Is there anything better than those first few days of spring when you can leave your jacket at home when it's time to venture outside? I love hiking in all seasons, but nothing quite matches that first hike on a warm spring day after what seems like 10 months of winter! We're lucky to have dozens of fantastic hiking spots throughout the region, but here are a few hidden gems you might not know about.
Tag - Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
By MIKE NORTON
Flowers, flowers everywhere! Well, after the long winter and the cold spring we've had, it's been a nice treat. The thing is, instead of taking turns, everything seems to be blooming at once! No sooner did the cherry trees start

Guest blogger Dave Barrons explains how the Sleeping Bear Birding Trail from Traverse City to Manistee makes it easier to find the area's best birding sites.
Let's start with this interesting set of facts: Michigan is home to the seventh most sought-after bird in the continental U.S. -- the
- A Carpet of Trilliums, Superstars of an Up North Spring
By MIKE NORTON Come on. You knew it couldn't last. Several weeks of astoundingly warm temperatures had some Traverse City folks dreaming of an early summer, while local fruit growers (who've seen this sort of thing before) worried that