Allegan Forest

2011 09 12 We went to Allegan State Game Area,  Highbanks Dam at the end of 121st Place or Avenue, it's basically a two-track dirt road (this goes east off 46th Street Allegan County Michigan).

This is where you park, and here is what we saw.

Bladder Campion

Tall Bellflower

                           Near Highbanks Dam
Later down the road (46th Street) just south of 120th Avenue we stopped in at the "Coreopsis Field" where earlier in the year there are beautiful yellow coreopsis blooming here.  Today we found a lovely group of Bushy Aster.

Hey, a Spotted Knapweed snuck in there, see left hand side, lower corner of photo.

Horsemint (Monarda punctata)

Coreopsis Field in Allegan Forest

Showy Tick-trefoil (Desmodium canadense)

Blazing Star

Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata)

Along the edge of the field I spied something round and somewhat large hanging in a tree branch.  I didn't really want to look but I just had to - it was a huge Marbled Orb Weaver

                    Almost actually size!
Now south on 46th St. to 118th Avenue to another dam, Swan Creek Pond is on the south side of the road here. 
There is camping at Swan Creek Pond and a wonderful ~6mile trail, years ago we camped here and later our son, Andy (that's his blog on the right Here and There//Texas/New Mexico), and his friend Jeff biked (bicycled) here (about 100 miles round trip from home) and camped! 
Today we walked down a fishermen's path.

Dam on 118th Avenue in Allegan County Michigan

                    Cicada

                      Composite - Sunflower

                 Liverwort!

Spider, it was about eye level on a leaf right along the trail, Ew.  I'm never going in the woods again!

I think this was an Ironweed that had been cut off, now it looks more like an aster.  Hm...  You would think going wildflowering each week I would know my flowers by now.  Nope!

Swamp Lousewort

Here is a Turtlehead flower with a cool little bug.
Back in the car we go north and a bit west to New Richmond Bridge Park
(3160 Old Allegan Road Fennville, MI, 49408)

We heard an odd noise coming from the train bridge and saw a maintenance truck with train wheels coming along the bridge.  All four men inside the truck waved.  What a fun job.

For more photos and info of the pedestrian bridge and railroad bridge go to this link, http://www.historicbridges.org/truss/57th/index.htm and here http://www.allegancounty.org/Government/PD/Parks/NewRichmond.asp?pt=Government

Here is part of the boardwalk on the south side of the Kalamazoo River.
We found, still blooming, Cardinal Flower, Purple Loosestrife, American Germander, Jumpseed,
Tall Bellflower, Obedient Plant, and this cute little
Mad-Dog Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) .


    On home we went, another fun adventure.