January 2024 Walks Around Michigan

Hidden Gems Michigan made 12 outdoor walks around Michigan in January of 2024. The year started snowless and frosty, with a few dustings. Later in the month, we got a good snowstorm that left us with nice snow cover toward the end of the month.

The walk posts will be photo-heavy with short descriptions of the trails and what we saw.

Walk 1 Seven Ponds Nature Center 1/1/2024

New Year’s Day was perfect for a walk around Seven Ponds Nature Center in Dryden, Michigan. The center was closed, but the trails were open for members. There were so many deer! I’ve never seen so many deer at Seven Ponds before. The day was frosty, beautiful, and quiet, other than the loud crunching of the frozen leaves on the paths under my feet.

3 deer peeking over the top of a frosted meadow hill with bare forest behind them.

Dock over water with tall bridge that goes up and over a waterway dusted with frost

boardwalk 3 planks wide with no sides dusted with frost angling through bare shrubs and brown grasses

one deer at the top of a forested hill with the sky pale winter sky behind it.

three deer passing through winter marshland

deer on a path in the middle of a winter forest

Three deer in a winter woods looking toward camera

woman looking into camera on a pathway with meadow on one side and woods on the other

Walk 2 Polly Ann Trail and Powell Lake Park 1/2/2024

A short walk on a mostly sunny day at Powell Lake Township Park and a bit onto the Polly Ann Trailway in Oxford, Michigan. While walking, we saw a couple of coyotes cross the trail in front of us.

paved trail through bare winter woods and a coyote on the path ahead looking at the camera

paved path through bare winter woods and a coyote crossing the path ahead

paved path through bare winter woods up a hill lived with brown fallen leaves

paved path curving ahead bordered by short winter grass and beyond that bare winter woods

Walk 3 Oakwood Lake Township Park 1/3/2024

We walked a part of the trails in Oakwood Lake Township Park in Oxford, Michigan. The trail was quite muddy. We have had a mild winter so far, so the trails were soft and wet. Oakwood Lake also has a disc golf course which is perfect for a casual stroll through the woods while enjoying a friendly game.

Bare winter woods with brown leaves covering the ground and a trench leading away from the path

bare winter trees with a covering of brown trees on the ground

leaf strewn short grass in front of a long farm gate in front of a trail through the bare winter woods

leaf covered trail through bare winter woods

Walk 4 Neighborhood 1/4/2024

A frosty 4-mile walk along the road. The sun was out, and that was a real treat. One of the most challenging things about Michigan winters is the dark, gloomy days.

dirt road with bare winter trees casting shadows from the sun and a dusting of snow on the edges of the road

Dirt road with a dusting of snow on the edges lined with bare winter trees and a blue partly cloudy sky

Walk 5 Metamora Hadley Recreation Area 1/5/2024

Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area in Metamora, Michigan, is an excellent place to walk any time of the year. The rolling wooded hills are beautiful no matter the season. We walked some new trails for us, although we have been here several times, and these trails were just as beautiful as our usual ones. This park also has camping, swimming, boating, fishing, etc. It’s worth checking out.

small cabin in the woods overlooking a lake

wooden bridge with handrails leading to a trail in the woods

small boardwalk bridge over wet area on a trail in the woods

Small block of scrapwood painted with a heart and the words smile more in front of a rock with a smiley face propped together on a fall tree root.

woman looking at camera with trail and woods behind her

cabin nestled in woods across a small lake

Walk 6 Red Barns 1/6/2024

We took a mild winter walk around the neighborhood. Red barns stuck out against the brown of the landscape.

Large old hay barn and smaller attached barn, both are red

Low red barn with horse fencing and white details

Walk 7 Ortonville Recreation Area – Pinnacle Point 1/8/2024

Ortonville Recreation Area in Ortonville, Michigan, boasts an Equestrian Campground and a staging area for riders not camping. Both riders and walkers use the trails. It’s a long, slow climb up to Pinnacle Point until you get right under it. There is a hitching post to tie up your horses while you continue the rest of the short climb on foot. At the top of the point, you find ruins from a small building with an interesting history. When we walked the trails in early January, they were very muddy. We had a mild winter, so the ground was not frozen. The woods were beautiful, and the climb wasn’t too challenging.

Small stream with steps down for horse and a bridge across for walkers

woman sitting on a short wall covered in graffiti in the woods

Trail in the woods filled with thick mud and a layer of leaves

Walk 8 Seven Ponds Nature Center 1/11/2024

Seven Ponds Nature Center in Dryden, Michigan, is one of our go-to spots for nature walks. We enjoy the trails, the programs, the gift shop, the interpretive center, and the staff. This walk was shortly after a light snow. It was nice to see the bit of snow across the woodlands.

Set of four little animal paw prints in the snow

snow-covered narrow boardwalk angling through wetlands

Slightly snowy wooden bridge over a small stream in the woods

small stream with slightly snowy woods on either side

Woman in winter gear in front of a slightly snowy trail in the woods

Walk 9 Polly Ann Trail 1/12/2024

Another Polly Ann Trailway walk from the eastern edge of the Village of Oxford past Koenig Gravel Pit. We had just a dusting more of snow, and the walk through the pines was so beautiful. We passed a school, and the kids had been busy making giant snow and dirt balls that they had left scattered all around the playground. I guess kids of all generations love rolling giant snowballs.

Walk 10 Sutherland Nature Sanctuary 1/15/2024

We got some more snow, and the temperature dropped significantly. The walk at Sutherland Nature Sanctuary was frigid and icy but well worth the time to get out in the fresh air. The driveway and parking area were not plowed, so we made sure to park strategically to be able to get out after our walk. The woods in the cold winter snow are gorgeous.

Walk 11 Ortonville Recreation Area 1/18/2024

We got even more snow for this next walk at Ortonville Recreation Area. We had walked the trails to Pinnacle Point earlier this month and tried a new trail this time. We walked the Bloomer trail on State Park Road. The road to the park is just as beautiful as the park itself. The only problem was the snowy road, driveway, and parking area, which made it a little challenging for a small front-wheel drive vehicle, but we managed it. We enjoyed the mature woods and the hilly trail. The snow made the hills challenging, like walking on sand dunes. The woods were stunning. Some parts of the trail were covered with small trees and shrubs bent over by the weight of the snow.

woman in foreground and man in background in the snowy woods

snowy trail covered by brambles and branches with a man elbow crawling underneath

snowy trail through the woods with a few footprints in the snow

Walk 12 Bald Mountain Recreation Area Red Loop 1/29/2024

Our last walk of January 2024 was at Bald Mountain Recreation Area. We walked the Red Loop on E. Greenshield Rd. A tiny little parking area is adjacent to the road at the start of the trailhead. The snow had started to melt, and open water was under ice on parts of the trail. The snow was uneven and hard-packed, so walking was a little more challenging, but it was a nice trail through the woods and over a small stream. This loop is also used for snowmobiles, so be aware during snowy times.

Walking outdoors in all sorts of weather is fantastic for mind and body. Some days, it is hard to get up and get out the door, but once you get going, it feels great to be out in nature. Your mood lifts, your body gets stronger, your mind gets clearer. Bundle up and get outside when you can.