We were on the road before 8 a.m. looking for a historic bridge over the Big Sauble River on La Salle Road in Mason County. We found the bridge had been totally redone in 2010, and from photos on the HistoricBridges.org website, it looks like there was a major erosion problem at this bridge. Still an interesting stop.
Next stop was the US Forest Service Ranger Station in Manistee, we picked up lots of maps and a few books.
On to a place that I doubt has been visited in a while by anyone, the Woodland Management Trail. It is in the Pere Marquette State Forest off Lamont Road (which is just a sandy two-track) just a bit east of Bear Lake in Manistee County Michigan.
Here is the sign we found after pulling off the road.
The next photo is a little closer shot, it says on the sign there are guide pamphlets available in the town of Bear Lake.
Soon we came to this pond, then through a field of very tall ferns.
I spied some cute little critters.
Along The Woodland Management Trail
After wandering through these woods for almost two hours
we got off the trail (or maybe the trail was no longer there) when we popped out of the deep dark woods and onto a dirt road. I checked the compass and realized we needed to go east then north to the car. We don't really ever get lost.
We left this place and went on through Kaleva and drove by the bottlehouse.
On we went to Brethren, I've been here several times for the Spirit of the Woods Music Association Folk Festival which happens in June. It's a great family music festival. Marie and I stopped in at a park in Brethren, at Lake Eleanor 
We had our lunch here while it rained some. We saw Moneywort, (no cash value) which has yellow flowers and paired leaves, and is vine-y, Swamp Milkweed, Blue Flag (Iris), and Baby's Breath.
Blue FlagEast we go on Coats Highway to the Red Bridge over the Manistee River, another favorite stop.
It was still cloudy, we saw many flowers blooming, but things were a bit gray.
We traveled on to the cabin, did research in our books, had a nice dinner, and relaxed. I think I could live at the cabin, always.
Next time, day two of this exciting adventure!
