Last Friday was a beautiful day and we decided to play tourist and visit one of my favorite hiking trails in the Sleeping Bear Dunes, the Treat Farm Trail. It is an out-and-back trail about 2.3 miles round trip. For more information on this trail, here is the official website.
A Walk in the Woods
The trail starts with an easy uphill path through the woods. There were several flowering plants along the way including these red columbines.
There were also several Jack-in-the-Pulpits, although they were getting beyond their peak.
Further along, I spotted this plant, but have no idea what it is.
The Farm
After about half a mile, the trail opens up to the farm itself. There is a wonderful old farm house, a root cellar, a barn, and some sheds.
Here you can see the barn and the entrance to the root cellar.
I love the details of the weathered barn doors and hardware.
Open Meadows
Moving on from the farm we walk through open meadows.
View of Lake Michigan
Finally we see what we’ve been looking for, the view of Lake Michigan. The bluff is very steep and the view is wonderful. The breezes coming off the lake are cool and fresh.
Looking to the north you can see additional trails along the edge of the bluff. These will take you to the top of the Empire Bluff Trail.
What a beautiful day for this hike. We always want to stay longer looking over the lake, but it was time to head back, knowing we would return in another season to see what’s changed.
I hope you enjoyed the tour.
Mark
I love all your pics Mark.Enjoyed seeing the barn,root cellar,the gate,everything.! The house sure is a neat one,would have been great to live there.Thank you so much for sharing.
I try to imagine what it would have been like to live there years ago. The “driveway” would have been the trail we followed through the woods. And to have that access to Lake Michigan would have been spectacular.
Glad to hear that you are out and able to hike. That is one of our favorite trails, too. We were just a few miles away from you on Friday, as we had lunch at the Shipwreck Cafe in Empire and then rode our bikes to Glen Arbor and back. Great day for a ride. Hope that your rehab is progressing well.
BTW, on Memorial Day weekend we did a lot of kayaking, and there were literally HUNDREDS of turtles at the point we call Turtle Point in the south bay. When we returned to our lot, I found several very tiny turtles sunning in our reeds.
We had lunch at the Shipwreck Cafe, too, then up to Leland for a bit. Sorry we missed you. I love those turtles. However, I’m not likely to see them this summer. Thanks for letting me know.
Beautiful photos, Mark. I agree, the rusty hardware on the weathered wood makes for some great shots.
Thanks, Mara. I love those details.
I really enjoy your attention to detail, seeing and noticing the little things in plant life. And what’s not to love about a weathered barn with rusty hardware? Looks like it was quite the lovely farmhouse back in its day. Have a wonderful weekend. It will be HOT here!
Thanks, Karen. Cool and windy here today. Wish you could join me.