North Country Trail: Bawbeese Lake to Osseo

The Trine State Recreation Area is just off of the 80/90 Interstate in northeastern Indiana near the town of Freemont. You can find the trailhead of the Rolling Oaks Trail just north of the Wild Turkey Shelter. The Rolling Oaks Trail is a moderate 2.5 mile loop that takes you through the forest, across a beautiful open meadow and along wetlands. During my own visit I got to see several species ...

The Bluebird Hills trail ( trail #7) is a moderate, 1.8 mile loop trail at Pokagon State Park that starts just below Hell's Point on Trail #3. You will be guided by a sign at the start of the trail head.  You will start out along a wooded path that leads you to an open meadow with rolling hills that loops around the wetland restoration area and then back to your starting point.  This trail is r...

The Scout Trail at Oak Openings Preserve Metropark in Swanton, Ohio is an easy hike that covers a lot of beautiful ground! I love this hike and do it several times each season (REALLY recommend the fall for the gorgeous colors!). I am constantly surprised by how few people take advantage of this trail. It is fairly well maintained (though you will definitely encounter fallen trees) and easy to ...

Finding a quiet, relatively secluded place to backpack can be difficult in Southeastern Michigan. However, backpacking at Blind Lake in the Pinckney State Park is a fantastic option for those searching. Blind Lake is accessible by a 7 mile hike in from Silver Lake, but can be approached from several different routes using the Potawatomi and Waterloo Trails.  The Blind Lake rustic campground pr...

Having lived in Michigan and the greater Detroit area for only one year, I'm still constantly looking for the next place to take my mind off the day-to-day work grind. Michigan, the Great Lake State, is certainly not a bad place to be to do so. Roughly one hour outside of Detroit rests Bird Hills Nature Area. Technically in Ann Arbor, Mich., most notably known for being home to the University o...

You can launch from many points along Argo Pond (which is the name of this dammed portion of the Huron River), but the most abundant parking is located at Argo Park, Bandemer Park, or Huron Bridge Park. This is a popular place for paddleboarders, kayakers, canoers, and rafters during the summer. Stay away from Argo Dam - it is marked with buoys. One-way trip from Argo Park upstream to Barton Da...