In a region that's undeniably spoiled by world-class mountain biking trails, here are the Detroit area's top 5 trail systems that climb higher and ride faster than the rest. Michigan’s official state motto translates to “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” Well, Southeast Michigan’s wilderness motto should be “If you seek a pleasant hiking trail, look about you - because there’s probably a mountain biker ripping down it.” Our suggested motto should honestly be codified since most of the Detroit region’s most scenic hiking trails were either originally designed or overwhelmingly adopted as mountain biking trails. A quick glance at our “Destinations” map and you’ll see that the data holds up. Our great outdoors are disproportionately blessed with world-class mountain biking trails - only rivaled in-state by the Upper Peninsula’s most scenic and rugged trails - thanks largely to the trail construction and preservation efforts spearheaded by organizations like the Motor City Mountain Bike Association, Clinton River Area Mountain Bike Association, and Potawatomi Mountain Bike Association. Curating this list of Detroit’s best mountain biking trails was one tough hill to climb (a great problem to have). So, just in time for October’s colors to fully set in, here are the Detroit region’s five best MTB trails to send it down: 1. POTAWATOMI TRAIL Trail Length: 17 miles Climb: 876 ft. Trail Rating: Intermediate-Advanced Trail Sponsor: Potawatomi Mountain Bike Association We don’t like saving the best for last here at Expedition Detroit. Credit’s owed where credit’s due, so the Potawatomi Trail - “Poto” - is presented right where it should be: first in line on our list as Detroit’s most sought-after, kick-ass, bucket list-worthy mountain biking trail. Found in Pinckney State Recreation Area, Poto provides riders with a grand tour of the park. The trail is also shared with hikers and trail runners, although it is an unspoken agreement that mountain bikers are at the top of the food chain for trail courtesy. From the trailhead at Silver Lake (parking lot trailhead for all of Pinckney’s chart-topping trails), Poto’s deviates from the Silver Lakes Trail at 0.42 miles in and continues clockwise for 16.6 miles. The trail is a scenic roller coaster, trademarked with heart-thumping climbs and rewarding declines as you navigate around Pinckney’s series of lakes and the Portage River. Naturally, the trail’s most imposing challenge strikes right at the end - a nearly 100-foot climb with an 8% incline at mile 15.73. Survive the climb and you’ll be rewarded with a mile-long decline back towards the trailhead. Bonus Tip: Looking to turn your ride into a de facto expedition? Poto offers riders with the ability to turn an MTB afternoon into a bike-camping weekend adventure. Pinckney’s two rustic campgrounds, located at Blind Lake and Crooked Lake, are directly accessible from the trail. New to bike-camping? REI has some epic gear to get you started. 2. LAKESHORE PARK (TREE FARM) Trail Length: 8.9 miles Climb: 423 ft. Trail Rating: Intermediate Trail Sponsor: Motor City Mountain Bike Association Single-track lovers, rejoice! Novi’s Lakeshore Park - formerly known as “Tree Farm” - has roughly 9 miles of fast, technical, and flowy trails for every level of rider. Starting at the main trailhead just south of Walled Lake, Lakeshore Park’s network of interconnected loops and segments with relatively little elevation gain provide for a seamless ride across variable terrain. The majority of Lakeshore Park’s loops are rated as “Easy,” although the “Expert Loop” accessible at the 0.7 mile mark, “the Crater” segment at the 3.7 mile mark, and the “Flack Attack” segment at the 5.1 mile mark entail more challenging terrain that’s fit for lapping. Be sure to spend some extra time at the pump track to test your balance and technical skills. Bonus Tip: If you and your crew regularly ride Lakeshore Park, why not up the ante a bit with some harmless competition? Every summer the MCMBA hosts its famous tiki party + bike race, the “Tree Farm Relay,” for some 4-person team relay action over its trail network. Extra points are awarded for best costumes too, so riders have every reason to go all-out for this highlight event of the summer! 3. PONTIAC LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA TRAIL SYSTEM Trail Length: 9 miles Climb: 713 ft. Trail Rating: Intermediate-Advanced Trail Sponsor: Clinton River Area Mountain Bike Association One Loop to Rule Them All - that should be the official slogan of Pontiac Lake’s legendary MTB trail, although the Tolkien Estate’s legal team may beg to differ. Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area contains 9 miles of fast, elevation-oscillating, single track trail, with the main challenge of a 22% incline grade striking just 1.5 miles into the adventure. Each gueling climb is typically rewarded with a refreshing decline, although Pontiac Lake is also infamous for the tactical maneuvering demanded by some of its downhills (especially right after the 2 mile mark). The majority of the ride leads bikers over a series of rolling climbs and declines through the park’s northern string of lakes, with the final segment consisting of one long decline back to the trailhead. Just as a fair warning, the immense popularity of this trail comes at a price. Pontiac Lake is not the trail for any riders seeking two-wheeled solitude in nature - its proximity to Downtown Detroit and the northern suburbs makes Pontiac Lake’s trail one of the most frequented in the Detroit region. Expect to share the trail with hikers, trail runners, and even equestrians in some segments. Always be courteous to others on the trail, and note that the trail right-of-way food chain goes like this: hikers < bikers < equestrians. Bonus Tip: If you look at a map of Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, its main campground is located directly in the center of its famous mountain biking trail. This pristine example of exemplary park planning has made Pontiac Lake’s campground a favorite for mountain bikers looking to make a weekend out of their rides (Highland Recreation Area is also just down M-59, so it’s not too far of a stretch to imagine tackling both trail systems in a weekend). Party responsibly and aim to find the elusive balance between evening campfire drinks and morning tight turns. 4. HIGHLAND STATE RECREATION AREA A-B-C-D LOOPS Trail Length: 14.7 miles Climb: 1,584 ft. Trail Rating: Advanced Trail Sponsor: Motor City Mountain Bike Association Built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers, Southeast Michigan’s most difficult MTB trail system may very well be its best kept secret. Highland’s alphabet loops cover almost 15 miles of technical and tight single-track trails, filled with sharp descents, steep climbs, rock gardens, and lots of tight, off camber turns. The loops slightly vary in difficulty, with the A (3.5 miles) and C (2.2 miles) Loops being slightly easier than the challenging B Loop (5.4 miles) and dreaded D Loop (3.6 miles). Most riders take on just the A and B Loops for a heart-pumping 9.7 miles through the core of the course, although plenty of adrenaline junkies and admirable psychopaths will knock out the full system in 2 or 3 hours. The D Loop’s climb of 130 feet over roughly half a mile - including a 20% incline grade at certain points - is the crown jewel achievement of this punishing yet rewarding course. Please note that even relatively experienced bikers should not take conquering all four alphabet loops lightly. Beginner and freshly-minted riders are advised to ride with more experienced riders and tackle just a loop or two during your first visit to Highland. Bring plenty of water, take your time navigating these black diamond-rated trails, and wholly embrace the ass-kicking that Highland’s loops indiscriminately unleash on us all. Bonus Tip: The Highland trail system is the northernmost segment of a larger 100-mile trail system that connects several parks and independent mountain biking trails. While you can conquer this daunting trail system any time during the year, we recommend tackling this feat alongside hundreds of your new best friends amidst the festivities of the annual Milford Bike Fest and Trail Challenge. Beyond Highland’s alphabet loops, your ride will take you on a grand tour of the Milford Trail, Hickory Glen Park, Proud Lake Recreation Area, Kensington Metropark, and Island Lake Recreation Area. Yes, don’t worry - beer tents in Downtown Milford will be eagerly waiting for your return from this MTB odyssey. 5. BRIGHTON STATE RECREATION AREA TRAIL SYSTEM Trail Length: 16.9 miles Climb: 916 ft. Trail Rating: Intermediate-Advanced Trail Sponsor: Potawatomi Mountain Bike Association Last but certainly not least, Brighton State Recreation Area provides riders with a “choose your own adventure” approach to its two-loop trail system. More advanced riders typically tackle the black diamond-rated “Torn Shirt Trail” first, a 7.9 mile loop that contains steeper climbs and more technical features (NOTE: the Torn Shirt Trail has recently been extended to include 3 additional miles, so published trail guides may be outdated). The foremost challenge of the Torn Shirt Trail strikes 1.82 miles into the loop with a 10% incline grade climb to an elevation of 954 ft., the highest point on the entire trail system. The more moderate Murray Lake Loops cover a total of 9 miles of riding if you take on the Purple, Orange, and Green Loops. Enjoy your flowy, single-track grand tour of the northeast segments of the park, complete of course with technical challenges throughout to keep the ride engaging for bikers of any skill level. Bonus Tip: Why not combine your ride with a paddle? The MTB trailhead parking lot also services access to Bishop Lake, one of the crown jewels of Brighton Recreation Area. Trust us, there are far worse places in the world for that mandatory post-ride beer (alcohol prohibited at Bishop Lake Day Use Area April 1st - September 30th). We cannot overstate that this list is just the tip of the iceberg. There are several trail systems that we ride regularly and love dearly - such as Maybury State Park, Island Lake State Recreation Area, Hines Park, and the Milford Trail - that are spectacular in despite of being omitted from this article. However, if you are a top-tier mountain biker that regularly rides in the U.P. or out west, this list is your guide to the Detroit region’s crème de la crème of MTB trails. Send it responsibly. We’ll see you out there. Photos courtesy of Trailforks Mapping Inc. and Adventure Projects, Inc.

In honor of Black History Month, we are exploring the complexity, bravery, and utmost historical significance of the Underground Railroad - especially within the scope of the Detroit region's unique role within its operation. Part II follows the final phase of the great journey - and the railroad's lasting legacy on our outdoors. "Wake up. It's time." You wipe the sleep away from your eyes just in time to see a vaguely familiar face looking back at you through candlelight. A dark face that you only recognize since you met the man just hours prior, and his confident stare provides you with a sense of ease despite the total absence of familiarity surrounding you. As the shapeless beings around you in the dusty, crowded, and freezing basement start to come alive, you manage to get your exhausted legs under you. The temptation to collapse back onto the floor nearly overtakes you, but a final push of adrenaline keeps you concentrated on the task at hand. Many months, countless miles, and one singular goal have all led to this pitch-black early morning. "The boat is waiting. We need to hurry." Once the signal from the nearby docks is received, the man guides you from the sanctuary of a church basement and through a rudimentary tunnel. A cool, chilling breeze - with a growing hint of fish and freshwater - beckons you towards the shrubbery-hidden mouth of the tunnel and a steamship laden with lumber and other goods. A white man stands of the helm of this ship, but - to your pleasant surprise - the black man leading you appears to be running the entire operation. This black man positions you and others securely within the ship's hull, bolts the hatch down, and gives one final instruction within earshot: "To the Fort first, then Sandusky. Black wool is secured." The steamship's engines spurt to life. Hours pass, and your stomach turns in and over itself. A combination of anxiety, anticipation, malnourishment, and the natural bob of open water. Your mind drifts back over the past several months - the oppressive heat of the deep south, the beatings, the escape, the close encounters, the freezing starlight nights, claustrophobic basements, barn latches, famished steps. All those moments led to this...one final journey. The engines calm to a whisper. Strange voices are heard above you, steadily dropping from maritime calls to rushed, hushed utterances. The latch above you opens and a combination of excited white and black faces peer down into the hull of the T. Whitney. "Welcome to Fort Malden. Welcome to Upper Canada. Rise up, brothers and sisters - you are free at last." Welcome to Part II of our limited series on the Detroit region's pivotal role in the Underground Railroad! After field-testing a few ideas, we decided to launch this article at the climax of the railroad's most critical moment: the most historic "summit push" or "final mile" that humanity's greatest journeys have ever accounted for. The final hours separating fugitive from free, hunted from protected, life from near-certain death. The meat of this article will surround both sides of this crucial final passage between "Midnight," the City of Detroit, and "Dawn," the Canadian shoreline. Picking up where we left off in Part I, we will first retrace and remember the routes, locations, and key conductors that safely guided fugitive "passengers" through the dangerous streets of heavily-patrolled Detroit. Next, we will follow the paths of the tens of thousands of freed slaves that formed new lives on the free shores of Upper Canada. Our series will conclude with a dive into the living legacy of the Underground Railroad within our region, especially focusing on the opportunities available to us today for further honoring and expanding its impact on Detroit's outdoors. Underground Railroad Self-Guided Tour Map, provided by the Detroit Greenways Coalition SURVIVING THE MIDNIGHT MASQUERADE Fugitive slaves arrived within the City of Detroit predominantly following the Rouge River, just north of today's City of River Rouge. As discussed in Part I, the requisite secrecy for safely operating the Underground Railroad means that modern historians must settle for incomplete or unverifiable information regarding its exact operation, although historical evidence suggests that most Detroit-based conductors made contact with fugitive passengers near the location of today's Zug Island. Once contact was safely established, all roads led north to the city's center. A quick glance at the map shared above demonstrates that the Detroit of the 19th century was utilized by railroad conductors almost in its entirety for safely housing and transporting passengers. The route depicted above provides a comprehensive guide for visiting any and all of Detroit's railroad-related sites, including the gravestones of several prominent abolitionists and fugitives that established Detroit as the "Great Refuge of the North." For this article, we will condense this list to Detroit railroad's key historical stations - and their operators - that you can still visit and honor today. Second Baptist Church. When it comes to Detroit’s role in the Underground Railroad, Second Baptist Church is largely considered the single most historically-significant location within the city. The safe house in the church’s basement, known as the “Croghan Street Station,” represents one of the only remaining documented Detroit stations on the Underground Railroad. Thirteen freed slaves founded the church in 1836, thereby establishing Michigan’s first black congregation. Although first located on Fort Street, the congregation moved in 1857 to its current location in Greektown. The church evolved into a critical station on the Underground Railroad, housing an estimated 5,000 freedom seekers at both of its locations over a 30 year period. Abolitionist leaders including Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and John Brown worked with Second Baptist in its railroad-related operations. First Congregational Church. First established in 1844, the First Congregational Church of Detroit supported antislavery activism in numerous ways. The church's second location's proximity to the Detroit River made its basement an ideal location for concealing fugitives while they awaited safe passage to Canada. Rev. Harvey Kitchel, who pastored the church from 1848 to 1864, staunchly advocated for the abolitionist cause during his tenure. Following Kitchel's example, church members like Horace Hallock sheltered freedom seekers in their homes and served within antislavery political organizations. First Congregational Church moved into its current building in 1891 and opened an Underground Railroad Living Museum in 2001. Mariner's Church. The connection of Mariner's Church to the Underground Railroad was forgotten for nearly a century - until construction workers in 1955 discovered a tunnel that traversed Jefferson Avenue, under Hart Plaza, and opened via a clandestine gateway to the Detroit River. The tunnel was discovered when the city decided to move the church from its historic location on Woodward Avenue to its current location, and it is believed that a hidden door in the original church's sub-basement opened to the tunnel that led to the Detroit River and waiting boats. You may have picked up on this, but we utilized Mariner's Church within our opening dramatization of the final journey from Midnight to Dawn. Tommy’s Detroit Bar and Grill. Built in 1840, and just steps away from the Detroit River, Tommy’s also has a tunnel beneath the bar that is believed to have been used during both the Prohibition era to funnel alcohol and as an outlet for the Underground Railroad. Site of Finney Barn. Located roughly half a mile from the Detroit River, Seymour Finney’s barn provided a common last stop for freedom seekers on their way to Canada. In the early 1850s, Finney built the barn to serve the guests at his hotel, "the Finney House." In an almost Tarantino-style scenario, runaway bounty hunters often stayed at the Finney House while fugitives simultaneously took cover in the barn’s hayloft until nightfall, when abolitionists coordinated secret trips across the Detroit River. A FINAL JOURNEY TO DAWN There is one final character that we need to introduce into Midnight's story - the final "ferryman" that's largely credited with transporting most of Detroit's passengers from bondage to freedom. That man is George DeBaptiste, a black man born free in Virginia in 1815 that brought his abolitionist talents to Detroit in 1846, the shadow-owner of the steamship T. Whitney, and the final conductor described in this article's opening passage. Publicly, DeBaptiste worked in a variety of positions including caterer and clerk. In private and under moonlight, however, the ardent abolitionist secretly transported men, women, and children out of the United States aboard the T. Whitney and to freedom, putting his own safety at risk for the sake of others. And what was the T. Whitney's principal port-of-call? No, not Windsor - which I had erroneously believed until conducting research for this series. The answer is actually the small yet gargantuanly-historic town of Amherstburg, Ontario - Upper Canada's equivalent of "Ellis Island" for fugitive slaves during the 19th century. Thanks be to Heaven that I have got here at last: on yonderside of Detroit River, I was recognized as property; but on this side I am on free soil. Hail, Brittania! Shame, America! This is an actual quote from a freedom-seeker's documented account of their passage on the Underground Railroad, as published in Ann Arbor's Signal newspaper in 1846. Better than any words that I could attempt to type here, this quote succinctly captures the jubilance, relief, pain, and bitterness that refugees from the American south felt upon touching tierra firma in Canada. Cargo ships like the T. Whitney would typically south down the Detroit River towards Fort Malden, the principal port of entry into Upper Canada. Upon arrival at the docks near Fort Malden, international commerce involving mostly lumber would coincide with an importation of "black wool" - the fugitives that would, for the first time in their entire lives, breathe in fresh air as free men. Starting in 1850, an estimated 30 passengers per day obtained freedom via this method of morally illicit human trafficking. Despite their arrival in Canada, the free men, women, and children still found themselves largely at the mercy of their new community. These newly-minted African-Canadians often arrived without money, food, or clothing suited to the rigors of a Canadian winter. Fortunately, fugitive-established churches like the Amherstburg First Baptist Church (founded in 1836) and the Nazrey African Methodist Episcopal Church (founded in 1848) were ready and willing to shelter the arrivals in desperate need of community support. Both of these community organizations - and the multigenerational congregations that support them - are still vibrant and active today. THE RAILROAD'S LIVING LEGACY So... what's the point in retracing the journey of the Underground Railroad through the Detroit region? Why spend the time and effort in researching, visiting, and hiking these routes? Yes, history is interesting, but why take an active audience through this academic exercise? The simple answer is that this exercise matters because we as a society disregard what we do not value - and our region's historical significance is often indefensibly undervalued. Beyond a general interest in writing about an outdoor recreation theme that has relevancy to black historical events, our desire to reach and write about the Underground Railroad stemmed from childlike curiosity in its specifics. Which routes did fugitive slaves travel on? Where did they shelter? Who guided them? Who hunted them? What organizations still honor and preserve their legacy? Ladies and gentlemen, our conclusion is that the Detroit region has an immense opportunity to honor the living legacy of the Underground Railroad in two profound ways: 1. Rediscover, Rebuild, and Maintain the Underground Railroad's Routes. Not to sound like a broken record, but we spun our wheels fairly excessively trying to track down common routes of the Underground Railroad. Yes, historical records to date appear unpromising for pinning down the exact routes traveled. However, other regions have uncovered - and maintained - other well-known or alleged routes of the Underground Railroad for historical preservation and modern recreation. The Detroit region should embark on similar trail building and preservation initiatives for our Underground Railroad routes. As we noted in Part I of this series, there are at least three virtually-certain routes of the Underground Railroad that are already being incorporated by various organizations into larger trail networks. Why not expand the operations of the State of Michigan's Freedom Trail Commission towards formally reestablishing the historical routes used within the railroad? Especially with the future connection of the Gordie Howe International Bridge to Canada's established trail systems and Michigan's campaign to be universally recognized as the "Trails State," this initiative should be a no-brainer action towards protecting the legacy of the Underground Railroad. 2. Strengthen our Support of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ("DEI") Initiatives Despite the thousands upon thousands of miles that black Americans traversed along the Underground Railroad, de facto and de jure policies, laws, and norms implemented throughout the 19th, 20th, and even early 21st centuries have largely kept our outdoor spaces fragmented and inhospitable along racial lines. Across the country - and specifically within the Detroit region - private companies, community organizations, and governmental institutions alike have adopted DEI initiatives to create more diverse, equitable, and inclusive outdoor recreation opportunities for recreationists of every race, religion, and walk of life. These initiatives include actions like ensuring that cost is not a barrier to accessing parks and outdoor recreation, implementing more culturally-competent programming, and working to better include people of marginalized identities in planning, programming, and staffing. Organizations like Detroit Outdoors, which is centered on fostering more meaningful connections between Detroit's urban youth and the outdoors, provides opportunities for engagement with the outdoors through offering learning opportunities and activities such as overnight camping. As Black History Month comes to a close today, we would like to sign off on this series by acknowledging and honoring the estimated 15 million men, women, and children of African descent that tragically died during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. We also want to recognize and further honor the hundreds of thousands of Black Americans that dared to stand against that grave injustice by reclaiming their God-given freedom via the Underground Railroad. We vow to continue to honor their legacy and sacrifice through promoting an outdoor ecosystem that benefits the livelihood every recreationist in an equitable, sustainable, and supportive manner.

