It was a rainy weekend here in Michigan. Though it stopped any grand plans I might of had of exploring deep into the north woods far from Lansing, I still escaped the suburbs, just not as far in as I would have liked.
I hiked at Highlands State Recreation Area in White Lake near Pontiac. The rain was a blessing in disguise. Being a park in the greater Detroit area, I would imagine it can normally get quite busy. In fact, as the rain started to let up (also when my walk was nearing its end), there were double the amount of cars in the parking lot. Wet boots were a small price to pay for a little solitude.
Highlands State Recreation Area
Highlands has over thirty miles of biking and hiking trails. The section I hiked were those on the east side of the park, centered on Haven Hill Lake. It was springtime and everything was green, except for the trees blackened by a recent fire. It wasn’t me, I wasn’t anywhere near the park at the time of the fire.
As I mentioned, it had rained, and the trails were muddy in many places. No problem – I had brought my hiking boots, which are almost always in my trunk. The trails were well marked and appear well maintained.
Highlands State Recreation Area
The trails were not challenging except for occasionally having to leave the path in search of a dryer route. In many places that are particularly susceptible to standing water, boardwalks have been built to keep our feed dry.
Highlands State Recreation Area
If you live in the metro area, Highlands would be a good option for getting into the woods. Otherwise, there isn’t anything that interesting to draw those from farther away.