Spring Is Here!

It has been an extremely busy spring here at Glacial Hills! Catch up with what we’ve been focusing on to get the trails ready for summer.

Spring always comes to northern Michigan in fits and starts. A few sunny days in March can make frost advisories and cold snaps a little challenging to face. Still, spring is also an exciting time to be in the woods. It gives hikers, runners, and mountain bike a chance to see the flora and fauna come to life, often quickly! Shocking swathes of green and brilliant trillium, as well as myriad wildflowers and other treats seeming to fill the woods overnight.

Another group that has enjoyed the transition is our trail crew! While the big Earth Day Trail Day certainly got a lot done, we’ve been out there in force to make a number of repairs and improvements over the past two months.

Sue and her Invasive Species team have been out every other Tuesday at 8:30 to focus on different invasive species in different areas of the woods. The last time out, Sue and her cheery band took care of a lot of garlic mustard. The weed is an important focus because of how it affects native plants. Not only does it crowd out other plants on the surface, but it also spreads a chemical that can hinder or kill other plants trying to grow nearby. The team will be back in action Tuesday, May 18 at 8:30 am from the Orchard Hill Trailhead.

Want to get involved? Learn about trail work opportunities here.

We were also joined this week by members of the Bellaire High School National Honors Society! These kids got a lot done, including painting fences at the trailhead, plus plenty of digging, too. We’re really thankful for their hard work and willingness to swap their books for shovels for a few hours. If you have a student group interested in helping out, or who may need volunteer hours, make sure you get in touch! We also need to thank Short’s Brewing Company for providing lunch for our hungry kids.

As we near Memorial Day, it’s also a good time to point out that with great weather come more people. Like 2020, we’re anticipating plenty of traffic in the woods. We all need to be ambassadors for the trails by being welcoming, informative, and inclusive. Glacial Hills is a destination for adventurers from all over, and we’ll see plenty of folks from every corner of the country over the next several months. Let’s continue to be courteous, considerate trail users, and patiently educate others when necessary.

Thank you for your support of Glacial Hills and we’ll see you in the woods!