In honor of Black History Month, we are exploring the complexity, bravery, and utmost historical significance of the Underground Railroad - especially within the scope of the Detroit region's unique role within its operation. Join us as we examine this great and tragic trail that forever redefined our region's history. In the America of the 21st century, outdoor recreation - especially for expansive, extended periods of time - is largely regarded as a luxury. Don't believe me? Take a quick look at your Instagram feed. If yours resembles anything like ours, then every couple of scrolls features a young-ish outdoor enthusiast living out their #VanLife, thru-hiking, or related outdoor-influencer lifestyle. Complete with pristine gear, jaw-dropping views, all smiles, and - inexplicably - zero sweat or dirt. Such public personas reflect the new "American Dream" for the "millennial" and "zoomer" generations: unending joy derived from carrying hardly any possessions, exploring beautifully planned and scenic trails, and freely hiking without any external pressures bearing down on you. I wonder how glamorous this lifestyle would appear if we switched up a few variables. How many thru-hikers would complete the Appalachian Trail if they could only hike at night - without any headlamps or trail signs? What would the completion percentage of the Continental Divide Trail reflect if hikers were unable to rest for 20 miles at a time? Would the Pacific Crest Trail retain its popularity if you could only begin the trail if carrying solely the clothes on your back? Would anyone even attempt the North Country Trail - America's longest National Scenic Trail - if they knew, with absolute certainty, that they would be hunted for even attempting the feat? These questions are obviously rhetorical. No one in their right mind would attempt to complete a journey under such harrowing conditions unless their life truly depended on it. America's outdoor culture would erode rapidly. Your TikTok feed would evaporate overnight. Unless... unless such hikers had no other option than to set out on this apparent suicide mission. Unless the alternative of remaining in their current living conditions constituted a far, far worse existence. Two centuries ago, hundreds of thousands of enslaved black men, women, and their families faced such a decision. They chose to potentially - no, likely - die in the pursuit of freedom vs. certainly die in the bondage of slavery. They chose to venture out into the darkness of the unknown, carrying nothing but a day's worth of food, their sweat-stained clothes, and an inextinguishable belief in their dignity as human beings. These black Americans journeyed along the disparate and illicit trail system called the "Underground Railroad," traveling treacherously towards one final and almost mythical destination: Midnight. REINTRODUCING AMERICA'S MOST DANGEROUS TRAIL Let's start by knocking out one common misconception: the Underground Railroad was neither underground nor an actual railroad. Instead, the Underground Railroad grew organically from 1780 through 1861 as a series of interconnected trail networks united by one singular purpose: to guide escaped slaves from the southern United States towards obtaining freedom. This "railroad" consisted of several secret routes and safe houses scattered throughout the northernmost slaveholding states and extending all the way to the Canadian border. Alternative, shorter routes led south to Cuba or west to Mexico, although the vast majority of these routes led north. The Underground Railroad derived its name from the terminology that "conductors" (the abolitionist network) and "passengers" (the escaped slaves) utilized to describe its network of "stations" (the safe houses). Passengers would travel from station to station following the "railway" - an indirect, inefficient, hazardous, and decentralized route intentionally maintained as such to avoid Federal bounty hunters. Even prominent conductors were unaware of the extent of the railroad in order to further protect both the fugitive slaves and the integrity of the routes, which often extended over 1,000 miles. The clandestine nature of the Underground Railroad was brilliantly crafted and absolutely warranted. The success of the railroad in the early 19th century, with new routes opening regularly in tandem with northern states and territories electing to abolish slavery, prompted southern outrage and demand for Federal action. In 1850, Congress appeased the southern states by enacting a second Fugitive Slave Act, which included the following provisions related to convictions for harboring fugitive slaves anywhere within the United States: Imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000 (roughly $38,355 in today's USD) per fugitive. Bonus compensation to judicial magistrates for successful convictions. Bonus compensation to police officers that apprehended alleged runaway slaves. Forced return of alleged fugitive slave to southern state of origin. The passing of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 not only heightened the necessity of secrecy along the Underground Railroad, but also fundamentally changed its routing and composition. Most notably, the Act made Upper Canada (modern Ontario) - which had granted freedom to former American slaves since 1793 - the destination of choice for assured freedom. The conductors wasted no time drawing up new routes to Ontario, including new stations that avoided well-traveled routes alone Lake Erie. New stations were established. And, due to relatively recent historical events, one state in particular became the most sought-after destination for the masses yearning for freedom. MICHIGAN'S STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE TO THE RAILROAD Even in the 21st century, much of the Underground Railroad's history is simply unrecoverable. The requisite secrecy surrounding its entire operation means accepting the reality that we will never fully grasp the depth, nuance, and complexity that defined the long trail to freedom. That being said, we in the Detroit region benefit from indisputable historical evidence that southeastern Michigan constituted a prominent route along the Underground Railroad towards southwestern Ontario. Beyond the geographic proximity of the two areas, abolitionist veterans of the War of 1812 recalled how easily the British-Canadian, American, and Native American armies crossed the Great Lakes during the northwest theater of the war. In fact, American prisoners of war were led on foot by their British captors across the frozen Detroit River to Amherstburg following the rout at the Battles of Frenchtown. . There was just one catch, however: the Feds had just as sharp of a memory as the abolitionists. Bounty hunters during the antebellum era increasingly patrolled the port cities along Lake Erie, especially well-known gateway port cities like Cleveland. Crossing prolonged open water on the Great Lakes evolved into one of the riskiest segments of the entire Underground Railroad. Daring ships that carried fugitives, such as the Arrow, United States, Mayflower and Bay City, are known to us now only because they were caught in their daring mission. With these Great Lakes risks steadily rising, the railroad rerouted its course northwest and over land, with most trails northbound converging upon Toledo, Ohio before diverting away from the lakeshore. The trail continued northwest in a seemingly counter-intuitive route, through Monroe County's sanctuary cities like Adrian and Tecumseh, until aligning with other eastbound routes in the capital of Michigan's anti-slavery movement: Ann Arbor. THE FORGOTTEN TRAILS TO MIDNIGHT While we were researching this article, we stumbled upon two absolute truths. First, that the Detroit region provided an essential and pivotal final destination for the Underground Railroad. Second - and most frustratingly for an outdoorsman that loves retracing history - no one knows exactly where the main routes existed. Similar to most historic Native American trails, the most prominent routes utilized by the Underground Railroad's conductors and passengers are still used today - but in a very, very different capacity. I-94 is the most prominent example of an Underground Railroad route that modern commuters traverse on a daily basis without thinking twice about the historical significance of their surroundings. Despite the tragic paving-over of these historically and culturally-significant routes, our research efforts uncovered a variety of historical information pointing towards modern trails that were almost certainly used within the Underground Railroad. As mentioned, Ann Arbor's preeminent position as the abolitionist mecca of Michigan meant that virtually all Detroit-bound routes passed through the city. In modern times, Ann Arbor continues to lead the Detroit region as an innovator in creating outdoor recreation opportunities for its greater community, including the restoration, preservation, and creation of extensive trail routes. Furthermore, we know that rivers and other natural features were utilized as navigational directives, especially since most fugitive slaves were illiterate. Armed with these data points, here are three modern trails that were most likely - if not certainly - a part of the Underground Railroad's vast network. The Western Road: Dexter to Ann Arbor via the Border-to-Border Trail Distance: 2.5 miles Elevation Gain: 75 feet Trail Orientation: Point-to-Point Recommended Recreation Method: Running (trail and pavement), Cycling, or Kayaking Aside from Midnight, Ann Arbor represented the principal destination of choice for freedom seekers passing through Michigan. Regardless of whether journeying north from Ohio or northeast from Indiana, all Detroit-bound railroad routes eventually converged in Ann Arbor. The efforts of prominent Ann Arbor residents like Guy Buckley, the editor of the anti-slavery newspaper The Signal of Liberty, nationally propagated the worst-kept secret about Ann Arbor providing a refuge for runaway slaves. Just west of Ann Arbor, however, stood another recent settlement that provided a vital station for weary travelers along the desolate western Michigan segments of the railroad: Mill Creek Settlement, now known as the City of Dexter. Thanks to historical, firsthand resources like an 1885 interview with Erastus Hussey of Battle Creek, Michigan, a conductor on the Underground Railroad, we know that Samuel Dexter - Dexter's namesake founder - was also an instrumental conductor along this "northern route" to Detroit. Dexter's prominent home called "Gordon Hall," located just northwest of the Village of Dexter, is also widely believed to have been a key Underground Railroad safe house within the settlement. Despite the inherent lack of certainty that surrounds most Underground Railroad research, available records definitely prove that Samuel Dexter assisted with the railroad's operation in and around Dexter, that a prominent railroad route led from Dexter to Ann Arbor, and that fugitive slaves often utilized rudimentary navigational directives like the Huron River for guidance. As a net result of aggregating these historical data points, we can confidently state that the modern Border-to-Border ("B2B") Trail across Washtenaw County most likely traces the exact routes utilized for the railroad's Ann Arbor-centric segments. Of the B2B's established trails (several segments are still under construction), the Dexter-Huron Metropark segment leading from Downtown Dexter towards Ann Arbor follows the historical route that fugitives almost certainly traversed under moonlit and hushed conditions. The paved trail is best traversed on foot or by bike peddle, but paddling this route also comes with an added element of adventure - especially since voyagers along the Underground Railroad may also have completed this segment utilizing maritime transportation methods. The Eastern Road: Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti via the Ann Arbor Ramble Trail Distance: 5.9 miles Elevation Gain: 42 feet Trail Orientation: Loop Recommended Recreation Method: Running (pavement), Cycling, or Kayaking From the abolitionist stronghold of Ann Arbor, there were two primary routes to Midnight that passengers could follow. The more prominent - and therefore more dangerous - route continued down the banks of the Huron River towards another well-regarded Underground Railroad station: Ypsilanti, Michigan. Similar to Ann Arbor and Dexter, some of Yspilanti's leading public citizens also held instrumental roles in the operation of the Underground Railroad. Ypsilanti resident George McCoy transported fugitives in wagons with false bottoms and gave them shelter in his barn, while Helen McAndrew hid passengers in either her octagon house or barn. Leonard Chase, “who resided on Cross Street at the summit of the hill,” ran a regular station there, and carried food to the hiding places of the near-starving men, women and children. These are just a handful of several brave Ypsilanti founding citizens - both white and black alike - that risked their lives and livelihoods to facilitate this immensely important station on the trail to Midnight. The Ann Arbor Ramble trail displayed above also constitutes a segment of the B2B Trail, although this portion hugs the Huron River within a more urban setting. As such, while trail cyclists and walkers will lose somewhat of the isolation founder within Dexter-Huron Metropark, the constant presence of a large, surrounding community will hopefully instill an appreciation for the risk that fugitives bore while traversing the same route 200 years ago. Yes, abolitionist safe houses fortunately dotted the banks of the Huron along this route, but the homes and developments that you will jog, cycle, or hike past were likely standing in some earlier iteration during the antebellum era - and not all of those homesteads were friends of the abolitionist cause. Nonetheless, thousands of indescribably brave conductors and passengers completed this nearly 6 mile passage from Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti in the most rudimentary and secretive of conditions. Today, you can retrace their steps along the immaculate B2B Trail's Ann Arbor Ramble section as a convenient loop, including multiple scenic crossings of the Huron River at Gallop Park. We also could not more strongly recommend paddling this pristine segment of the Huron River National Water Trail. The Great River: Plymouth to Dearborn via the Hines Drive Ramble Trail Distance: 15.1 miles Elevation Gain: 229 feet Trail Orientation Method: Point-to-Point Recommended Recreation: Cycling to cover whole trail point-to-point; Running (pavement) also feasible for conditioned distance runners The northeastern route of the Underground Railroad roughly followed the course of today's M-14 - a direct shot across the rolling hills of eastern Washtenaw County towards western Wayne County. After Ann Arbor, Plymouth provided the next abolitionist stronghold for fugitive passengers journeying slightly north towards the Detroit River. Beyond the litany of Plymouth homes and businesses that operated as safe houses, Plymouth's rise in prominence as a railroad station also resulted from another natural attribute: its location at the source of the Middle Rouge River, the meandering central vein of the entire Detroit region. Nowadays, the route utilized by the Underground Railroad has largely been preserved within the Hines Drive Ramble trail. Just like the natural navigational directions received by the fugitive slaves, this trail follows the course of the Middle Rouge River from its official start in Plymouth Township to its embedment within the primary Rouge River in Dearborn Heights. Several locations along the Hines Drive Ramble were known or rumored to be Underground Railroad safe houses, including several homes, Mead's Mill, and most famously Nankin Mills. The Hines Drive of 2023 provides a community staple for accessible recreation: paved trails, cleared brush, frequent outdoor events, sports fields, and engaging activity centers dotting the trailhead. Perfect for cycling and road running. However, for our more intrepid readers, we recommend that you lace up your hiking boots (or snow shoes) and follow the labyrinth of natural trails that intersect the main paved trail. These natural trails tend to more truly follow the route of the Middle Rouge, thereby increasing the likelihood of their use by freedom seekers two centuries ago. The light amount of maintenance allocated to these trails also preserves their inherent and somewhat unforgiving natural qualities - the perfect conditions for transporting back in time despite hiking through the heart of the developed Detroit region. If you're still reading, thank you - this first part of our two-part series on the Underground Railroad covered a lot of ground (please forgive the pun) concerning the railroad's immense historical background, the Detroit region's significant role in the railroad's development, and the modern routes that sustain the legacy of the brave souls that traversed our familiar trails centuries earlier in the name of freedom. This is a heavy topic, and we sincerely hope that this lengthy article has provided some value to your understanding of the wealth of history and sacrifice that defines our beloved outdoors. Part II of this series will zero in on the last stop on the Underground Railroad: station Midnight, aka the City of Detroit, and the conductors that facilitated the railroad's final passage across the Detroit River. We'll see you at Midnight.

