michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/WarrenDunes
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949172
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

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

Yankee Springs Recreation Area: Hall Lake Trail and Devil's Soup Bowl (Blog Hike #970)

Trails: Hall Lake Trail and spur trails
Hike Location: Yankee Springs Recreation Area
Geographic Location: west of Hastings, MI (42.61306, -85.49046)
Length: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2023
Overview: A semiloop featuring Hall Lake and 2 overgrown overlooks.
Park Information: https://www.michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/YankeeSprings
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949092
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: Between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, take US 131 to SR 179 (exit 61).  Exit and go east on SR 179.  Drive SR 179 east 7.6 miles to Briggs Road and turn right on Briggs Rd.  Briggs Rd. becomes Gun Lake Road in 1 mile.  Drive a total of 2.2 miles from SR 179 to the entrance for the Long Lake Outdoor Center on your left.  Turn left, then immediately park in the dirt parking lot for the Hall Lake Trailhead on either side of the road.

The hike: Located between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids in southwest Michigan, Yankee Springs Recreation Area consists of 5200 acres of reverting farmland.  Most of this land was opened up to homesteading in the 1830's, and 100 years of farming depleted the soil and left much erosion.  In the 1930's, the federal government bought the land, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked here to reforest the worn out farm fields and build park infrastructure such as roads and trails.  The land was turned over to the State of Michigan in 1943 and added to its state park system.

            The area today features many amenities including a 200-site developed campground, 120 primitive campsites, fishing, boating, and swimming on 2680-acre Gun Lake, bridle trails, mountain bike trails, and 30 miles of trails open to hiking.  The route described here takes you to Hall Lake, one of the park's many scenic lakes, and tours some of the park's most famous geological sites, thus allowing you to sample the best scenery this park has to offer.

Start of Hall Lake Trail

            From the trailhead parking area, start on the trail that goes east directly away from the park entrance road.  A sign states "Hall Lake Foot Trail, Foot Traffic Only."  Marked with red blazes, the Hall Lake Trail is a wide single-track sandy dirt trail; it forms a loop that you are hiking counterclockwise when going this direction.  This part of the forest is dominated by young maple trees, and this part of the hike was very pleasant when I came here on a damp and chilly Sunday afternoon in mid-October.

Trail intersection near Hall Lake

            After descending imperceptibly for 0.4 miles, you reach the shore of Hall Lake and a trail intersection.  The North Country Trail, a 4800 mile backpacking trail that stretches from Vermont to North Dakota, enters from the right here.  To continue the Hall Lake Trail, turn left to start hiking north with Hall Lake on your right.  Whereas maple trees dominated the higher forest, pine trees dominate the area near the lake.  Some nice views of the lake emerge.  The red blazes of the Hall Lake Trail and the powder blue blazes of the North Country Trail run conjointly here.

Hall Lake

            Where the North Country Trail exits left, angle right to stay on the Hall Lake Trail.  At 0.6 miles, the trail curves north to exit the lake area and begin the hardest climb of this hike.  The elevation gain on this hike is only about 200 feet, so the moderate climb is over rather quickly.  Just shy of 1 mile, you reach another trail intersection.  The Hall Lake Trail turns left here, and we will go that way eventually.  To also see some of this park's geological points of interest, continue straight to begin hiking an unblazed connector trail.

Graves Hill "overlook"

            Only a few feet later, angle left to hike the short spur trail to the Graves Hill Overlook.  While there is a hill and an unusual-shaped rock up here, this "overlook" is completely overgrown and offers absolutely no view.  Back on the connector trail, continue north, following signs for Devil's Soup Bowl.  The connector trail descends slightly, passes a jeep trail parking lot, and climbs slightly through steeper terrain than you have encountered thus far.

