Michigan Trail Tuesday is our attempt to showcase a different trail or trail segment each week. The Mitten State is home to thousands of miles of trails, including the new Iron Belle Trail that runs from Detroit in the southeast to Ironwood in the western Upper Peninsula and more miles of the North Country Trail than any other state.

The Little Traverse Conservancy protects more than 70,000 acres of land in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, and we’ve enjoyed visiting as many of their properties as we can. On our recent U.P. trip we had the chance to check out the De Tour Peninsula Nature Preserve, a beautiful piece of land on the Lake Huron shore with around a mile of trails and lots of opportunities for birdwatching and quiet relaxation. We were able to observe many plants and birds during our visit and recommend a stop here for anyone on their way to Drummond Island or the Les Cheneaux Islands area.

The trail through the De Tour Peninsula Preserve begins at the southern end of Point St. A Little Traverse Conservancy sign and trail map are found here near a large parking area. A gate blocks vehicle access to all but the owners of the private land at the tip of the peninsula. It is less than a mile of straight walking on this wide two-track to its end, with several chances to take paths to the east or west for shoreline views.

We first stopped at a lookout area after a quarter mile that heads out to the east. The rocky shoreline here reminded us of Drummond Island, and we even got to see the State of Michigan training boat pass by!

The woods here are beautiful and full of plants and wildlife. During our visit we heard and saw many different birds, with our favorite being the Blackburnian Warbler shown above.

We also saw a lot of interesting plants during our visit, like these yellow lady slippers which were plentiful just off the main trail.

On our trip back we took the other side trail that goes to the west shoreline. The views here were absolutely incredible! You can see a lot of the rocky shoreline here and even a small island (that was full of loud gulls) out in Lake Huron. With no one else around it felt like we had a slice of Upper Peninsula paradise all to ourselves for a little while.

Walking along the shoreline, we enjoyed looking at the different kinds of rocks in the water. We even found a gorgeous puddingstone!

The De Tour Peninsula Preserve is a great spot for anyone, and the trail is easy to navigate and mostly level. There were a few bugs during our visit but nothing problematic. If you like scenic views, birdwatching, wildflowers and wildlife, then this Little Traverse Conservancy property has everything you need for a few hours of peaceful relaxation.