UP Softies Trap Hills Fall Hike

hikers at Trap Hills overlook

from the Hiawatha Shore to Shore Chapter Winter 2008 newsletter



For years the Upper Peninsula Softies have been hiking their way across the UP of Michigan. But their "rules" include motels. They've hike a lot of miles that way! Ed.

The fall Softies Hike took place the first weekend in October, Friday, the 3rd, through Sunday, the 5th in the Trap Hills near Bergland. Marge Forslin, Kathy Davis, Jan Lindstrom Wester and Lorana Jinkerson, with John Forslin as their support person, partook of the beautiful fall colors and great hiking weather.

Friday the hikers left Old M-64 and hiked 3.7 miles spooking up 7 grouse as they traversed hills and valleys. Saturday brought 8.9 miles of ups and downs with breathtaking views of fall’s palette of oranges, yellows, reds, rusts and greens. In addition, the Bush Creek bridge provided a little challenge. Not only did it lean side to side. but it was not connected to the eastern shore.

Trap Hills

Over the course of the day, eleven grouse were flushed from their abodes. Finally, Sunday as we trekked approximately 4.7 miles including an early morning hike to Cascade Falls for a spectacular mist show, we ousted 5 more grouse from their hideaways. The hike ended at Forest Road 630. Just beyond Bush Creek we came across a plant that none of us could identify.

wild coffee

Marge suggested calling it “pumpkin berries” because the clusters of small orange berries around the stem in this fall season, reminded us of miniature pumpkins. Upon our return, Marge researched and found its real name - Feverwort (Wild Coffee, Tinker's-weed) Triosteum perfoliatum - a member of the honeysuckle family. Follow the link below for wonderful pictures of, not only the berries, but the flower as well. We still like “pumpkin berries” better!

If you travel M-28 through Covington, you might consider stopping at the Hardwood Cafe. We ate there both Friday and again on Sunday and found the food both healthy and tasty.

See Connecticut Botanical Society