———————————————————————

We’ve camped in many parts of the state, and at many state parks, but for some reason we’ve never camped on the east side of state.  I’m not sure why that is, or why all of us gravitates towards the middle and west side of the state, but that has always been the case.  This past weekend, after my wife’s uncle found a neat little park on the east side of the state, we changed all of that.

Tawas Point State Park is a very unique park.  It is located near East Tawas, Mi, and its shear location makes it a prime camping destination.  With Tawas Bay on one side, and Lake Huron on the other, the park provides all occupants with some very unique and scenic views.

We stayed there with the wife’s family last weekend, and had an absolute blast.  I think all of us were sorry that we hadn’t camped on this side of the state until this point.  The park’s scenery is top-notch, and the unique location makes for a very memorable trip.

The park also features a lighthouse that is located within the park, and is available for tours.  We paid the low fee of $2 and headed inside.  Getting to see Lake Huron and Tawas Bay from the top of the lighthouse was a very unique experience.

There aren’t many hunting opportunities nearby, but for those who like to fish there is ample opportunity for that.  Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate for us, so we weren’t able to get any fishing in, but there is a state pier located directly across from the park, and it provides ample opportunity to take in some scenery and catch a few fish.

And for those interested, there are some great kite boarding opportunities.  I’ve never been myself, but it is HUGE in this part of the state, and they were out in full force even though the weather wasn’t that great.

The camping area of the park is very well kept.   Everyone was very friendly, and all the facilities were perfect.  The beach areas are very unique, and provide opportunities to swim in Tawas Bay or Lake Huron.  There are also ample bike paths within the park, and I took full advantage of those while we were there too.

We had an excellent time, and despite the wind and the weather our Eureka tent performed superbly as well.  Little Abby had a great time, and got to get her hands in the sand for the first time.  They even had a little walkway so that we could take the stroller right down on the beach, and she loved every minute of that even though it felt like we could get blown away at any minute; there were 30+mph winds at one point, and it made things very interesting.

Last weekend was a great time and we enjoyed every minute of our time within Tawas Point State Park.  If you’re looking for a park in Michigan, and want to camp on the east side of the state, you can’t go wrong with this park.  Its uniqueness and one of a kind opportunities will keep you coming back.

Note: Stay tuned this week for some more trailcam pics I found last weekend, as well as an interesting post about something Jeff discovered with the trailcam pics.

The “PM”, as we affectionately call it, is probably my favorite river in Michigan. Jeff and I have had the pleasure of fishing this river numerous times, and we never get tired of it. We have had plenty of days where we caught plenty of fish, and we have had days where we left without even hooking into one. But despite all of that, we have still enjoyed every minute we’ve spent on the river.

The river features some great trout action, and was actually the first river to be stocked with Brown Trout in the U.S. That was back in 1884. I was actually lucky enough to land a 21″ brown on the river as well. My first fly rod fish ever!

While the trout fishing is great on the river, the best fishing, as far as I’m concerned, happens in the spring and fall. The river gets a pretty good run of steelhead in the spring, and gets a heck of a salmon run in the fall. It makes for some great fishing if you get a chance to hit the river during those times of the year.

The PM is definitely a prime stretch of river to fish, no matter what part of the country you are from. We have even ran into fisherman from Europe who came over to fish the river. It is definitely a thing of beauty, and was recognized as such in 1978 when it was designated a National Scenic River. It is gorgeous. There is nothing like watching a fly hit the water in the early morning on the river. It is so peaceful and so addicting.

If you get the chance head on up and check out the Pere Marquette River. It is a trip that will definitely not disappoint. The river’s sure beauty will keep calling you back for more.

I don’t really remember the first time I saw the Sleeping Bear Dunes.  I’m guessing that’s because I was still a baby when I originally encountered those mountainous sand hills.  I know we made a pilgrimage to the dunes every year for most of my childhood.  I can still remember fighting to climb through the slippery sand, and thinking the top of the dune looked much too far away.  I can also remember emptying my shoes, my pockets and generally my clothes of small piles of dune sand when we headed back to the car. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore lies in Benzie and Leelanau Counties in Northern Lower Michigan.  The Dunes themselves took their names from an Ojibwa legend about Mother Bear and her two cubs that were driven out into Lake Michigan by a fire.  The cubs swam bravely, but were too small, and finally slipped beneath the waves.  When Mother Bear reached shore she climbed to the top of a sand bluff and waited in vain for her cubs.  Finally, the Great Spirit took pity, and raised North and South Manitou islands to mark where Mother Bear’s cubs had been lost.  He also sent Mother Bear to sleep and gradually the dunes grew over her.

