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
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