We saw the remains of the 300 year old Monarch Pine, which used to be over 12 feet in diameter and the largest pine in the park, before it fell in 1992. It died as a result of soil compaction--too many tree huggers walking on top of the root system to get their picture taken with the giant tree. The stump that is left is not remarkable. It has shrunk considerably due to water evaporation.
This is a picture of a Native American directional tree pointing the way to the nearby Au Sable River. The Indians shaped young tree branches to help them find certain landmarks, like water. The tour guide said that these trees were especially important on cloudy days under the canopy of leaves. One could easily get lost without the direction of the sun to guide them. Isn't that amazing?
We ate a picnic lunch and visited the Logging Museum located inside the park. What a treasure! It is a wealth of information and historical artifacts. Did you know that the logging of Michigan's trees in the mid to late 1800's proved four times more profitable than the Gold Rush of California? The kids...
and the adults had a great time!
Everyone was tired on the way back to the campground. All four of my kids took a nap!
No comments:
Post a Comment