Fall is the best time to head out in Michigan: that's why we went to western Oakland County

The pandemic has upended plenty of outdoor plans throughout the year. The last seven months in Michigan have been a weird time to try and plan trips, especially those trips farther away from southeast Michigan.

After halting activities in March and moving everything online, the youth group I assist with began its fall season with in-person activities. Some things have changed, namely the fall outing we typically do: traveling several hours with a large group Up North did not seem like a good idea this year, so we improvised. That led us to western Oakland County, a true treasure of Michigan that has the feel of being north of the Zilwaukee Bridge.

Instead of a weekend trip, we spent the day out in the Milford area: the morning was spent on an orienteering course that had been set up for the kids to learn about compass usage and the afternoon on the Huron River canoeing.

It's been a very long time since I did an orienteering course: perhaps a first or second year in the Boy Scouts, so almost 20 years. The concept is simple: using a map a compass, find items designated on a map in a place like a park.

About a dozen markers were set up by our main leader the day before, plotted on a map surrounding the Kensington Metropark group camp area. Using simple compasses and maps, we'd head into the woods and along the river to find waypoints.

It proved to be an interesting experience, bushwhacking through the brush and seeking the red-and-white cardboard markers. Using starting locations like road intersections, old water pump landings and outhouses to help pave the way to the destination is a valuable skill to have. 

After a traditional camp lunch of sandwiches and other fare, we headed to Heavner Canoe and Kayak Rental for a leisurely ride up and down the Huron River. I've always heard that stretch of the Huron was popular for day trips and those looking to just get out, and those tales were correct. Even on the last Saturday of canoeing for the livery, the river was packed with groups of all kinds, from scouts to corporate groups to families. 

I can see why it's a popular destination: it's a simple, easy-going river. The water was incredibly low, with one area needing us to scoot the canoe across the riverbed composed of sand. I was concerned at first when I heard we would be paddling upstream, which usually tells me we'll be fighting current. But the Huron is slow in this part of Oakland County, and it more or less acts like a lake. It's a clear stretch all the way to the Proud Lake dam, a small dam for turning around at. 

I've always loved Michigan falls, and being along rivers is one of my favorite things in the later months of the year. Trees with their spectacular yellows, reds and oranges along with the lingering greens make for some of the best views of the year. And while this year is a completely new experience due to COVID-19, having a sense of normalcy on a river and in the woods.

The Huron River in Kensington Metropark near Milford.

A proud moment: my son's first visit to a Michigan state park

The kiddo enjoying the great outdoors during his first trip to a Michigan state park. 

Today's a day I've waited a long time to experience.

With the world in a seeming freefall because of the coronavirus, my wife and I have found some additional freetime this week between being furloughed. With the weather in southeast Michigan finally starting to break and spring feeling like it's going to stick around, we decided to take our little one out to experience his first state park outing.

The map at a trailhead nearby a parking
lot.

The location selected was Maybury State Park, a 944-acre park in Northville Township. Despite living just a few miles from the park, it's one I've never actually visited; we took our son to see Santa Claus at the nearby Maybury Farm last December, but have never entered the state park area.

Arriving felt like any other state park experience. An empty tollbooth greeted us as we drove in and began looking for the best place to begin walking, preferably on trails that were stroller-friendly. It's a simple parking lot that overlooks the farms, but easy to find. Plenty of signage led us to a trailhead that took us right into the woods.

Green everywhere. A welcome sight.

Perhaps the winter just felt like it would never end, but it felt incredible to be surrounded by nothing but foliage. From the wildflowers to the canopy of leaves, it was amazing to be engulfed with nature again for the first time in months. The trailhead leads to several options, with us deciding on a 1-mile loop along a dirt path.

Unlike some trails at other parks, the ones right at the trailhead at Maybury State Park are made to be accessible. You can access the dirt path, which is about six feet wide, from the paved bicycle trail that continues farther along. The short hike we went on was well marked and there were maps when you arrived at forks. It's definitely designed for ease-of-access, especially to those not well versed in following such trails. Plenty of flowers lined the trail, including a few trillium, a springtime favorite of mine. I've seen photos that report jack-in-the-pulpit can be found in the park, but I was unable to locate any this time around.

Trillium flower.

Even with the trail being wider and not a more-narrow trail that I'm used to, it was a great experience to take our son out to try the woods out. He's really enjoyed wandering outside, and really wanted out of his stroller to walk around on his own. Wide trails gave him plenty of space to pace back and forth, looking at the birds (one of his favorite things right now), the trees and the flowers. Some varying terrain was great to have as well, as he got some practice walking up and down hills, which, considering he's only been walking for less than three months, is an important feature. Pacing back and forth along trails was an awesome experience for him, even though he got hungry midway through and he's definitely not himself when he's hungry.

As for the park, we're hoping to spend a little more time exploring next time. Kiddo's hangry-ness prevented us from doing so, but it's definitely the perfect park to introduce him to the woods. Those with children or just looking for a simple outdoor experience hiking, biking or even horseback riding will find the park the perfect place to do so.

The dirt pathway in the 1-mile loop my family went on May 20, 2020.

Snow just in time at the annual trip to Island Lake State Recreation Area

It's been a weird winter here in Metro Detroit.

We got several inches of snow on Veterans Day in mid-November, and that's ... it. No substantial snowfall around Christmas or New Year's, and late December saw higher-than-average temperatures. The pattern of the winter so far led me to believe the annual trip I take to Island Lake State Recreation Area would be snowless as well.

Well, praise be Heikki Lunta, because about six inches fell overnight the first night I spent in the rustic cabin with the youth group I help lead. After unloading the van and getting the cabin ready for a weekend of fun, Mother Nature dumped plenty of the fluffy white stuff in eastern Livingston County for a day of fun in the snow.

I've been going to the rustic cabins at the park for more than 20 years. They haven't changed much, and the area around the cabin hasn't changed much either. It's always a welcome sign to head to my normal spots for fun winter activities, like sledding.

It's an activity everyone can enjoy, and a simple walk from the cabin to a hill made for the best kickoff to the day. I only made a few runs on this hill, ones that can be viewed in the above video as shot on my GoPro action camera. After recording the sledding run last year at Kensington Metropark, I decided the hills in Island Lake would be a good option for action recording this year.

The hill is an old rock quarry that's been reclaimed by nature, and it's a great place to sled. There are several slots made perfectly for running down the hill, and even spots that make for great jumps (for some people, at least...).

After this hill and a trip onto the area trails on cross-country skis, it was time to head to the area near the Spring Mill Pond, which has several hills worthy of sledding. Here, the grass has grown much longer than it had been in previous years, which slowed down many of the sleds. Another area on the front hill that used to lead to an easy set of jumps were so overgrown that you weren't able to reach the jump successfully.

It's amazing how quiet the park is during the wintertime, my favorite time to head there. It's so close to so many people in southeast Michigan, but I always feel like I'm being left alone when I head there every January. It's a feeling I hope to keep for a long, long time.