Author: Amie
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The Hike to Abram’s Falls
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We decided to take the 5.2 mile round trip hike to Abram’s Falls. The trail has a total elevation gain of 675 feet with the first part being almost entirely up hill. It’s a bit rocky but nothing compared to the Appalachian trail we had hiked part of the day…
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A Sweet Potato Chip
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Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of nutrients and make great snacks for the trail or the camp.
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A Weekend at Big Bay Lighthouse
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My mom loves lighthouses so when my sister and I had the opportunity to get her a mother’s day/birthday gift to one of the few bed and breakfast lighthouses in Michigan, we took it.
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An Easy Hike to Big Sable Lighthouse
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If you’re looking for an easy hike that takes a couple of hours or for a place to have a picnic and hang out, Big Sable Lighthouse is a great location. The hike is around 2 miles, each way, down a sandy but well-worn path that starts at Ludington State Park.…
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Breakfast Burrito
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What You’ll Need 6 tablespoons powdered eggs 1.5 oz freeze dried potatoes 1 to 1.5 oz freeze dried shredded cheddar 1 to 2 tablespoon diced sweet pepper 1/4 cup bacon bits or 1/3 cup sausage 2 to 3 8″ flour tortillas Chopped tomato
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42 miles of Happiness: Hiking the Pictured Rocks
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Hiking the Pictured Rocks – really hiking – is amazing. It is one of the trips that will stick with me forever. Two hundred foot cliffs, numerous waterfalls, lake shore as far as the eye can see and mountainous dunes.
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Hiking Preparation
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It’s almost time for our 42.2 mile hike through Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. This will not be our most challenging hike but it will be our longest. We’ve taken many things into consideration planning this trip and thought it would be a good time to reflect. Why Pictured Rocks…
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Why Presque Isle is a Must
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Presque Isle Park is truly a diamond among gems. This 323 acre park is located on a peninsula that juts into Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan. The park contains two picnic areas, concession facilities, hiking trails (which we took advantage of at least a little), playgrounds, grassy open areas, a…
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Lovely Lilacs on Michigan’s Most Famous Island
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For the past 68 years, Mackinac Island has celebrated the bloom of the lilacs with parades, tours, art exhibitions, food tasting, and my personal favorite, fudge. This was my first year visiting the island when the lilacs were in bloom. I was impressed by the colors; purples, pinks, whites, and…
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Canyon Falls and the Gorge that Follows
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The Sturgeon River is a 106 mile long wild, raging river with some pretty amazing waterfalls. One such waterfall is Canyon Falls, called such for a good reason. Canyon Falls is located at a scenic rest stop on US-41, making it a fairly well known and visited waterfall. At roughly…
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Pure Awesome: Hungarian Falls
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There’s a little known waterfall in the Keweenaw called Hungarian Falls. Hungarian Falls is made up of several drops; Upper, Middle, and Lower. The Upper and Middle drops, though shorter in height, are remarkably beautiful. If ever there was a waterfall that looked like it belonged in an enchanted story…
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Over 5 Million Reasons to Visit Holland
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Celebrating the Dutch Heritage, the Tulip Festival is a week long event that takes place all over the city of Holland. Activities such as dutch dancing, 19th century crafts, authentic dutch dining, a parade and of course the viewing of over 5 million tulips makes this festival one worthy of…
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Gear Review: Hennessy Hammock Explorer Ultralight Asym Zip Hammock
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For months Steve and I have been talking about different ways to reduce more camping weight and started investigating hammocks vs tents. It took awhile but I finally decided to take a chance and bought the Hennessy Hammock Explorer Ultralight Asym Zip Hammock. The Specs Height Limit: 7′ Weight Limit:…
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Pigeon River: There’s No Place Like Home
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Six years ago Steve convinced me to step out of the familiarity of an established campground and venture out into the wilderness to pick a spot and set up camp. The place I picked to do that was Pigeon River State Forest. One night there and I never looked back.…
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Finding Nature at Seney Wildlife Refuge
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Seney Wildlife Refuge is a place of peace, relaxation, and wildlife. It is our favorite stop after a long week of hiking. With everything from waterfowl to eagles to bear, there’s no place quite like it.
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A Tennessee Gem: Fall Creek Falls State Park
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Fall Creek Falls State Park is a wonderland. It contains Fall Creek Falls, a massive 256 foot tall waterfall, five other waterfalls, 34 miles of hiking trails, a golf course, a campground, and a zip line. Not bad for a state park.
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Our Awesome Spelunking Adventure at Cumberland Caverns
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Crawling through mud, wiggling sideways through narrow passageways, climbing over cave walls, and sliding down slippery mud-covered slops. One of our best adventures yet.
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A New Season, New Meals
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I have my first camping trip for the year planned this March, which got me thinking about last year’s food recipes and this year’s possibilities. We’ve gotten pretty good at simplifying meals but I’d like to take it up a notch, especially since I’m planning a lot of hiking trips…
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A Wintry West Coast Trip: Little Sable Point
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Every year I look forward to visiting Lake Michigan in the winter. There is something very special about this time of year. Yes, it’s freezing (and I mean freezing) with bone chilling wind but the ice formations on the lake and lighthouses are masterpieces sculpted by nature and well worth…
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The Smokies: The Road Less Traveled, Foothills Parkway
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On one of “resting days” between our hikes, Steve and I came across this 17 mile long section of Parkway that follows the backbone of the Chilhowee Mountain. The road, called the Foothills Parkway, is between Chilhowee Lake and the town of Townsend. Little did we know how peaceful and…
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Driving Cades Cove
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We had a great time on this trip. We met up with some of my best friends and explored the many beautiful sights and stops found in Cades Cove.
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The Smokies: 3 Reasons Why We’d Skip Out on Rainbow Falls
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As usual, Steve and I were eager to seek out the supposedly impressive waterfalls in our visit to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. One such waterfall was Rainbow Falls.
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The Smokies: Grotto Falls
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Grotto Falls is a 25 foot waterfall that has one major drop. This drop falls over a ledge, providing visitors the chance to walk in behind the waterfall for a different perspective
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A Day on Slate River
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Slate River, located just east of L’Anse, Michigan, is one of those special places where time just slips away. This wild, isolated river is an adventurers haven. We trudged up the river, climbed up and slide down high gorge walls, waded across extremely slippery and oddly angled rocks, and climbed…