For the next stop on our Michigan Sanctuaries tour we are headed back into the Upper Peninsula to visit a truly wild and scenic place that serves as an excellent spot for hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. That place is Seney National Wildlife Refuge.

The Seney National Wildlife Refuge has been around since 1935. It was established as a sanctuary for the production and protection of migratory birds and other wildlife. Years of logging had taken its toll on the area that is now Seney, and with the abandonment of farms after poor agricultural production in the area, the Michigan Conservation Department recommended that the land be used for wildlife. This proposal was accepted and the Seney National Wildlife Refuge was born.

The wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Seney on our honeymoon back in 2005, and we absolutely loved it. I have yet to see such pristine wildlife habitat anywhere else in the country. The area is mainly wetlands, so you have a variety of different birds that visit the area that include trumpeter swans, common loons, hooded mergansers, and a variety of different ducks. Wildlife is abundant in the refuge and includes black bear, whitetail deer, and river otter. We didn’t get a chance to see any of those particular animals, but the scenery in itself is well worth the price of admission. We also had the privelege of seeing a bald eagle nest, but unfortunately the eagle wasn’t in the nest at the time.

Hunting is allowed in the refuge for upland birds, black bear, and deer. It is only open in certain areas of the refuge however, and only during certain times depending on what area of the refuge you want to hunt. Fishing is allowed as well in certain areas of the refuge. We visited in October and all the fishing was closed by then, but I’m sure in the summer months it provides for an excellent day outside.

There are nature trails in the park, but with it being as chilly as it was when we were there, the wife and I did the auto tour. That sounds a little deceiving, because we hardly spent any time in our vehicle. There is a 7 mile pass that winds through the refuge and has plenty of places for you to park, get out, and see some spectacular views and wildlife. We spent quite a bit of time on the auto tour and stopped at every chance we got to take in the view and get some pictures. The auto tour is also self-paced so you can take your time, and the path is big enough that we took a large RV through it without any problems.

We will definitely visit Seney again on our next trip to the U.P. I hope that we can plan our next visit in the summer months so that we can get a chance to experience all the things that the refuge has to offer, especially the fishing.

Seney is an excellent vacation destination and a good spot for the whole family to visit. Hopefully we make it back up there soon.

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