Walks by the Water
Besser Natural Area: Stretching over 134 acres, this
area is home to one of Michigan’s last remaining
stands of virgin pine. An easy one-mile trail will
take you through the softwoods to view the timber
and opens to a pristine sandy beach with over
4,000 feet of Lake Huron shoreline.
Ocqueoc Falls Bicentennial Pathway: The Lower
Peninsula’s largest waterfall and only handicap
assessable falls in the United States, Ocqueoc
Falls features trails for hiking, biking, and crosscountry
skiing. Discover where the Ocqueoc River
cut a channel through the limestone bedrock and
witness salmon swim through the underground
channels during spawning season. The remnants
of an old mill race can be seen just above the falls.
Wildflower Wandering
Thompson’s Harbor State Park: Located 24 miles
north of Alpena, this natural area has 5,000 acres
of limestone, sand dunes, upland, and marsh, providing
the ideal habitat for a variety of wildflowers.
In Michigan, there are less than 50 of these remaining
examples of forested wet swale communities
of this quality. This park is home to one of the largest
populations of the State’s wildflower, the Dwarf
Lake Iris.
Alpena Township Nature Preserve: This township
nature preserve at Misery Bay includes
nearly 10,000 feet of Lake Huron shoreline, coastal
marshes, fens, old growth northern white cedar
forests, karst geology sinkholes, and over 150 species
of rare plants. The variety of habitats also provides
excellent opportunities for year round bird
watching.
Among the Tall Trees
Norway Ridge Pathway: Five miles south
of the City of Alpena, Norway Ridge provides
a serene escape with an abundance
of nature on the ten miles of forgiving,
groomed terrain. Trails wind through
lowland forest habitat covered with ridges
of large red pines. This is an ideal trail
system to enjoy all four seasons!
Thompson Harbor; Courtesy Gary Irving explore the Alpena Area.
Chippewa Hills Pathway: Located twenty miles
southwest of the City of Alpena, this trail system
is considered one of the best-groomed trails in
Northeast Michigan open to hiking, horseback
riding, mountain biking, snowshoeing and crosscountry
skiing. You’ll feel at one with nature on
this beautiful, heavily wooded property featuring a
variety of old oak, maple and evergreens.
Big Adventure Time
Rockport State Recreation Area: Rockport, located
just north of the City of Alpena, is your place to discover
rough and tough rugged terrain throughout
4,000 acres of pristine forest. Featuring an abandoned
limestone quarry where you can hunt for
Devonian Period fossils, Lake
Huron breezes fuel your adventure
through trails, shoreline
beaches, sinkholes and more.
Top Walks
in Nature
Here are some ideas for nature walks
across the Sanctuary of the Great Lakes.
Blue skies, lush green forests,
stunning lakeside views,
and pieces of our rich history
are just the beginning of what
you’ll discover when you
Stay after the sun goes down and you will understand
why this park has been named one of
Michigan’s official Dark Sky Preserves. Rockport is
a great place for animal sightings and includes a
bat hibernaculum.
Negwegon State Park: Negwegon is revered for it's
rustic and undeveloped landscape. It is here you
will discover one of the most remote and beautiful
sandy beaches on Lake Huron. Adventure awaits
you with 10 miles of hiking trails, four backcountry
campsites, gorgeous woodlands, and remnants of
Native American life found in stone structures and
trail marker trees. Negwegon is also a designated
Michigan Dark Sky Park.
Backyard Bliss
Island Park: Right in the heart of the City of Alpena,
Island Park is a 17-acre island located in the city’s
500-acre wildlife sanctuary. Cross over the beautiful,
hand-hewn covered wooden bridge from Duck
Park to get to Island Park where you’ll discover
rolling nature trails, fishing and bird-watching
platforms, and 5 different ecosystems.
Alpena Bi-Path: Just over 18 miles long, this path
will gracefully lead you through charming city
parks, along Lake Huron and the Thunder Bay
River, and throughout downtown Alpena. You’ll
get to enjoy the best of nature, all right within the
city limits.
Fall Forest; Courtesy Gary Irving
Butterfly on Phlox; Courtesy Shirley Helwig Dam on river; Courtesy Gary Irving 46 Sanctuary of the Great Lakes