9 Reasons why April is the Best Month for Backpacking near Detroit
- Dan Cooke
- Apr 7
- 9 min read
We've done the fieldwork. The results are in. Here's our argument for why April is the best month for backpacking near Detroit!
Every season in Detroit's outdoors has its "thing."
Skiing and snowboarding easily dominate the winter months as the "Big Four Ski Resorts" near Detroit bustle on deep powder days. On the other end of the calendar, kayaking and paddle boarding lure recreationists to our region's refreshing lakes and rivers on scorching summer weekends. Fall can be a mixed bag in light of peak marathon and mountain biking seasons overlapping, but the latest stats support that deer hunting still carries the season's recreational crown in southeast Michigan.
How about spring? Easy choice: backpacking near Detroit. Especially in early spring conditions.
If that has you scratching your head, we understand the misplaced confusion. For starters, April in Metro Detroit can still be pretty cold. Exhibit A, the light snowfall that covered my garden beds this morning.
Other readers might be surprised that the Detroit region has bona fide backpacking trails. If that's you, then you'll be pleasantly surprised to learn that we actually have three multi-day trails - with more on the way.
Fortunately for you, aspiring Metro Detroit backpacker, we've done the field testing on your behalf to arrive at this conclusion. Over multiple seasons, in variable conditions. The confirmed hypothesis is that April reigns supreme as the best month for backpacking near Detroit, and for a litany of reasons.
Allow us to demonstrate through these 9 key ones.
JOIN EXPEDITION DETROIT ON A BACKPACKING TRIP THIS APRIL!
1. APRIL MEANS SPRING WITHOUT (MOST OF) THE BUGS
Early spring provides the best of the outdoors sans bugs - although stay on tick patrol
"No thanks, I'll be fine. I don't want the smell."
I can't imagine the face I must of been making back towards this person at the trailhead of a guided hike of Highland Recreation Area's "Haven Hill Loop." We were hiking in late June, and I had just offered the whole group a can of mosquito repellent for the hordes of blood-thirsty bugs that waited for us amidst the wetlands that hug the scenic trail. I insisted that they reconsider my offer. They respectfully, yet firmly, denied such reconsideration.
Roughly a mile later, everyone in the group - myself and this particular hiker included - were dousing ourselves in bug spray.
The allure of "peak season" backpacking during summer months can often be undercut by ravenous mosquitoes, flies, and other insects that thrive in warm, humid conditions. When you backpack in April, you largely remove that variable from the backpacking equation. A pesky mosquito may crash the party every now and then, but for the most part you'll be hiking well before the arrival of peak bug season.
There is one major exception to this general blessing: ticks. Over the last decade, Michigan's resident tick population has grown steadily - including the proliferation of tick-borne illnesses. The main "hatching" occurs in early spring, so please invest in ample permethrin and other tick-preventive applications before hitting the trail.
2. NO CROWDS, NO WORRIES
Find your solitude on early season trails
Have you ever wondered what differentiates a "hiking trail" from a "backpacking trail"? The two terms may seem interchangeable, but our thorough, Expedition Detroit-internal analysis determined that a "backpacking trail" represents a trail specifically and logistically planned for multi-day use, while a technical "hiking trail" can be fully enjoyed as a day hike. Stated differently, all "backpacking trails" can be regarded as "hiking trails," but not all "hiking trails" are "backpacking trails."
I had ample time to ponder this question and so, so many more while backpacking the Chief Pontiac Trail in 2023. Alone. Over long, long stretches of interconnected "hiking trails" forming one singular "backpacking trail." During "peak hiking season," you rarely get such an opportunity to ponder the depths of the universe while enjoying the de-stimulation of nature. Even the grandest of insights easily get lost to the incessant "Hi," or "How's it going," and especially unexpected dog visits, when you're sharing the trail with hundreds of other recreationists.
Backpacking in April provides unparalleled opportunities to reap the mental health benefits of solitude in nature. Whether you're looking to brainstorm your life's next adventure or processing a recent trauma, we're firm believers that long, winding miles through a budding forest will provide the inspiration and restoration that your soul desires.
Nature remains the best therapist and life coach freely available to us all.
