Mackinac Island October 2020

In early October 2020  We took a trip to Mackinac Island for our 43rd wedding anniversary!  We have been going for a stay on the island for a few years now.  This island is part of Michigan and it is very touristy especially in the summer months. We have covered much of this island by biking and hiking including most of the remote parts of the island.  

Transportation is by bicycles and horses on this island except for vehicles like an ambulance, sewer truck, fire trucks, big machines to fix the roads.

We get to the island by ferry boat which is about a 30 minute trip from Mackinaw City.  In the photo above (taken from  Mackinac Island) you can see the Mackinac Bridge with Lake Huron near us and Lake Michigan on the far side (west) of the Mighty Mac.

We use Star Line ferry service, this is at the dock in Mackinaw City.  

In the photo below you can see the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

   Mackinac Island

  Usually after checking into the inn, we bike around the outer perimeter of the island, about 8 miles.

   Shops on the island

   Arch Rock

 We stayed at the Inn On Mackinac.  Built in 1867.  It is a nice place to stay with a great breakfast and a spa pool, also big porches and lots of flowers.   

     Harebell

We used a special light to look for Yooperlite rocks. 

Yooperlite rocks are actually Syenite rocks that are rich in fluorescent Sodalite.  Using the black light at night on the beach we searched for Yooperlites but found none.  We did have an interesting 4 mile ride back to town in the dark!

It was a fun trip with good weather.  The fall colors were at their peak on the drive up north.

So remember this was last October, it is very green in Michigan right now of course.  Thanks for stopping by.

Fall Color at Ottawa County Parks November 2020

              Kirk Park

                  Olive Shores Park

It has been a great year for fall color.  These are just two parks I have visited often this year.  Today was 75 degrees here in Michigan, quite warm for November.  Only in the last few days have the leaves really started falling off the trees.  I hope you have had a chance to enjoy being outside.

Stearns Creek Park - Ottawa County Michigan

What a difference a day makes! 
We visited Stearns Creek Park on Tuesday, November 5th 2019.  It was a beautiful day, some sun and some clouds. 

The next day we went back, it was colder, cloudier, and it was snowing.  It was also a beautiful day.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Crockery Creek Natural Area - Ottawa County Michigan



October 28 2019  The morning was foggy to start, the sun came out and cleared the fog.  The first picture was taken when we arrived, the second picture was about an hour later.

 

 

Each and every year I totally enjoy the Fall colors!  This has been a good year for those colors, lasting from the end of September right through to the end of October.  Even on rainy days the bright yellow leaves, still on the trees and the ones already on the ground, light up the trail.  It really is amazing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 Crockery Creek Natural Area is owned by Ottawa County.  The 331-acre natural area includes frontage on both the Grand River and Crockery Creek.  About two miles of hiking and cross-country ski trails meander along the creek, mature wooded ridges, floodplain forest, open hardwoods, wet meadows and buttonbush swamps.