During Spring Break we (myself, youngest daughter, and wife) hit the beaches. But not like most people imagine. Our adventure took us to Michigan where a plethora of beautiful beaches exist. The first day brought us to Sleep Bear Dunes National Lakeshore where the main attraction is climbing these large hills of sand. Once we accomplished this feat we set out to explore other areas on the National Park on this beautiful April day. The temperature had reached the 70’s a little earlier but a cold front was now moving through bringing the threat of rain and definitely cooler temperatures. Along the shore of Lake Michigan are some beautiful freshwater beaches providing a shark free location to sink your feet into the sand or take a dip in the water. At this time of year the water is a bit too chilly to do more than stick in a toe or two but as summer arrives the water warms for a refreshing dip. Rain began to fall and it was time to head back to the car ending our first day at the beach.
The next day brought more rain keeping us indoors for much of it. Eventually the rain let up and we decided to take advantage with a trip to the nearby sand in Frankfurt Michigan. Only a few minutes walk and we were once again walking on the soft sand along the shore of this Great Lake. Since it was early in the year this beach was still recovering from winter as preparations were just beginning to move the sand from city streets and parking lots back onto the beach where it belongs. Winter winds blow strong shifting sand from the waters edge further inland. As the snow disappears and the landscape comes back to life, these winds calm allowing the beaches to keep their sandy shoreline bringing crowds to enjoy them all summer long. With another day on the beach, even if for a short time, we returned to the comfort of shelter for the remainder of the day.
On our final day, while beginning the drive home, we stopped at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore along the way allowing us to see three of the Great Lakes in one day, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron while going across the Mackinaw Bridge with Lake Superior a short drive away. One of the first stops in Pictured Rocks was the sandy beach along this largest freshwater body of water. Again the sand was beautiful and soft for the third and final day of beaches during Spring Break. The landscape is amazingly beautiful to take in while strolling through the sand as it cushions each step. Another part of this park that was fun is the North Country National Scenic Trail runs along the lake. A trail I’ve read about and looked into portions of interest to hike. I could imagine spending a couple days hiking through this picturesque landscape enjoying waterfalls, beaches, and natural rock formations.
Having spent several hours exploring this area, it was time to continue on our journey home. One last stop at another beach before we go though. While taking one final walk on the sandy shore, fog began to roll off the lake and flow into the trees creating a different view of the landscape. This time of year, fog is common near Lake Superior as the water remains cold throughout the year so when temperatures begin to warm up and there’s a lot of moisture around, fog is quickly produced. It creates a more dramatic landscape for our final memory of Picture Rocks on this adventure. It was now time to re-enter the car to complete our Spring Break road trip.
