I want to warn you, my fellow Yelpers, about this review. There are some places in the world that…read morehold a really special place in some people's hearts; places where a majority of your formative years were spent back during a time when worry and care were relegated to matters of recreation and leisure. Family, friends...this will be a fairly self-indulgent review, and I will be unapologetically waxing nostalgic for a bit.
I first visited Owasippe Scout Reservation when I was about six years old. My Grandpa had been named the Reservation Director of a massive 72,000 acre scout camp nestled in the woods of Twin Lake and Blue Lake townships. I was never a Boy Scout, but when I would visit, I was able to really appreciate the wonder of the camp, and the absolute joy and peace it can inspire.
I remember hikes through the woods to secret enclaves, cool lakes and warm ponds, watching as bald eagles would nest and feed their chicks, and the late, lazy night by Lake Wolverine, fishing for sunfish and small-mouth bass. There were days spent catching bugs, or fencing with sticks with my friends on the Quaking Bogs.
Ah yes, the Bogs...the coolest bit of terraforma I have ever encountered to date - a thick patch of land that is literally floating on a lake which shakes and rolls as you jump up and down. As a kid, I can only tell you that this place was unbelieveably cool!
The forests of Owasippe are gorgeous - lush and green with miles upon miles of trails, rivers, creeks and lakes that stand virtually untouched by modern development. You can easily lose yourself for hours on the trails, finding animals and birds of incredible variation such as deer, racoons, herron, blue jays, orioles, finches, foxes, bald eagles...it's incredible! It's also blissfully quiet - no traffic or engine sounds, loud conversations or anything else...perhaps the lapping of a nearby stream, but the wind and the occassional chirping bird set the ambience which I can only describe as truly calming.
Owasippe is named for Chief Owasippe, leader of the Potawatomie tribe of Native Americans who occupied the area where the camp now sits during the end of the 19th century. He was a very wise man, and had two sons that he loved very much. One day they went on a pilgrimage to become men, venturing as far south as Chicago. They were last seen at Ft. Dearborn, where they made rare and fast friends with the wary settlers there.
Meanwhile, Chief Owasippe would climb to the top of a tall hill and wait for them each day. He waited day after day, eventually growing sad enough to refuse food and water. He was found one day dead from exhaustion and exposure to the elements, never wanting to believe that his sons would not return home.
Sadly, it turns out that the boys had almost returned home. The following is from the website "The Scarlet Sassafras" (You can find it on Google):
"In the early 1890s, three boys were following a trail near the mouth of Silver Creek when they noticed something that resembled the end of a canoe protruding from the bank. Hurrying back to town, they notified the village Marshall, who returned with the boys bringing men and shovels. They unearthed two dugouts, each containing the skeleton of a teenage Indian. They also found the metal parts of a flintlock rifle, bits of decayed blankets, a copper kettle and a silver ornament.
"It was apparent from the evidence that these youth were the missing sons of Owasippe. The two boys had apparently pulled their canoes up along the high bank for the night, and the river, constantly cutting into the earth, had caused the bluff to cave in, burying them where they slept. The spot was less than a mile from where Owasippe had sat watching."
It remains today as a gorgeous piece of unspoiled wilderness, ready and waiting to invite many more generations to experience the wonders of nature and appreciate the serenity and tranquility that is Owasippe Scout Reservation. Thankfully, the Blue Lake Township Board, led by their indominable Supervisor, have succeeded in protecting this land thus far. With that said, anyone who visits the White Lake area should at LEAST drive through the roads that snake through this amazing part of Muskegon County's lasting heritage.
You'll be glad you did!
