Enjoy HRA in the Winter

The Highland State Recreation Area can be as enjoyable for you and your family in the winter as it is in the summer - if you dress right and get out and enjoy the beautiful winter scenery.

The Friends of Highland Recreation Area are using winter to continue the work around the historic Haven Hill structures despite the cold weather and snow. Planning and research continues, and construction is slated for the early part of the year.

Come on out and enjoy the park. Try sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and more!

www.fohra.org

Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

The Highland Recreation Area is a wonderful place to get outdoors in the winter! Beauty abounds in the form of amazing sites and sounds. The clean snow and skies left after the last few days of snow afforded me a great hike today.

The entrance road into the park this morning only had the tracks of one or two vehicles ahead of me before I made the westerly turn. It looked like maybe 3 - 4 inches of snow had accumulated the past night.

Looking west from the dam out over Haven Hill Lake (above) a snowy flat landscape caught my shadow in the morning sun...

The limbs of this large old oak tree stretched from right to left and formed an interesting pattern (above). The snow today was light and flaky. It glistened in the sun.

I think we're often guilty of looking "out" and "over" and "ahead" too much. Today I tried to look down more and found this neat scene of a tree stump covered with snow. If you look closely it has the appearance of a mountain scene I thought.

For my hike today I wore 2 pairs of socks in my boots, long underwear, jeans, and a warm shirt all covered by my set of winter coveralls.  Ear muffs and a beanie hat are my favorite to cover my head. This out fit allows me to "layer up" or "layer down" and adjust my body temperature as I hike. I was warm and comfy all morning. Dress appropriately and take a winter hike in the fresh air at Highland Recreation Area this winter. You'll get hooked as I am.

Winter Has Returned to Highland Recreation Area

Happy Holidays everyone! Winter has returned to Michigan and beauty abounds at the Highland Recreation Area. 2008 park passes are now on sale and make a great gift for the Holidays. The Highland Recreation Area has many of its own "gifts" to offer the winter enthusiast. Hiking trails, magnificent vistas, wildlife - just a few of the many things to do during the winter months.

WINTER PARK SAFETY

Watch out for snow plows as the DNR keeps the roads clear after each winter snowstorm. Drive safely, and at a safe speed, especially when rounding some of the tight turns in the park.

Be alert and wary of deer and animals crossing the roads. Use all forms of ice safety if you venture out onto Teeple or Haven Hill Lake.

Look out for FOHRA members - give us a wave if you see us in the park. Better yet, join our group to help the Highland Recreation Area and Haven Hill!

March Arrives Like a White Lion!

And the barn is covered in another white blanket of snow!

The DNR rangers were plowing this Saturday... check out these great shots of the plow and the truck roaring by!

Eva and I drive into the Highland Recreation Area fairly often because we live nearby and love the outdoors. March 1st several folks were getting outside to go skiing and hiking even at 8:30 in the morning. Interest and use of the area seems high/good to me.

Barn in a Deep Freeze

The only thing nice about today in Michigan was the sunshine managed to make it out between the clouds of blowing snow.  Eva and I went over to the barn inside of the Highland Recreation Area at about 10:30 am and the temperature was nearly only 4 Degrees! Wind chills are well below zero - and the wind has been blowing over 30 miles per hour all day! This photo gives the viewer a good perspective of how large the barn really is...

I took the photo looking to the North East down the hill. Click to see the full-sized picture. Is this picture "cool" or what? lol

Barn in a Blanket

The other day we received another 6 - 8 inches of snow. The barn seemed to be sleeping under a white fluffy winter blanket.