Head to a stunning Leelanau Conservancy-owned reserve and then make your way to Glen Arbor to pick up elevated comfort foods (think beef bourguignon and pheasant pot pie), for a perfect snow day this winter.
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GRAB: Inn and Trail Gourmet
6453 Western Ave., Glen Arbor | Inn and Trail Gourmet Website
Julie Zapoli and Liz Erdmann keep their market well stocked with lush grab-and-go meals like French onion soup, chicken enchiladas and ham and French brie sandwiches. The shop also carries an exquisitely curated selection of foodie gifts and hard-to-find grocery items. Zapoli and Erdmann have made it a priority to sell products made by socially conscious and small family businesses. Two favorites: handcrafted chai courtesy of a Nepalese sherpa and soup mixes from the Women’s Bean Project, which hires women who are chronically unemployed and offers them additional support such as life skills classes and health exams.
& GO: Palmer Woods Forest Reserve
6096 S. Wheeler Rd., Maple City | Palmer Woods Forest Reserve Website
Palmer Woods, a 1,075-acre property owned by the Leelanau Conservancy, “is always magical and quiet,” Zapoli says. Because of the property’s protected forest and deep valley, snow conditions here are often better than other areas where high winds can sweep paths clear. Another bonus, the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes regularly groom the trails. Currently, there are 10 miles dedicated to hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and more are being planned.
