April showers have brought May flowers. Grab a field guide, pick a trail, and get out there. These wildflowers are only here for a short time! Here are some of my favorite places for spring wildflower hikes.
Jamestown Community College, College Park
Marsh Marigold
Located within the city of Jamestown, Jamestown Community College Park (also referred to as the 100 Acre Lot) is a trove of diversity in the midst of an urban area. Trails can be accessed from JCC’s campus or from the parking area here along Curtis Ave Ext.
Trout Lily, Sessile Bellwort
Dwarf Ginseng and Red Trillium
The park surrounds both sides of Moon Brook and is a great place to take kids to splash on a warm summer day. In spring however, the wildflowers steal the show.
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Spring Beauty, Large-flowered or White Trillium, Toothwort
I walked the trails on the first weekend in May this year and saw more than 15 different wildflowers, many of which are pictured here.
Bird’s-Eye Speedwell
Bent Run Waterfall, Allegheny National Forest
Red Trillium, Painted Trillium
Located outside of Warren Pennsylvania, this easy-to-miss stop is right across Route 59 from the Kinzua Dam. There is a small parking area here.
Toothwort
Toothwort and Solomon’s Seal
The bonus to this wildflower stop is the waterfall! Bent run cascades down the steep hillside creating a calm, picturesque scene as you walk along looking for wildflowers. It is less than a mile, though very steep, to where Bent run levels out at the top but even if you just parked at the bottom and traveled a few steps, you would get a nice look at the waterfall. Both wildflowers and water flow are best in spring!
Bent Run waterfalls
Jamestown Audubon
Skunk Cabbage
I love this place so much! It is great ANY time of year but it is nice to see wildflowers blooming here each spring, just like the return of old friends.
Spring Beauty and Painted Trillium
The Jamestown Audubon has plenty of parking and trail use is free of charge. You can find out more information about the organization and its mission here.
Marsh Marigold
My favorite trail for spring wildflowers is the newer backwoods trail. It is marked in purple on map found here.
Goldthread, Starflower buds
Long Point State Park
Trout Lily
Long Point State Park is located on the shore of Chautauqua Lake. Popular for its boat launch, the extensive trails are often overlooked. This is another great setting for early spring wildflowers! A trail map from the NYS parks website can be found here.
Toothwort, Large-flowered or White Trillium, MayappleBloodroot
Zoar Valley
Red Trillium
This is another area that I have really enjoyed visiting in all seasons. You can read about it here.
Foamflower
For this trip, we used the Valentine Flats access road and parking. In spring, the creek levels maybe too high and the water too cold to walk in the creek. The steep slopes along the walk down to the gorge protect many different wildflower species from deer making this another great spot to see a lot of biodiversity.
Golden Ragwort
Wild Geranium
False Solomon’s Seal
One added bonus to this spot is the greatest number of Jack-in-the-Pulpits that I have ever seen! Watch your step and tread lightly to protect these interesting plants.
Jack-in-the-pulpit
McConnell’s Mills State Park
Large-flowered or White Trillium
This spot is a little farther south so its flowers are blooming in April. It is a great day trip if you are getting impatient for spring in WNY. Located between Meadville and Pittsburgh PA, this park has a lot to offer including a covered bridge, waterfalls, and miles of hiking trails. I suggest parking at the Kildoo Picnic area. From there you can walk down to the covered bridge and hike the 3-mile trail that loops each side of Slippery Rock Creek.
Red Trillium and Trout Lily
Where are your favorite spots for spring wildflowers? Share your favorite spot below and don’t forget to subscribe so that you never miss an adventure!
So many beaches! Who needs the ocean when Lake Michigan provides so many beach destinations on the western side of the state of Michigan? We visited in July and there were plenty of activities both on and off the beach in Holland Michigan. Here is what we found to do!
Riley Beach
This tiny little public beach was just across the road from the house we rented through Airbnb. Though there was plenty of free parking here, I would not make this a destination. The benefit of Holland’s location along Lake Michigan means there are a lot of little spots like this. Find the one nearest you and enjoy a swim or catch a sunset!
Riley Trails
Another great spot along Riley Street is Riley Trails found here. You wouldn’t know from the photos but this area surrounds a closed and capped landfill! The county has turned an eyesore into a public asset. It was a beautiful place for a morning walk.
