Sweet ride. Mostly flat and "smooth" by Michigan standards. I can imagine how beautiful it would…read morebe in the fall with the foliage. It runs 10.1 miles one way and the parking lot is a further drive if you use the trailhead on Yelp. On the other end there are restroom and a portable. Although there are many bodies of water as you ride across, there are no waterfalls as the name might suggest. Midway there is a nice cross breeze as it cuts between a lake. Today there was a horde of teenagers walking to the lake and was oblivious to anyone else around them. Hopefully, this is not a regular occurrence as it was difficult to navigate around them.

The Falling Waters Trail in Jackson County, Michigan serves as a great recreation spot for…read morebicyclists, joggers and walkers in the central part of the Mitten State. The trail is a beautifully paved 10.4 mile pathway linking the west side of the City of Jackson with the picturesque Village of Concord, Michigan with its many Victorian homes. The trail was once an old Michigan Central Railroad route and was converted to a Rails-to-Trails recreation area in 2007. The trail runs through rural countryside and beautifully shaded woodlands with only a handful of road crossings. The trail's name reflects the area's natural beauty and the region's native Potawatomi Indian tribe..."The land of Falling Waters". The Jackson trailhead at Weatherwax Drive and Park Road provides plenty of secure parking as does the trailhead ten miles to the west in Concord. Today we rode the full 21 miles out and back in beautiful Michigan summer weather before rewarding ourselves with Orange Creamsicle Milkshakes at Arby's on the way out of town....definitely a 5-star biking experience all the way.

featuring wooded trails, wetlands, a lake, boardwalk areas, and unique rock formations that make it…read morefeel like you're much farther away from the city. It's a perfect spot for a peaceful walk, nature photos, and a little outdoor adventure without leaving Metro Detroit.

Nice walking trails - I think it's about 1.3 miles around the trail one time. Little benches to sit…read moreon and reflect on the world's problems or to just be in nature. Lake is pretty and calming. I saw a couple deer and some little furry friends while on my walk. Not sure if you should stay on the trails but some others who were walking were not......

What a gorgeous park. We explored it yesterday in the late afternoon. Went for a leisurely walk…read morealong the trail. There were SO many mushrooms! Has a charming little covered bridge, a raised wooden footpath, and a beautiful historic house that has a high tea service on certain days. Check out the gardens alongside it for the fountains and statuary.

Easily Toledos most beautiful and diverse park. Full of equipment for families and children. Plenty…read moreof walking trails that take you through grasslands, planes and forest covered trails as well as a beautiful stream running through the estate. A gift to city. Always something happening or maybe just family picnics. Love this place.

Could be a nice park but the unruly and mentally unstable kids who play there ALWAYS end up…read morestarting a problem making it a very UNSAFE PARK. You've been warned!

If you like fences this is your park, I counted 6 fenced areas in the immediate area around the ice…read morecream shop, whose a/c was also fenced. The golf course is fenced and I didn't count that toward the six! Ice cream shop is highly regarded.

The best time to view the peony is end of May and begin of June. This blooming only happens on the…read moreshort duration of time. We were lucky to visit arboretum during this time on our trip to Ann Arbor. The peony garden can be reached in two locations. The best parking is near Ronald McDonald House of Charity Ann Arbor. That parking lot gets you direct access to the garden. The other parking near Nichols Drive and go the entrance by taking the first right trail to the top and reach the garden. The garden has 28 bed of flower beds. Each bed has the name of flower indicated. During the blooming time, there are a lot of visitors. Parking may be full. The flower is beautiful and the pedal open wide and bright. I got my peony moment during my visit. Some flower has fragrances smell. So don't forget to smell the flowers during your visit.

The first time I came here in April and there were no flowers or green and everything was brown!…read more I came back on the last day of May with my husband and it looked completely different!! There is a lot of green everywhere and soo many different flowers (especially the peonies before they were vandalized)!! We parked in the back where it is about a 15-20 min walk to the peonies. It was a nice and mostly shaded walk. We even saw a new bird (Great Crested Flycatcher)! I think it's only worth coming for the peonies but otherwise, it's free (unless you park in the front and then you have to pay).

After a few years we are back to one of our favorite campgrounds in southern Michigan. It's a dark…read moresky preserve campground with very few amenities. Pit toilets, hand pumps for water. Its so quiet and peaceful. Word of warning. Several of the sites have the electric box a fair distance from the actual campsite. We thought we had enough cord to mbv ake it. Nope, short by about 15 feet. Thank goodness the next day a friend who was visiting hit an rv store for more cord. Being that it is a rustic campground, there is no dump for RVs. A quick drive to the fairgrounds in Adrian or Hayes State Park will handle the for you. The starts at night are worth the inconvenience.

Peaceful camping. Private sites. Sites right on the water, makes it feel like the lake yours for…read morethe weekend. Been camping here at least once a year since 2011. One of my favorite campgrounds.

