Backpacking Trip | South Manitou Island | July 2013

PART 2

The next morning we packed up our gear. We didn't want to waste any time and were really too lazy to get the stove out again so we just ate a few Clif bars while we went on our way. We headed back South down the same road until we reached the middle of the Island. 

From there we decided to do the Farm Loop which took just over 1-mile to complete. The Farm Houses are really cool on South Manitou because the island used to have huge fields all over it and the houses and barns are all abandoned but are maintained.

This is the beginning to the Farm Loop.

One of the old Farm houses

The structure on the right is an old stone foundation that you can walk around inside of. If you do go in, however, be cautious because it is home to a large number of garter snakes that will move around if you get close. 

Towards the end of the loop there is a trail that branches off South so we headed off that way. This trail took us through some taller grasses and was really buggy but after a while it opened up again to a wide two-track road. This trail will take you along the Western side of Florence Lake and is worth stopping at to look around. The island offers tours here for the day-trippers and a tractor will cart the guests there.

After we passed the lake we hit the edge of the trail at the top of a sand dune. We took the trail down to the beach to my favorite part of the island, the Wreck of the Morazan (an old ship from 1922). However, the dune was quite steep and the sand was shifting a lot. There are other trails you can take to get down to the beach and I wouldn't recommend trying the steep dunes unless you are somewhat skilled. The dunes are especially difficult after rain because your boots can get stuck in the mud and that sucks. 

The hike was definitely worth it. A large piece of the shipwreck is above the water level so it is really a cool sight to see if you get the chance. The water all around the island is a beautiful blue and you can even see Sleeping Bear dunes in the background. There are a few other shipwrecks on the island but the Morazan is the only one that is above water and is the best one to see. 

We hiked East along the beach until we found a trail that took us back inland by the Weather Station campground where we would stay our second night. This campground was much more crowded and is quite popular with people who do a lot of day hiking along the dunes to the shipwreck or to the Valley of the Giants (a forest of huge cedar trees). 

To be continued in Part 3