For those who’ve never visited, the Dunes can be quite an awesome site.  They look like some giant child has dumped buckets of sand everywhere.  Wind and water carve some of the dunes into fantastic shapes.  The odd tuft of grass gains a foothold here and there and sprouts bravely like the last few hairs on a balding man’s head.  There are trails to walk, and huge hills of sand to scramble up, and clear blue water in which to cool your feet when the sand gets too hot.

A day at the Dunes is also a fairly economical way to spend a vacation day. Up until 1998, the Park Service did not charge fees for walking the Dunes.  Today a Park Pass, good for seven days, is 10 dollars, and an Annual Park Pass, good for 12 months, is 20 dollars.  Fees for camping near the dunes are also quite economical.  You can learn more about the Dunes at the Official Sleeping Bear Dunes Website.  If you’re a rebel, you can also read about the Dunes at the Unofficial Sleeping Bear Dunes Homepage.

If you’re looking to add some water to the sand of your Dunes adventure, you might also want to canoe the Platte River.  We did this several times when I was a kid, and it was a lot of fun.  The Lower Platte, which we canoed most often, ends on a sandy beach in Lake Michigan.  The Upper Platte is not white water, but is a faster water trip.  The river also has a lot more twists and turns, so it is a trip for canoeists who are more experienced.

Finally, if you like music, you may want to consider attending the Sleeping Bear Dunegrass and Blues Festival at the end of July.  I’ve never been to this music festival but I’ve heard from people who have been that it’s a lot of fun.  The dates of the festival are July 31 – August 3, and there are already a lot of local and national artists scheduled to play. 

Since the Grand River covers so much of Michigan’s lower peninsula there are many places that this natural resource can be utilized. I have fished on the Grand in multiple locations, and have also fished for a variety of different species that reside in the river as well. It is truly a one-of-a-kind river that we are fortunate enough to have so close to us.

My whole family has fished the river, and we always visit it at least once during the year, if not more. I have fished it for salmon in Portland, seen carp caught out of it in Grand Ledge, and caught many a nice smallmouth bass out of it in Grand Ledge and Portland. You will also catch an occasional pike on the river. It even holds trout in certain stretches as well.

You can see why there is such an attraction to this river just because of the sure number of fish that are available to be caught as well as the variety of species available to catch. There is nothing I like better than to be running a #3 mepps spinner through its dark water just waiting for a nice smallie to be on the other end of the line.

I think the best part of the Grand is its sure accessibility. There are a variety of places where all you have to do is park your car along the bridge and walk a short trail to the river, as well as some places that are “secret” and allow for some prime fishing.

So if you’re in Lower Michigan and bored on a Saturday afternoon, grab a pole, a few mepps spinners, and try and catch yourself one of the variety of different fish species that call the Grand River home.

While most of the vacation was relatively placid, we did usually take a few trips. One of those trips was always to Fishtown. Even back then, when I was a kid, I loved the weathered boards of the buildings, and the neat little trinkets that were sold in the shops. I also remember, strangely enough, getting salt water taffy in Fishtown, which, even then, seemed odd as Fishtown was on a freshwater river and lake.

Fishtown is the historical district of Leland, Michigan. Once, about a hundred and forty years ago, it really was a fish town; a place where people who fished on the Great Lakes, and those who worked to can those fish, lived. Today, it is a series of shops and art galleries, where tourists can browse for a unique souvenir or gift. Fishtown is also the site of the only public ferry offering rides to the Manitou Islands.

Fishtown was first stettled in 1854. The area was a great one for fishing and more families came to get in on the catch. Fishing wasn’t an easy life, but a family could support themselves doing it and many families did until the 1930s. In that decade, catches declined do to overfishing and the introduction of non-native species. The fishing settlement needed another reason to be, since commercial fishing couldn’t support it anymore. Eventually the area was developed as a tourist destination and Fishtown was born.

Today there are still two active fisheries in Fishtown and an active charter fishing business. Most of Fishtown, however, is now a shopping district with art galleries, souvenir shops and candy stores. The quaint shacks which used to house the fishermen and the cannery workers have become quaint stores where tourists search for a unique piece of art or something to take home as a remembrance of their trip.

