Time is sliding by and I haven’t shared my wonderful camping experience from last week. And it would be a shame if you missed that because it was amazing and it definitely made me smile.
You know that usually I camp alone with my Katie-girl, but this time Katie stayed home and I met a couple of friends at a campground on the Platt River, within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. The three of us had kayaked this river last fall, and checked the campground out back then.
And one of my friends knew someone who told us about the walk-in sites which are even more beautiful because you’re not near anyone else. No one’s generator will be running all night. No listening to people partying around the campfire in the next site, because there’s so much space between them.
Plus, if you have to carry everything to your site you’re not apt to be partying late into the night! Trust me on this.
Our first afternoon one friend and I got tents set up on our two sites. We were at the end of the trail so no one else would be walking by. As it turns out, most of the time no one else was out there at all.
Once we were set up we walked the .8 mile through some low sand dunes to the beach on Lake Michigan. It was a dark and pretty cold afternoon, but it was good to walk after our long drive to the campground. And you can’t beat the view once we got out to the shore!
The next day we decided to take a hike on trails within the park, looking for three small lakes. We drove around on some narrow dirt roads and accidently ended up back at the beach, just further down from where we walked the day before. It was beautiful, but still kind of stormy with a threat of rain.
Eventually we found the trailhead.
The woods were beautiful, filled with wildflowers. My friend had an app on her phone that told us what they were.
Of course I don’t remember any of it, except for this lady slipper.
We found the first lake just as it began to sprinkle. But we didn’t let a little rain stop us.
We continued on around the first lake; the trail led right through a deep, wet boggy place, with no option except to just get our feet soaking wet. We were compensated for that by seeing a beautiful, lush fern right there.
We eventually found all three lakes as the rain continued. Of course I had left my raincoat in the car where it could stay nice and dry.
Ah well, we enjoyed seeing the woods and the flowers, and the lakes, and when we got back to our campsite our other camping friend was arriving!
We had a lovely dinner….
…and an even lovelier campfire where we heard coyotes loudly discussing something important….
….and went to bed. During the night foxes yipped and owls hooted and we knew we were truly in the woods!
The next day we kayaked down the river again. We were looking forward to a nice easy paddle, but the wind picked up, and we had to work really hard across one long lake, and every time the river turned to the west into the wind.
By the time we got to the mouth of the river we were definitely tired!
But not too tired to hike the Empire Bluff trail! The trail goes up and down through some beautiful woods.
And the first view you get of the shoreline is stunning.
But it was soooo windy by then it was hard to stand up on the bluffs and look at the view for long, so we drove down to another beach to watch a guy who was windsurfing.
And then we went to a diner and had a burger! It was my first restaurant experience since February of 2020. It was amazing.
Our last night at camp was windy with a big thunderstorm blowing over. Lightening and thunder and wind, the perfect ending to a perfect three days in norther Michigan!
We packed up in the morning, walking everything back down the long trail to the car.
It took a bit of work, but it was definitely worth it to camp back in the woods away from everyone. We had so much fun, it was peaceful and beautiful and I’d do it again next week if I could.
Oh wait. Next week I’ll be camping in the Upper Peninsula. Not at a walk-in site, but it will be beautiful in a different sort of way.
Stay tuned.
June 4, 2021 at 7:37 am
This looks amazing! What a beautiful area.
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June 5, 2021 at 3:29 pm
It really IS just beautiful!!
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June 4, 2021 at 8:12 am
Sounds great! The photos look so inviting, even with the stormy weather. And being out in the woods like that is terrific. I used to vacation in that area as a kid, but we really didn’t spend much time in the deep woods like that.
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June 5, 2021 at 3:30 pm
Last week it was in the 40s at night. This week the highs are near 100. I’m camping ths week, don’t think I’ll need my winter coat.
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June 5, 2021 at 6:45 pm
We were up in the mid 90s, and then three days of constant 45, and now it is in the 90s again. Just wild. I am looking for a typical June week of a low of 55 and a high of 80, but I don’t think we’ll have one this year! Have fun camping.
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June 4, 2021 at 8:43 am
Beautiful photographs–thanks for sharing your adventures with us!
Hope Katie will be able to join you for your next adventure.
