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Sturgeon River day hike
Michigan
length: 5.2 miles
Description
Why go there? This hike follows along the beautiful, rocky Sturgeon River and passes by Tibbets Falls, the Oren Krumm Shelter, and through an area burned in 2007 by a wildfire.
Hike highlights:
- The scenic Sturgeon River
- A great diversity of habitats, including pine plains; wetlands; area burned by forest fire in 2007; wildlife openings;
- Tibbets Falls
Flora / fauna of the area: The forest consists mostly of aspen/pine/spruce/fir with some jack pine (Baraga Plains) in northwest part. The terrain is flat to gently rolling on uplands, hillier along Sturgeon River. Tibbets (Tibbetts on some maps) Falls is a series of short drops over slate ledges; climb downhill from the trail to visit the falls. This is a good area to listen/howl for wolves as they have been spotted here and on the rest of Baraga Plains on several occasions by Peter Wolfe chapter members and others.
Geology of the area: This area is mostly flat, sandy outwash plains.
Land ownership: Ottawa National Forest
Directions to and GPS Coordinates for trailheads:
- Plains Road trailhead: From Covington, head west 2.5 miles on MI-28 and then turn right heading north on Plains Rd for 3.4 miles and look for NCT signs. GPS Coordinates: N 46.587456° & W 88.583329°
General route description: Head south from the trailhead and within 0.3 mile you'll reach the riverbank, which the trail follows for the next 1.2 miles. Look for short side trails down to the river by Tibbets Falls. Be sure to take the short side trail to the newly built Oren Krumm Shelter. After the side trip to the shelter, continue west for about 0.5 mile and you will reach the area recently burned (2007). Return to the trailhead.
Trail map: Map # MI-13
Camping information: Backcountry tent camping is available on the NCT at Oren Krumm Shelter area, 9.2 miles from start of hike. The shelter can sleep at least 6 and there are two tenting areas, a fire ring overlooking the Sturgeon River, and a wilderness latrine. The Big Lake State Forest campground is nearby on Big Lake Campground Rd. further north up Plains Rd.
For more info:
• Chapter / affiliate contacts: Peter Wolfe Chapter
• Agency partner contacts: U.S. Forest Service
• Web links: