 CULTURAL |  TRAIL TALK | ||||
 STATE OVERVIEW |
 LOCATION |
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State of Michigan | |||||
| Exact Location: Michigan is located north of the states of Ohio and Indiana, and between the states of Ohio and Wisconsin on the North Country Trail. Latitude 41°40' to 47°30' north, and Longitude 82°26' to 90°30' west. | |||||
Michigan consists of two peninsulas and has over 3000 miles of Great Lakes coastline. The Ojibwe word for "great water" or "land surrounded by water" was Michigama. Thus the name, Michigan. It also has the most miles of any of the eight North Country Trail states, with almost 1200. The most off-road miles are also found in Michigan. Trail Overview:
The variety of landscapes and trail types in Michigan runs the gamut from paved rail-trails to designated wilderness in the Upper Peninsula. Many miles in southeast Michigan are currently on roads. However, progressing north, there are State Game Areas, State and National Forests, Wilderness Areas, State Parks, small towns and several larger communities. Trail Towns include Kalkaska, Petoskey, St. Ignace, Marquette... History: The general region of Michigan was inhabited by Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, until around the 13th Century AD. From this arose more familiar tribes such as the Ojibwe, Odawa, Potowatomi, Mascouten & Miami. Estern tribes of the Iroquois began to push these people westward. The first known European to explore the peninsula was Étienne Brűlé, around 1620. The French first controlled the area, and Fort Michilimackinac became strategic, as it controlled the straight between Lakes Huron and Michigan. Following the Revolutionary War, the United States gained possession and the area was known as part of the Northwest Territory. Ohio became a state in 1802, and in 1835 Ohio was given the "Toledo Strip," formerly part of the Michigan Territory (and otherwise known as The Great Black Swamp), and Michigan was given the western Upper Peninsula. Two years later, Michigan became a state. Capital: Lansing Nickname: The Wolverine State Motto: "If you seek a pleasant Peninsula, look around you." Tree: White Pine Bird: Robin Flower: Apple blossom
Geology: The base rock of Michigan is a Precambrian sedimentary bowl centered near Gladwin. The rim of this bowl breaks the surface in the western Upper Peninsula, where it is known as Pictured Rocks. The entire state was covered by glaciers of the Wisconsin Ice Age, and most current hills are eroded remnants of a large end moraine. | |||||
Sources: personal experience and various public records | |||||
| Main Index MI Lower Peninsula Index MI Upper Peninsula Index |
| The North Country National Scenic Trail is 4600 miles long, spanning eight states. For more information, visit the North Country Trail Association |
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