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June 5, 2021 at 3:30 pm
Well, not the NEXT one, but we did sleep out in the back yard one night this week. And I’ll take her to the local state park when it gets cooler.
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June 4, 2021 at 8:50 am
Yes, amazing! And magical as well. (You know how my mind runs.) Definitely worth the walk-in.
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June 5, 2021 at 3:30 pm
Very definitely worth it!
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June 4, 2021 at 9:06 am
What pretty pictures! And how wonderful to enjoy it all with friends! Hoping Katie can make it to another camping adventure soon.
Enjoy your Friday.
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June 5, 2021 at 3:31 pm
I’ll take her to the local state park for an overnight once it gets cooler again.
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June 4, 2021 at 9:07 am
Oh Dawn. My idea of heaven. I need the woods.
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June 5, 2021 at 3:31 pm
I know that feeling!
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June 4, 2021 at 1:24 pm
I am so glad you share your adventures, because I know in real life I would never be able to keep up with you. sitting in my comfy chair I really enjoyed camping with you!
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June 5, 2021 at 3:31 pm
I really enjoy bringing you along!
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June 4, 2021 at 3:04 pm
I reserved a cart-in site in Northern Minnesota a few years back. i had no idea what that meant until I got to the trailhead parking lot and saw wheelbarrows for campers to pack their supplies the last mile in. It definitely added to the adventure! Your trip looks amazing.
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June 5, 2021 at 3:31 pm
Ohhhhh….wheelbarrows would have been wonderful! Though they didn’t let you wheel anything. If your cooler had wheels you had to carry it.
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June 4, 2021 at 4:33 pm
Looks like you had a great camping adventure. I haven’t been in a restaurant since my friends brought Teddy to me in March 2020; ours are still closed here, patios may open soon though. Our first camping trip is scheduled for 20 June.
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June 5, 2021 at 3:33 pm
You guys are in a much stricter state of affairs than we are now. We’ve had patios at restaurants open all winter. Now insides are open too. Still, it’s scary. I hope you get to camp this summer! They’re talking about doing vacinations on the bridge (or maybe in the tunnel) between Detroit and Windsor because we have a surplus. Canadians supposedly can come and get their shot at the border.
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June 5, 2021 at 4:20 am
Now that is adventure. Three days packed full. Looking forward to the next trip you will share with us. Thanks Dawn.
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June 5, 2021 at 3:33 pm
I’m looking forward to the next one too!
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June 5, 2021 at 3:37 pm
Your photos make me smile, too! I don’t think I’d make a very happy camping-person, but I enjoy reading about your adventures. And that tablecloth still makes me giggle!! Reminds me of an SEC tailgating extravaganza!
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June 7, 2021 at 6:01 pm
Yes, it’s very much not camping style, but I like it.
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June 6, 2021 at 1:20 pm
Oh, those photos are gorgeous. And the country is beautiful! I have to come there! 🙂 This was great Dawn, thank you. And I’m so glad Katie is back.
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June 7, 2021 at 6:02 pm
Lots of beautiful places in northern Michigan. I’m in the UP this week. You’d like it up here even more. Long drive from your part of the country though.
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June 7, 2021 at 12:23 pm
Beautiful photos from your trip. I’ve been out on a few hikes lately. I haven’t tried kayaking, but it appeals to me. I don’t know how/when I’ll try it, because I don’t know any kayakers near me. I saw “Platt River” and thought about the Platte River I know of in Nebraska where my mother is from and where some of my relatives still live. It must be a different river.
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June 7, 2021 at 6:13 pm
It’s in Michigan. You don’t really have to know someone that kayaks, though it’s fun to do it together. Go to any reasonably calm river, and there will be places that rent you the kayak, and take you upriver and set you in the river so you just kayak back down. Or, in our case, we left from the kayak place and paddled out to the lake, where I had previously parked my car.
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June 7, 2021 at 8:18 pm
You are probably right, only I am somewhat intimidated and feel like I need companions. Maybe, I can get over it. 😛 🙂
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June 8, 2021 at 11:51 am
There might be groups of women in your town that do that kind of thing together. Bet if you blog about it you’ll find someone.
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June 8, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Ha ha. Good idea 🙂
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July 21, 2021 at 10:27 am
What a beautiful trip, Dawn! I love your photos and the storytelling.
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