As we made our way from Tahquamenon Falls to the city of Munising, where we would begin our backpacking trip of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, my friends and I decided to check out the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. Nestled in a quiet area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula along the
The city of Munising sits along the coastline of Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. After finishing our backpacking trip of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, my friends and I decided to take a rest day in the city of Munising. We rented a really hotel suite. We took hot
It was hot and sunny on the afternoon when Luke, Patronus, and I loaded up our car and headed out for a weekend of low key camping. There was still at least an hour of daylight left when we finally reached the campground. I decided to set up our tent,
Wilderness State Park is located in the northern part of Michigan’s lower peninsula, near Cross Village and Mackinaw City. Its campgrounds stretch along the coastline of Lake Michigan. In addition to several hiking trails within the park, it is also located near the North Country Trail. My friends and I
I’ve already shared about our Pictured Rocks backpacking trip and my vlog from our hike, so today I would like to talk about how we went about planning our Pictured Rocks backpacking trip. Planning the Hike The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore section of the North Country Trail stretches approximately 42
Continue reading…Planning Our Pictured Rocks Backpacking Trip
I recently did a three day backpacking trip of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in northern Michigan with my friends, Erin and Megan. Here’s a vlog I put together of some of the things we got to see and do during our hike. More Info: Backpacking the Pictured Rocks Backpacking
Backpacking the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has been high on my bucket list for several years. The section of Lake Superior shoreline in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula stretching from Munising to Grand Marais is said to be one of the most beautiful hikes in the state of Michigan, complete with painted
The Potowatomi Trail is a beloved destination for hikers, backpackers, trail runners, and cyclists, offering over 17 miles of hilly trails in a quiet area of southeast Michigan. Ironically, when you look at it on the map it appears as if you’re going through Hell [Michigan]. Admittedly, unless you’re in
For the first time in my life I have hiked through an entire Michigan winter. As I mentioned in here, Patronus and I set out for our first hike of 2019 during the first weekend of January. It was great to start out the year with a hike, even if
One new thing I have decided to try this year is keeping a hiking journal. As you might remember if from my previous post, one of my goals for 2019 is to hike more often, so I decided to take on the 52 Hike Challenge to help keep me accountable.
On Saturday, Patronus and I set out on our first hike of 2019! It was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the high 40s, so I decided to skip my usual coffee time in favor of heading out to one of our favorite trails for an afternoon of hiking.
I’ve already written about Patronus’ hiking gear list, and mine and Luke’s camping gear list, so today I thought I would share my hiking gear list with you. Clothing and gear items are always a matter of personal preference, but the items I’ve listed below are what works for me.
It was time for another outdoor adventure, so Luke, Patronus and I packed up the car and headed out to meet our friend Mike for a fun winter hike. The weather was at least 20 degrees colder than it was on my last hike, so Luke and I made sure
When Patronus and I awoke, the temperature was in the 40s with no chance of rain, perfect for a weekend outdoor adventure! I put on my favorite cold weather moisture wicking shirt, an insulated vest, my favorite workout pants, and a bright orange hat, which is super attractive I know,
I crawled out of bed two hours before I actually wanted to, shuffled into the kitchen, and brewed myself a cup of coffee. By nature, I am a far cry from anything that could even close to resemble a morning person. It was the morning of our first wedding anniversary,
Continue reading…Our First Anniversary: Day Hiking + Touring Eloise Psychiatric Hospital
I awoke to a smiling Patronus in my face at 10:00 A.M. on the morning we had planned to visit Maybury State Park. Apparently he did not forget the night before, when I told him we were going to go on another adventure. The two of us were all ready
After weeks of patiently waiting for the trees to transform from lush and green to firey shades of red and yellow and orange, it was finally time for Patronus and I to head out on an adventure together, just the two of us. It was already almost 1:00 P.M. by
Early on in the planning process, we decided having a day to relax before making the drive home would be best, so the third and final segment of our trip to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was visiting Short’s Brewery in nearby Bellaire, Michigan. After a scenic hourish-long drive,
Continue reading…Sleeping Bear Trip Report: Pretzels and Beer in Bellaire, MI
The morning we departed for our backpacking trip to South Manitou Island in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore proved to be a bit of a scramble. Due to the gale warning issued for Friday morning, the ferry was unable to run until the following day, so our only option
Continue reading…Sleeping Bear Trip Report: Backpacking South Manitou Island
When we arrived at the D. H. Day Campground in Glen Haven, the first thing we did after registering for our site and setting up our camp was to go check out the beach, which was only about a 5 minute walk away. Our original plan had been to spend
Continue reading…Sleeping Bear Trip Report: Camping in Glen Haven
Growing up, the Traverse City area was a favorite vacation destination for my family. My mom loves the beach and shopping, and my dad likes fishing, antiquing, and the woods, and this area of Michigan isn’t lacking in any of these areas. On some of these weekend getaways, we would