Outdoor Report

The ancient beaches of west Michigan, as found on the North Country Trail.

November 17, 2021

The ancient beaches of west Michigan, as found on the North Country Trail. By Joan Young, MCP Contributing Writer. In many places along the North Country Trail in Mason, Lake, Manistee and Newaygo counties, you may notice that you are walking near the edge of an asymmetrical hill. To the west, the sandy slope gently descends into the distance, the…

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ORV fall travelog: Sheridan Township Park to Timber Creek Campground. 

November 5, 2021

ORV fall travelog: Sheridan Township Park to Timber Creek Campground.  By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief. This fall weather has been perfect for getting out on the backroads and trails. Knowing the weather forecast looked decent for today, Friday Nov. 5, my friend Mike and I decided to get out in the woods and explore a part of the Manistee National Forest…

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Michigan’s Dragon Trail for cyclists and hikers  

October 28, 2021

Michigan’s Dragon Trail for cyclists and hikers   By Joan Young, MCP Contributing Writer. Newaygo and Mecosta counties along with Consumers Energy have partnered together in anticipation of creating a 47-mile trail that encircles Hardy Dam Pond northeast of Newaygo on the Muskegon River. In 2015, the plan began to move forward, and the first segments of the trail opened…

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Outdoors: Trails connect people and places

October 6, 2021

Outdoors: Trails connect people and places By Joan Young, MCP Contributing Writer. I recently did some hiking in New York State. I’ve been on a mission to hike the six major branch trails of the Finger Lakes Trail System. Of course I’ll get an embroidered patch for that accomplishment. These branches all run either north or south from the main…

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Outdoors: Connecting Mason County with the Adirondacks

September 7, 2021

Outdoors: Connecting Mason County with the Adirondacks By Joan Young, MCP Contributing Writer. How are Mason County and the famous eastern mountains related? Of course you can go by road- Interstate highways can zip you there at 70 mph. I-96, US23, I-80, I-90, and I-87 which at least has a tantalizing name- The Northway. And there you are in the…

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