Michigan State Parks Archives

Hartwick’s Big Wheel

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks .

This bright red “Big Wheel” greets visitors at the entrance to Hartwick Pines State Park. Years ago lumberjacks would use them with a team of oxen to pull out logs from the Michigan forest. The park has 49 acres of old-growth pine forest and a logging museum open during the summer. The road to the visitors center along with the parking lot is plowed. The visitors center is closed but the trails for hiking and cross country skiing are open. I started to hike to the chapel but with the cold temps and the fact that I was alone, I decided it would be better that I wait for a warmer day and a hiking partner.

P.S. I have been selected by the Michigan DNR to be a Photo Ambassador. If you have followed my work for a while you know I enjoy spending time at our state parks along with camping at some of them while out exploring the Great Lakes State. I am looking forward to working with the DNR in an official capacity. I am still doing what I have always done but you may see a few more pics from the state parks or my pics on their Instagram account @Mistateparks

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The Michigan State Park Cemetery

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Michigan State Parks .

This old forgotten cemetery sits up on a hill not far from the parking lot for the Hamlin Lake beach in Ludington State Park. Long before the area was a state park it had a sawmill town called Hamlin. It was founded in 1852 by lumberman Charles Mears. He built a wooden dam on the Big Sable River and the town continued to prosper until the dam broke in 1888.

I shared this photo as part of a presentation about a year ago and it was after that an older gentleman came up to me. He told me that he was a ranger at Ludington State Park in the 60s and that an old coffin had washed up onto the banks of the Big Sable River near the mouth at Lake Michigan. From the age of the coffin and corpse, they figured it was someone from the old town of Hamlin who was buried next to the river. He told me they re-buried it in the old cemetery on the hill. I have never been able to confirm the story with a newspaper article but I have no reason to doubt what he told me.

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Michigan’s 26 Star Flag

Posted on June 14, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks, upper peninsula .

I visit a lot of locations around the state and it’s always nice to see the red white a blue flag of the USA proudly flying on a flag pole. I took this photo at Fort Wilkins State Park at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. I have visited it a few times and never noticed it, but I got to looking closely at the photo. The U.S. flag seemed a little different. I counted up the stars and it only has 26 of them. Fort Wilkins was built in 1844 and back then the official American flag only had 26 stars. The historic design from when the fort was constructed proudly flies over the fort today.

I figured I would post this pic today because it is June 14th which is Flag Day. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. The current flag was designed by a Michigan born man and you can read my post about it HERE

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The Chapel In The Woods

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Michigan State Parks .

Nestled among the trees in Hartwick Pines State Park near Grayling is this little chapel made of logs. It’s a short hike thru the old growth forests to get to the little church but it’s a beautiful walk and worth the trip to visit this quiet place in the woods. If you have followed my website for any length of time you may have noticed I have posted several photos of churches over the years. Michigan has some spectacular historic churches with steeples that reach into the sky. Although this little chapel may not be a massive structure in the heart of a large Michigan city I think it’s one of my favorite churches I have visited.

Inside the church is a sign on the altar with Nature’s Prayer written on it and reads:

Our Heavenly Father, Creator of all that is nature,
We humbly come to you in the midst of nature’s splendor,
To thank you that as Americans we are free
To worship as we please, work as we please,
And move about as we please to enjoy all that is nature:
Its mountains, its hills, its valleys, its lakes,
Its streams, and the living things that dwell therein;
We pray unto You that someday the world may be at peace
And all men be free to enjoy nature’s abundance.
We ask you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
That we be guided to protect this priceless heritage
Which we, in America, are privileged to enjoy. Amen.

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The Sun Setting on July in Michigan

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks .

I took this pic of the sun setting over Grousehaven lake in the Rifle River Recreation area a week or tow ago, I meant to post it earlier but life gets in the way of what I want to do. it’s hard to believe another month is gone this year and this summer is going by so fast. I always of plans of doing visiting new places in Michigan that I want to explore. Having a family, I have commitments to them first, but I still have so much to do, I hope August does not go by as fast as June or July, but I have a strange feeling it will go by just as fast or even faster, yeah I know time remains constant but there never seams to be enough of it. I still have more post coming, and I want to thank you for following me, even when I get busy and miss a few days.

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Final Round of the Michigan State Park March Madness Poll

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks, SP March Madness .

Congratulations to Tahquamenon Falls State Park for winning the 2016 March Madness Poll. It’s one of my favorite places in Michigan. Thank you to everyone that voted. I love the state parks in Michigan they have so much to offer and affordable to visit.

After thousands of votes cast, we are down to the final round with the last two parks going head to head to determine this years champion. I had thought one of these would have won the first time I did the March Madness Poll, but that was Ludington and last year it was Tawas. I love both the Island and the T-Falls and both wonderful parks for different reasons.

I know it’s hard to pick between them, but I would love it if you voted before Sunday March 27th so we could crown this years winner.

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Final Four Round of the Michigan State Parks March Madness Poll

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks .

Time for the Final Four parks left in this year March Madness Polls. All four parks are beautiful and it’s really hard to pick a favorite. I love them all, but pic from each pair to see what two parks go on to the final round.

This round of polls end Wednesday night March 23rd.

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Top 8 round of the Michigan State Park March Madness Poll

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks, SP March Madness, Uncategorized .

Skunk Creek in the Rifle River Recreation Area

Now we are down to the Top 8 State Parks. and there are some really fantastic parks that made it to this round. We lost some equally wonderful parks. Last years winner, Tawas Point State Park, knocked off 2014 winner Ludington State Park in their head to head matchup. Vote for your favorite in this week matchups to see who gets to move on to the final four.

you can see the last round of polls HERE

Polls end Sunday night March 20th.

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Michigan State Parks March Madness Poll 2016

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks, SP March Madness .

Sunset at Burt Lake State Park

Time for my annual Michigan State Parks March Madness Poll to see what your favorite State Park in Michigan is. I took the list of Parks and Recreational Areas and sorted the list randomly using Random.org. I then broke them up into 16 groups. Pic your favorite from each group and then next week the winners from this round will be paired up and the winners of each poll will move on until we are down to the final pair of parks to determine which is your favorite. Last year Tawas Point State Park took the top honors, and the year before that it was Ludington State Park. Who will win it all this year? you can see the previous years polls HERE

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This round of polls are closed you can vote in the next round HERE

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Championship Round for the 2015 State Park March Madness Poll.

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Michigan State Parks .

Congrats to Tawas Point State Park for winning the 2015 State Park March Madness poll

We started with all the places you can visit with you recreation passport, and now we are down to the final 2 parks. They are in the same region of the state, Both are fantastic parks, and this will be a good final round.

Vote for your favorite, and we will declare a winner Sunday night.

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