My March hiking had some definite issues but also some just nice, quiet, alone time that allowed me to remember why I love solo hiking so much. The original plan was to drive up to Traverse City, do my short hike (1.6 miles), spend the night, do my longer hike (3.4 miles), and then head back. But, of course, the end of the Michigan winter never quite does what it’s supposed to, does it?
Platte River Springs
Platte River Springs was supposed to be an easy(ish) 1.6 mile hike from a campground in the area, but, unfortunately, it was not meant to be. There were some challenges to this hike, like fording a river, and commentary like “the trail is not easy to distinguish at times,” but I wasn’t going to let that deter me. This would be only the second trailhead since starting getting guidance from the 50 Hikes in Michigan Book that I wouldn’t be able to find. And, without a corresponding AllTrails map, I was lost before I even started.
I found the campsite but not the trailhead, though, I do admit I could have been at the wrong campsite because there were several in the area with similar names, but I think I was in the right place. Due to the challenges of the trail (fording in particular), the lack of service, the remoteness of the area, and the fact that I was alone, I decided not to risk a hike without being sure I was in the right spot. The weather was cold and snowy as well, which just made conditions more dangerous. So, I headed to my hotel, checked in early, hit up their Fitness Center, and relaxed before hitting the planned trail for the next day.
Lake Ann Pathway
Originally constructed as a ski trail, Lake Ann Pathway is a 3.4 mile loop that I figured would be well traveled all year. 50 Hikes in Michigan mentions a specific “hiking season” but this seemed to just indicate a warning about the bugs due to the large amounts of water on the trail. There was an opportunity to make it a 5 mile loop by including a trek into the Lake Ann Campground, but the ten degree weather had me thinking better of that.
Lake Ann Pathway is known to be quiet (even though it’s just off the road) and to feature a ton of water. Unfortunately, the new snow (and the old snow) made these water features hard to distinguish. Platte River was the only clear water source I saw. Commentary about spring and fall hiking makes sense so you can truly enjoy the lakes on the path.
With the cold and new snow (and the problems from the day before), I decided to forego my daypack for less weight and a faster hike. I took my YakTrax as a precaution, and, though it was icy in some places, they were, thankfully, unneeded. The pathway is extremely well marked which was also a nice change from the challenges the day before. The longest section (between markers 7 and 8) was actually the least marked of the trail. It features the hardest terrain in its .9 miles as well, so it was a nice little challenge to the relatively calm day. Likely due to the cold, I only saw a single bird on the hike. We were the only ones breathing out there that day.
Unfortunately, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep up with my original plan for this year. I spent more in gas to Traverse City than I did on a hotel. So, I’m currently reevaluating so I’m not hurting myself financially, and will, hopefully, get to get in a new, challenging hike by the end of April.
Raven K 