On the Ridge Above Old Mission Point
By MIKE NORTON
The more I get out and about, the more I’m convinced that we’re getting closer and closer — perhaps this very weekend! — to peak fall color in the Traverse City area.
Certainly, it’s already there in some of the higher places south and east of town, and although things are still lagging a bit behind in many of the coastal areas, there’s some lovely fall foliage out there. A few of the early fall superstars like the Virginia creeper and sumac are starting to look a bit faded, but whole battalions of maples are now beginning to change colors, with lots of yellow, gold and orange predominating and some bright highlights of scarlet and crimson. Still, there are some places where the oaks (which signal the last warm stage of the fall display) haven’t even started. I’m beginning to wonder which is going to fall first, the leaves or the snow.
That, at least, is what was going through my mind on Sunday as Karen and I took a hearty walk on the upland trails just south of the Old Mission Point lighthouse. It was the perfect day for a fall walk — the air was full of the scent of dry leaves, woodsmoke and apples, and although the sky got a bit hazy at times it was bright enough to lift one’s spirits after several gray and overcast days.
There must have been a lot of suppressed demand for strolling among the general public, because as the day wore on we encountered more and more people on the trails. Some of the nearby vineyards have started harvesting their grapes, but others are holding out for a few more days like this.
And apples! Wow, there are apples everywhere this year. I’ve never seen such branch-bending bounty — even the wild trees are full of fruit, and the orchards are bursting with jewel-like, fragrant apples: deep ruby-rich Red Delicious, streaked McIntosh, dappled Paula Reds, chartreuse Golden Delicious, and those bright and yellow Honeycrisps and hosts of others. Hey, I know this is cherry country, but is there any fall treat as tasty as a juicy apple fresh off the tree?
The trails above Old Mission Point are actually one of this area’s better-kept secrets. Most hikers and skiers know about the extensive trail system that surrounds the lighthouse, but there’s another set of pathways high above them, separated from the coastal paths by a steep escarpment. This is the site of the olf Murray Farm, one of the first major farms around the northern tip of the Peninsula, and although it’s slowly returning to forest, the countryside is still largely open. In clear weather there are fine views across the bay on either side. It’s also a great place to encounter wildlife, especially birds.
One of the things I always used to tell my kids to get them out of the house was, “This could be the last good day of fall, so take advantage of it.” This year, I’m not so sure.
