Island Lake Yellow Trail Loop

Park at the Island Lake Picnic Grounds, also known as the Kent Lake parking lot.  Look for a spot on the west end of the parking lot and carry your kayak down to the river – but don’t worry, they have installed a nice little kayak slide to assist you as you walk down the river bank!  Simply, place your kayak onto the slide and walk it down with you to the water. Once in the water, your padd...

Having lived in Michigan and the greater Detroit area for only one year, I'm still constantly looking for the next place to take my mind off the day-to-day work grind. Michigan, the Great Lake State, is certainly not a bad place to be to do so. Roughly one hour outside of Detroit rests Bird Hills Nature Area. Technically in Ann Arbor, Mich., most notably known for being home to the University o...

Finding a quiet, relatively secluded place to backpack can be difficult in Southeastern Michigan. However, backpacking at Blind Lake in the Pinckney State Park is a fantastic option for those searching. Blind Lake is accessible by a 7 mile hike in from Silver Lake, but can be approached from several different routes using the Potawatomi and Waterloo Trails.  The Blind Lake rustic campground pr...

You can launch from many points along Argo Pond (which is the name of this dammed portion of the Huron River), but the most abundant parking is located at Argo Park, Bandemer Park, or Huron Bridge Park. This is a popular place for paddleboarders, kayakers, canoers, and rafters during the summer. Stay away from Argo Dam - it is marked with buoys. One-way trip from Argo Park upstream to Barton Da...

This adventure starts at Argo Park. Rent a kayak for $21 (including shuttle service back) or bring your own. Caution: parking can be limited on the busiest summer days, so be sure to check out the overflow lots and shuttles. Check the livery website for hours and additional parking information. From Argo Park to Gallup Canoe & Livery, you will travel 3.7 river miles. This will take you ...

The total trip is approximately 2 miles, or 50-90 minutes. Your leisurely trip begins at the Waterford Clinton River Canoe Launch. While some paddlers go downstream and then back upstream to the start, I recommend staging a car or a bike where you end. The end point for this trip is the business parking lot that is found on the west side of the intersection of Cooley Lake Rd and Cass Elizabeth ...