3. WIDE OPEN CAMPSITES
April means open season on Metro Detroit's 5-star campsites
I kicked myself for over a year. When I first backpacked the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail in 2023, I opted to skip my reservation at Pinckney's "Blind Lake Campground" for a final 13-mile push from Green Lake to Silver Lake. It seemed like the best use of energy after 3 full, adventurous days on the trail.
Then I read - via multiple sources - that Blind Lake wore the crown of Metro Detroit's top-rated backcountry campsite. More specifically, Blind Lake's Site #3 is THE most sought-after campsite in our region.
I would not repeat this blasphemous error. One year later, in honor of the Potawatomi Trail's 60th anniversary, I planned to backpack the famous loop with an overnight at Blind Lake. At Site #3. Which I reserved as soon as the Michigan DNR's website permitted me to do so.
I fully-expected to share a picturesque early-spring night with several other backpackers. Instead, I had all of Blind Lake to myself. I built a roaring campfire with the ample supply of dead wood. I washed away the dust from the trail in the refreshing lake. I wrote in my journal, listened to the harmonies of the surrounding frogs and birds, and gazed gratuitously as the dazzling starlit sky above me.
Most notably, I remained awestruck that no one else was there to share that experience with me. April backpacking near Detroit provides such wonders.
4. RETURN OF WARM DAYS ON THE TRAIL
April backpacking provides a preview of warmer days ahead on Metro Detroit's trails
"First Michigan tests you, then it rewards you."
This slogan became increasingly popular on my "outdoor social media feed" last winter, usually paired with a video clip of a harsh Michigan winter transitioning into warm beach days and vibrantly lush forests. While we're ardent winter supporters, we also acknowledge the additional resiliency required for an outdoor enthusiasts to thrive in the bitter cold of a true Detroit winter. Yes, even Team Expedition Detroit admits to romanticizing warm summer days when we're trekking through bone-chilling conditions.
Well, if Michigan truly "rewards" you, then April's warmth represents the first gift of the season. Within an hour or two of arising from your tent, the warm spring sun will revitalize your spirit for long miles on the trail. You'll enjoy your snacks sitting on a moss patch or log in full sunlight, basking in its energizing rays. If you're lucky, you might even get to cool off in a refreshing stream or lake after a hot day on the trail.
5. ENJOYMENT OF COOL NIGHTS AT THE CAMPGROUND
Cooler nights are ideal for enjoying roaring campfires and restorative sleep
Not to undermine the last point, but April backpacking also carries the gift of cool - sometimes crisp - nights at camp. Yes, colder nights are indeed a backpacker's best friend. Allow me to explain through a personal tale of woe.
Eleven years ago, I planned a road trip on a budget back from a friend's wedding in Colorado. Rather than paying for another roadside hotel, I opted to book a campsite in rural Missouri in July. While en route to said campsite, I noticed that the outside thermometer hit 110ºF while in Kansas. I watched with a fool's hope as the temperature barely dropped as the sun began to set. By the time we reached our destination, the heat had relented to a respectable 104ºF.
Safe to say zero sleep was obtained that night.
Scientific studies consistently report that the optimal room temperature for sleeping is between 60º and 67ºF. While April's nighttime temperatures typically dip well below this range, it's worthwhile to note that a quality sleeping bag is rated for temperatures well below "optimal range." Stated differently, ideal "backpacking nighttime temperature" for market backpacking gear is more like 40sº-50sº since your sleep system should account for the 15-20º temperature difference.
You guessed it: those nighttime temperature ranges are typical for April in Metro Detroit.
6. BEST VISIBILITY FOR WARM WEATHER CONDITIONS
Minimal fresh growth means panoramic views - even when in thick conditions
"Wow, I had no idea Metro Detroit looked like THIS?!"
That line could easily serve as another tag line for marketing Expedition Detroit's guided hiking tours - especially during "off-season" conditions between November and May.
Alright, fine - the truth is that we hear exclamations like that every month of the year. But the cooler temperatures of the off-season months provide exceptionally good photography, wildlife spotting, and landscape viewing opportunities simply due to the lack of foliage. While our trails are renown for their beautifully dense coverage and brilliant fall colors, "stick season" conditions unveil the dramatic contours of our region's moraine ridge lines, flowing creeks and streams, inspiring high point vistas, and abundant wildlife.
