Come and go with me on a short trip to Silver Lake, Michigan. It's voted as the “Most Beautiful” place in the world … by me. Well, it's certainly one of the most beautiful in Michigan!
The western shore of Lake Michigan is sand dune country. The dunes are tall and majestic, gigantic mountains of perpetually shifting and changing sand. The sun shining on tiny glass particles give the illusion of buried diamonds in the sand.
Silver Lake sand is special as one of few places where fulgurites are created when lightning strikes sand. The heat fuses it into long, slender tubes that are sometimes called petrified lightning or lightning sticks. The fulgurite is nature's glass and takes on a greenish hue which depends on the color of the sand when struck.
But we're not on a scientific trek. We've been driving on a little narrow country road past miles and miles of farm land and cherry tree orchards. We top a hill and suddenly the horizon changes totally to sand and water … a spectacular sight! Stretching for as far as the eye can see are mountains of sand framed in the foreground by the waters of Silver Lake. The majestic waters of Lake Michigan are hidden behind the dunes.
We continue on a road that hugs Silver Lake, past quaint cabins and other summer homes around to the spot where we must pull off and park because just ahead the road abruptly ends at the base of a sand mountain. At one time the road continued on but winds blowing off the big lake have caused the sand to move inland and we're stopped my Mother Nature's roadblock.
Now it's time to leave the car, shed our shoes and head for the sand. The first climb is the worst. It's only fifteen feet or so to where there's a leveling off but the fifteen feet go almost straight up. Grab my hand and we'll go forward, slip back and go forward again until we stagger to the top and collapse. The going from here is much easier and enjoyable. The sand giants are tall but in this area are gradually sloped and it's easy to walk.
Lake Michigan is only three miles across the dunes. Do you want to hike over for a dip? How about heading over to the area where the private dune buggies run? Or we can check out one of the two commercial dune buggy outfitters where we can take a ride over the dunes. Both offer a “scenic ride” and a “thrill ride.” The latter is not recommended for small children, pregnant women or anyone with a weak heart.
Come on … let's see if we can survive the “wild' one. We'll travel for ten miles over the 2,000 acre dunes, over sharp hills, off the edge of shifting sand ridges with unexpected turns, looping on sheer sidehills and finally sweeping into the Lake Michigan surf for a brief shower.
Would you rather take the scenic ride? We'll see the ancient Indian Campground and sand-blown dune wood … remains of a forest now mostly buried by the shifting sand. The powerful dune buggy will climb to the top of Mt. Baldy, the highest point of the sand mountain range. From this commanding view the magnificent panorama spreads in every direction for as far as 35 miles on a clear day. We'll be able to see the famous and historic Little Point Sable lighthouse, the expanse of fantastic Lake Michigan, deep blue Silver Lake and the golden dunes all around. There is a spectacular sunset trip each evening.
After a busy day, there is nothing better than heading back to our campsite for a tasty dinner … burgers or dogs cooked over an open fire! Then time to crawl into our sleeping bags and after a few minutes of listening to the wind in the pine trees, the Silver Lake sandman drops a few grains into our eyes.
Maybe tomorrow we'll drive over to the Little Point Sable lighthouse. There's an almost deserted stretch of beach there where we can spend the day swimming or lying in the sun. Want to?
