2016 Oct 6-14: Indiana + Michigan
50 images Created 11 Dec 2016
From October 6-14, 2016, a trip visiting Carol's mother in Indianapolis allowed two photo excursions:
- Saturday Oct 8: We enjoyed a day at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park in Fishers, Indiana. Conner Prairie provides fascinating family-friendly fun for all ages. Founded by pharmaceutical executive Eli Lilly in the 1930s, Conner Prairie living history museum recreates life in Indiana in the 1800s on the White River and preserves the William Conner home (listed on the National Register of Historic Places).
- Oct 9-11: In search of the closest early fall colors, we drove from Indianapolis 5.5 hours north to Cadillac in central Michigan. In William Mitchell State Park, we walked the pleasant 2.5-mile Heritage Nature Trail on boardwalks and packed limestone, starting from Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center, through old-growth hardwood forest then around an old dike system which retains rich wetlands with a smattering of red and orange fall colors backlit near sunset. But despite mostly sunny weather on October 10-11 we were underwhelmed by the early-fall scenery after driving all four routes of the Cadillac Area Visitors' Bureau fall color route map through Huron-Manistee National Forest. Instead, the intense crimson sunset colors reflecting in Lake Mitchell were the highlight of our week. Experiencing the delicate sights, sounds and smells of nature on foot and up close always beats the monotonous, insular cocoon of a car. An 8-mile walk or bike ride around Lake Cadillac would also have been nice before sunset or at sunrise, but windy weather chased us away.
- Saturday Oct 8: We enjoyed a day at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park in Fishers, Indiana. Conner Prairie provides fascinating family-friendly fun for all ages. Founded by pharmaceutical executive Eli Lilly in the 1930s, Conner Prairie living history museum recreates life in Indiana in the 1800s on the White River and preserves the William Conner home (listed on the National Register of Historic Places).
- Oct 9-11: In search of the closest early fall colors, we drove from Indianapolis 5.5 hours north to Cadillac in central Michigan. In William Mitchell State Park, we walked the pleasant 2.5-mile Heritage Nature Trail on boardwalks and packed limestone, starting from Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center, through old-growth hardwood forest then around an old dike system which retains rich wetlands with a smattering of red and orange fall colors backlit near sunset. But despite mostly sunny weather on October 10-11 we were underwhelmed by the early-fall scenery after driving all four routes of the Cadillac Area Visitors' Bureau fall color route map through Huron-Manistee National Forest. Instead, the intense crimson sunset colors reflecting in Lake Mitchell were the highlight of our week. Experiencing the delicate sights, sounds and smells of nature on foot and up close always beats the monotonous, insular cocoon of a car. An 8-mile walk or bike ride around Lake Cadillac would also have been nice before sunset or at sunrise, but windy weather chased us away.
