N is for National Parks

My Theme

Michigan is home to 4 beautiful national parks.  

Sleeping Bear Dunes - I put this one first, since I've actually been to this one.  We went there last summer. It is located in the northwest corner of the lower Peninsula (look at your right palm, at the top of your pinky finger)- along the shores of Lake Michigan.  

You can see little specks along the hill - those are people!  This hill is approximately 450 feet above lake level. 

 The scenic drive was very nice. 

 A stunning view from an overlook.

 Climbing the dunes...

 Again - the little dots along that line are people.  

This was easily a 45 degree angle - straight into the lake!

 Us!

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore  - I realllly want to go here - what I've seen is so pretty!  The Shoreline stretches for 40 miles (15 miles of cliffs!)  along Lake Superior in da U.P.  

"Chapel Rock"

"Miner's Castle"

I'm not a huge Kid Rock fan, but his video for Born Free (I grudgingly confess, a good song) was shot at Pictured Rocks, so you can really see them well.  Stunning. 

Isle Royale National Park is an island in Lake Superior, it's actually much closer to Canada than it is Michigan.  It's also the home of the largest moose herd in the US. 

River Raisin National Battlefield Park.  I confess to not knowing about this one.  I'm intrigued! It's located not far south of Detroit.  This was a site of the battle of Frenchtown, a huge American defeat in the War of 1812 and also one of the bloodiest battles.  The area is also supposed haunted and there is a beautiful old cemetery.  I'm not sure why this is a National Park, since it was already on the National Register of Historic Places.   But it is, so yay!

  

(photos from wiki & nps.gov)