Category Archives: Scenic North Country Trail

Kellogg Experimental Forest, Lemmien Loop in December

Posted on by under Hiking, Nature, Scenic North Country Trail

The 716-acre W. K. Kellogg Experimental Forest, managed by Michigan State University, lies between Augusta and Richland, MI. There are several trails in the Forest, including the North County National Scenic Trail. We did hike on a short section of that particular trail last Friday,

but our goal was the entire 2.5 Lemmien Loop I’m familiar with nearly every step of the loop, knowing the ups and downs, the twists and turns, the connecting trails, how far from the pine “nursery” to the lean-to or sugar maples. But as we hadn’t hiked it in two or three years, we chose it for our Friday hike.

I tried my hand at black and white photos. Did I catch some essence of the woods?

Winter is a good time to hike, as any mosquito types (that I know of) hate the cold. The last time we were there, we returned home to learn of the killer EEE mosquitoes in our county. Friday, we had the trail to ourselves. Unfortunately, we also saw no wildlife. No mosquitoes, deer, fish, chipmunks, squirrels, or even birds. We’ve seen them all before. We heard crows in the distance, but could not see them. It made for a very peculiar woodland hike indeed. I found a deer hoof print, slightly melted into a shape of a heart.

Jeff noted green leaves still clinging to a tree.

The keyhole tree was still there.

The True Fir Test area had grown a bit from the waist-high trees we’d seen the first time we hiked this 16 years ago.

New signs had been added since our previous visit, including information of the planned harvesting of the so-straight and tall red pines (trees used for telephone poles).

Because it was the longest hike we’d taken in a while over not-flat terrain (because of my bum-now-healed knee), it proved to be an Advil night. Well worth it, along with the photo memories from the hike through a lovely woodland area.

 

 

 

 

 

Scenic North Country Trail…Again. The Blue Bridge

Posted on by under Hiking, Nature, Scenic North Country Trail

 

I know they are giving out awards for people who have hiked 100 miles of the Scenic North Country Trail in 2019. Do we get a thumbs up for hiking 30 miles?

Last Friday, with overcast and wet ground, and in the lower 30’s all morning, we chose a close-to-home hike on the Scenic North Country Trail, starting at Helmer Road and going west along the Kalamazoo River — that wonderful river which flows past the ghost town of Singapore (which I wrote a historical fiction about, The Town That Disappeared), and draining into Lake Michigan.

We’ve hiked this trail before, and ridden it on bikes. Each time is unique.

And did I mention overcast Friday morning? Did I mention in the lower 30s? Did I mention the wind? No? Well, at the beginning of our hike, there was a nippy wind greeting us, from 5-15mph, so said the Weather Channel. Chilly but undeterred, we hiked on.

 

We carefully trod over the lichen-covered blue bridge, a bridge I’d seen from across the river for over a decade before we finally hiked to it. Poor blue bridge. Did I mention covered with lichen? It was. Did I mention the boards are rotting and quite slippery? They are.

 

We saw a tank painted on the walkway. Jeff commented that as a solo tank, it was ungrateful. Two would have make it…tanks (thanks).

 

There were also some amazing mushrooms at the base of a fallen tree. I’m working my mind around my next story which will be concerning mushrooms. But then on Friday, Jeff finished the fourth of my War Unicorn Chronicles books, and asked for more (unicorn tales). Such a dilemma.

 

Oh. And while walking alongside the Kalamazoo River near mowed areas, don’t be looking around at the pretty nature sights. Instead, mind your step, or you may just land in some goose poop. And those rust streaks are old, stained goose left behinds, but old enough not to be squishy.

Funny how about an hour after we got home, the sun burst forth at last. But the temp was still in the lower 40’s. I imagine the sun brought people out into the great outdoors. During our overcast and chilly hike, Jeff and I had the trail to ourselves. Also, with the bonus of no mosquitoes!

 

May your days be mostly sunny, but may you also walk briskly through the overcast, chilly days.