Devil's Soup Bowl Overlook

            At 1.25 miles, you reach the Devil's Soup Bowl overlook.  Like the previous overlook, there is not much of an "overlook" here, but you are standing on the rim of Devil's Soup Bowl.  Devil's Soup Bowl is a steep-sided depression that is almost 100 feet deep; no creeks flow into or out of the depression.  A wild trail going left leads steeply to the bottom of the depression, and the Deep Lake Trail heads right to its namesake lake.

Peering into Devil's Soup Bowl

            After viewing Devil's Soup Bowl, retrace your steps back to the Hall Lake Trail and turn right to begin the final segment of this hike.  The trail descends moderately as dirt Graves Hill Road comes in view on the right.  Ignore trails that exit first left and then right, and stay on the red-blazed Hall Lake Trail.  After passing a wetland area, you cross one final low ridge before closing the loop.  A right turn quickly returns you to the parking area to complete the hike.

Walter J. Hayes State Park: Red Trail (Blog Hike #911)

Trail: Red Trail
Hike Location: Walter J. Hayes State Park
Geographic Location: east of Brooklyn, MI (42.06846, -84.13196)
Length: 0.9 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: October 2022
Overview: A short campground loop through kettle and kame topography.
Park Information: https://www.michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/hayes
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=924146
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From the junction of SR 50 and US 12 in Brooklyn, take US 12 east 4.3 miles to SR 124 and turn left on SR 124.  Drive SR 124 north 0.7 miles to the park's campground entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the campground, pay the entrance fee, and drive the main campground road 0.4 miles to the paved canoe launch parking lot on Round Lake.  Park here.

The hike: Located in the heart of the Irish Hills, a scenic area with low hills in southern Michigan, Walter J. Hayes State Park protects 694 acres beside two lakes: Wamplers Lake and Round Lake.  The park came to be in 1920 when the State of Michigan purchased 99 acres to go with two other land donations.  The park was originally named Cedar Hills State Park and/or Adrian State Park due to its proximity to the city of Adrian, but in 1930 Michigan State Senator Walter J. Hayes made an additional land donation.  That donation came with the stipulation that the park's name be changed to what it is today.

            From 1933 until 1935 the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked here, making improvements to the park.  The park offers several amenities, including fishing and boating on the two lakes, a swimming beach on Wamplers Lake, some picnic areas, a 185-site developed campground, and 2 cabins.  For hikers, the park offers 2 short trails around the campground: the 1 mile Red Trail and the 0.5 mile Blue Trail.  The longer of those two options is described here.

Start of Red Trail at canoe launch

            You can start the Red Trail either at the campground or at the canoe launch.  Because I did not have a camping reservation, I chose to start at the canoe launch.  Marked by small red arrows attached to wooden posts, the Red Trail heads into the woods with Round Lake to your left.  The forest here features some large maple trees, and after only a couple hundred feet you reach the best view of Round Lake on this hike.

Round Lake

            Past the lake view, the trail climbs a 40-foot bluff and curves right to start heading south.  At 0.3 miles, you dip to cross the park road that connects the two main camping areas.  The wide mowed-grass trail undulates slightly with a tiny kettle lake downhill to your left and a kame uphill to your right.  Both kettle lakes and kames were formed by retreating glaciers.  Kettle lakes formed in depressions created by blocks of ice that got buried under sediment before melting, and kames formed where melting glaciers piled up dirt and gravel.

Hiking between kettle and kame

            Just past 0.4 miles, the Blue Trail enters from the left.  Turn right as the combined Red/Blue Trail maintains a fairly level course with another tiny kettle lake to the left and the same kame to your right.  Near 0.6 miles, the Red and Blue Trails part ways.  If you wanted to extend your hike, you could turn left and add on the Blue Trail.  As directed by the colored arrows, I turned right to continue the Red Trail.

Approaching the campground

            After only a couple hundred more feet, the Red Trail ends at the campground between sites #64 and #66.  To get back to the canoe launch, turn right on the campground road, walk around the restroom building, and ignore the loop for sites #80-96 on the right.  Continuing to walk north will bring you to site #1 and the main park road, where a left turn will take you downhill to the canoe launch to complete the hike.