Some of the standout galleries and stores in Fishtown include Fishtown Pottery where you can get high-fire porcelain and glazed ceramics. Reflections is Leland’s oldest art gallery and nautical store, and a famous tourist destination. If you’re in the mood for food, stop by Carlson’s for smoked fish and beef or turkey jerky. You can also stop by the Village Cheese Shanty for wine, cheese and local specialties. If you want a truly unique souvenir, visit TUG Stuff, which features clothing and accessories which carry the TUG logo. This log was designed in the early 1970’s by a local artist and reflects the history of fishing on the Great Lakes.

Fishtown is also a great place from which to go fishing. The Fishtown Charter Service will take you out to fish the waters of the Manitou Islands. If you love lake trout, brown trout, or steelhead, booking a charter trip could be for you.

When I was small, Fishtown was a place we went to break up a week long family reunion. I remember it as a place with cool little shops where some indulgent aunt or uncle always let me purchase some cool little trinket. Today, I don’t get back to Fishtown as often as I should, but after writing this, I think I’ll put it on the list of places to go this summer. After all, I’m an adult with a wallet of my own now, and I’m betting I could still find a trinket or two worth buying.

Arthur has been patiently waiting for a guest post from me for a while now, and I think I’m finally ready to provide one.

When he started his Michigan Sanctuary Series I volunteered to write a post or two, since I am from Michigan as well. He lives “downstate” and I live in Northern Michigan, so we were able to divvy up the places about which we wanted to write. There were a few “Up North” attractions that weren’t familiar to Arthur, so I said I would write about those.

One of those attractions is Old Mission Peninsula which is right in Traverse City, the town in which I live. Old Mission Peninsula is 18 miles long and divides Grand Traverse Bay into East Bay and West Bay. The peninsula contains approximately 54 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, and has some beautiful scenic drives.

One of the highlights of touring Old Mission Peninsula is the wineries. If you like wine, you can find a wide variety of very good vintages if you take the winery tour. I know from experience that Chateau Grand Traverse makes a great Late Harvest Riesling, if you like white wine. Many of the wineries also have events during the course of the year.  Chateau Chantal has Jazz at Sunset with the Jeff Haas Trio. Several of the wineries also band together to offer things like Blossom Days. These are special events that give the public an opportunity to taste wines and tour the wineries.

The Peninsula is also home to some great restaurants. One of the most historic is the Bowers Harbor Inn which was originally built as a summer retreat for a Chicago lumber baron. The Inn is now a restaurant and also comes complete with a ghost, which is reputedly the wife of the original owner of the Inn. Old Mission Peninsula is also home to the Old Mission Tavern, and The Boathouse. Restaurants range from fancy and expensive, to more casual and less pricey. There certainly is a lot of great food on the Peninsula.

Just in case you’re thinking that wine and food are the only things Old Mission Peninsula has to offer, I should also tell you about the great parks where hiking and biking is available. Peninsula township park has forty acres of forest and orchards that can be explored. The trails are paved and relatively flat, so it is a nice bike ride or walk. There is also Lighthouse Park, which features the Old Mission Peninsula lighthouse, which is on the end of the peninsula. The lighthouse was built in 1870 and was operational for sixty seven years. Currently the lighthouse is part of Lighthouse Park, although the lighthouse itself is off limits to the public and used as a residence by park employees.

The Old Mission Peninsula offers so many different pleasures. You can dress up and go out for an elegant dinner. You can spend part of a weekend touring the wineries and tasting all the great Michigan wines. You can bike or hike the trails or simply sit on the beach by the lighthouse and listen to the waves lap the shore. Whatever your mood, Old Mission Peninsula offers something for you to do and a lot of natural beauty in the bargain.

My parents actually live on this lake, and have lake access, so I have been fortunate enough in the last couple of years to be able to log many hours on the lake. We have also fished this lake since I was small and I caught my first ever bass on the lake as well.

I think that Duck Lake is probably the best fishery in the southern part of the state. Not only do you have a wide variety of fish available to catch, but there are also plentiful numbers of fish and the action is awesome. Duck lake features perch, bluegill, pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and walleye. Not only does it feature these particular fish but they have a tendency, because of the size of the lake, to be huge! We have caught plenty of 3lb and up largemouth and smallmouth, and we have also been fortunate enough to land pike over 30 inches long. I have also landed, by pure accident, a walleye that was 7lbs and 28 inches long. There are blue gills in the lake well over 10 inches too. Plenty of large fish to be had for the patient angler.

The lake features ample room for fishing and water related activities such as tubing and skiing. There isn’t a summer day that goes by that you don’t hear a jet-ski or waverunner whizzing past as you fish. Pretty often you will even have the chance of witnessing a float plane land and/or take-off on the water. The lake provides many a sight-seeing opportunity.

