Every Saturday in May the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will hold a ranger-led, educational walk in the Lakeshore. Meet at the Visitor Center in Empire on Saturdays at 1 PM. Here are the topics:
May 10 - The World of Frogs - What would spring be without the sound of frogs? Why are they singing and why are they disappearing all around the world? What might they be trying to tell us? Learn to identify several local varieties by sight and sound. This is a great outdoor adventure for the whole family.
May 17 - Hike to a Beaver Lodge - Look for one of the few animals that dramatically engineers their environment and has played a major role in this region’s history. See a dam, lodge, canals, and tunnels while learning more about beavers and their logging operations.
May 24 - A Flurry of Wild Flowers - Few places on earth have an abundance of wildflowers as the hardwood forest of Northwest Michigan in the spring. Join a ranger to marvel at this annual display of native plants as you hike through one of the best wildflower habitats in the region.
May 31 - Returning Birds - Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day by joining a ranger to welcome back several species of migratory birds. Learn about their winter adventures in far off lands and the distances they travel in between. This is a great opportunity for beginning birders. Binoculars provided.
Photo: Spring Beauties by Jim Sorbie (click over to get it desktop background size!)
Over on our Absolute Michigan web site, we're featuring Leelanau's own National Lakeshore in Dig Michigan: Sleeping Bear Dunes. It begins:
The October 21, 1970 Act of Congress that established the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore declared that "...the Congress finds that certain outstanding natural features, including forests, beaches, dune formations, and ancient glacial phenomena, exist along the mainland shore of Lake Michigan and on certain nearby islands in Benzie and Leelanau Counties, Michigan, and that such features ought to be preserved in their natural setting and protected from developments and uses which would destroy the scenic beauty and natural character of the area."
Before it's all over, you will have hopefully enjoyed the photos, maps and links and checked out 5 "must-do" ways to experience the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. (I'm hoping folks who know and love the Dunes can add many more tips for visitors!)
Check it out - I'm really happy with how it came out!
Photo: canyon of trees by metrolens
The Leelanau County Cherry Blossom Tour has been scheduled for Saturday, May 10 from 11 AM - 2 PM. The Tour is sponsored by the Leelanau Conservation District, Leelanau Conservancy and the Leelanau Enterprise, with several other organizations presenting a tour of orchards with a leisurely FREE bus ride for folks of all ages (wheelchair lifts are on every bus as well!).
The event will start and end at the Connie Binsfeld Building in Lake Leelanau and features a free ride on busses provided by the Bay Area Transportation Authority. Tour takers can stay on a bus throughout its journey or get off at preplanned stops and catch the next one! There will also be a free lunch with cherry brats from Pleva’s Market in Cedar and those famous Cherry Republic Boomchunka cookies. Highlighted on the tour will be the views offered from a vantage point at St. Wenceslaus Church and the Gregory family's Cherry Bay Orchard.
Years ago, a Blossom Tour was offered annually by agricultural leaders in Leelanau County at about the same time the "Blessing of the Blossoms" ceremony was celebrated in Grand Traverse County. While the blessing event remains today, the blossom tour has long been discontinued — until this year.
Contact the Leelanau Conservancy at 231 256-9665 for further information or to volunteer and get more information from Cherry Blossom Tour web page from the Leelanau Enterprise.
Photo: Spring Will Come by Andy McFarlane (check out this Cherry Blossom Slideshow too!)
The photo is Daffodils II, and I'd like to wish everyone out there a happy Earth Day (and tell you that the daffodils came out yesterday!).
Come to the parade in TC Saturday too!
The Record-Eagle (and today's Enterprise) report that Brad Lutz, who signed a purchase agreement for the resort in February, announced Tuesday he won't close because he hasn't finished his review of the deal.
"We're still very interested in Sugar Loaf. We've done a lot of work out there and we still have a good plan for the property," Lutz said. "But we couldn't accomplish in 90 days what others haven't been able to accomplish in eight years."
