The 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Adventures

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Kid's Creek

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

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile journeys 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 am continuing to explore the hiking trails in and around Traverse City. Grand Traverse Conservation District works to preserve wild areas tucked amongst developed land. I've hiked several of these preserves, and this week I made it to Kids Creek Park. 


It's just a little loop, but the paved TART Trail connects to it. I ended up hiking onto the TART Trail and emerging behind Panera Bread before looping back to Kids Creek. There is signage along the trail pointing out the importance of healthy creeks and streams. 





It was a snowy day, brisk and pretty. 
The snow revealed the travels of small animals.

A small creek runs through the preserve. The ducks were enjoying the open water.






The trail is well marked. It is situated between the Great Wolf Lodge and Kohl's. 
There used to be a water mill here. It generated power for the farm that used to be here. The ruins of the mill are still on the property.




Ruins of the Old Franke Mill (the structure in foreground)












Sunday, January 5, 2020

Houdek Dunes Natural Area

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

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile journeys 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 set out on a mild, January day to explore another hiking area preserved by the Leelanau Conservancy. It is located just north of Leland. 


*Note: between this area and the town of Leland, watch for the Yak farm on the east side of the road. Yes...YAKS! 
[They weren't in the pastures today.]

 The Houdek Dunes Natural Area has several trails looping through the property and I hiked most of them. 



Trails are blazed and marked. 




Other creatures leave their marks, too.



A small stream winds between the rolling dunes.




There are many conservancy properties to explore on the Leelanau Peninsula.



Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Most Popular Post from 2019

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

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile journeys 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/






Here is the most-viewed post from 2019. Wintery photos from along Grand Traverse Bay:





Winter changes the Great Lakes.
Many people think that ice just forms on the top of the lakes, sealing the lower liquid for a time. It can do that, but it is also infinitely more creative. 

Water transforms, coats, blows, and freezes.

Below are a few photos taken on a single day along the shoreline of Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City.

Just look at what nature created:


Frozen spray locked these milkweed seeds in place


Ice balls form around grasses and reeds along the shoreline...


...then the weight of the ice snaps off the reed and the ice ball floats away


Buddy ice mounds hanging out along the bayshore


Ice volcano




Melded ice balls locked in sheet ice