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.