Trekking – Raven K

(Actually) Bishop’s Bog

27 of 52

With my brother visiting from Taiwan and both of us having an interest in the outdoors and hiking, I decided it was time to try and give this one another shot. When I went out in January, the floating trail itself was closed, and I had never found another time, when the weather was better, to attempt it again, so we decided to make a day of it.

While I have been on floating trails before, this is the first time I’ve been on one that actually sank. If you are not sure on your feet, I would not suggest this trail for you. It’s approximately 4.3 miles total, and I’d say a good 3 miles of it is on a floating path. Once on this path, you also run into overgrown areas, which sometimes made it difficult to determine if you were staying on the marked path. Falling in was not something big on my list.

The paths were made of concrete, plastic, or dirt, so I opted to wear tennis shoes to absorb the impact instead of my usual hiking boots. I would also suggest a change of clothes for after the trail. By the time my brother and I were done, our clothes were soaked to our knees and our shoes were useless.

It was a beautiful trail though and I would definitely recommend it, especially if you are a fan of bog wildlife. We ended our early morning day by meeting the other brother for mini golf, as well. So, not only was it a good day for hiking, it was just a good day with my brothers in general.

Lakeview and Oak Woods Loop

A 3.6 mile hike in the Waterloo Recreation Area, this trip is just a short one outside of the Ann Arbor area, and was a perfect mid-pandemic activity with a few coworkers. Lakeview and Oak Woods trails are connected by a short piece of the Waterloo-Pickney Trail and have some great views of the water, if you can find them amongst all the trees. Our mid-July trek was made easier by the high canopy and relative cover provided by the trees.

While there are a few places for experiencing the tranquility of Mill Lake, our only real view of the lake was when we got slightly lost. The trail is relatively well marked, but there was some confusing on the Lakeview Trail that actually dropped us closer to a different access road. This detour led us to a natural boat launch that left us speechless looking out across the lake we had been trekking beside most of our afternoon.

Lakeview Trail may have had some confusing markings that got us a little turned around, but the rest of the trails (or, trail pieces) were well marked across both the Waterloo-Pickney Trail and the Oak Woods Trail. The recreation area is also far enough off the beaten path that you don’t get a lot of noise like cars once you make it to the paths, and we saw relatively few people. In the midst of our lockdown, it was a welcome adventure into the outdoors that allowed a little comradery with a relatively low risk factor. You can find more of my shots here, if you are interested in the full photo collection.

Another highlight of these trails is the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center. While we couldn’t explore it due to closure, “the center reflects [Eddy’s] career in geology and his dedication to preserving Michigan’s natural areas.”¹ The center features two exhibition rooms, which are said to be great for young children, or just anyone interested in geology and Michigan.

Jim DeFresne, “Lakeview and Oak Woods Loop” in 50 Hikes in Michigan (New York: The Countrymen Press, 2019), 55.

The Return to the Trails

I think one of the most important things we could have done this year is do more things that safely bring us joy, and, getting back to nature and the trails has done just that for me. Not only has it gotten me out and exploring, but it has also brought me back to my love of photography and has encouraged me to take the plunge into photo editing. Therefore, I thought it was important to get back to another love of mine: writing.

I got the inspiration to do the 52 Hikes in 52 Weeks challenge from a friend that did it in 2020, and figured it was a perfect goal for 2021, as life is far from going “back to normal,” so I got to the trails this year to remind myself what it was like. I likely won’t post all my hikes in order, and will probably prioritize the ones from my current goal over others, but I felt this was the best way to write about my own experiences, dedicate some time to getting words to paper, and sharing some of my photography. If you want more of my photography, you can always check out my Instagram page, where I share my full collections.

Some of my hikes have been with coworkers, some with family, and some have been on my own, but they’ve all been a way for me to reconnect with nature and remember why I love it so much. Prioritized here are my experiences hiking in Michigan, specifically from the book 50 Hikes in Michigan, which comes with an additional 10 suggestions. These adventures and more are in hopes of building up to some longer through treks, including my dream of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail (and maybe even the other two of the Triple Crowns).

So, join me, my camera, my thoughts, and, often, my cowboy hat on the adventures back into nature and to myself as we welcome in yet another hard year ahead of us.