where do YOU do it?

[hunter243]

where do you go hiking? i go wherever i can and wherever there's trails.

[michihunter]

Tanner- Be patient young man. You'll get some responses. I like to hike wherever there is a beautiful scenery unfolding. Or where there is a chance at seeing wildlife up close and personal. I've been all over Michigan with my wife on these expeditions. My favorite place is the Pocupine Mtns in the Upper Peninsula.

[hunter243]

cool,never been there since i live in oklahoma!! ;D
i'll try to be patient.

[hound dogger]

i live in Washington and up by Mt Saint Helens they have hiking trails where u can go look at the old mud flows (in the 80;s when it exploded the lava flowed thru there) they also have trails that take u around cold water lake and little sites where u can camp because it takes i think like 2 days to walk around it

[hunter243]

cool,sounds fun.i would like to go there.

[bowslap]

Mt. St. Helens? Man, that would be awesome! Definitely someplace I plan to visit in my lifetime.....

Turkey Run State Park in western Indiana offers a lot for hikers.....lots of beautiful scenery, rock formations, and water....Brown County State park is another good one.....no worries, we'll get this forum going......'slap....

[hunter243]

thanks slap,i would also like to go there in western indiana.

[ScottC]

I am still exploring my new state, but western Michigan is great for hiking in the woods which are right next to sand dunes. One minute you are surrounded by trees, the next you are looking at Lake Michigan from a 50-100' dune cliff. It is also pretty cool to be in the woods and hear the surf.

[michihunter]

You been to Sleeping Bear yet Scott? A MUST SEE!!

[ScottC]

michihunter said:

You been to Sleeping Bear yet Scott? A MUST SEE!!

Sleeping Bear is an awesome park. I lived for a while in Traverse City. Sleeping Bear was the first dune park I ever went to. The old growth trees are impressive. Hard to describe..."A MUST SEE" is correct, Ted.

[michihunter]

I just loved watching my wife try to tackle the big hill at the netrance by running!! I think she mad it up about 50' befor4e having to sit down for a few!! I've spent hours walking around that place!! There's a turnoff up 131 on a hill wher you can look back and see the coastline of MI for miles and miles. One of the most beautiful turnouts in Michigan!! This is one great state isn't it?

[hunter243]

sleeping bear sounds like a totally awesome park guys. 8-)i'd like to go there too.

[michihunter]

Here's another Michigan wonder. Taquemenom Falls

[ScottC]

Yeah Ted, My wife and I finally made it up the BIG sand dune ourselves. I think that dune is 250' high, if I remember correctly. Anyways, the pics I found cannot due the national park justice, so here is a link to the "official" Sleeping Bear Dunes site.

sleepingbeardunes.com/

...and the Nationa Park Service site:

www.nps.gov/slbe/

[michihunter]

Have you been to Silver Lake yet Scott? That's not that far from you. It's a smaller version of Sleeping Bear and a great place to watch some awesome dune racing!!

[hunter243]

michihunter said:

Here's another Michigan wonder. Taquemenom Falls

thats buetiful ted.

[ScottC]

michihunter said:

Have you been to Silver Lake yet Scott? That's not that far from you.

No Ted, I have not been there yet. I have been to Hart, and a farm with a petting zoo in New Era. But haven't been west of 31 by the lake up that way. Silver Lake is in the next county north. I want to take lil' Scott up there and rent a Jeep and ride the dunes...or, at very least, take a dune ride.

[michihunter]

He'll love it Scott!! I used to take my Jeep there back in the day. They have hang gliders there too with the guys jumping off the sides of the hills. Real cool!!

[xtremesportsman]

I enjoy hiking anywhere it is scenic or there is wild life around. here in my area of Suffolk County NY I really enjoy the nature trail at Smith Point Park's National Seashore. It is board walked for about a mile, but you can hike the back of the dunes or the open beach for miles and miles. There is plenty of wildlife, from deer to owls on the back side of the dunes.

There is also the old William Floyd estate which has a couple of miles of trails. this is also part of the National Seashore.

Then there is South haven Park with it's lakes, dam and river. It holds a free ranging herd of Sika deer on the park property as well. If you're lucky you can catch a glimpse of them now and again. They were brought here in the 1800's when the park was a hunting preserve for the who you know group of that time.

The south end of South Haven park is the federal Wild life refuge on the Werthiem (sp) property. This property runs along the Carmen river all the way to the Great South bay. It is loaded with deer , waterfowl, small game and other animals. There are two loops, one 1.5 miles and one 3 mile loop. There are blinds along the trails to stop and watch wildlife in fields and on the river.

But if it is wooded or a beach, I enjoy hiking it but more so exploring it. I guess when it comes to being outside in the woods, I have never grown up. And to be honest to you all, I hope I never do.......

[elk4me]

Here is a great site Rails to Trails Conversary www.railtrail.org/ I have rode these trails in Illinois, Wisconsion, Flordia and here in Montana. I also see future rides in NewMexico, Arizona and Utah in my future after I finish college and move to Arizona. Great orginazation that fights for you the outdoorsman to upkeep trails, make new trails, for hiking and mtn bikeing using old abandoned railroads. ;D It has a state wide directory, I got an email for Kelly Cornwell stating there are over 100,000 members and over 1,400 trails across the US totaling 13,300 mi and another 1,200 trails in preliminary/project stages of development. ;D you ask why I know these numbers I did a persuasive speech on " Rails to Trail Across Americia"

[michihunter]

Thanks for the link Matt!