Lake Hudson Recreation Area (Blog Hike #910)

Trail: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Lake Hudson Recreation Area 
Geographic Location: east of Hudson, MI (41.83756, -84.24577)
Length: 3 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2022
Overview: A mostly flat out-and-back near the shore of Lake Hudson.
Park Information: https://www.michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/LakeHudson
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=924145
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Hudson, take SR 34 east 6.5 miles to SR 156 and turn right on SR 156.  Drive SR 156 south 1.5 miles to the signed recreation area entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the area, pay the entrance fee, and then turn right at the first side road to head for the picnic pavilion.  Park in the paved lot for the pavilion.

The hike: Established only in 1979, Lake Hudson Recreation Area protects 2796 acres around its namesake lake.  Lake Hudson is unusual because it actually comprises three smaller lakes that were unified by the construction of Lake Hudson's dam.  The lake is only 24 feet deep, but it offers excellent fishing, especially for walleye and muskellunge.  Also, in 1993 the lake was named a dark sky preserve for observation of the nighttime sky.

            The recreation area is only open April through November, and its limited amenities include a 50-site campground, a single boat launch, and a picnic area.  Hikers have only one option: the 1.5 mile out-and-back trail connecting the picnic area, boat launch, and campground.  Such is the trail described here.

Trailhead near picnic pavilion

            The trail starts at the back left (southwest) corner of the mowed-grass area around the picnic pavilion.  A small brown sign gives distances to several points along this trail, although these distances were not particularly accurate according to my calculations.  The trail heads into a shrubby meadow area that demonstrates how young this park is.  I heard a lot of birds in the bushes, but the density of the understory prevented me from seeing many.  I did step over a large number of crickets hopping in front of me on this trail.

Hiking through the beach area

            At 0.5 miles, you enter the park's beach area.  I was the only person at this beach on the chilly Friday morning that I hiked here, but the beach gave me my first broad Lake Hudson view.  Some picnic tables offer an opportunity to sit, observe the lake, and see what you can see.  I managed to see a pair of swans swimming in the lake.

Swans in Lake Hudson

            Past the beach area, the trail reenters the young shrubby forest that now features a few larger trees.  Just shy of 1 mile, you reach the park's boat launch.  Unlike the vacant beach area, there were several people launching boats on Lake Hudson when I hiked through here.  Stay to the left of the parking area, pass a vault toilet, and angle left to again reenter the lakeside woods.

Lake Hudson's dam

Hiking through mature oak forest

            The last segment of trail from the boat launch to the campground is my favorite part of this hike.  Not only do nice lake views emerge, but also the trail passes through the park's most mature forest, which features some large oak trees.  After crossing the dam that forms Lake Hudson, the trail ends at the campground.  Walking back along the park road is both longer and less scenic than the trail, so your best option is to retrace your steps along the trail to the picnic pavilion to complete the hike.

William C. Sterling State Park (Blog Hike #659)

Trail: (unnamed)

Hike Location: William C. Sterling State Park

Geographic Location: east of Monroe, MI (41.91112, -83.33872)

Length: 3.1 miles

Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: August 2017

Overview: A lollipop loop on asphalt trail around several lotus-filled lagoons.

Park Information: https://www.michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/Sterling

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=639229
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: South of Detroit, take I-75 to North Dixie Highway (exit 15).  Exit and go east on North Dixie Highway.  Drive North Dixie Highway 0.9 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the park entrance fee, and drive the main park road 1.7 miles to the small trailhead parking area on the right.  The trailhead parking area sits opposite the large beach parking area on the left.

