Leg 6 - White Pine Trail

White Pine Trail Expedition

Leg 6 Washington Road to Stanwood, Michigan

Tuesday, 18 July 2003

Continue Hike 1430 EST

Team Members Present - Chuck Hayden

Washington Rd. to Stanwood, Michigan

Maintained by: Michigan DNR

Visible Blazes: No. Linear Parkway, blazes not needed

Topography: 100% Flat

Map: Delorme Atlas and Gazetteer, DNR Map of White Pine Trail

Trail Surface: 100% Gravel

Trail Difficulty: Easy

Condition: Good to Average

Unique Features: Morley Train Bridge and Dam, Morley, Bridge over Northland Drive, Rest Stop at Morley Stanwood High School, Stanwood Buffalo Park, Amish Culture and Features, Stanwood Co-op Building, Stanwood, wildlife sightings.

Leg Description: This leg is full of Unique Features including wildlife. I started before Morley, Michigan. Upon entering Morley, you cross a high bridge with a great view of the Morley Dam on the Little Muskegon River. I continued to a gas station 10 yards off the trail and stopped to pick up a couple items. While passing a small city park with a hand pump, I encounter the first sign of the Amish Culture in this area. There was a horse and buggy hitched to a post next to the park.

A little while after leaving Morley, I began to encounter many whitetails. It was a little early in afternoon to see rabbits, but I did encounter a Painted Turtle who was taking his time to cross the trail. Next was crossing Northland Drive for the first time by way of a train bridge over the road. At first, I didn't notice the road as it passed into an embankment then under the bridge. After crossing Northland Drive, I encounter the first bench since Rockford. Behind the Morley-Stanwood High School, they have created a small park-like rest stop and this was very welcome on this hot day. The park views the ball fields and expansive complex of the High School (which is situated in the middle of a very rural area). I sat on a lone bench under a small shade tree and had an MRE. I must say it was great.

I continued on and observed some traveling horse and buggies as well as the occasional clumsy attack of many deer flies. The trail is nothing more than a vegetated swath through wide open fields. This is certainly the first evident rural farm country I have walked through. There were small farm operations and huge farm complexes throughout the area. Then I began entering Stanwood.

Upon first entering the Stanwood area, you encounter a group of diverging roads and a bridge over a small creek. To the east of the trail, perhaps 100 yards, is the Stanwood Buffalo Park complete with a shelter, ball fields (they must play a lot of baseball up here), horseshoe pits, and grills. This park would make an excellent long stop on a journey. Next was a small Lutheran Church that provided a sole picnic table just 50 feet off the trail. Further into Stanwood is the Stanwood Co-op, which is a large wooden complex almost on the trail. This was an obvious center of rail and farm commerce, but all that remains are the tattered remains of doors, handles, ladders, and docks. It is truly a large old building. There is a small general store across the street.

I continued through Stanwood and entered a canopy. Just before 8 mile road, I found my bike, dragged it out of the bush and rode it back to Jeep Alpha. Ended at 1856 hours EST. Great trip, nice country.

Notes: None

Submitted by Pathfinder

Morley Dam

Morley-Stanwood High School Park

Entering Stanwood, Michigan. The Stanwood Co-op Building

Leg 6 Map A (228k)

Leg 6 Map B (260k)

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