Exciting, adventurous campouts for Michigan Scouts, Venturers, and those who enjoy the outdoors. - Michigan's Tri-county area - Within a (long) day’s drive Includes descriptions, photos, areas of interest, and patches.

1. Very Cool Michigan High Adventure Outings Steve Lagreca swtrekker@wowway.com Philmont Contingent Leader, New Michigan Council Associate Advisor, Venturing Crew 1716

2. What is “high adventure”? "Young people today seek greater challenges to their physical and mental abilities. High-adventure activities entice them to 'stretch' to attain the goal of successfully completing an exhilarating outdoor experience. A high-adventure trek is a joyous opportunity--beyond the scope of the routine. It is more than just a scenic outdoor experience. It is more than just a physical challenge. It is an experience in living and cooperating with others to meet an exciting challenge. It is learning to overcome difficulties and learning to live in harmony with nature.“ - Introduction to “ BSA Passport to High Adventure ":

3. Tri-county High Adventure

4. Hike the Potawanami Trail BSA Great Sauk Council (Ann Arbor) Provides over 11,000 acres with a wide variety of activities for the park visitor in its three major use areas: Silver Lake Day Use area, Bruin Lake Modern Campground and the Halfmoon Day Use facility. The landscape, a terminal moraine area, was formed during the last glaciation period. http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.asp?id=484 Pinckney Recreation Area Potawanami Trail BSA Camp Munhacke, Great Sauk Council , 20120 Bartell Road, Gregory, MI The Potawatomi Trail is a 17 mile hike in the Pinckney Recreation Area. The trail is almost completely in undeveloped territory, followed gravel roads only a few hundred feet. The area abounds in wild life from chipmunks to the whitetail deer. Canadian geese winter an nest in the area. Cedar posts mark the trail. Potawatomi Indians utilized the area near Pickeral Lake as their summer hunting and ceremonial grounds. The trail crosses creeks and streams that were segments of the Indian canoe route across Southern Michigan. The trail is within 1/2 mile of Hell, Michigan, where food refreshments, and souvenirs are available. http://www.bsa-greatsauktrail.org/camps/index.htm Any 5 mi segment 17 mi loop 17 miles repeat

5. Hike the Wilderness Trail BSA Tall Pines Council (Flint) A 10-mile scenic hiking trail located on state land in the Holly Recreation Area of Northern Oakland County. The trail winds through dense woods, climbs high ridges, follows along meandering streams, skirts numerous lakes and leads the hike through lush marshlands. It provides a bounty of subject for nature studies, including a wide variety of wild flower and plant life. Over 200 type of birds have been identified in the area and deer are seen grazing along the trail and in neighboring fields. Beginning at the organizational campground located on McGinnis Road, the trail is marked with red pines painted on trees. The trail starts and ends at the same p9oint. In some places, the trail winds near county roads, so vehicles may meet hike designated pickups. A blue-blazed loop marks a 5-mile trek. Holly Recreation Area Located within the northern portion of Oakland County between Pontiac and Flint, is less than an hour's drive from the Detroit metropolitan area. The park's nearly 8,000 acres of rolling woodlands and open fields provides opportunities for a variety of outdoor activities. http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.asp?id=459

