minden bog

Great Rabbit and Deer hunting...can be crazy on opening day

If you are interested in a raised bog habitat, this is the place. This is the southernmost raised bog in the United State (North America too?). It is state land (Minden City State Game Area). The main way to access the central bog is from a trail that extends straight west of the west end of Palms Road, 2.5 miles west of the tiny town of Palms (4 miles south of Minden City in the "Thumb" of Michigan). Palms Road ends at the Black River. There is an informal gravel parking area there (don't block access to the farmer's fields). A thin footbridge crosses the river. There is a old machine shed falling apart on the other side of the river. The tall grass around it hides the trail that winds around the south side of the barn but it becomes more apparent as you enter the woods. The trail parallels a drainage ditch that runs directly west from the barn. Less than a quarter mile from the river, you emerge from the wooded area onto the bog proper. Mostly open area full of blueberry bushes and a few scattered trees. The trail continues directly west along the ditch (watch for beaver dams). Only game trails cross the route. Parts of the trail can be very mushy, mainly next to beaver dams but these can be avoided by walking thru the thick blueberry scrub. Eventually, if you walk far enough west, you will see an area of private property to the north where peat moss has been mined for use in gardening. If you get off the trail it is easy to lose track of where you are if its cloudy so be careful, carry a compass/gps unit. The area is great for those interested in specialized and rare bog plants and bog habitat. It is also good for birding and spotting wildlife. The nearest public restroom is 6 miles away in Minden City to the northeast, so plan accordingly. The last two miles of road are dusty gravel. Incidentally, this is the area where a wolverine was sighted and filmed for several years until it recently was found dead next to this trail. The nearest population of wolverines is hundreds of miles away and this was the first wolverine seen in Michigan in recent history.