April represents the "last month standing" for these pristine visibility conditions before Metro Detroit's thick forest coverage subdues them. Don't miss your opportunity to enjoy our resident vistas while backpacking this month!
7. EARLY SEASON TRAINING FOR LONGER "PEAK SEASON" TRIPS
Executing a shorter, early season backpacking trip provides excellent training for longer adventures later in the year
Let's start with an objective truth: Metro Detroit has adventure-worthy destinations that, despite our best efforts, remain overlooked by the mainstream outdoor community. Fortunately that narrative is rapidly changing, and we will continue to promote and create world-class outdoor adventure opportunities while the rest of the world catches on.
That being said, the wide world of adventure has terrain that is objectively more challenging than our local confines. I've spent most of my adult life utilizing the Detroit region's most rugged trails as idyllic training grounds for other, "Peak Season" trips. From the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail to Peru's Inca Trail, Mt. Kanzer to Mt. Kilimanjaro, backpacking Metro Detroit's trails in early season conditions has proven to be a trusted training routine for conquering some of the world's most difficult backpacking feats later in the year.
8. EXPERIENCE THE SPRING BLOOM ON THE TRAIL
April backpacking provides the rare opportunity to experience spring's first blooms in the heart of nature
My favorite Earth Day occurred on April 22nd, 2023. I awoke to the gentle patter of rain on the roof of my trusted REI Camp Dome tent, a light-two person tent that I've carried on most of my backpacking adventures. Once the rain subsided, I emerged to find that, as expected, I remained the sole inhabitant of Waterloo Recreation Area's "Pines" backcountry campsite from the day before.
Thirty minutes later and a full breakfast stored efficiently in my belly, I embarked on a full 24 hours of uninterrupted indulgence in nature through Waterloo's "high country." Over 12 miles of trekking through the heart of the park, including summiting "Prospect Hill," one of Metro Detroit's "Five Summits" and the highest point of the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail.
The best part of this full day on the trail, though? The bloom - spring's annual adoration of Metro Detroit's wildest places in a colorful splendor that would even fill King Solomon with envy. Wildflowers danced eagerly along the trail, while the gentle green hue of miles upon beautiful miles of unspoiled woodlands just emerging from winter's slumber provided a hypnotic backdrop to nature's renaissance of vitality. Sunbeams glinted off of the morning's remaining rainfall on the nascent leaves. Bird songs filled the otherwise silent air. Everything felt new, and pure, and beautiful again.
There's no psychedelic or therapeutic experience on the market that can rival such an immersion into the spring bloom. All that's required is nominal planning and maximum presence on Metro Detroit's backpacking trails during early spring - and especially in April.
9. OPPORTUNITY TO TEST "ALL SEASON" GEAR
The variability of April backpacking near Detroit means you'll most likely be able to test the full spectrum of your backpacking kit.
April showers do indeed bring May flowers - as well as the opportunity to test the full spectrum of your backpacking kit.
If you've made it to this point of the article, then we're willing to bet that you've actually read the aforementioned points. Of the many themes to be extracted from those points, a main one includes that April backpacking near Detroit will throw the whole gamut of conditions at you. You could easily wake up with light snow on your tent, thaw out to scorching heat, quickly build your shelter under a downpour, and then fall asleep next to tranquil waters...only to wake up to more snow.
Yes, that variability can be frustrating. But it also provides a rare opportunity to test the full spectrum of our backpacking kit on a condensed, early season trip. Trust me - it's a lot better to learn that your rain gear doesn't work when you're within an hour's drive from a local REI vs. 13 miles into the backcountry of Grand Teton National Park.
If that sounds like an incredibly specific example, well, let's just say it was a lesson learned the hard way.
Are you looking to test our hypothesis on why April is the best month for backpacking near Detroit? You're in luck - Expedition Detroit is proud to launch GUIDED BACKPACKING TRIPS along the Potawatomi Trail this April! Limited spots remain, so book now to start your spring backpacking adventure through the best of Metro Detroit's outdoors!