In the summer, Old Mission is usually a no-go zone for me unless visitors come to town. M-37 is really the only way to get around quickly, and during the summer, there are too many cars looking at too much beautiful scenery to get anywhere quickly. Add to that Traverse City’s infestation of Subaru Outbacks, the slowest car on the road, and it’s a frustrating ride.
Next year will be even worse, with the construction on Grandview Parkway coming next month, getting to the east side of town from my home on Leelanau will be a painful process, one not worth taking unless necessary. Sorry Jimmy John’s, my visits will be falling off quite a bit until the fall.
But during the off season, especially in the morning, it’s not a bad ride, and it’s not too difficult to zip around the slow drivers to get to the tip of the peninsula. My mission was the Old Mission State Park where I did a long hike. This time of year, the trails aren’t attractive – brown is the main color, with leafless trees, muddy trails and dead grasses.
The real draw is the water. While the path doesn’t follow the water the whole way, there are a few nice views along the way.
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