We absolutely loved it our dog had a blast sniffing everywhere she was allowed. The cabins were…read morewonderful considering how old the buildings are and my family is so excited to go next year.

I finally visited Pokagon State Park for the first time. After hearing my mom talk about a…read morechildhood visit she had (including the Toboggan run) for decades, we made the three hour trek north from Indy for a cozy weekend of staying at the lodge, hiking on the trails, visiting the nature center, etc. The overall park and setting was peaceful. The Tobaggan run definitely makes them stand out from other Indiana state parks as one of the more winter-friendly destinations. It was certainly hopping during our chilly January visit. Given the park's popularity, I was surprised at how much TLC the inn could use. The nature center is fairly simple but worth a visit. They have a trail that runs out the back door and easy parking. You'll also find Nordic skiing trails, homes along the lake and a simple restaurant at the inn. The toboggan run was a hit with our four year old. I cheered overhead with our two year old and I have to say that watching is quite enjoyable as well

Growing up along the Maumee River I have fond memories of picnics and games here. Mary Jane…read moreThurston (note spelling) is well maintained. The trees are big oak trees that shade picnic areas. There is a swing set and trails to walk or ride a bicycle. A shelter house is handicapped accessible with a party room and a porch with picnic tables. The view of the river here is one of the best. The river is wide. There's a dam that has a good flow of water for fishing. As a kid Dad took our boat through the canal locks which looks like you can still do that. Don't forget a walk to the village of Grand Rapids. It's only .2 miles and it's a destination with cute shops and eateries. A campground and boat ramp are just to south of the park.

Great spot on the River. Nice food and ice cream trucks We had a spot right on the water.read more

Tucked in off a street in Bristol, IN, is a place for serenity and a short walk through beautiful…read moregardens. The stone path leads to one of the 26 area heritage trail quilt gardens. Along the pathway, you will be shaded. These gardens include a huge ornamental lifelike mushroom with short sidekicks. Another photo worthy decoration is a wood carved cardinal next to a blue life sized Dutch windmill. The little park contains flowing water, a koi pond, scented roses, and multiple flora, as it winds up and down stairs on a stone pathway. Many artistic metal structures adorn the pathway. Definitely a place to visit!!!! I wish I lived closer.

For those who are fairly new in my world, you likely don't know about my long history as an…read moreactivist in the area of violence prevention with a strong emphasis on child abuse and sexual violence prevention. Since 1989, I've traveled over 6,000 miles in my wheelchair and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a wide variety of organizations. I spend a lot of my wheeling time in Indiana - my home state and lifelong home. Among my favorite places to go in Indiana is Elkhart County, a Northeastern Indiana jewel filled with magnificent trails, a strong Amish community, a number of historic peace churches, and a vibe that just really clicks with me. My favorite trail in Indiana is the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail that winds its way through four Elkhart County communities and runs a bit over a marathon in terms of length. You get to visit a variety of cool small towns and will likely see some Amish folks on their bicycles. Quite honestly, it's awesome. If you stop in Middlebury, and I always do as I have multiple friends there, you can take a break along the trail here at the Krider World's Fair Gardens. For once, this is not small town braggadocio. Krider World's Fair Garden started out its life as a 1934 World's Fair exhibit and has been meticulously maintained ever since. I won't say it's "the" pride of Middlebury, but it's certainly one of the things of which the community is most proud. This is a botanical garden that weaves together gentle walking paths, a quilt garden exhibit, iconic structures, and facilities that include waterfalls, picnic tables, viewing benches, a gazebo, and a swing arbor. The park itself is really only about 2.4 acres. It's not a huge place, but it's a beautiful place. It can be rented for special events, weddings, and photography needs. If you're on the Pumpkinvine, then you'll run into this area as a perfect place to stop and rest and enjoy a beautiful part of Middlebury. The biggest city in Elkhart County is, in fact, Elkhart itself. But, a visit to Elkhart County isn't complete without visiting places like Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. Yes, I'll admit that it can get a bit touristy but it's a friendly community and a place I absolutely love to visit. This part of the state has about 2 dozen quilt gardens. A "quilt garden" means that they lay the quilts out in a pattern that changes each season. You can also see "Garden With a Cause" here, a garden devoted to charities and local organizations improving the lives of the people of Middlebury. They have a replica of the "Sunrise Bench," a bench that was included in the World's Fair Exhibit and there's a Statue of Hebe and a Water Wheel House among other attractions. If you're in Elkhart County, a stop at Krider World's Fair Garden just really needs to happen. I have some photos, but I'm still trying to find them from past tours. When I do, I'll post my own photos but you can definitely capture the garden's vibe in the available photos here.

Love walking in this park. Very pretty and plenty of ducks. The grounds could use more cleaning up…read morebut this was post Cruzin Flat Rock event.

Been a while since I've been here. Still beautiful!!! Grand babies also like it here. It's, the…read morepark where we get our feet wet"