Welcome back to our weekly #TrailTuesday Series! This edition traverses the lakeside bluffs, forested ravines, and panoramic views of the Newburgh Lakeview Trail in Livonia, Michigan. We're excited to provide this "hidden secret" trail with much overdue recognition. Have you ever made a split-second decision that fundamentally changed the course of your life? A "gut instinct" that originated without explanation and manifested into immediate action? Maybe it was "I should call them back" or "screw it, I'm applying for that job" or "I'm going to book this flight right here and now." Well, nearly five years ago, I inexplicably decided to deviate from my normal road running route along Hines Drive, just east of the I-275 underpass. Hines Drive is one of the best running and biking routes in the Detroit Region, so I wasn't dissatisfied in any sense with my typical ~5 mile out-and-back route. I just looked to my right, saw a sign for the I-275 Metro Trail, and traded one paved path for another. And then I saw it. A dirt trail verging off of the I-275 Metro Trail to my left. There was no formal gateway sign to the Lakeview Trail back then - just a hunch that a real adventure awaited me just off of the pavement. I had no idea if this "dirt trail" was really a trail after all, let alone how many extra miles it would add to my run that evening. I simply had an inclination to follow it. Thank God that I did, because over the next five years - and especially during the depths of the Covid-19 Pandemic - the Lakeview Trail solidified its place as my favorite local trail. My old house was exactly 1.01 miles away via the I-275 Trail, so Lakeview became my de facto pre or post-work trail destination, alternating between running, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and kayaking in Newburgh Lake on "off days." I couldn't believe that such a stunning destination, with its golden trees in the fall, crisp snowfall in the winter, and wooded panoramic lake views in the warmer months, had remained off of my radar for over a decade of living in the Detroit area. Turns out that I was far from being the only person who had never heard of this immaculate, "hiding in plain sight" trail. My running and biking buddies couldn't believe that such a beautiful and decently challenging trail existed in the heart of Metro Detroit, especially given its U.P.-reminiscent cliffs. On a personal level, Newburgh Lakeview Trail sparked a curiosity in me regarding what other world-class might be obscured in the midst of our metropolitan area, waiting to be re-discovered during an era where the masses increasingly search for natural escapes from life's encroaching monotony. Yes, this trail may have single-handedly planted the seed that grew into Expedition Detroit. MEET HINES PARK The Lakeview Trail is conveniently nestled within one of the most beautiful northwest segments of Hines Park: a string of independent parks within Wayne County that insulate the 17 mile long Edward N. Hines Drive. Stretching from Northville to Dearborn, Hines Drive runs parallel to the historic Middle Rouge River - once an aquatic transportation highway for local Native American tribes, European fur trappers, and later a pathway to Canada for escaped slaves traversing the Underground Railroad. The Hines Park of the 21st century - complete with natural and paved trails, athletic fields, picnic shelters, historic mills, fishing docks, and annual Wayne County Lightfest - originated as a simple means of combining outdoor recreation ambitions with strategic flood management. Hines Drive is (in)conveniently located within the naturally-occurring flood plain of the Middle Rouge River, subjecting the road to consistent flooding during periods of heavy rain. Fortunately, rather than sealing the natural area's fate as a mosquito-infested, industrial backwater flood plain, transportation and community recreation innovators like Henry Ford devised a plan in 1949 to convert the area into a multi collective of public parks. Such innovators within the Wayne County Road Commission decided to name both the road and park system after Edward N. Hines, a lifelong cyclist, transportation safety advocate, and land conservationist along the Huron and Rouge Rivers. One of the lands acquired under Hines' directive included the area now known as Newburgh Pointe - the 152 acres surrounding Newburgh Lake, and the location of the Lakeview Trail. Although originally constructed as a millpond around 1819, Newburgh Lake expanded to its current size in 1935 when Henry Ford demolished the old mill and replaced it with a new "Village Industry Plant." The Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project cleaned the lake in 1998, as well as stocked its waters with bluegill, bass and other pan fish. The lake's ongoing popularity with kayakers, stand-up paddlers, and angles represents the continuing legacy of such environmental actions. Now - let's get to the trail. HIT THE TRAIL Total Distance: 3.6 miles Elevation Gain: 147 feet Trail Rating: Moderate Route Orientation: Out & Back Parking Specifics: Free parking lot located at trailhead parking just south of Hines Drive The Lakeview Trail starts just southeast of the trailhead parking lot located south of Hines Drive - just east of the I-275 overpass. You should be able to see the formal trailhead sign from the parking lot, but in case you're there on a busier day and have to park closer to Hines Drive, walk uphill towards the boulders that mark the end of the parking lot. You'll see the trailhead directly in front of you, on the eastern side of the paved I-275 Metro Trail. Hike past the sign and take your first left to follow your first blue "Lake View" trail marker. Although Lakeview is technically an out-and-back trail, our friends at the Motor City Mountain Biking Association have clocked in countless hours in creating singletrack segments throughout the trail. The first of these "singletrack deviations" occurs just 0.1 miles into the trail. Remember that this trail is heavily used by mountain bikers, including fat tire mountain bikers in the winter, so hikers should travel in the opposite direction of the blue trail markers. As such, hikers will stay left at this first deviation. The Lakeview Trail as mapped on AllTrails guides hikers and snowshoers along the segments of the trail that run parallel to the Middle Rouge River and Newburgh Lake. While there are other segments of the trail that take hikers, runners, and bikers into the flatter and more wooded segments of the trail, this lakeside route will consistently provide you with the most dramatic landscapes and views of the trail's bluffs and deep ravines. Your steepest climbs will occur at the 0.3 and 2.4 mile markers, but otherwise the trail provides a rollercoaster of ascents and descents along forested ravines and lakeside landings. The turnaround point is just west of the Lakepointe Yacht Club at Ann Arbor Road. One point on caution: we strongly believe that this trail is marked as moderate only because of notable danger resulting from the combination of the trail's traffic and natural features. At this point of the article, you may have laughed once or twice at the thought of "cliffs" actually existing in Livonia. Friends, I can tell you first hand that the mix of 30 foot drops, narrow trails, and two-way traffic, can add up to some very dicy conditions - especially during the winter. Don't get me wrong, the natural features of the trail add an undeniable element of adventure to the experience - like a taste of Pictured Rocks in the heart of Metro Detroit. But PLEASE exercise caution on the trail. I've had a few MTB rides abruptly interrupted by ambulances navigating down the parallel dirt trail that was once Old Lakeview Drive... WEEKEND BONUS TIPS Did we mention that the Lakeview Trail is immensely popular with mountain bikers? Well, especially if you are fortunate enough to own a fat tire bike, we strongly encourage you to trade in your snowshoes for the big tires during these pristine powder days - and then continue to ride post-thaw into spring. The Lakeview Trail is actually the northernmost segment of a string of world-class MTB and hiking trails within Hines Park and running parallel to the Middle Rouge River. We highly recommend exploring each of them as a full day or weekend-long adventure, starting with Lakeview and continuing on to the recently-renovated Riverview Trail just across Newburgh Road. The tight turns and drops of the 1.7 mile Riverview Trail end at Levan Road - turn left at Levan to cross over the Middle Rouge River and pick up the River Ridge MTB Trail just east of a quick stint on the main Hines Park Paved Trail. Map of the Hines Park MTB and Paved Trail Systems The brief 0.3 miles on the River Ridge MTB Trail will land you back on the paved Hines Park Trail. Keep riding due east until you reach the Oak Grove Trailhead Parking lot. Turn south to cross the scenic Stark Road Bridge and embark on the Oak Grove Trail to your left, including its 1.3 miles of natural contours and challenging features. Continuing across Ann Arbor Trail, you will turn left to continue along the trail system within the Holiday Nature Preserve towards the trailhead of the Three Fires Confluence Trail. The final trail - the creatively named Trail 47 - starts after another brief traverse back on the Hines Park Paved Trail north of the Middle Rouge River. You will see trail sign markers for Trail 47 on your right, thus initiating a final 1.4 mile scenic segment that's aptly designed to test your climbing skills. Once you have conquered Trail 47, the world of Hines Park's paved and natural trails are yours to enjoy at your leisure - just remember to add in the 5.5 point-to-point mileage back from Trail 47's eastern terminus to the Lakeview Trail parking lot. The #TrailTuesday Series idea started as a recommendation from readers looking for a deeper analysis into the individual trails that define Detroit's vast network. One of our main goals for this platform is to produce content that reflects the outdoor interests and desires of our community, so please continue to provide us with your suggestions via our contact form or here in the comments!

