Colonial Fort Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City
The history of the fur trade in Northern Michigan is captured at Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City.
Photo by Karl Damus on Unsplash.com
There are many signs that spring is unfolding into summer and one sign is when the trillium bloom. These protected wild orchids are a wild flower. There are up to 50 species of trillium and in Michigan, the most common species is the trillium grandiflorium or large flowered trillium.
In Northern Michigan, late April through mid-May is trillium season. The woods explode with a carpet of trillium and create an incredible landscape that exists only for these few weeks. When the first trillium bloom, there is an excitement in Northern Michigan as within a few days, the woods will contain thousands and thousands of these spectacular flowers.
Take a drive along M-119, the Tunnel of Trees, from Harbor Springs to Cross Village where the geography couldn’t be more perfect for trillium viewing. Or drive The Breezeway from Boyne Falls to Atwood and see an explosion of trillium in the woods.
Picking trillium is discouraged because the three leaves below the flower are the plant’s sole food source. Five varieties of trillium are endangered but not the most common white trillium. Love trillium? You can take home trillium art. Boyer Glassworks creates one-of-a-kind trillium paperweights.
The history of the fur trade in Northern Michigan is captured at Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City.
When visiting Northern Michigan, be sure to ride one of the local Lake Michigan ferries. It’s an adventure that should be on every travelers’ Up North bucket list!
The Charlevoix Circle of Arts is a vibrant, cultural center in downtown Charlevoix that presents six major visual exhibits annually.
Why do people enjoy being up north so much? Find out what makes being up north feel special with our list of Northern Michigan specialties.
Fisherman’s Island State Park has more than 2,600 acres and miles of gorgeous Lake Michigan beach and is located just south of Charlevoix.
In Northern Michigan, you’ll find lighthouses where lighthouse keepers once lived and worked that have been restored and are open to visitors.