96th Street to Nichols North Trailhead

9 miles: 106.5 miles total

This was one of the prettiest hikes I’ve taken so far. The trail begins by passing through a series of wetlands. Then, after crossing 16 mile road, you pass by a series of remote lakes nestled among rolling hills.

This wetland, with its mixture of ferns and cattails, had a Jurassic look to it.
This is the first sign of beaver activity I’ve encountered along the trail.
Now I’m thinking this is a gray spring moth, which means the moth I included in my June 12th post must be something else. It’s hard to identify these little guys.
The North Country National Scenic Trail passes by Leaf Lake in a remote section of the Manistee National Forest near Baldwin, Michigan.
Wild calla, also called water arum, blooms beside Leaf Lake.