Clinton River Trail

Celebrate National Trails Day on an Oakland County trail

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Two people walking on trail at Catalpa Oaks County Park in Southfield

Oakland County and its surrounding areas offer miles and miles of trails for your fitness and enjoyment on National Trails Day, June 4! It’s the perfect time to get outside and take a stroll, jog through a park, bike with friends, kick up some dirt at Holly Oaks ORV Park, saddle up on a horse, or paddle down a river. Whether you’re looking to get some vitamin D, exercise, or just want to enjoy some quiet time with nature, there’s no shortage of trails to meet your needs in Oakland County.

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West Bloomfield’s Wilder Side

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WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

The wilder side of nature is often thought to be found only in faraway places, destinations that take hours of travel and detailed planning to get to. Henry David Thoreau sought out the wilder side and wrote, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” In reality, pockets of wild nature not only survive in Oakland County, but often thrive, making the division between wild nature and suburban living blurry at times. Continue reading →

Run or Walk “The Brooksie Way” on September 23rd in Oakland County!

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A group of runners, men and women, cross the starting line at the 2017 Brooksie Way Half Marathon race. Bystanders watch and cheer them as they stand under trees in the background. The sun is shining.

Will you be one of the thousands of walkers and runners participating in the 11th Annual McLaren Brooksie Way Half Marathon, 10k and 5k? This year’s Brooksie Way will take place on Sunday, September 23rd on the beautiful grounds of Oakland University.

This family friendly event offers fun race options for your little ones too. Sign them up for the Diaper Dash, Toddler Trot, or Big Kids Race, on Saturday, September 22nd at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and give them the same race experience as Mom and Dad!

Register for The Brooksie Way!

Check out our video and see how much fun there is to be had at The Brooksie Way!

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Season of the Spittlebugs

Oakland County, MI Government 4 Comments

Spittlebug

Wilder Side of Oakland County

Strange frothy bubbles are appearing on the stems of meadow wildflowers and garden plantings. They shimmer in summer sunlight and appear in mass along the uncut edge zones of sun-soaked trails, including the big three trail favorites of Oakland County: Paint Creek, Polly Ann, and Clinton River. Walk the shoreline of any lake in Oakland County that has a wild weedy edge and they are nearly impossible to miss. Little kids are not shy about describing what those whitish bubbles look like, or feel like, when inquisitive young fingers explore and poke into the mysterious frothy mass.

Giggles follow the finger poke and some take delight in squealing loudly, “It looks like spit!” They are right, it does, but the details of where that froth really comes from is something I sometimes refrain from sharing with little ones on the trails. The answer would make their giggles totally uncontrollable and confused parents might cringe and say, “Really?” I’ll save the answer on the creation of the spittle for the end.

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Rochester College: Oakland County College Connections

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Rochester University is a four-year liberal arts college in Rochester Hills, Michigan that offers challenging academics within an inclusive christian community. Curriculum is focused on academic excellence, principled character, servant leadership, and global awareness. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered, as well as athletics and specialty programs that include studying abroad, honors programs, and more.

The college sits on a beautiful 80-acre suburban campus that’s nestled along the Clinton River Trail and overlooks the scenic Clinton River and Lake Norcentra Park. The natural setting provides students with ample opportunities for biking, walking, running, relaxing, and other activities. Nearby Downtown Rochester offers a small town, community feel with shopping, restaurants, trails, holiday events, and more. Students living on or off campus can become involved in campus ministry, theatre, music, student publications, Greek Life, and more.

In an exciting partnership, Rochester College and Leader Dogs for the Blind recently created the RC-Campus Puppy program. The goal of the program is to provide students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to raise puppies that will become guide dogs through Leader Dog’s rigorous training program. At the end of each academic year, a limited number of puppies will be distributed to selected students to be raised on campus as a member of the Rochester College community.

To learn more about Rochester University, visit them online and follow along with them for the latest Warrior news on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube using #RCWarriors.

For more Oakland County news and events, visit our website and follow along with us using #OaklandCounty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.