Sleeping Bear Dunes Adventure

 

As we get farther into the fall, we have embarked on many small adventures.  We have been fitting local nature walks/ hikes in several times a week.  This past weekend we also used our annual pass for the Sleeping Bear Dunes Nation Lakeshore to do a longer and a little more challenging hike.

The Empire Bluffs trail was our choice this time.  It is a relatively mild trail through the woods, winding your way up the dune.  When you reach the top there is an overlook.  It is beautiful.  There is a trail that continues along the side of the dune.  This is a relatively narrow trail that is not maintained like the main one.  We took this trail for quite some ways.   My son played in the sandy dune in the areas where it was just sand, trying to climb up.  It was a challenge.  Sometimes we just go to the dune climb area and climb and then hike across it.  This time we did not do that, but he was still able to play in the sand and climb "a big sand hill".

Eventually we turned back, trying to gauge the energy level of my 5 year old.  He was dragging his feet the entire way down.  He was exhausted. He collected rocks on the way down.  He collects rocks every place we go.  His collection is getting rather large at this point.

These types of walks/ hikes bring about many questions and discussions.  It varies from types of trees, to the animals we see, to conservation, and leaving nature as we found it.  We discuss littering a lot, everywhere we go.

This trail was busy.  It was a Saturday and really nice out.  The boy talked to everyone on the trail.  He tried engaging another little boy we came across, to no avail.  He is definitely and extrovert.  He chats people up everywhere we go.  Unfortunately, not everyone we meet even says hello back.  We had a couple yank their kid away from him every time we came near them on the trail.   He was just saying hello, and asking the kid random questions.  Trying to start a conversation.  I don't understand people sometimes.  He is a little kid excited to see another kid on an adventure.  Is there something wrong with him wanting to talk to a kid his age on a trail?  Very frustrating, trying to explain to him that he didn't do anything wrong.  This kind of thing keeps happening.  

After this trail we drove through the Pierce Stocking Drive.  This is part of the lakeshore as well.  It is beautiful through this area.  There are places to stop and look, descriptions of the are as well as some historical facts sprinkled in.  There is a trail off of part of the drive as well.  Another trip we will explore this trail.  He is unable to do more than one long trail a day.  I hope as he gets older that his endurance increases.  

I purchase an annual pass every spring.  It is a frugal way to have adventures.  It is just under an hour drive from home.  We pack food and drinks when we go, reducing our cost to the gas to get there and back.  For me that is a win.  He is at an age that it feels like a big experience and adventure for him.