My favorite part of fishing the lake is in the summer when the bass are hitting top water lures. The sister’s boyfriend, Corrin, and I sat out one night and just absolutely slaughtered the bass on the trusty top water Jitterbug. There is just nothing like fishing when it is pitch black out, listening to the Jitterbug work its way across the water, and getting to hear that sound muffled by a hungry bass hitting the lure. I am not sure there is any more exciting type of fishing out there.

I have to be honest and tell you that I almost didn’t do this post, because Duck Lake is such an excellent fishery that I didn’t want to draw even more people to it. I figure though, with it’s sure size, that keeping it a secret would be a hard task and plus being able to share its true excitement is a great thing to do.

So check out Duck Lake down in Calhoun County the next time you get a chance. I highly recommend it. Oh, and do me a favor, only fish it and leave your waverunner at home:)

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.

The bridge is actually the third longest suspension bridge in the world. It is 5 miles long and starts in Mackinaw City, in the Lower Peninsula, and stretches across into St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula. Last year the bridge celebrated its 50th anniversary and needless to say the work on the bridge is never done. Even the Discovery Channel show Dirty Jobs did a segment on the “Big Mac”.

I have been to the bridge on many different occasions and let me tell you that I am always in awe of it’s sheer size. The bridge is spectacular to look at and the bridge at night is one of thee best photo opportunities you will ever see. There is a neat little park right next to the bridge that offers some amazing views, and camera opportunities, and also gives you access to the Straights of Mackinaw. Nothing like sticking a bare foot in that chilly water no matter what time of the year it is.

The thing I would recommend that everyone do is drive over the bridge. For some it is definitely a hair raising experience and one you will never forget. The bridge has grates in the middle that allow air to pass through them to keep the bridge from swaying, and they definitely make for some great driving experiences if you do happen to get stuck in that particular lane. I have relatives who refuse to drive on these grates and I have some as well that will not drive over the bridge at all. I truly enjoy driving over it. The sites and sounds are like no other thing you will ever get to see or hear while driving. Plain and simply put, it’s cool!

Another positive point of the Mackinaw Bridge is it’s shear location. Mackinaw city is an awesome little town. I never get sick of visiting the place and it has some great things to visit as well as some magnificent pieces of history. I could devote a whole other post to the city and it is just another highlight of getting to view and experience the bridge.

We recently got to share the bridge experience with my two cousins who had never seen the bridge before and it took me back to the first few times I got to experience the Mackinaw Bridge and how awe-inspiring it was at the time. It truly is a great piece of workmanship and a true modern marvel.

I hope that everyone who reads this gets to experience the Mackinaw Bridge at some point in their life. Whether it be to cross the straights to hunt, see Tahquamenon Falls, or simply just for the experience, I highly recommend it. It’s a very cool experience and one you will never forget.

Author’s note: All of the pictures you see were taken by my wife last year with the exception of the couple sitting on the bench. That is my Mom and Dad and I actually took that picture. The one under the bridge is truly unique because we got a special chance to go under the bridge for its 50th anniversary.

Tahquamenon falls and Tahquamenon Falls State Park are probably one of the Upper Peninsula’s best places to visit.  The park is spectacular and features an upper and lower falls.  The Upper falls is the highlight of the event and is just incredible to look at and witness mother nature at her finest.  The Upper falls feature a drop of more than 50ft and are more than 200 ft across.  A maximum flow of 50,000 gallons per second has been recorded rushing over the falls. 

The Lower falls are a series of 5 smaller falls and while they don’t have the size of the Upper falls they are still incredible to look at and view and are a great photo opportunity as you can tell from my wife’s camera skills you see in the picture on the right.

The entire park is just gorgeous and I recommend seeing the falls in the fall.  We were there in October and it was absolutely gorgeous.  The leaves had already turned to their fall colors and it made for some incredible views.  Another benefit of going this time of year is that you avoid the crowds.  We pretty much had the place to our self and it just made the whole experience that much better.

For those of you who are adventurous the park features hiking trails and you can also walk a foot path from one set of falls to the other.  I wish I could say we were that adventurous, but we weren’t.  We did venture up  and stand right next to the rushing water and it is a very eerie yet awesome feeling.  The park also features a brewery.  You heard me right.  A brewery in a state park.  What’s not to love?  It has incredible food and a nice selection of micro brews!

I highly recommend visiting these falls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  You won’t be disappointed.