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

A Moose hunt on Isle Royale? Bad Idea

Posted on November 20th, 2019

The moose population on Isle Royale has exceeded 2,000 and some Michigan lawmakers are pushing a resolution urging the National Park Service to stage a lottery hunt as a way to control the herd. In this latest Trail Talk blog from MichiganTrailMaps.com, Jim DuFresne argues that while such hunts wor… read more

The High Cost of a Backcountry Rescue – Who Pays?

Posted on July 12th, 2019

High water levels on Lake Michigan have doubled the cost of retrieving injured visitors along the shoreline dunes of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore this summer. In this Trail Talk blog, Jim DuFresne wonders why are the rescued so shocked at the cost with many refusing to pay the $2,800 tab. If they… 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

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

National Parks; A Bargain at Any Price

Posted on August 9th, 2018

The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass Last year when the National Park Service raised the price of the senior citizen lifetime pass from $10 to $80 we’re assuming there must have been a loud outcry. Jim DuFresne, the main contributor to MichiganTrailMaps.com, missed bei… read more

The Big Agnes mtnGLO Tent with built-in LED lighting.

Too Much High Tech In The Woods

Posted on April 7th, 2015

Let Google’s Street View Trekker hike the path for you? No thanks, we’ll pass even if it means we might get a blister on the back of our heel. In this Trail Talk blog we ponder when is so much high tech too much out in the woods, the one sanctuary we’ve always counted to escape from the modern world aro… read more

Outhouses: Taking A Load Off Your Feet

Posted on September 16th, 2014

A smelly outhouse? Not to Jim DuFresne. Our Trail Talk blogger loves what a privy provides in the middle of the backpacking trip; a roof over your head and a seat to take a load off your feet. MichiganTrailMaps.com has been on its summer sabbatical, researching trails and enjoying life in northern Mic… read more

The famous sand dunes of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

In Search of Wilderness Solitude

Posted on June 12th, 2014

Recently the new Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness was officially designated but Jim DuFresne wonders in the latest MichiganTrailMaps.com Trail Talk blog; can a place that has been extensively logged and farmed, that is crisscrossed with new roads and old two-tracks, that was once the site o… read more

Missouri Top Trails State! Show Me Why

Posted on December 2nd, 2013

North Mantiou Island Map Back by popular demand MichiganTrailMaps.com is staging its holiday sale again. Order a book and we’ll throw in one our trail maps, a $4.95 value! Order any book from our e-shop — maybe Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes, Backpacking In Michigan o… read more

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