Just when any dreams of deep powder days had diminished to a fool's hope, January has delivered with over a foot of snow over the last week. Here's our breakdown of which winter trails activity is best suited for these wonderland conditions. Let's kick this off with an undeniable truth: winter is the most polarizing season. No, that's not a nod to the north and south poles existing in a state of perpetual, Narnia-like winter. Despite the abundant love that us Midwesterners have for living in our "four season climate," there's also a common joke that Florida is Michigan's "lower-er peninsula" due to the annual snowbird migration from our region. We've already covered this topic at length, but the mid-November to mid-March evaporation of recreationists on Michigan trails demonstrates just how cold-averse humans truly area. Then there's the other faction of outdoor enthusiasts - the "Winter Believers." The Expedition Detroit archetype of recreationist. One who hits the trail regardless of the conditions, seizing on an opportunity to fully experience our natural environment during heat, rain, sleet, darkness, and certainly the freezing cold. For this adventure seeker, each fresh layer of snow represents a blank canvas, a pristine trail just waiting to be explored. Who cares if its your favorite local out-and-back - that spotless blanket of powder represents a clean slate and fresh opportunity for first tracks, re-establishing you as the first trailblazer to embark on its route. That's why we love winter. Beyond the open trails, crisp air, and beauty of a snow-covered landscape, our coldest season provides daily opportunities for new recreational opportunities. Snow is the only natural phenomena that transforms your ability to engage with and explore terrain literally overnight. The powder dump that Mother Nature finally blessed us with over the past few days proves that theory in spectacular fashion. Winter Believers do tend to struggle with one decision in these powder conditions, however: what is the best way to experience our snow-covered trails? Should I bust out the snowshoes for the first time this season or lace up the hiking boots? Is this the season to finally give cross-country skiing a go? Which activity fits within my budget or fitness goals? We dive into each of these questions and more ahead as we breakdown a winter trail's three most popular winter recreational sports: snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snow hiking. SNOWSHOEING Best Conditions: Any quality snow; accumulation of at least 6 inches Equipment Required: Snow shoes and trekking poles Thrill Factor: 🤟🤟 Skill Factor: Minimal skill acquisition required. Cost Factor: 💵 💵 💵 ($100-250 for snow shoes and trekking poles) Why You Should Snowshoe As "long-time" Expedition Detroit readers know (and hopefully appreciate), we don't like to hide information behind the proverbial 8 ball in our articles. What I mean by that statement is that if we believe that a piece of equipment, trail, or advocacy cause is good or valuable to our readers, we declare that statement as straightforward as we can. The opposite is obviously true for any aspects of Detroit's outdoor ecosystem that we strongly disagree with. For the purposes of this article, snowshoeing will check almost every box as the best-suited winter recreational activity for the vast majority of readers. For starters, as long as the snow quantity - not quality - metric of at least 6 inches is hit, then you have the climate's green light for snowshoeing. Yes, that means even in icy, somewhat slushy, or very deep powder conditions, snowshoes will easily and efficiently guide you through the least hospitable of Great Lakes trail winter conditions. Snowshoeing also attracts most winter recreationists due to the minimal amount of equipment required, the relative affordability of that equipment, and the negligible amount of skill required for proficiency on snowshoes. Beyond obviously acquiring a sturdy pair of snowshoes, we strongly recommend acquiring multi-sport trekking poles for additional stability. Otherwise, always remember to dress appropriately for the conditions, but note that your body temperature will warm up dramatically as you engage the trail. You will burn noticeably more calories snowshoeing vs. hiking, especially given the additional weight on your feet. Opt Out of Snowshoeing There's really only two reasons why you may want to leave the snowshoes at home for wintry trail outing: (1) the snow accumulation is too low or (2) you are looking for an especially high or low-intensity workout experience. For snow accumulation, snowshoeing should be your default activity if there's more than 6 inches of powder on the ground; conversely, you will most likely have a miserable time on the trail if you're snowshoeing over 3 inches of light snow. Likewise, if you're looking for a high-intensity workout, complete with fast downhills and heart-thumping climbs, snowshoeing will leave you wanting in comparison to cross-country skiing. Hiking is on the other end of the spectrum - especially if you're only looking to ease into winter recreation with a leisurely stroll in low-snow conditions, lace up your trusted boots and leave the big ones in the closet. Photo courtesy of Crystal Mountain Resort CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING Best Conditions: Groomed or maintained trails; accumulation of less than 3 inches Equipment Required: Cross-country or nordic skis, ski boots, poles; ski goggles also recommended Thrill Factor: 🤟🤟🤟 Skill Factor: Notable skill acquisition required for turning, stopping, balance, and maintaining momentum Cost Factor: 💵 💵 💵 💵 💵 ($350 - $1,000 for skis, boots, and poles) Why You Should Cross-Country Ski In one word, "Adrenaline." You should cross-country ski if you are looking to pack in as much adrenaline as you can into your winter trail experience, especially if you the wallet and determination to learn a new and intense sport. Let me pause by addressing the elephant in the article: yes, fellow downhill skiers and snowboarders, describing cross-country skiing as "adrenaline-inducing" and "intense" may have caused you to spit out your Red Bull. I had the same initial reaction when researching this article, but it turns out that cross-country skis get the heart pumping. As in a full-body, 700 calories per hour, continuous aerobic burn fest of a sport described famously as "the best cardiovascular exercise known." Cross-country skiing still provides some of the thrill of downhill, resort-style skiing, but the main draw of the sport is based less in the speed factor (cross-country skis have an average speed of 7-10 mph) and more in the versatility of terrain that you can traverse. All across southeast Michigan, state, community, and certain Huron-Clinton MetroParks offer a variety of maintained and natural trail options of cross-country skiers, ranging from beginner cross-country skiing courses to the untamed berms and hills of mountain biking trails. Put differently, cross-country skiing easily provides our most intrepid outdoor enthusiasts with access to thousands of miles of trail exploration during the winter months - trails that otherwise may not be accessible due to heavy equestrian, mountain biking, or general hiking use. Opt Out of Cross-Country Skiing Sorry, cross-country skiing advocates - you knew that this section was coming. There are unfortunately several reasonable reasons to opt out of a day spent burning trails (and calories) all over the Detroit region on your skis, some of which are entirely out of your control. To kick this downer topic off, cross-country skis are only effective in low-ish snow conditions - no more than 3 inches of powder, and ideally on groomed or well-trodded trails. Cross-country skis lack the width of their downhill or alpine touring cousins, and certainly snowshoes, thereby rendering them immensely ineffective in deep powder conditions. Second, cross-country skiing has two significant barriers to entry: cost and skill. Even though cross-country skiing equipment is significantly cheaper than downhill skiing equipment, a quick glance at its "Cost Factor" indicator compared to snowshoeing and hiking will illustrate that this is perhaps not the activity for the cost-conscious recreationist. Mobility on cross-country skis may also not come as naturally to most winter adventurers, especially when snowshoeing takes all of roughly 30 seconds to adjust to. If you feel like a newborn giraffe just learning to walk while on cross-country skis for the first time, then you're probably doing it right. The sport certainly has a learning curve, but it's extremely rewarding for those who persevere through the initial growing pains. Last, cross-country skiing provides a bona fide kick-ass workout. You will sweat. Your legs, lower back, and triceps will likely ache. Don't get us wrong, you will certainly grow to love this intensity of a workout experience if you stick with the sport, but if your idea of a blissful few hours spent in the woods doesn't involve a borderline-masochist calorie burn, then please opt for the hiking boots. SNOW HIKING Best Conditions: Fresh snow; accumulation of less than 6 inches Equipment Required: None other than waterproof hiking boots Thrill Factor: 🤟 Skill Factor: None - if you can walk, you can hike Cost Factor: 💵 💵 ($125-175 for waterproof hiking boots) Why You Should Snow Hike As many a wise person have said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Hiking - which we are aptly dubbing "snow hiking" for the purposes of this article - fits squarely into that sage advice. Especially if you're a recreationist on a budget, looking for relaxed trail exploration, in relatively tame winter conditions. Snow hiking should always be your "snow trail" default recreational activity. Why? Well, if you're an avid consumer of our content, I'd be willing to bet that you already own a pair or two of sturdy, waterproof hiking boots. You may want to acquire snow spikes and trekking poles for icier conditions, but for an average winter day's trail conditions in the Detroit region, your normal hiking boots should be well-qualified for the trail. Standard hiking boots can also provide mobility advantages when compared to snowshoes in "cusp conditions" - let's say 5-7inches of snow accumulation. Especially after a fresh snowfall when a boot's ability to grip the terrain is enhanced, your feet will greatly benefit from the decreased weight and range of mobility of your hiking boots vs. snowshoes. Opt Out of Snow Hiking By this point in the article, you can probably guess when you shouldn't disturb your hiking boots' winter hibernation, opting in favor of your snowshoes or cross-country skis. We'll state the reasons here anyways, regardless of how obvious they may appear. To start with, if you're looking to recreate during a true powder day - 6+ inches of fresh snowfall, on top of whatever else may already have accumulated on the ground - then don't give your hiking boots (or cross-country skis) a second thought. Grab your snowshoes. Grab your trekking poles. Hit the trail knowing that you have undoubtedly selected the most efficient and enjoyable means of wintry trail recreation, because any alternative would result in agony-inducing muscular pain from your lower back to your calves. Even in low-snow conditions, the other reasons to select cross-country skiing over hiking involve the desired intensity of your trail experience. Simply put, hiking is undeniably underwhelming as an adventure activity when compared to cross-country skiing. On average, you will be traveling three times faster on cross-country skis than even an elevated hiking pace, thereby enhancing your capacity to cover more terrain via an exciting mode of transport. Similar to snowshoeing, you will also burn noticeably more calories cross-country skiing vs. hiking. What are your favorite snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or snow hiking trails? Do you have any special recommendations for beginners in any of these sports? Let us know in the comments!

