Michigan DNR

More Than A Walk In The Woods: Graham Lakes Trail

Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

1-img_7049

Bald Mountain State Recreation Area is a 4,637-acre multi-use wildland managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR describes the landscape accurately with their frequently used sentence of, “The Park contains some of the steepest hills and most rugged terrain in southeast Michigan and features fifteen miles of marked hiking trails.” I knew that. I thought I knew all of the Bald Mountain State Recreation Area trails very well. I did not. Somehow, in all my many adventures at Bald Mountain, I missed four miles of forested trail that circles West Graham Lake, East Graham Lake, and hidden vernal ponds. As John Muir wrote, and I have shared before, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” Once again his words were accurate, and they will be for you as well, if you walk slowly, stop often, look and listen. Continue reading →

When the Moon Shadows Dance

Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

img_0286

Night hiking is always an adventure, but it becomes a five-star adventure on a winter’s night. Hiking with a good friend, a group of friends, or like-minded adventurers adds to the pleasure, but even solo night trekkers are never really alone. Unseen creatures rustle through brush, or crunch through crusty snow stirring our senses into hyperactivity. The hooting of owls is a thrilling and comforting sound that brings smiles for those in the know. Yet sometimes, the whinnies of Screech Owls, deep melodious hoots of Great Horned Owls and the caterwauling conversations of the swampland-loving Barred Owls send shivers down the backs of folks who never tread trails after the sun sets. Continue reading →

Bald Mountain State Recreation Area: A Proving Ground For Lungs And Legs

Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

img_6815

“Bald Mountain Recreation Area has some of the steepest hills and most rugged terrain in southeastern Michigan.” The Michigan Department of Natural Resources uses that sentence to describe the 4,637 acre multi-use wildland gem they manage in northeastern Oakland County. Bald Mountain is split into three large parcels, and without question it is a four-season “walk on the wilder side” that attracts avid hikers, mountain bikers, birders, solitude seekers, and before very long, cross-country skiers that don’t mind navigating around glacial boulders deposited during the last ice age. The terrain has rapid elevation changes and can be challenging for hikers who are usually accustomed to level or crushed gravel terrain.

Continue reading →

How to Watch the Perseid Meteor Shower in Oakland County

Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment

Find the perfect spot to ‪stargaze tonight and through the weekend for a glimpse of the ‪Perseid Meteor Shower‬ with our interactive Stargazing‪‎ Map‬. Scientists are predicting roughly 200 meteors per hour, the best show since its last showing in 2009.

Peak times to view the ‪meteor shower‬ are expected in the late evening and predawn hours tonight. Stay up past 1 a.m. and you may get the best show! The meteor shower is expected to last through the weekend.

Skygazing Map 3

Use our interactive ‪‎Stargazing‬ map for the best locations in ‪‎Oakland County‬, including your local park, to view the meteor shower! Find a spot with low light pollution near you, and look to the North for the best show tonight or this weekend.

Continue reading →