A Sunny Winter Day at Pickerel Lake

Hikes, Michigan, Midwest, Minivan Travels
Pickerel Lake as seen from the floating boardwalk
Pickerel Lake as seen from the floating boardwalk

The sun was out this weekend!!!! In case you can’t tell from all of the exclamation points, this was very exciting for us. It has been a long and gloomy winter here in West Michigan.  (Want proof? Check out this article from our local newspaper.)

So when the sun came out this weekend (and everyone was actually healthy in our household! Hooray for that as well!), we knew that we had to make the most of the nice weather.  Hence we packed up the children and headed out to our favorite nature preserve – Pickerel Lake in nearby Cannonsburg. The outing was every bit as lovely as we had hoped it would be.

We hiked the Lake Trail which is a little less than two miles long. It features several hundred feet of floating boardwalk, beautiful nature areas, interesting plants, and evidence of lots of wildlife.

The Pickerel Lake Nature Preserve features about 800 feet of floating boardwalk.
The Pickerel Lake Nature Preserve features about 800 feet of floating boardwalk.
I liked the geometric design of the ice on the lake
I liked the geometric design of the ice on the lake.
After walking along the floating boardwalk, the trail becomes a pretty nature path.
After walking along the floating boardwalk, the trail becomes a pretty nature path.
My two youngest children enjoyed all of the lake views along the hike.
My two youngest children enjoyed all of the lake views along the hike.

One of our favorite things about hiking around Pickerel Lake is the many fallen trees.  The area has a very active beaver community, and you can see their handiwork all around you as you hike through the area.

Pickerel Lake has a very active beaver community.
Pickerel Lake has a very active beaver community.
They truly are "busy" little beavers as evidenced by the many fallen logs around the lake.
They truly are “busy” little beavers as evidenced by the many fallen logs around the lake.
Here are a couple more examples of the beavers' handiwork at Pickerel Lake.
Here are a couple more examples of the beavers’ handiwork at Pickerel Lake.
My seven-year-old was impressed by this and said, "Hey, look at the sculpture that the beavers made!"
My seven-year-old was impressed by this and said, “Hey, look at the sculpture that the beavers made!”

And of course, there are lots of other neat things to see along the trail, too.

There were several interestingly-shaped trees along the hiking trail.
There were several interestingly-shaped trees along the hiking trail. I found these two particularly striking.
The trail went through one section of woods draped with lots and lots of vines.
The trail went through one section of woods draped with lots and lots of vines.
Many of the trees had interesting markings.
Many of the trees had interesting markings. Most markings were made by the area’s wildlife but at least one tree there featured man-made markings.

So yes, we had a great weekend.  We enjoyed some scenery, some exercise, and some vitamin D. What did you do this weekend?

Pickerel Lake in West Michigan is a great place to spend a nice day.

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