scott memorial fountain | belle isle | detroit, michigan, photo by s o u t h e n
View Ryan’s stunning shot of the Detroit Skyline from Belle Isle bigger on Facebook, see more in his Nights in Detroit slideshow, and if you’d like him to apply his mad photography skills for your wedding or engagement, head over to ryansouthen.com.
paddling home, photo by Amy
Well, I hope that you had a wonderful weekend, and that if you traveled you are either still on vacation or had as enjoyable a return trip as this fellow.
View Amy’s photo background bigalicious and see more in her slideshow.
More summer wallpaper and more Great Lakes on Michigan in Pictures.
Sunset Dive, photo by Niki Collis
Can you believe that Summer 2016 is almost over?? Here’s hoping you get a chance to enjoy the last, golden moments of summer this weekend!
View Niki’s photo from Crystal Lake taken Labor Day Weekend 2009 bigger, check out more of Niki’s awesome Summer photos, and view her work at nikicollisphotography.com.
Stroll thru Michigan Lake, photo by Vesy Valcheva
View Vesy’s photo bigger and see more in her slideshow.
Evening clouds after rain, photo by Anne Fisher
Ann says she never tires of Bass Lake in the Upper Peninsula near Gwinn. I can see why! View her photo background big and see more in her 2016 UP slideshow.
More summer wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures and here’s a link to a map of Bass Lake.
Steps of the Sun, photo by Kenneth Snyder
Here’s a shot from high atop one of the many dunes in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore from August 1, 2012.
View Kenneth’s photo background bigilicious and see more in his Sleeping Bear Dunes slideshow that includes some awesome northern lights pics!
More dunes and more summer wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.
Come Sail Away…, photo by Mike Millspaugh
What a gorgeous photo of a tall ship under sail off Grand Haven. I looked around for a while trying to figure out what ship this is until I remembered that I can just ask all of you. Let me know in the comments!
View Mike’s photo bigger, see more in his slideshow, and view more of his work on his website.
You know I can’t resist…
The Last Stand, photo by Jacqueline Verdun
Huron-Clinton Metroparks explains that Kensington Metropark – a place I used to visit with my grandmother a lot – is one of the most popular parks in Michigan:
Kensington’s 4,481 sprawling acres of wooded, hilly terrain surrounds beautiful Kent Lake, and is home to an abundance of wildlife and waterfowl. Kensington Metropark offers a multitude of recreational activities throughout the year, from biking and boating to cross-country skiing and tobogganing. In addition to striking sunrises and sunsets, 1,200-acre Kent Lake offers plenty of fun activities: swim at Martindale or Maple beaches, get soaked at the Splash ‘n’ Blast, or just spend the day fishing, boating or picnicking along the water. Take a tour of the lake aboard the Island Queen II in the summer and fall. Or, enjoy a winter day ice-fishing or skating on frozen lake waters.
This first-class recreational area also features an 18-hole regulation golf course, 27-hole disc course, nature center, farm center, beautiful picnic areas and scenic hiking and biking trails for hours of enjoyment. With two and a half million visitors every year Kensington Metropark is a favorite place to enjoy Michigan’s natural treasures.
More info, activities, and a map on their website.
View Jacqueline’s photo bigger, see more in her My Best Landscapes slideshow, and also check out her website for more photos.
More Michigan parks and more sunsets on Michigan in Pictures.
Sunrise at Little Presque Isle Point, photo by Neil Weaver Photography
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says in part about a proposed Little Presque Isle Natural Area:
The Little Presque Isle tract is often called the crown jewel of Lake Superior, with its beautiful sand beaches, rugged shoreline cliffs, heavily timbered forests, and unmatched public views.
…The rock comprising the area represents some of the oldest exposed formations of its kind. More than a mile of bedrock lakeshore and cliffs adorns Little Presque Isle, including sandstone cliffs that reach nearly 60 feet high toward the base of Sugar Loaf Mountain. One kind of bedrock, granitic, that occurs here is the least common bedrock type along the Great Lakes shoreline, with less than eight miles occurring in total. This is one of three areas where the public can see these 2.3 billion year old formations in Michigan.
The proposed wilderness area is a local landmark, which has significant historical value. The island was reportedly connected to the mainland sometime prior to the 1930s and was a landing place for early explorers and native inhabitants. Roughly 100 yards off the mainland, the island is accessible by wading hip deep water and offers and opportunity for solitude in a unique and scenic setting.
View Neil’s photo background bigilicious, follow him on Facebook, and visit his website to view & purchase this picture and other Lake Superior photos (and also pics from lots of other cool Michigan locations).
More islands, more sunsets, and more summer wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.
Homeward Bound, photo by Bobby Palosaari
Terry Pepper’s Seeing the Light is my go-to for Michigan lighthouse lore. His entry for the Keweenaw Upper Entrance Lighthouse says in part:
With the meteoric growth of copper mining in the Keweenaw between 1843 and 1968, increased shipping access to the twin cities of Houghton and Hancock became increasingly important. To this end, the Portage River Canal was cut through a tamarack swamp at its western end in 1860, creating a channel 10 feet deep and 80 feet wide, opening full Portage River navigation for the largest vessels of the day from western Lake Superior.
In 1874, to assist in safely guiding ships into this cut, a large gabled two-story brick dwelling with attached square 33 foot high brick tower was constructed on the west bank at the entrance to the canal. With increasing use of the canal, silting became a major problem, and tolls were levied for its use in order to cover the continuing expenses for repairs and dredging.
For reasons as yet undetermined, the original lighthouse was replaced with the existing fifty foot square steel Art Deco style tower at the end of the breakwater in 1950.
View Bobby’s photo background bigtacular and view & purchase more of his photos including this one at palosaariphotography.com.
Michigan in Pictures 