1st Spring Flowers for S.E.Michigan

Finally we have some Spring flowers blooming, and many more on the verge of taking over the forests and meadows in S.E.Michigan. It has been a very odd Springtime this year. The “Blood-Root” flowers have already bloomed and gone away. Time for the masses to bloom, and fill in everything.

Blood Root group blooming in late April

Natives used the roots for Red & Orange dye

 

The “Trout-Lilies” are blooming at this moment (middle of May), along with the May-Apples and “Skunk-Cabbage” in all the wet areas.

Skunk Cabbage stretching it’s leaves

One May Apple plant that will blossom a single white flower

In late May, a single green Fruit will form under the broad leaves

Trout Lily. They grow in patches along wet areas.

 

You can “Download” our early Spring Flowers, ID sheets here at the Link. We are working on an updated version at this moment. Download the ID Sheets Here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While you are out searching the Forests in S.E.Michigan, for sprouting wild Flowers, take care in watching out for fresh blooming Poison Ivy. It is at it’s strongest in the Springtime, when all the poisons are concentrated in the stems and tips of the new sprouts. At this stage, it may only take a slight brush up against the plant, to contract a severe case of Poison Ivy.

Some Reminders

We try and keep Links to much of our PDF INFO sheets, Maps and other helpful outdoor information, on most of our NET locations. But the best place to go is our web site, where you will always find everything we have, there for Download.

If it is Maps you want, then the Park Maps page is where you need to be. From the PARK Maps page you can also head over to the SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN Parks page. These couple of pages, linked to the main PARK Maps page, have over 120 Maps and Parks listed around S.E. Michigan. Maps on how to get to the Parks, Pictures and many details and contact numbers. Go to the PARKS MAP Page of the HM web site. Or go deeper on those pages and get yourself to the SOUTHEASTERN Michigan Parks page, where you will find those 120 Parks located in S.E. Michigan.

Spring is about to POP. Animal ID sheets, Birding ID, Raptors ID sheets, Heron reports, and all types of Guides are available to Download on the web site DOWNLOADS Page. This single page of the HM web site is being expanded at this moment, to become two full pages of PDF files that are free to Download and print for yourself at home. You may find many of these Info sheets and Guides, useful in your early Springtime explorations.

The Hiking Michigan Outdoor NewsLetter is also available from the HM main website. The quarterly issue is posted on the site to read right there, or Download bits and pieces for home reading. Many excellent and helpful articles from Birding experts, Naturalists and just plain Michigan Hikers, who are willing to share their experiences with all of us for free. Check out the NEWSLETTER Page of the website.

So head on over to the official Hiking Michigan website and check out some of the many things available to You, for Free. Take a look at the Hikes schedule while you are there and see if there is something you would like to join in on. Hopefully there is something that interests you, and we will see you out on the Trails, real soon.

New HIKES SCHEDULE

The latest HIKES & ACTIVITIES Schedule is out. We get started with our Spring Hikes at Holland Ponds Park, in Shelby Twp. The largest Great Blue Heron nesting site in S.E. Michigan.

We have some interesting and Cool Hikes planned for April, May and June. So join us, and hope to see you all out on the trails.

Download the new SCHEDULE here;  HIKES SCHEDULE

Latest ANIMAL TRACKS ID sheets

Just finished the latest version of our Michigan Animal Tracks ID sheets. It is a two page file, that covers most of the upland forest animals and stream side critters as well. These are the most common animal tracks we see, here in Southeastern Michigan.

This two page ID sheets will be given yo all in attendance of our Wilcox-Warned HIKE on 1/29/11. We hope you will find these ID sheets helpful in your winter hiking and exploring. It is great fun for all ages, to examine what kind of wildlife is roaming the areas we Hike in.

Download the ANIMAL TRACKS ID sheets here: http://www.hikingmichigan.com/PDFinfo/ForestStreamAnimalTracks.pdf

1/15/11 Mapbook HIKE

Our first hike for 2011 is our Mapbook Hike. Everyone in attendance will receive a Free copy of the mapbook, “HIKING S.E. MICHIGAN”.  We normally sell this book on our web site for $15.00 with shipping, but we will be giving to all the Hikers showing up for this 1st Hike of 2011.

It is our way of saying Thank You HM hikers for a great Hiking year in 2010, and to get everyone enthused for a great Hiking year in 2011. The 1st Hike will be at Stony Creek Metro Park.

We will be meeting at the Nature Study area parking lot at 12PM, and hiking the back side of the “Osprey Hacking Lake”. This is one of the least traveled areas at the Park, and one of the best animal sanctuaries left at the park.

We hope you all will join us for our 1st Hike in 2011 and get your free copy of the Hiking Mapbook. Looking forward to seeing our many old friends as well as many new friends for this kick-off Hike of 2011. See You all out on the trails.

Get more details and a Map to this Hike here: STONY CREEK HIKE

WINTER TIPS

Winter will surely show it’s face soon. We have been very lucky with these temperatures holding in the mid 50s for so long now. In preparation for the upcoming Winter Hiking, Cross country Skiing and Snow shoeing activities, I have gone through my personal notes, and logged all the wonderful suggestions I received from all you Hikers out there, and put together a two page WINTER TIPS sheet.

The sheets take all the ideas that many hikers have suggested and combines them into some great ideas for what to bring along while out for Winter activities, as well as how to dress, what types of clothing and materials and even some suggested retail prices on all of these items.

I hope this will assist everyone in having an even better winter outdoor experience this year, in S.E. Michigan Parks. Whether it is Hiking, Bushwhacking, Cross country Skiing, Snow shoeing, building snowman, sledding or just shoveling the driveway, there should be some great suggestion in these two sheets, just for you.

Download the Winter Tips sheet here:  WINTER TIPS