Incredible Dunes Hike

Yesterday I felt the need to hike in the Grand Sable Dunes.  Each time I go up into the dunes, my love for them grows all the more.  My usual hiking partners, Jamey and Lois, and I headed down the Masse Homestead trail and up into the dunes after I closed the museum.  We started our hike at 6:00 pm and returned to the car after a great dinner picnic at around 9:00 pm.

You are invited to come along.....


Flowers at the beginning of the trail.

It is amazing how lush the forest is this year!

Jamey leading the way...

Lois coming down the trail behind me.....

It is around a 15 minute walk to the trail that connects with the dunes.

Trillium blooms are dying, but still hanging on.

I didn't see the baby grouse (Jamey and Lois did), but I got one good photo of the mother.  She was puffing and flying close to the ground trying to draw us away from her babies.  I missed the photos of her dramatic death dance.  Darn, but it was awesome.

Up and into our beloved sand dunes.

The wild roses are just starting to bloom.

There was a bee on this flower that was attacked and killed by a white spider.  I also missed the shot of the spider finishing off his prey.  The spider is hiding under the rose petal.

After climbing up the first large dune, we spotted the small freighter just off shore.  From this spot we are around a mile from the bluff overlooking Lake Superior.   The mile requires a whole lot of up and down climbing.

Throughout this section of the Grand Sable Dunes there are woodlots, some with ancient stumps.

Wild pea ....

We decided to not go all the way to the bluff, after finding this tall dune perch with a 360 view.  Looking west....

The freighter continued west....

Looking north.....

Dinner....

Close up of adjoining dune....

Looking east...

Looking south -- heading back to the car.

Thistle...

What a great dinner hike.