A map of the various hiking and biking trails can be found here. This area is primarily used for hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing in the winter. There is no fee and plenty of parking and the trails are open from dawn to dusk.
Trail surfaces vary from packed dirt to crushed stone.
Holland State Park Beach
This beach has ample parking, restrooms, concessions, and the best views of Big Red. All this convenience brings crowds but it was still a great spot for a picnic, a swim, and some games in the sand. More information can be found here.
Tunnel Park
Named for the concrete tunnel through the dune, Tunnel Park is a great beach for younger children for many reasons. First and foremost is the cool concrete tunnel through the dune. Not only will kids enjoy the echos, it also removes the need to drag beach supplies up and over the dune.
Stairway over the dune at Tunnel Park.
For those without small children or anyone desiring more of a workout, there is also a stairway over the dune that leads to a beautiful elevated view of Lake Michigan and then continues to the beach below.
The view from the top of the boardwalk at Tunnel Park.
Besides the beach, Tunnel Park is also great for kids because of the large grassy area with a playground, picnic tables, shady trees, and restrooms. There is a parking fee here in the summer but it is well worth it for a day spent at this park. All this can be found here.
Beach view at Tunnel Park
Mt Pisgah
Mount Pisgah was a fun, adults-only early morning walk, not because it wouldn’t be great for kids too, but because sometimes it’s just nice to enjoy a bit of quiet before starting the day. There was ample parking just past the trailhead here.
We arrived by 7:30am and saw only a few other visitors who were using the boardwalk for exercise. The 200+ steps take visitors up 157 feet to sweeping views of Lake Macatawa, Lake Michigan, and the Big Red Lighthouse.
Holland State Park Beach and Big Red in the distance.
The distance to the overlook is only .4 miles. From this point though, one can continue on and make a lollipop loop through the wooded dune for a round trip of just under 2 miles. Alltrails ranks this hike as easy.
Fresh donuts from the Ottawa Beach General Store
After working up an appetite the Ottawa Beach General Store had fresh donuts and coffee. This is also a great spot to bring kids for ice cream later in the day!
Ludington State Park
A walk up the beach at Ludington Beach State Park
This was one of the most beautiful parks I have ever visited. We spent a whole day here and I hope to return someday to explore even more. You can read more about our day at Ludington Beach State Park here.
Dutch Village
This cute little park exceeded our expectations. To be honest, we were not sure what to expect. We were drawn to the Hollandness of this attraction and the reduced admission price. We figured it would be worth it just to walk around and it definitely was.
There was definitely a kitschy feel to the place. But that was part of the charm! We tried on wooden shoes, learned Dutch dances, tasted cheeses, and raced in tandem skis with wooden shoes attached to them!
Wooden shoes in every size!
We made the assumption that our kids were too old for kiddie rides but I guess you never really outgrow a carousel or ferris wheel.
There was also a nice petting area with goats, sheep, chickens, pigs, rabbits, and a llama! The kids hung with the kids! We sampled fudge and listened to the large 1800’s street organ. You can visit their website here to plan your own Dutch Village adventure!
Saugatuck Dunes State Park
The walk to this secluded beach from the parking and picnic area is nearly a mile but once you are there you will be treated to two and a half miles of beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. This scenic area can be found 10 miles south of Holland. Turn onto 138th Street and follow it to State Park Drive.
Pack a backpack with your favorite beach gear and spend the day swimming and building sandcastles. If walking in nature is more your style, this park has over 1000 acres including coastal dunes over 200 feet high, and covered with a mix of trees and grass. Like other Michigan State Parks, a $12 annual recreation passport is required for Michigan residents. Out of state visitors can pay a $9 single-day fee.
The park contains over 14 miles of hiking trails.Sone of the dunes in Saugatuck State Park are 200 feet high.
Windmill Gardens
Another essential stop for embracing Holland’s Dutch roots and history is Windmill Gardens. This beautiful park bordering downtown Holand is a great place to relax or pick up some Holland, MI souvenirs.
The main attraction of the Gardens is the Windmill itself. Named DeZwann or The Swan, this 250-year-old working windmill arrived in Holland Michigan from the Netherlands in 1964. It is both the last windmill to leave the Netherlands and the only working Dutch windmill in the United States.
What I thought was especially powerful about this windmill was that an original blade was laying beside it, riddled with bullet holes from when it served as a lookout tower during World War II.
Before leaving, we wandered through the shops and picked out our own little pair of wooden shoes which they engraved for us.
