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A Dangerous Trip to the Manitou Islands

Posted on July 20th, 2020
And so our coronavirus summer continues. In the latest Trail Talk blog from MichiganTrailMaps.com, Jim DuFresne writes about the Manitou Islands being open but for most people no place they can visit. For the first time in more than a century, there is no ferry service from Leland this summer. It’… read more

We’re Not in Kansas Any More Toto

Posted on July 1st, 2020
Jim DuFresne is a lifelong Michigander and loves his home state. But his son and daughter-in-law live in Colorado and during a recent trip to the Rocky Mountain State, he tries to figure out if they will ever return to the Great Lakes State. You can read the answer in his latest Trail Talk blog for Mich… read more

A True Wilderness Experience on Isle Royale

Posted on June 2nd, 2020
In this coronavirus summer, Isle Royale National Park will either be closed or partially closed with no ferry transportation to it. In this Trail Talk blog from MichiganTrailMaps.com Jim DuFresne writes about the impact of whatever decision the National Park Service makes in regards to this spec… read more

Freeze-Dried Is Forever!

Posted on May 12th, 2020
We’re all longing not to just get outdoors but to resume adventuring again. Hang in there; we’re almost free from our stay-home, stay safe edicts. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore opens July 1, Pictured Rocks June 25, Isle Royale National Park June 15. Check our eshop if you need guideboo… read more

Georeferencing, Smartphones and the Future of Trail Maps

Posted on June 10th, 2019
MichiganTrailMaps.com is proud to announce the addition of georeferenced maps for smartphones to its stable of trail maps. Following is a Trail Talk blog by Jim DuFresne on why we did it and how to download the new maps. But DuFresne also wondered if hikers and backpackers need or even want all this te… read more

Backcountry Camping in Sleeping Bear Dunes? Good Luck

Posted on April 24th, 2019
A prescribed burn at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will temporarily close the only place in April and early May where you can enjoy backcountry camping in Michigan’s most popular national park unit. And that’s a shame, writes Jim DuFresne in the latest Trail Talk Blog from MichiganTr… read more

Hard to Delete a Trail Like Valley View

Posted on March 14th, 2019
In a park known for great beaches, spectacular views and towering sand dunes, the Valley View Trail in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore had none of those. Yet when the decision was made not to reopen this short, obscure trail after the 2015 wind storms, we lost a lot.  Read the latest Michiga… read more

Cooking Like a New York City Food Cart Vendor

Posted on February 13th, 2019
Jim DuFresne, the main blogger for MichiganTrailMaps.com, was sitting in Times Square when he realized that New York City food cart vendors could teach a thing or two to backpackers. What could they possibly have in common? Read his latest Trail Talk blog to find out (and pick up a few cooking tips). I… read more

The Overcrowded Wilderness

Posted on October 3rd, 2018
Have you hiked Nordhouse Dunes lately? Our favorite trails and wilderness areas are getting crowded and not just on the weekends. What’s the solution to overrun campsites and the growing amount of trash left in the woods? Are reservations or strict permit systems to the backcountry a permanent p… read more

Reserving Your Slice of the Wilderness

Posted on March 27th, 2018
We’ve been getting a lot of emails and comments lately about planning a trip to Isle Royale National Park or Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. So MichiganTrailMaps.com is having its first spring sale! Use coupon code Spring418 when you ch… read more
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