Looking Back on 2019

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

Well, 2019 went by quickly!

I had over a dozen speaking engagements, including:

Quiet Adventure Symposium at Michigan State University

Schoolcraft College's "Coffee & Conversations" series
Many libraries and community centers

See my 2020 speaking engagements here or in the sidebar to the right.
I'm honored to be a feature speaker at Lakeside Chautauqua, and re-booked at Schoolcraft College and the Quiet Adventure Symposium.

It was my honor to lead an all-women team of hikers on a Moosewatch Expedition on Isle Royale in May (I'll do this again in 2020).

My 2019 team

And I did a lot of hiking on my own this year, exploring places I know well, 

and some trails new to me.

Trail along the Boardman River

Empire Bluff Trail

Jordan River Valley Trail

I hope you had a wonderful 2019.

Happy trails to you all in 

2020!

May you have many adventures waiting for you in this new decade.

Year-End Hike

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

I was able to fit in a little hike during the holiday festivities. I headed to the lakeshore to hike one of my favorite trails, Empire Bluff.

The trail was a little snowy and icy at the bottom, but cleared off at the top. The day was mild and almost windless.

It was a little foggy, but most of it burned off while I hiked.

It was mild enough to take a break to watch the colors of Lake Michigan.

Merry Holidays to all.

Kettles Trail

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has almost 100 miles of designated hiking trails (details here). 

A new trail recently opened in the park:

Trail Description: The trail is 3.0 miles long; the first 1,000 feet of trail is universally accessible with compacted crushed stone surface. The rest of the trail is compacted earth.

The Kettles Trail has some significant slopes through kettle moraine terrain with steep hills,  valleys, and ponds or bogs. 

...The overall typical trail grade is 10%; the maximum grade is 21%.

I hiked it just as the leaves were beginning to fall.

Here are some highlights:

Location and more info HERE.

Swanson Nature Preserve

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

The Leelanau Conservancy has preserved some wonderful tracts of land on the Leelanau Peninsula. 
I recently hiked the Swanson Preserve. It is a slice of land that runs from M22 to the shoreline of Little Traverse Lake.

The hike is short, but lovely. It winds through a cedar swamp and over a little stream. Boardwalks lifted me over the wetter parts.

Over 200 varieties of plants have been identified here, and the conservancy has a wildflower rescue program where plants are potted and sold in the spring to help support the work of the conservancy.

Here are some photos:

Trails are blazed

The pileated woodpecker has done some work here

Some trees couldn't hold on during a big blow

Woodpecker tracks on birch bark

Little Traverse Lake

Exoskeleton left behind

It's a short, worthwhile hike. There's even a bench along the little lake to take a moment to watch the light play on the water.

Jordan Valley Pathway

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

With colors peaking Up North, I headed to the Jordan River Valley to do a 2-day hike as the leaves began to let loose and flutter to the ground.

This hike is located east of Torch Lake near Alba.

More info from the DNR HERE.

Check out the brilliant colors:

This loop hike is listed as 'moderate.' 
It was just over 21 miles...

...with a total climb of almost 2,400 feet.

A wonderful walk in the woods.