Head to Benzie County for a Northern Michigan hike that delivers serene autumnal bliss.
This article first appeared in Traverse Northern Michigan. Find this story and more when you explore our magazine library. Want Traverse delivered to your door or inbox monthly? View our print subscription and digital subscription options.
It’s maybe my third or fourth time pulling over along Burnt Mill Road that I finally spot another car parked along the meandering dirt path. My fellow rambler and I exit our vehicles, almost in unison, and exchange awestruck smiles. Diffused afternoon light flickers across the ground, while a canopy of gold, peach and blush foliage dances overhead. Every now and then, a cool post-storm breeze catches a leaf or two, and the dance goes on. It’s pure magic when you stumble upon one of these perfect autumn moments.
Just like that, I’m already in love with Lower Woodcock Lake Nature Preserve—and I haven’t even reached it yet.
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Catch Benzie County at its peak this fall, and you’ll be treated to endless variegated views while hiking the 230-acre Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy property in the Platte River watershed. The relatively new preserve—opened to the public in 2020—includes the undeveloped 22-acre Lower Woodcock Lake, and about a half-mile of frontage along the wild and venerable Platte River.
On this damp fall day, the woodland’s sounds and smells rival the sights. Raindrops patter against wet cedars and hardwood before landing on fallen leaves and pine needles. Petrichor’s earthy perfume hangs in the air. Autumnal mushrooms glisten on the forest floor.
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Photo by Allison Jarrell
And speaking of fall fungi, this is the place to see it: The biodiverse preserve is home to more than 200 species of flora, and nearly 85 percent of that plant life is native. During my hike, I spotted a large clump of honey mushrooms cascading down a moss-covered stump (pictured above), clusters of crown-tipped coral sprouting up from soggy logs and peculiar pink puffballs dotting dead timber—a mold, not a mushroom, it turns out, known as wolf’s milk slime or toothpaste slime, for the pinkish-orange substance that oozes out when you pop them. (And yes … I did it for science.)
It’s easy to get completely immersed in this lush hike; I nearly forgot where I was headed. About a mile trek from the trailhead, a boardwalk emerges, leading you to a kayak/canoe launch pier that offers panoramic views—a rainbow of trees hugs the shoreline, and the silence is only broken by an occasional echoing bird call. While Lower Woodcock is non-motorized, it’s also known for its fishing, and folks with self-powered watercraft can park in a lot at the corner of Burnt Mill Road and Hooker Road for easier access (the trailhead parking lot is farther south on Burnt Mill).
My final recommendation: Head to this hidden gem on a weekday afternoon or early evening to avoid weekend fall color crowds, and enjoy a slice of true autumn bliss.
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Photo by Allison Jarrell
Related Read: Backpacking the North Country Trail in Northern Michigan