8. High Adventure within a (long) day’s drive.

15. White water rafting & backpacking on the Menominee, MI. The towering cliffs hold the high volume of the mighty Menomonee, one of the greatest flows in the Midwest. (1500-15,000cfs..) Mishicot falls is the gateway to the gorge. Riverwide, and 10-15 feet high, eyes open big when the world falls from beneath your 18' raft and turns into a huge torrent of whitewater. Giant holes and huge waves are the bill of fare today! The big wave train below the falls leads you toward Volkswagon Rock. VWR is a piece of the falls ledge that broke off and wedged up onto another ledge. When the river is high enough, the pour-over dome shape looks like a VW Bug with a huge hole behind it! After 'the rock' there are some smaller rapids, and then the Twin Sister rapids. Rafters will love it as they punch through these boat swampers. The really cool part is, you get to do it TWICE! After you run the gorge, you go up onto the cliffs and watch your friends run the gorge, then you do it again! Very cool. After your second run, you still get to run Terminal Surfer Rapid before the end of your trip. Terminal Surfer is a huge back-rolling wave, similar to that found below a low-head dam. Gather your momentum on this one, and paddle!paddle!paddle! Availability: Memorial to Labor day Cost: ~$40 “ People go to Isle Royale not to sightsee but to escape. They don’t merely want to see the wilderness but to experience it -- impossible on a 2-hour visit. To fully appreciate and understand Isle Royale, you must grab your paddle or your hiking boots and wander off for a week or more into the tranquility of its woods. Only then will the shores of the Island beckon your return.”

16. Rock-climbing & hiking in Hocking Hills State Park, OH Traipse through cool woodlands, gorges, 150-foot-high cliffs, into caverns, and underneath waterfalls. Discover an enchanted forest. As you go into the gorges it gets darker, cooler, overgrown with ferns and mosses. The kids felt like there was a dragon around every corner ” Old Mans Cave trail has been designated as part of Ohio's Buckeye Trail as well as part of two national systems - the North Country Scenic Trail and America's Discovery Trail. Along the length of the trail the magnificent gorge cuts through the 150-foot thickness of the Blackhand sandstone. Ash Cave is the most spectacular feature of the park, and the largest, recess cave in Ohio. The approach is through a narrow gorge lined with stately hemlocks and massive beech trees. The valley floor offers brilliant displays of wildflowers in the all seasons including trillium, Dutchman’s breeches, trout lily, Jack-in-the Pulpit and jewelweed. The gorge with astonishing suddenness gives way to the tremendous overhanging ledge and cave shelter. Conkle's Hollow is a rugged, rocky gorge. The valley floor is a veritable wilderness covered by a profusion of ferns and wildflowers while hemlock, birch and other hardwood tower overhead. The growth is so thick in places that little or no sunlight reaches the deep valley floor. Activities: hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding and canoeing. Availability: spring (waterfalls dry up in summer) Cost: campsites $14-17 per night Much has been written about Ash Cave … each observer will see it differently; and as natures seasons change, as well as the seasons of his own life change, his viewpoint surges to new proportions. From "the big sandbox house" of childhood, to "the place of enchantment" of the romantic years, to "a place of majesty and awe" as knowledge and depth of understanding grow, Ash Cave can always present a fresh outlook for the wonderer.

17. Wild Cave Tour in Mammoth Cave National Park, KY. On the surface, Mammoth Cave National Park has its own striking beauty of flowers, trees, birds, hiking trails, deer, and many other natural wonders. However, equally as beautiful as the surface and even more breathtaking lie the wonders and mysteries of Mammoth Cave and its underground network, which forms the world's longest cave system. Mammoth Cave, as its name suggests, is the world's most extensive cave system, with 300 miles of passages that are known and more that have not been explored. Located in central Kentucky, this subterranean phenomenon was created more than several million years ago as water worked its way through limestone deposits, dissolving the rock and carving underground passageways to connect with the nearby river. Over the ages, the water table slowly dropped leaving narrow horizontal tunnels, broad caverns and giant vertical shafts linked in a many-leveled labyrinth . The lower passage ways are still being enlarged by streams and rivers. Water seeping into the cave creates stalactites, stalagmites and white gypsum crystal formations that decorate some of the passages and rooms. Crawl, climb, and squeeze through small passages off traditional tour routes. Helmets and lights provided. Kneepads available for this tour, but you may bring your own - rollerblade-type or hard plastic kneepads not allowed. Boots required. Gloves and long pants strongly recommended. Bring a lunch and a small water bottle in a small "fanny" pack. Restrooms available. Fee: $35.00.