The hike: Established in 1920, William C. Sterling State Park’s 1300 lakefront acres comprise one of Michigan’s oldest state parks.  The park was established to preserve one of the few remaining undeveloped stretches of Lake Erie shoreline, and it remains Michigan’s only state park on Lake Erie.  The park features a 256-site modern campground as its main amenity, though its lake access for swimmers and boaters comes in a close second.

The area has a history of environmental contamination: swimming in Lake Erie was illegal for many years due to water pollution from Detroit’s heavy industry.  During the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, several multi-million dollar renovation and environmental clean-up projects removed toxic sediment and improved the lake’s water quality.  Today swimming is once again allowed at the park’s beach, although the water is still checked for toxins constantly.

            As part of the renovation, in 2003 a system of asphalt paths was constructed through a lagoon-filled area that had been closed for years due to contamination.  Also open to bicycles, the paved trails do not make for compelling hiking except in late July and early August.  At that time of year, the large lotus colonies that live in the lagoons bloom, thus transforming the lagoons into a sea of yellow flowers.  The area does offer good wildlife and waterfowl viewing year round.  I came here on a seasonally cool Sunday morning in early August and had a nice hike even with a decent amount of trail traffic.

Trailhead at parking area

            The asphalt trail departs from the signed trailhead at the far (west) end of the parking area.  After crossing the asphalt campground bike trail, you cross an iron bridge with wooden deck over a narrow spot in a lagoon.  Across the lagoon to the left stands an ugly coal-fired DTE Energy plant.  One of the major sources of the environmental contamination of yesteryear described in the introduction, this plant reminds you that this area still hosts heavy industry today.

            After crossing the bridge, at 0.15 miles the asphalt trail splits to form its loop.  We will eventually turn left to hike the loop clockwise, but first take a brief detour straight ahead to visit Lotus Pavilion and get your first view of the lotus colony.  The pavilion features some benches and some interpretive signs that talk about the flora and fauna that live in and near these lagoons.

Lotus-filled lagoon

            The trail heads southwest atop a dike that separates two of the lagoons.  Because the trail follows these dikes for its entire distance, the terrain is almost dead flat.  Other nice flowers such as Queen Anne’s lace add to the scenery in season, and I also saw a muskrat swimming in the lagoon.  A high voltage power line draped across the lagoon’s southern end keeps the industrial aura persistent.

            As you approach the park’s southern boundary, the trail curves 90 degrees right to begin heading northwest.  1 mile into the hike, you reach a metal observation platform that stands about 18 feet above the lagoon.  24 steps lead to the top of the platform, but the platform’s location directly under the high voltage power line makes it a rather uninviting spot for wildlife viewing.

Observation platform

            At 1.25 miles, you reach the park’s southwestern corner where the asphalt trail splits.  The trail going straight leads out of the park to the River Raisin National Battlefield, so you want to turn right to continue the main loop.  Many large basswood trees live along the lagoon here, and several benches make nice places to sit and rest near the midpoint of this hike.

            For the next 0.7 miles the trail traces a zig-zag path along the park’s western boundary.  A golf course lies beyond a ditch to your left, and the lotus colony appears again on your right before you reach an area filled with sedges.  This area’s shallow water and relative seclusion make for good waterfowl viewing.  My bird count included an egret, several swans and 2 swan nests, and numerous kinds of ducks.

An egret and ducks

            Just past 2.5 miles, the asphalt trail splits again, now at its northeast corner.  The trail going left leads to an alternate trailhead that is popular with anglers, so you want to turn right.  More straight, level walking on asphalt path closes the loop.  Turn left to return to the trailhead parking area.

Parker Mill County Park: Hoyt G. Post Trail (Blog Hike #658)

Trail: Hoyt G. Post Trail

Hike Location: Parker Mill County Park

Geographic Location: east of Ann Arbor, MI (42.27395, -83.66825)

Length: 1.8 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: August 2017

Overview: A semi-loop mostly on boardwalk through alluvial forest.

