Waterloo Recreation Area
At 20,000 acres, Waterloo Recreation Area is the largest park in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Springtime bring sand hill cranes to the park and a drive down some of the park roads will reward visitors with the sight of flowering dogwoods. A maple syrup festival is held every other year at the Gerald Eddy Discovery Center. The Discovery Center staff leads hikes on the Spring Pond Trail so visitors can see the beautiful spring wildflowers and on the Bog Trail, where visitors can observe pitcher plants and a few rare plants seen only in a bog environment. The park also features four campgrounds and three rustic cabins, 11 excellent fishing lakes, numerous boat launches, and 47 miles of hiking trails. Other activities at the park include turkey hunting and horseback riding. For further information, call 734-475-8307.Algonac State Park
The 1,500-acre Algonac State Park features half a mile of Saint Clair River frontage. Spring is an especially good time to visit the park to watch the freighters heading up and down the river as the winter ice breaks up. Lake Huron (to the north) sends a rush of ice flows into this narrow section of the river to add to the confusion. Visitors can watch as the freighters (sometimes they look close enough to touch) cross paths as they head in opposite directions and signal each other with loud blasts on their horns.Two other reasons to visit Algonac in the spring are the lake plain prairies and oak savannas, which provide places to view prairie plants, birds and butterflies. These special habitats include 19 species that are on the state list of endangered, threatened, and special concern species. Camping is available year round at Algonac. For further information call 810-765-5605.
Van Riper State Park
Small blue flowers cover the ground everywhere in Van Riper State Park in the spring. The 1,044-acre park includes one-half mile of frontage on the east end of Lake Michigamme with a fine sand beach. The park doesn't open for camping until May, but park visitors can explore 3+ miles of hiking trails, including the Overlook Trail which affords a spectacular view of Lake Michigamme. Wildlife in the park includes bald eagle, osprey, otter, and moose. The park also includes some rare and endangered plants including Nodding Trillium and Spotted Coral Root in the spring.A few miles east of the park, iron ore was first discovered in the Lake Superior region in 1845. Evidence of early mining ventures of almost a century ago can be seen along several miles of good foot trails that wander through the hills on the north side of the highway. Van Riper is near Champion, Michigan and can be contacted at 906-339-4461