...Lutz declined to discuss his plans in detail, but said he wanted to make the resort more of a four-season attraction in Leelanau County. He said he also needed more time to work on details like county and township approvals for renovating the property, tying down building demolition costs and reaching and resolving sewer issues as the resort's sewer system is not part of Wickstrom's holdings.
Read Purchaser pulls back on Sugar Loaf deal in the Traverse City Record-Eagle and also see Offers for Sugar Loaf shot down from the Leelanau Enterprise.
The photo is (still) waiting for Sugar Loaf by Andy McFarlane (who is still (still) waiting for Sugar Loaf).
The Leelanau Trail is a non-motorized trail extending 15 miles, roughly north and south. The trail follows along part of the east side of the Leelanau Peninsula, from Suttons Bay to Traverse City. It follows the early 20th-century railroad beds of what came to be know as the Leelanau Transit Company.
While hiking the Leelanau Trail you can enjoy stunning views of the Grand Traverse Bay's Western Arm, Lake Leelanau, and Suttons Bay. Plus, the fabric-like, undulating hills of the Leelanau Peninsula can satisfy any scenery-starved eye.
For more information on the Leelanau Trail, you can visit this site.
Cool things to do: bike, roller blade, run, walk.
The Bay View Trail is divided into small loops that total 8 miles. There are many exciting things to see along its many different routes. Part of the trail runs directly behind the barn of the Charles Olsen Farm which is home to Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear. The Port Oneida School is located just off of the trail and you can stop and pump some water and rest your weary bones on the front porch or a picnic table under a tree near the school. Lookout Point gives a panoramic view of Lake Michigan and the surrounding countryside. The trail along the edge of the woods on top of the bluff overlooks fields of wildflowers and former farmland with Lake Michigan in the background. Hiking the Bay View trail gives you several beautiful vistas of Lake Michigan, the farms, and North and South Manitou Islands.
For even more information on the Bay View Trail, you can ask the National Parks Service.
Cool things to do: Rest at the Charles Olsen Farm, check out the buildings and go inside the house to learn some history about the area (Port Oneida), or rest at the Port Oneida School, cool off with some hand pumped water, or sit on the porch relaxing.
Make sure to return to the area on the 10th and 11th of August for the Point Oneida Fair.
The Empire Bluff trail leads walkers on a 1.5 mile round trip hike up to the bluff looking out over Lake Michigan and towards South Bar Lake. When the weather is clear you can see South Manitou Island.
To get more information on the Empire Bluff, you can visit the National Parks Service site here.
Cool things to do: look out for the 6 numbered posts and read in the trail map brochure about that area, make sure to look for old farming equipment from the early settlements, give yourself enough time either before of after your hike to stop in the village of Empire and enjoy a nice refreshing drink and a look around the town.
DO NOT DESCEND THE BLUFF - It looks like fun, but in order to protect the bluff from erosion it is best to stay at the top (and it is really, really, really hard to get back up).
Alligator Hill Trail comes equipped with beautiful views of both Lake Michigan and Big Glen Lake. Alligator Hill has a total of nine miles of trail, which are divided into different loops, the hike is very hilly and passes through beautiful Michigan forests.
The 1.5 mile hike from the Stocking Road trailhead to the Islands Lookout on top of Alligator Hill is a relatively gentle uphill walk through Maple-Beech forest on an old road bed. The view from the Lookout is outstanding. On a clear day, you can see North and South Manitou Island and Sleeping Bear Point. Quite often South Fox Island will also be visible. There is a bench at the lookout, so you can take some time to relax and enjoy the view before continuing your hike. From this vantage point you will often see a freighter making its way through the Manitou Passage.
For more information on the Alligator Hill Trail, feel free to visit the National Parks Service's website.
Cool things to do: hike the trail, run the trail - which is very hard, ride the trail -horses are also allowed. Search the undergrowth for signs of different animal life. Do not bike the trail. Stop in Glen Arbor before or after your hike to check out the great shops, grab a bite to eat, or just walk around town.
