Rogue River State Game Area

2011 06 14  The northwest section of Kent County, just in Tyrone Township, on 18 Mile Road 1\4 mile west of Division Avenue is a parking area for the Rogue River State Game Area.  On Bing maps we could see a nice little pond-like area to explore.  I was hoping to find some rare orchid hidden away but...

 I have been reading this book "Our wild orchids; trails and portraits" by Frank Morris and Edward A. Eames published 1929.  I borrowed it free through MelCat - Michigan eLibrary (http://www.mel.org/)  it came all the way from  Calumet Michigan.  It is an interesting book about people traveling to find wild orchids, they had more time, money, and energy than we do.  I've also enjoyed "Orchids of the western Great Lakes region" by Frederick W. Case, Jr. many times.

We didn't find any orchids here but it was a fun place to explore and we managed to get all the way around this pond but not too close since it was choked in with shrubs.  Here are a few things we did see.

               Spotted Loosestrife

 Cheeses or Common Mallow (Malva neglecta)

          a weed but a pretty one.

                              Pond area

Daisy  Fleabane

  Creepy swampy place, if there were wild orchids here they stayed hidden.

             I met this cute little guy

                             Ninebark

                  Showy Goat's Beard

We made a few more stops along Red Pine Drive heading north then east on 20 mile road to Spring Lake.  We were able to drive right to the lake on a two-track to a gravel surface boat launch.

            Spring Lake in Kent County
           There were tadpoles here.

We found a late blooming Wild Columbine.  There was much more Ninebark here and For-Get-Me-Nots.

We walked through a Pine forest and found Common Shinleaf not quite blooming, saw this mushroom.
Then back on the road for home.  Nice adventure.