Park Information: https://www.washtenaw.org/602/Parker-Mill-County-Park

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=639228
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Near Ann Arbor, take US 23 to Geddes Road (exit 39).  Exit and go east on Geddes Rd.  Drive Geddes Rd. east less than 0.3 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, and park in the only parking area.

The hike: Owned and maintained by Washtenaw County, tiny Parker Mill County Park comprises 45 acres along Fleming Creek and the Huron River.  The park is named for a pair of mills William Parker and his family operated for nearly 90 years.  The grist mill and cider mill date to 1873 and 1887, respectively, and both structures stand near the trailhead for this hike.  The grist mill is still operable, while the cider mill has been converted into a small museum.  Grist mill tours and demonstrations are held on select Sundays in September and October.

            In terms of trails, the park’s best offering is the 1.2 mile Hoyt G. Post Trail, a boardwalk through the floodplain forest along Fleming Creek and the Huron River.  Because the Hoyt G. Post Trail has no direct trailhead access, you will need to hike part of the park’s asphalt bike trail in order to reach the boardwalk.  The bike trail also connects with the City of Ann Arbor’s Gallup Park and the Huron River Greenway Border-to-Border Trail, so it sees plenty of traffic.  While bike trails do not make for the best hiking, the segment on the bike trail is short, and the boardwalk you eventually reach offers a very pleasant and interesting hike.

Starting the asphalt bike trail

            Pick up the asphalt trail that leaves the northeast corner of the parking lot.  The only noticeable elevation change on this hike comes at the very beginning as the asphalt bike path drops about 20 feet to enter Fleming Creek’s floodplain.  The historic grist mill and cider mill stand to your right here, but you have to admire the plain wood and stone structures from the outside unless you can time your visit to coincide with one of the grist mill tours.

Grist mill and cider mill

            The asphalt bike path curves right to begin heading downstream along Fleming Creek.  Ignore the asphalt trail that exits left and heads under Geddes Road for Concordia College.  Next you pass the restored Parkers’ log cabin on the right.  The cabin was built in the 1870’s, and it is fun to imagine what it would have been like living in this cabin and operating the mills.

Parkers' log cabin

            At only 0.1 miles, the gravel Sugarbush Trail exits left to cross Fleming Creek on an iron bridge with a wooden deck.  The Sugarbush Trail forms a completely flat and very short 0.2 mile loop, so you may as well tack it on so that you can say you hiked every trail at Parker Mill County Park.  After completing the loop, keep heading down the asphalt trail to reach the signed start of the Hoyt G. Post Trail on the left.  Turn left to leave the asphalt and begin the wooden hiker-only boardwalk.

            Immediately you walk through a stile designed to keep bikes off of the boardwalk and pass a meeting area that features numerous interpretive signs.  Several short spur trails lead to Fleming Creek, which flows to your left.  Many large oak trees grow in this area.

Passing under the railroad

            0.75 miles into the hike, an active rail line crosses above you via a nice stone and concrete bridge.  The boardwalk is built directly over Fleming Creek here as they both pass under the low and narrow bridge.  A couple hundred feet later, the boardwalk splits to form its loop.  For no particular reason, I chose to turn right and use the left boardwalk as a return route, thus hiking the loop counterclockwise.

            Almost immediately you reach the first to two spur boardwalks that exit right.  The first spur takes you to a peat dome.  An interpretive sign tells you that peat domes form when underground springs swell a peat deposit with water.  The sign also warns of the 17 foot deep mud that lies just off of the boardwalk here.

Confluence of Fleming Creek and Huron River

            Following the main loop a little further brings you to the second spur boardwalk.  This boardwalk leads to an overlook of Fleming Creek’s confluence with the Huron River where good waterfowl viewing can be had.  Continue following the main loop as it takes you through more nice floodplain forest.  At 1.2 miles, you close the loop.  Turn right to head back to the asphalt path, and then turn right again to retrace your steps past the historic mills to the parking lot and complete the hike.