In recognition of this winter's inaugural snow storm, this edition of our #ExpeditionEssentials Series focuses on five essential survival skills to learn prior to venturing into the snow-blanketed backcountry. Mother Nature over-delivered on our collective wishes for a "White Christmas." The Detroit a rea received not only 3-7 inches of fresh snow (much to the delight of our ski resorts ), but was also hammered by wind gusts dropping the real-feel temperature to 20 degrees below zero. The high winds blew as strong as 50 to 55 mph during evening hours, which when combined with the snowfall produced near white-out conditions. While most outdoor enthusiasts opted to move their recreational talents indoors during these conditions, I know that I was not alone in choosing to make a few brazen ventures to the wintry and windy trails. Fortunately, we in the Detroit region can make such borderline rash decisions with diminished risk. Compared to our out west cousins or Yooper brethren, even the most remote areas of Detroit's backcountry are still within range of a cell tower, regularly-maintained trail, or major roadway. Put differently, if shit hits the fan while on a winter hike, an outfitted extraction force will most likely not be necessary for getting you out unscathed. That being said, storms as powerful as this Christmas' " Winter Storm Elliot" should never be disregarded just because you're trekking in Pinckney vs. Denali. Across the United States, Elliot has left at least 62 people dead - most of which in Buffalo, NY, a Great Lakes city with a similar climate as our own (although admittedly more in the direct fire of lake-effect snow). Elliot represents an extreme example of the deadly consequences of underestimating the power of winter, and these cold-weather survival skills can greatly reduce your risk of facing a life-or-death scenario if white-out conditions strike. Fortunately, Elliot's extreme conditions are forecasted to steadily improve, including slightly warmer weather later this week. In other words, now is the perfect time to review and practice these five essential skills for winter survival . 1. DRESS FOR THE CONDITIONS When it comes to wilderness survival, the single most important, universal tactic may be to expect the unexpected. To accept that you can never be prepared for every situation that you could encounter in the backcountry. Understanding that hiking your favorite 5 mile loop could turn dangerous if a few variables like temperature, precipitation, gear failure, and diminishing daylight are introduced into the equation. Outdoor wilderness education is an initial step towards preparing yourself for the unknown, but a more tangible action includes simply dressing appropriately for the conditions - especially in winter. You can't control the natural elements, but you can properly outfit yourself in anticipation of any inclement weather that Mother Nature may throw your way. As the famous Norwegian saying goes, " There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing ." Beyond properly layering for cold to freezing conditions , we specifically want to highlight the necessity of proper footwear and wind protection: Winter Footwear . For proper winter footwear, the name of the game is insulation and circulation . A good pair of winter hiking boots - which, yes, should be a different pair from your three-season hiking boots - should be waterproof and include synthetic insulation suitable for below-freezing conditions. Pair your boots with a thick set or two of wool or wool-blend hiking socks . Do NOT wear pure cotton socks, which are prone to getting and staying wet from sweat. Boots vs. Snowshoes . A few years ago, my wife and I decided to take a break from a ski trip out west to go snowshoeing in Glacier National Park. Well, by the half-mile marker on the trail, we found ourselves drenched in sweat and ditching our snowshoes behind a trailside snowbank to continue in just our boots. We found out the hard way that snowshoes are only optimal for certain snowy conditions: traversing through 12+ inches of snow . Below this benchmark, the added weight and awkwardness of snowshoes will greatly diminish your snow mobility. Above this mark, snowshoes will prevent the agonizing pain that normal hiking in deep powder will unleash on your lower back and legs. Wind Protection . As we all recently experienced, high winds in cold conditions can transform a normal winter's stroll into a polar expedition real quick. Even in moderately cold conditions, windburn skin injuries can occur whenever your skin is exposed to cold, dry winds for a long period of time. Fortunately, windburn can be prevented through applying sunscreen to exposed skin and lip balm to your lips and nostrils. The more life-threatening risk comes from frostbite: real-feel temperatures at negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit can cause frostbite to set in within minutes from prolonged skin exposure. To prevent frostbite, dress in l ayers of warm, breathable clothing and intentionally limit the amount of time that you are exposed to extremely cold wind chills. More on frostbite treatment below. 2. KEEP YOUR WATER WARM I have a confession to make: a significant portion of my initial wilderness training comprised of watching episodes of "Man vs. Wild" with Bear Grylls back in high school. Don't worry, I have since gained well over a decade of outdoor knowledge through first-hand experience and conventional research, but I still remember little nuggets of verified, potentially life-saving knowledge that Bear demonstrated in the show. One of which directly applies here: " When you're on the trail, always drink water before you get thirsty - if you get thirsty, then you're already dehydrated. " That golden rule of trail hydration is relatively easy to follow during the warmer months, especially if you have ample access to fresh water sources to keep your water bottle or hydration bladder full. Winter introduces another variable to the equation: y our water freezing within its container . As you probably know, you should never eat snow in a true survival situation due to the calorie-burning work that your body must put in to heat and melt the snow once it is eaten (which leads to further dehydration). The best practice for keeping your water in its liquid form is to carry your water bottle within your backpack while trekking in freezing conditions. Yes, your natural instincts prefer to carry your water in a readily-available location - or even within the nozzle of a Camelbak -esque reservoir - but such locations expose your water to wind chill while depleting it of your body heat. You should also consider filling your water bottle with warm or hot water before hitting the trail on those especially frigid days. 3. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ICE Spoiler alert: we live and recreate in a fresh water oasis . While that's a huge bonus for our warmer-weather water recreation activities , our abundant lakes, rivers, ponds, and creeks also provide recreational opportunities - and dangers - for winter adventures. While walking on frozen water typically evokes a primal fear of finding yourself trapped in a freezing, claustrophobic death trap, there may be times that traversing a frozen body of water may be advantageous or necessary in a survival situation. Yes, the default rule is to always avoid crossing ice if possible , but for this article let's assume that you have one choice and one choice only: you must cross. The two key considerations for ice safety are quality and thickness . For quality, the best ice for walking on is dark but clear. "White ice" forms when there is either bubbles and/or frozen snow in the ice, which diminishes its composition. For thickness, there should be at least three feet of quality, frozen ice to adequately support a human adult - six feet for a vehicle like a snow mobile or ATV. A third consideration to remember when deciding whether to cross ice includes remembering that ice is virtually never uniform over an entire body of water. Particularly for rivers and creeks, the innermost channels of fast moving water are often the final areas of water to freeze, therefore providing the weakest ice and greatest chance of falling through. Always keep your distance from others when traveling on ice (at least 10 feet apart), and travel in a single-file line so that the group is walking on tested ice and you're accessible for assisting with pulling a fallen comrade out of the water. 4. BUILD A SNOW-SMART SHELTER For avid outdoor enthusiasts, this scenario is more of a "when" vs. "if" circumstance. Long story short, something has gone wrong: you've lost the trail, your headlamp and/or cell phone died, white-out conditions blew in, and the undefeated depth of mid-winter's darkness has arrived to dash your hopes of making it back to the car that evening. You're forced to swallow one massive, potentially soul-crushing pill. You will be spending the night in the backcountry. In the winter. Alone. While some recreationists might panic at this revelation, fortunately you're a reader of Expedition Detroit ( shameless plug for ourselves ) and mentally prepared for such a scenario. Depending on the conditions of your wintry trail of choice, we recommend building one of three types of shelters: a lean-to shelter, snow cave, or a tree well . Lean-To Shelter . If hiking in a wooded area - which defines most of the Detroit region's trail networks - a lean-to shelter will likely be your shelter of choice for a worst-case-scenario shelter. First you will need to find a sturdy stick or "ridgepole" that runs at least longer than the length of your body. Next, find two trees roughly the distance apart of the ridgepole that have crooks or other features for supporting the ridgepole 3 to 5 feet off of the ground (you can and should secure the ridgepole with rope or paracord if you have it ). Once your ridgepole is secure, gather poles to make a roof that angles from the ground to the ridgepole. Cover these poles with pine boughs, leaves, moss, and even snow for trapping heat and deflecting water. Covering the snowy ground with leaves and pine needles will also help keep you dry during the night. Snow Cave Shelter . If a lean-to seems impractical due to difficulty in traversing through dense snowpack, then opt not to fight the conditions but utilize them. If the snow is deep (several feet at least) and stable enough to pack and hold some weight (i.e., not fresh powder), then digging a snow cave shelter may be your best option for a somewhat comfortable night's rest. To build a snow cave, excavate a small cave into a large mass of suitable snow. The size of the cave should be just large enough for you to comfortably huddle within and push some of the snow from the inside of the cave to plug up the entrance. Once the entrance is plugged, you should re-dig a small ventilation opening back through the plug. You should also build a raised "sleeping platform" at least 3 inches above the bottom of the plug in order to allow cold air to sink below you. Always take a "less is more" approach to snow cave shelters: the amount of snow that you burrow into should be just enough to make the cave, and the size of the cave should be just to shield you from the elements. No one has time to suffocate under a massive, collapsed cave. Tree Well Shelter . The third and final shelter is somewhat of a combination of the lean-to and snow cave shelters. If you are hiking in thick snow within a wooded area. The base of a healthy fir or pine tree often provides excellent conditions for a tree well shelter , which occur when deeper snow piles up around the circumference of low-hanging branches. The canopy of branches creates a natural small, sheltered, and insulated resting area around the tree's trunk. If conditions permit, you should reinforce the insulation of your tree well shelter through digging out the snow in the well and building up the outside of your shelter. Keeping "Leave No Trace" principles in mind, branches from the tree may also be used to reinforce your shelter. Preferably, you should start building these shelters with ample daylight to adequately construct them - don't wait until the dead of night sets in to abandon your hopes of making it back to the trailhead. And remember, we are writing here about circumstances where a winter day hike went terribly awry and you are forced to spend an unexpected night in the backcountry. The shelters described above are not the fully-outfitted, "Alone" style shelters that a survivalist aiming to spend weeks or months in the wilderness would aim to build. These shelters are 1-night, efficient, and bare-minimum shelters for protecting you from the elements until more hospitable conditions return. 5. TURN THE HEAT UP - RESPONSIBLY Congratulations - you've either escaped the cold entirely or successfully built a fire in the backcountry ( stay tuned for an article on fire-building best practices and techniques ). But let's say that you've returned not entirely unscathed. You suffered from prolonged exposure to freezing conditions, and now you believe that you may be experiencing symptoms of frostbite, hypothermia , or both. You know that you need to warm your body up ASAP, but you also need to do so responsibly or else you may risk further complicating your complicated circumstances. Frostbite . If you are experiencing symptoms of mild frostbite - skin that appears pale or yellow, exhibits blisters, and feels numb - you will be able to warm the affected areas through either skin-to-skin contact or warm water immersion. Avoid friction and dry heat rewarming sources. Serious cases of frostbite - skin exhibiting blood-filled blisters, gray or bluish color, stiffness, and an acute burning sensation - require professional medical treatment. Hypothermia . Unlike frostbite, hypothermia should always be treated a life-threatening. Symptoms of hypothermia include incessant and intense shivering, drowsiness, confusion, and skin that is cold and red. For treating symptoms of hypothermia, you should remove any wet clothing, concentrate on warming the center of the body (chest, neck, head, and groin), and warm the affected person using skin-to-skin contact under loose, dry layers of blankets, clothing, towels, or any other dry garments that may be available. Chemical hand and body warming packets, heated water bottles, external heat sources like campfires can also be used to warm the affected person. Drinking warm liquids also efficiently warms the core of the body, although never try to give beverages to an unconscious person. Before closing out this article, we want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season! We took a few days offline around Christmas to celebrate with family and friends (and to sneak in a few much-needed hikes). We hope that you were also able to enjoy some time being present with your loved ones. This article references materials original printed in the following exception outdoor survival books: The Meateater Guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival by Steven Rinella (2020) and Surviving the Great Outdoors by Brendan Leonard (2017). Both of these phenomenal books cover not only basic and advanced survival tactics in digestible detail, but also provide instructive information on a broad range of recreational activities. Both of these books receive Expedition Detroit's unsponsored endorsement without reservation, and we recommend that you purchase both as a New Year's gift to yourself. Trust us - your future self inevitably caught up in a survival scenario will thank you.

