What better way to spend a sunny September afternoon than hiking in nature. We planned to first visit the Seven Bridges Natural Area before cruising 2.5 miles down Valley Road to Rugg Pond. The close distance between the two parks makes it easy to visit both in one day.
The Seven Bridges Nature Area was originally a homestead to the Rickers family in 1868. The 314 acre property was passed down to the Peschke family and they sold it in 1994 due to rising tax bills. A development company purchased the property with intentions of building a subdivision. Then in 1995, two members of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy and their friend met for lunch at the property (the Peschke family frequently allowed visitors). They were surprised to see that the property had been staked out for future development. It turns out the subdivision never came to fruition and this serendipitous luncheon eventually led to efforts by the GTRLC to acquire the land. The State of Michigan took ownership of the land in 1998 and today, the state and GTRLC work together to manage and preserve this beautiful nature area for all to enjoy.
A little bit of research gave me confidence that the trail was accessible for people with mobility challenges. Pictures online showed that walking paths were flat and constructed of either wood boardwalks or hard, packed dirt. Both surfaces are suitable for those using canes, wheelchairs or walkers.
The visual on Google maps tipped me off that the parking lot was made of hard packed dirt. It transitioned to a dirt trail and was an easy walk to the start of the wood boardwalk. This entry trail is just wide enough for two people to walk side by side which also seemed wide enough to push a wheelchair or walker through If needed. As we were making our way to the first bridge, we ventured off the boardwalk for a closer look at the river.
The first bridge over the Rapid River is a great place to enjoy the sights and sounds of the river. From this vantage point the river flows from multiple directions merging into one. Much like an unexpected traffic jam on the highway, we were perplexed by the flow and it took us a few minutes to figure out how and where it all came together. A few moments of watching the water dance and ripple over rocks and fallen trees left me feeling energized.
Moving just beyond this area we plopped down on a couple of benches for a break. Gazing straight into the woods, there’s beautiful evidence of many years of unbothered forest…Trunks and branches grew twisted and crooked. Overturned trees exposed the tangled mess of their root system. Abandoned, gaping holes in tree trunks where critters or birds once lived.
Decision time at the fork in the trail. We chose to venture down the shorter route, Trail 2. We came upon another bench conveniently built into the boardwalk. Taking another rest here, we truly appreciated the canopy of branches shielding us from the hot rays of the sun. We eventually came to the end of Trail 2 where the boardwalk ends into an area where the ground is riddled with tree trunks bulging through the soil. We exerted some energy helping Caitlin playfully hop from one trunk to the next.
On our way back we were at the fork in the trail again and decided not to explore Trail 3. This part of the trail is another half mile if you follow the large loop around. Caitlin did a great job walking just over a quarter mile on the trail. We thought it would be best to save some energy for the walk at our next stop. We will have to return again to see what we missed on Trail 3!
We were happy to have found this accessible hiking gem! I hope you’ll continue the adventure with us and read about our time at Rugg Pond.
JoAnn’s journey as a parent and caregiver to an individual with disabilities started when her daughter was born pre-maturely with multiple health issues resulting in cognitive, physical and speech disabilities. Over the years, JoAnn discovered that recreation, travel and social experiences can bring happiness and relief to a life that is often stressful and frustrating. She loves to seek out adaptive, accessible and fun activities for her daughter and the whole family to enjoy. She started the blog www.OurSpecialFunOasis.com to share her uplifting stories and positive ideas to help and to inspire others.