Happy Boots and Hepatica Hill - Michigan Wildflower Adventure

 2026 April 9 Thursday

You won’t find Happy Boots on a map.  Marie and I made up that name for a place in Allegan County,  many years ago.  It is a delightful swampy woodland with wildflowers! 

Here are a few things we saw on this day in April. 

Marsh Marigold

Spring Beauty

Anemone 

Marsh Marigold

Skunk Cabbage

Trout Lily

Sand Creek at Happy Boots

We also visited Hepatica Hill. Mark Cassino told me about this place several years ago.  It is a south facing hill along the Kalamazoo River.  In the spring this hill is brown and muddy except for the burst of purple Hepatica! 

My favorite flower! 

We also saw a dragonfly, and a few butterflies.  

Hepatica Hill

Kalamazoo River

Last week, April 8th, I also got to walk with my other fun sister, Sugar. We started at Nunica Junction Trail Head, part of the North Bank Trail.  We headed east to the trestle bridge over Crockery Creek.  It is a two mile walk, round trip.  It was a wet, 35 degree day. Yet it was nice to be outside for a walk especially with my sister.

We have had a lot of rain, so we went to see how high the water was in Crockery Creek. 

Crockery Creek near Nunica

Today is April 14th, Betsy (my fun daughter) and I went to Riverside Park today to see if we could get to the wildflower trail.  Every route was flooded but you could make it with a boat. We did see a few pretty flowers!

I hope you enjoy these adventures, I certainly did!

Hepatica Hill, Allegan County Michigan, March 25 2022

 Hepatica Hill never disappoints!  

It was a cool yet sunny day.  A great day to be outside.  We did see a few Hepatica sort of blooming. The plants were curled up against the cold, but still catching some of that warm sunshine.  They grow on this south facing hill along the Kalamazoo River.

We also drove along 133rd Avenue, nothing blooming there, yet.

Then a stop at New Richmond Bridge Park and a walk.

Hepatica Hill March 22, 2021

 

Marie and I made a trip to Hepatica Hill today and found Hepatica blooming!  It was a beautiful day, sunny and in the 60's.  We really weren't expecting the Hepatica to be blooming.  But at the exact same time we each saw the pretty blue flowers.  Such fun.  These beautiful little wildflowers blooming on the south facing side of a hill in Allegan County.

This is what the hill looks like, so we have to stop and look for the hepatica.

     They are just such happy little wildflowers!

We also stopped at Happy Boots.  We saw Skunk Cabbage and some buds of Marsh Marigold.  Then we drove along 133rd Avenue and saw Spring Beauty blooming! 

                         Spring is here in Michigan!
 

Hepatica April 3 2019

 Our first stop on Wednesday April 3, 2019  was Schutmaat Park on the Rabbit River in Hamilton, Michigan. 

Our second stop was New Richmond Bridge Park on the Kalamazoo River located at the historic village of New Richmond  -  Allegan County, Michigan.

 

 
Our third stop was our very own Happy Boots. 

 

 We saw Skunk Cabbage.

 Marsh Marigold Buds

 

And a surprise, Golden Saxifrage!  We have found it here before but not this early in the year.

We saved our special Hepatica Hill for last, hoping that the sunny day would warm the Hepatica and tempt them to bloom.  They were blooming!  What a sight to see.