Michigan's preeminent hunting event - firearm whitetail deer season - is in full swing, meaning that generations of hunters are making their annual pilgrimage to the woods. With the spotlight of the outdoor community on us, we as hunters must especially align with Leave No Trace's "Seven Principles" as we aim to set a positive example of conservation in action. On first glance, the title of this article may jump out as a blatant contradiction. A union of two concepts that have historically been at odds with each other. Hunter vs. Bird Watcher, the “REI crowd” vs. the “Cabelas crowd,” Angler vs. Paddler, and so on. That being acknowledged, we confidently advocate that these two "camps" of recreationists have a lot more in common than what may appear on surface level. Casual hunters and hikers share a broad range of interests across the spectrum of outdoor enthusiasts - an unquenchable love for pristine wilderness, preservation of habitat, conservation of endangered species, and most importantly, an authentic and primal connection to the natural world. Another similarity between these groups, unfortunately, includes their immense capacity to damage our natural environment if careless or apathetic towards the impact of their recreation. This is where hunting especially is a double-edged sword; the recreational activity constitutes Michigan's foremost tool for conservation at its best, while simultaneously representing a source of irreparable environmental harm at its worst. What can hunters do to align their actions with the former, constructive description rather than the latter? Well, allow us to introduce Leave No Trace ("LNT") and its universally-acclaimed Seven Principles. What is Leave No Trace? For the uninitiated, LNT is a nonprofit whose mission is to “ensure a sustainable future for the outdoors and the planet.” While LNT provides several valuable resources and services, such as important research regarding human waste and its impact on wild lands, LNT’s most prominent objective includes educating the general public on its Seven Principles for minimizing one’s impact while enjoying the outdoors. LNT also provides its own “Leave No Trace Certification,” which is a common hiring requirement for wilderness guides and similar outdoor employment opportunities. Here are LNT’s Seven Principles: 1. Plan Ahead & Prepare. Adequate planning and preparation helps backcountry travelers accomplish trip goals safely and enjoyably, while simultaneously minimizing environmental damage. Poor planning results in miserable experiences and unnecessary damage to natural and cultural resources. 2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces. Travel damage occurs when surface vegetation or communities of organisms are trampled beyond recovery. The resulting barren area leads to soil erosion and the development of undesirable trails. 3. Dispose of Waste Properly. “Pack it in, Pack it out” is the mantra to remember. Any visitor to the outdoors has a responsibility to clean up before they leave. Proper disposal of human waste is also important for avoiding pollution of water sources and minimizing the spread of disease. 4. Leave What You Find. Leave all rocks, plants, archaeological artifacts and other objects of interest exactly as you found them. 5. Minimize Campfire Impacts. Use a stove if available, and otherwise use only dead and down wood in existing fire rings. Camp in areas where wood is abundant if building a fire. Don’t make a fire in areas where there is little wood at higher elevations, in heavily used areas, or in desert settings. Put out all fires with water until thoroughly extinguished. 6. Respect Wildlife. Learn about wildlife through quiet observation. Do not disturb wildlife or plants just for a “better look.” Observe wildlife from a distance so they are not scared or forced to flee. 7. Be Considerate of Others. Always follow the “Golden Rule” of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Excessive noise, uncontrolled pets, and damaged surroundings take away from the natural appeal of the outdoors for everyone. Is Hunting Compatible with Leave No Trace? Spoiler alert, the answer is a definitive “Yes,” but with several, reasonable contingencies. LNT has affirmed that hunting is a “great American pastime that helped shape many of our first public lands.” Nonetheless, LNT noted that hunting has “the potential to be very impactful on the environment if individuals are careless with their actions.” Any outdoor experience can quickly violate the Seven Principles if completed irresponsibly. We agree that hunting is no different, especially given the severe consequences that result from irresponsible hunting in the woods. For that reason, LNT provided a tailored version of the Seven Principles for every ethical hunter to adhere to as reverently as basic gun safety principles. Here are the principles that a “Leave No Trace Hunter” should incorporate into every hunt: 1. Plan Ahead & Prepare. Take a hunter safety course and familiarize yourself with your firearm. Read and follow all hunting regulations. Obtain and display proper tags and licenses. Obey bag and possession limits. Gather information about or scout your hunt area before heading into the field with your firearm. Get permission to hunt on private lands. Respect all road closures. 2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces. Protect private and public property and livestock. Leave gates as found. 3. Dispose of Waste Properly. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and spent brass and shells. Drag any gut piles away from trails, water sources, and highly-visited areas. 4. Leave What You Find. Do not use rocks, signs, trees, or non-game animals for target practice. Use manufactured blinds rather than constructing them out of tree branches or other native vegetation. 5. Minimize Campfire Impacts. Use established fire rings and do not burn trash within them. 6. Respect Wildlife. Hunt only in-season animals. Show respect for wildlife by taking only clean, killing shots, followed by retrieving and properly handling game. Protect other wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely. 7. Be Considerate of Others. Be aware of your “field of fire.” Do not shoot near developed areas, campsites, or roads. Yield to other users on the trail. Always be conscientious of your firearm, especially around non-hunters. Expedition Detroit proudly stands with the Detroit region's hunting community that has held a leading role in conservation efforts for generations. As we all know, however, the merits of hunting are not universally celebrated. Hunters will inevitably cross paths with hikers, trail runners, birdwatchers, and other outdoor enthusiasts who hold wildly different and often condemning views of the utility of hunting. Is this bias fair? No, of course not. Regardless, this is the society that we have inherited, so hunters must especially be mindful of the impact of their actions - both long before and after a shot is taken. The Seven Principles for hunting provide a simple playbook that exemplify an ethical hunter’s respect for our region's wealth of outdoor resources. Aiming to "Leave No Trace" demonstrates that hunters continue to lead conservation efforts, fundamentally respect the game that they hunt, and actively support the preservation of our natural environment for generations to come.

Once a victim of egregious pollution, Le Rouge's recovering waterways that connect the core of the Detroit region present a once-in-a-generation opportunity for activism and creation of our next premiere outdoor destination. Growing up in the northern borderlands of Wayne County, there was a little creek that ran through my family's backyard. That small but steady stream of water originated just north of us in Oakland County, but continued flowing to the far south and well out of my community. I always wondered where that stream led to - what larger creeks, rivers, or even lakes would eventually adopt this waterway as one of their own. Thanks to the advent of Google Maps, these questions were readily answered. The small creek that ran through our backyard eventually empties into Waterford Pond. The drainage from Waterford Pond marks the official starting point of the Middle Rouge River, one of three principal tributaries to the main Rouge River. The Upper Rouge joins the Main Rouge on the western border of Detroit, the Middle Rouge follows suit in Dearborn Heights, and the Lower Rouge finally concedes its autonomy to the main river just south of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Just to conclude this geography lesson, the Rouge River succumbs to the Detroit River just south of Zug Island, which further feeds into Lake Erie, over Niagara Falls into Lake Ontario, and eventually through the St. Lawrence River into the freezing expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean. For you visual learners, check out this detailed map of the Rouge and its tributaries. Aside from confirming that I am an outspoken geography nerd (my trivia team can attest to this), this overview aims to demonstrate that even our backyard creeks eventually evolve into profound, region-defining ecosystems. From its humble beginnings as hundreds of miles of tributaries, the Rouge River watershed forms the core of the Detroit region - an interconnected waterway network of approximately 570 miles flowing through Wayne, Washtenaw, and Oakland Counties. An ecological labyrinth filled with environmental habitats, state and community parks, and a lifetime of recreation opportunities. Now, here's the most mind-blowing aspect of all of this: only 27 miles of the Lower Rouge River have been designated as a part of the Lower Rouge River Water Trail (the "LRRWT"). Newburgh Lake along the Middle Rouge River is also technically a part of the LRRWT, but there is currently no maintained connection between the lake and the primary route of the LRRWT. While the length of the LRRWT pales in comparison to the larger Huron River National Water Trail or Clinton River Water Trail, the Huron and Clinton Rivers have not faced the same extent of grotesque over-development and pollution that the Rouge River has endured. The fact that we can even paddle along the Rouge River is a near-miracle - the thankless gift of unimaginable volunteer hours and organizational collaboration. Fortunately for all of us, the criminally under-appreciated work force of Friends of the Rouge has already started the heavy-lifting. And they are absolutely crushing it. It Takes a Village to Restore a River For recreationists of a certain age, the thought of even entering the Rouge River most likely comes with a healthy dose of apprehension. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the "EPA"), the river was first designated as an "Area of Concern" under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1987 due to its location within the oldest and most heavily-populated and industrialized area in Michigan. Decades of urban pollution led to sediment and water contamination from industrial development and discharge, including sewer overflows. Contaminants within the watershed include heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), mercury, oil and grease. The last 20 years have included a significant comeback story for the health of the river, thanks largely to the tireless efforts of governmental and volunteer organizations like Friends of the Rouge. Since its formation in 1986, Friends of the Rouge has mobilized nearly 63,000 volunteers at over 1,000 work sites along the greater Rouge River. The organization's projects have focused on the restoration of the river's vitality, including the removal of invasive plants, installation of native plantings, and stabilization of stream banks to improve the health of the Rouge. Other EPA-affiliated projects have also steadily focused on habitat restoration, removal of logjams and debris, eradication of invasive species, and removal of contaminated sediments. On top of their restorative projects. Friends of the Rouge has taken the lead on the development of the LRRWT. While the current prominent segments stretch from Wayne to Inkster and Melvindale to the Detroit River, ongoing volunteer efforts are connecting the entirety of the LRRWT from Canton to the Detroit River. Once fully-implemented, the LRRWT will provide recreational connections to several non-motorized trails throughout the Detroit region, including the Lower Rouge River Recreation Trail, I-275 Metro Trail, Hines Park Trail, Rouge River Gateway Trail, the Downriver Linked Greenways, and the Detroit Heritage River Water Trail. The Opportunity of Le Rouge For us at Expedition Detroit, we view the success of the Rouge River's remediation efforts and completion of the LRRWT as one of our region's greatest recreation and conservation opportunities. Take a quick look back at the map posted above, especially in comparison with our Destinations map. The greater Rouge River criss-crosses numerous parks and recreation hotspots that are located outside of the "outer rim" of Detroit's primary destinations for outdoor adventure. Similar to the Huron River's amplification of recreational value for the parks and trail towns that the river flows through, Le Rouge represents a unique frontier for creating outdoor value within several of Detroit's most populated and recreationally-disregarded communities. Could you imagine launching your canoe in Canton, Northville, West Bloomfield, or Troy, and being able to paddle along an expanded LRRWT to the mouth of the Detroit River? Complete with established canoe campgrounds dotting the route to enable a continuous thru-paddle? Yes, such a dream is possible; conservation pioneers have executed similarly ambitious projects throughout the country, although these dreams take an unfathomable amount of volunteer activism and hours to see them across the finish line. The Huron and Clinton River Trails provide premiere examples of the results from such effective allocation of our collective resources. We sincerely hope that the LRRWT will eventually be expanded into a greater "River Rouge Water Trail" covering all 127 miles of the river's principal tributary rivers. That being said, we also recognize that such a vision can (and should) come after our full allocation of resources and efforts towards the completion of the ongoing LRRWT. As such, we strongly support lending your time and muscle towards volunteering with Friends of the Rouge during one of their work days. The organization has specifically called for volunteers to assist with opening logjams along the LRRWT route - sounds like an awesome, active way to spend a Saturday. Looking ahead, we are immensely excited about the future of the Rouge River and the unprecedented trail access that its remediation, conservation, and development will entail. Aside from untapped paddling and fishing opportunities, the land-trail networks being developed in tandem with the LRRWT further evidence that our region is investing heavily in outdoor recreation opportunities and synergies across the Detroit area. The Expedition Detroit team plans on doing everything within our means to facilitate and expedite the development of those resources, starting with volunteering with impactful organizations like Friends of the Rouge. We hope that you will join us in that mission. We can't wait to see you out there.

