UP North

Camp Petosega

While in Florida, you know I like to refer to things that we’ve done in the past or places we’ve been before with SPFB – See Previous Florida Blog. Well, every late July, early August we’re up in Northern Michigan or even over the Mackinaw Bridge into the Upper Peninsula.  So, here it is – SPMB!!   This is not our first time to this beautiful, well cared for Emmet County Park called PETOSEGA on the SE shore of Pickerel Lake.   Each campsite is spacious and separated from the next by Birch, Poplar, Maple, and/or Pine trees with lush undergrowth.  The grounds are mowed and watered. The modern playground areas are cushioned with heavy rubber padding.  There is even a tiny museum - housed in the rear of one of the 7 rental cabins!  The long narrow beach is not nearly as spectacular as the ones in Florida but it is shallow for the kids and gives a wonderful view of the lake!

Pickerel Lake is connected to the Inland Water Route – the 40-mile stretch of lakes and rivers between Cheboygan on Lake Huron and Conway, which is about 2 miles from connecting to Lake Michigan.  We fished Pickerel Lake and H caught a small Pike, which quickly got tossed back in.  We ran the boat up and around Crooked Lake and Crooked River to the Dam/Lock and back.  The next time we trailered it to Burt Lake and headed

towards the always-interesting Indian River.  The same antique boat houses still house antique wooden boats with fascinating names and the still well cared for colorful quaint cottages, still have layers of flowers and rock formations, Tiki Bars and monster pontoon boats moored along side or in custom boat slips, notched into the breakwall.  Under I 75, then we zig zagged along between the green and red channel markers leading the way thru the tall sawgrass marsh to Mullett Lake.  The signs still say “Wildlife Area” and we did get to see Loon parents and their 2 teenage children before they ducked under the dark water.  Of course there were also the swan families and the always-present groups of Canada Geese bobbing in the small wakes of the passing boats!  Out on the huge Mullett Lake, the winds and waves were too much for even this trusty little Tracker fishing boat so we swung around and headed back up the river.  As we rounded one curve in town we came upon a group of tentative teenagers who must have been debating as to whether they should jump into the cold water and chilling currant or not.  So I helped them along by yelling: “ Go Ahead – JUMP!”   And they did!!!

Of course, we’ve been out revisiting our other favorite spots in this historic and scenic county at the very tip of the “Mitt of Michigan”!  A ride down the coast to and thru Walloon Lake to have lunch with friends in Boyne City was first.  We wandered in and thru historic downtown Petoskey and “had to” stroll along the waterfront and inspect the vast collection of boats in the well-secured harbor.  Last year it was boys who were doing the fancy dives off the protecting breakwall – this year it was the girl’s turn!   It rained the whole time we were in Mackinaw City but we had our rain-jackets in the truck so enjoying the walk to Skalawags for whitefish lunch was NO problem!  The Mighty Mac Bridge was shrouded in mist and light fog!  From there a swing down the Huron side of the “mitt” to Cheboygan included a stop at the still over cluttered junk store in town!  We even bought a movie since the TV reception is nihl up here.

No trip north would be complete without a visit to the “Red Roof Inn” – the log home of M&D up on Paradise Lake!  We missed having B&C with us since the 3 “boys” grew up together in Swanton Twp as kids and makes the visit even more fun!  We girls always have fun together!  The good food and good company had to come to an end tho since the sun was starting to slip to the horizon. The sighting of a timid deer as we left their tiny back road home was our exclamation point to a really good day!

Our stay up here in the north woods still has more lunches out with more friends from home, more boat rides and MORE fishing!  From here we move south to another Michigan State Park and MORE exploring before we make the final run for home!