Laketown Beach
Some of the 350 stairs to Lake Michigan
An elaborate walkway over the dunes, at times covered in sand, takes you to a quiet beach nestled amid private property. Parking along a dead-end road can be found here. Though the steep climb and number of stairs might make this a poor choice for a full day at the beach with all the required gear, the views from the top make this a great spot for photos or quiet contemplation.
There are 350 stairs going up and over the fragile dunes. The stairs not only make the trek easier, they protect the dunes.
Views traveling up and over the dunes.
There are no restroom facilities at this location but the limited parking is free. What I liked best about this out of the way park was the peace and solitude.
This park was gorgeous! Immaculate sandy beaches, naturally scenic dunes, a classic lighthouse, and nearly unlimited recreational activities….this park had it all. Wedged between Lake Michigan and the 5000-acre Hamlin Lake, this park is Michigan’s best. We spent a day here on a summer trip to Michigan’s western coast but this is an area we will definitely return to. Here is what we found to do!
The Beach
The main entrance to the park can be found at the end of Michigan Rt 116. From there we veered left and headed straight to beach parking. Though there were plenty of spaces before 11:00 am, I imagine it fills up on a summer weekend.
Pristine lakefront just steps from the main beach area.
The Lake Michigan beach area had a bathhouse complete with restrooms, concessions, and interpretive exhibits. The best part of this beach though was the pristine shoreline stretching 7 miles up the coast of Lake Michigan. It was one of the most beautiful beach walks I have ever taken.
The kids spent the afternoon swimming in the lake and we all enjoyed a picnic lunch in the sand. Parking was close enough to the beach area that we could leave coolers and extra tools in the van and just carry our beach chairs to the sand.
Hiking
As it began to cool down in the late afternoon, we decided to stretch our legs with a hike. Ludington State Park has over 20 miles of trails through forests and wetlands, over dunes, along beaches, and across boardwalks. We wanted to see Big Sable Point Lighthouse but didn’t want grumpy hikers, so we opted for the ROAD to the lighthouse, not the TRAIL to the lighthouse.
The road to Big Sable Point Lighthouse, accessible only by bike or on foot.
The packed gravel and sand-covered road to the lighthouse starts at the far left end of the Pines Campground. There is also a more strenuous trail over dunes with great views of Lake Michigan that begins in the Beechwood Campground area. The road is 1.8 miles one-way, the trail is slightly longer. You can check out a map of trails here before choosing the best one for you.
The road to the lighthouse passes several interdunal ponds. These areas were active with wildlife such as the Bald Eagle we spotted below.
It took us about 45 minutes at a leisurely pace to reach the lighthouse.
Almost to the lighthouse.
Big Sable Point Lighthouse
Built in 1867 and given its classic black and white paint in 1900, this lighthouse shown its light to mariners as far as 19 miles out. Restored in 1987 after a preservation association was formed, today it is a lovely building in a lovely setting.
At 112 feet, the Big Sable Point Lighthouse is one of the tallest in Michigan. Throughout the year, tours can be purchased and you can climb the 130 steps to the top or just shop the gift shop in the original keepers quarters.
Beach view from the lighthouse.
History
After visiting the park, I was curious about the history of Hamlin Lake. Not surprisingly, I learned that the area was originally purchased for logging interests, and the dam creating Lake Hamlin was originally erected to create a holding pond for logs. The area that is now Ludington State Park was once the short-lived village of Hamlin. In the mid-1800s, the area contained mills, boardinghouses, a schoolhouse, and many homes. In the late 1800s, after two dam breaks that washed many homes into Lake Michigan and the decline of the lumber industry, the village of Hamlin all but disappeared. The few buildings that remained were removed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s to make way for the new state park.
Like my recent visit to Hume Lake in Kings Canyon National Park, I was struck by how nature not only reclaimed an area that humans tried to dominate but how humans had also been altered in the exchange. When both of these areas were stripped of their trees and nature fought back, people changed their relationship with the land. They found recreation and preservation worthwhile and dominance and destruction were given up. May we continue to connect to the land and not dominate and destroy it.
So many reasons to return!
In addition to the activities we enjoyed during our day trip here, this park has so much more to offer. From biking trails and bike rentals to a whole separate beach area on Hamlin Lake and from fishing along the Big Sable River to kayaking and canoeing trails, this is a park that I hope to return to someday!