Michigan House Bill 4314 will hold polluters accountable for their pollution of our beloved and fragile natural resources - unless our representatives continue to ignore it. On July 29, 2022, an employee at Tribar Manufacturing’s Wixom plant made a series of terrible decisions. The employee overran Tribar’s on-site alarms 460 times between 4:59 and 7:46 p.m. that night, all during a period when the plant was not in production. Those actions allowed 10,000 gallons of hexavalent chromium solution - a highly toxic carcinogen - to empty out of a tank and into disposal channels that lead into Wixom’s sewers and the Huron River. Regulators initially feared that 4,100 pounds of hexavalent chromium contamination had been dumped into the Huron River. This fear prompted a two-week “no contact” advisory; fortunately, only 20 pounds made its way downstream into the Huron. The Detroit region absolutely dodged a bullet with the limited extent of this leak. However, this is unfortunately not Tribar’s first violation with polluting the Huron. In 2018 , Tribar was identified as the primary polluter of polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAs”) - toxins capable of affecting the growth and behavior of children, lowering a woman's chance of pregnancy, interfering with the body's natural hormones, increasing cholesterol levels, affecting the immune system, and increasing cancer risk. Most concerning of all is that PFAs are “forever chemicals” that break down very slowly over time. Unsurprisingly, a "do not eat" advisory has remained in effect for over four years now for fish caught in the Huron River and its connected streams, lakes, and ponds. How Habitual Polluters are Currently Punished under Michigan Law In this instance, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (“EGLE”) has issued violations to Tribar and accelerated enforcement actions related to the July leak. While EGLE’s actions are necessary, advocates for environmental protection around the Great Lakes region, and specifically the Detroit region, agree that the current legal and regulatory framework is insufficient for deterring and reprimanding gross acts of pollution. Enter Michigan House Bill 4314 , first introduced by Michigan House Representative Yousef Rabhi (D-Ann Arbor), on February 23, 2021. Bill 4314 would amend the “Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act,” 1994 PA 451 (the “NREPA”), to require environmental polluters to restore land and water to the highest standard required for residential land use and drinking water. Bill 4314 also provides the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality with the authority to establish and mandate more stringent, remedial actions to be completed by polluters. The NREPA as currently enacted generally only allows for courts to grant preventative relief for stopping the spread of or access to contaminated areas. As such, taxpayer dollars are largely utilized for the clean-up efforts that corporations are largely responsible for. Regardless of the NREPA drafters’ original intentions, the remedies within the Act have unfortunately proven themselves to be insufficient for deterring negligent or reckless pollution. What You Can Do to Advocate for House Bill 4314 In our democracy, the two most powerful tools that citizens can utilize to effectuate change are our dollars and our votes - especially given the upcoming Mid-Term Elections on November 8th . While it’s unlikely that you are a significant customer of a large industrial polluter, any such customers can (and should for ethical and economic reasons) move their business to a more environmentally-conscious partner. The more tenable approach is to contact your representative to demand that they sponsor legislation intended to promote conservation. Several environmental organizations, such as the Sierra Club , Michigan League of Conservation Voters , and FLOW: For Love of Water , have made this action easy via the preparation of online contact forms. Voters often forget that our elected representatives work for us; with enough “reminders” from their constituent bosses, politicians will inevitably align with and advance their interests. As of the date of this article, Bill 4314 has not progressed in any capacity within the Michigan House of Representatives since the day after it was first introduced and shared with the Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation. While it is undoubtedly true that it takes an immense amount of time and resources to pass meaningful legislation, this total inaction regarding the progression of Bill 4314 is absolutely unacceptable. The July 29th spill further highlights the sense of urgency that all outdoor stakeholders should feel towards the passage of effective and environmentally-protective legislation. The Expedition Detroit team vows to do everything in our power to discourage someone from overriding a contamination warning alarm once, let alone 460 times. We hope that you will join us in doing the same.

Senate Bill 1191 threatens mountain bike access to Michigan's vast trail network. Here's a breakdown of what's at risk and what we can do to fight back. Expedition Detroit strives to achieve much more than becoming your go-to source for the Detroit region’s best outdoor experiences, trail routes, gear providers, or events. We are passionate about every aspect of our beautiful natural environment - the places we explore, the means by which we experience the outdoors, and creating opportunities for marginalized communities to engage with the wild. We will always advocate for the expansion, inclusion, and protection of outdoor recreation opportunities. Which brings us to this article. A call to arms for resisting a legislative assault on Michigan’s “Right to Bike.” On September 28th, Michigan State Senator Jim Runestad (R) introduced Senate Bill 1191 - the embodiment of the latest and most blatant attack on Michigan’s mountain biking community. This proposed bill represents the latest front of a long struggle between Michigan’s equestrian and other recreational communities, although tensions have flared the brightest between the equestrian and mountain biking communities. Unfortunately, this bill escalates what had been considered a resolved issue. Back in 2010, a number of recreational advocacy groups - including the Backcountry Horsemen of America and the Michigan Mountain Biking Association - worked together in drafting and passing the “Right to Ride Act” of 2010 that served the interests of all stakeholders involved. In summary, the Right to Ride Act established that horseback riders were allowed to ride on designated trails in state parks and recreation areas. The legislation represented a reasonable resolution for all parties: access to trails in a fair, equitable, and sustainable manner in light of the science, sustainability, and volunteer contributions of each interested recreational group. Fast forward twelve years and we’re back in the trenches. Now don’t get me wrong, Expedition Detroit is not anti-equestrian. In fact, a future iteration of this platform may prominently feature horseback riding as an avenue for world-class outdoor experiences and conservation in the Detroit region. I’m personally a fan of the trail and facility maintenance that the equestrian community has provided at beloved destinations like Maybury State Park, Proud Lake Recreation Area, and Kensington Metropark. But this bill…this just ain’t it. To be fair, the majority of the proposed amendments to the Right to Ride Act are intended to lessen the current restrictions placed on equestrian trail access. Reasonable minds may differ on those revisions, and we at Expedition Detroit do not have the firsthand experience to comment on whether such amendments are warranted. We’ll let the legal team at the DNR weigh in there. On the other hand, we’re vehemently opposed to two additional, damning sections that Sen. Runestad has proposed on the final page of his bill. Sections 72115(4) and 72115(5) - without precedent or rationale - prohibit bicycling on any trail that does not explicitly permit bicycling. In other words, the current legal presumption that you may bike a trail unless stated otherwise gets flipped so that you may not bike a trail unless clearly permitted. Additionally, the proposed bill provides the Equine Trails Subcommittee of the DNR, in their sole discretion and without recourse, to prohibit bicycling on any trail where bicycling is currently and expressly authorized. Oh, and don’t forget that fun little aspect of new legislation which authorizes the prosecution of bikers for riding on these now-restricted trails. There are obviously several glaring issues with this bill, but the most obnoxious and discriminatory aspect of the bill is that it solely and purposefully targets only bikers. Sen. Runestad’s bill not only restricts access to a sport that proved so vital in the mental health fight spurred on by the pandemic, but lawfully punishes one of Michigan’s most active trail construction and preservation communities. Better yet, this bill is entirely unnecessary - mountain bikers are already prohibited from riding on marked equestrian-only trails, and trailhead signs clearly instruct bikers and hikers to yield to horseback riders. In conclusion, this bill sucks. No other way to put it. Fortunately, our representatives work for us - even though they sometimes need to be reminded of that fact. Especially if you live in Sen. Runestad’s district, we humbly ask that you join us in writing to him to demand the omission of Sections 72115(4) and 72115(5) from his draft bill. It’s no secret that a key election is coming up next month, so the ears of our elected officials are keenly aware of the voices and preferences of their constituents. Our friends at the Motor City Mountain Biking Association have prepared the following draft communication that you can send to your Michigan State Senator: Dear Senator _________________: I, ____________________, am an avid mountain biker, and I am calling (or writing) to voice my concern over the proposed amendment to the Right To Ride legislation that is being considered by certain Legislators and state Senators. The proposed amendment grants too much influence to a special interest group (the equestrians) at the expense of other trail users. This legislation weakens the DNR’s ability to exercise responsible stewardship over state trails. The proposed amendment would shut access to biking on existing multi-use trails and possibly deny future access. In whole the amendment would provide a mechanism for a particular user group (the equestrians) through the Equine Trails Subcommittee (ETS) to deny access on Michigan trails to other groups such as mountain biking. The amendment is written so vaguely that it can be applied to popular local DNR trails throughout Michigan. Please do not consider this proposed amendment: The DNR can manage trail access without the help of the ETS, and bicyclists should not be unilaterally denied access to Michigan’s grand non-motorized trails at the whim of one user group. Thank You, _______________________ Please join us in our opposition to this poorly-conceived piece of legislation. The great outdoors is not and should not be a zero-sum game - a situation where one group’s benefit must come at another’s expense. Nature is best experienced responsibly, equitably, and sustainably. Senate Bill 1191 represents a mockery of that belief, so we simply will not tolerate it. We hope that you’ll stand with us as we fight for the protection of our Right to Bike.