When I was a teenager, my family moved from California to the east side of the Metro Detroit area in 1973. Back then it was cool to hang with my friends during the Summer at the MetroPark beaches of Metro Beach (now called Lake St. Clair) and Stony Creek. Later, my first date with my future wife, Karen, was a bike ride on the hike/bike trail around the Stony Creek park. We enjoyed hiking the trails at the Stony Creek Nature Center. We raised a family and when my son was old enough to join the Boy Scouts of America Cub Scouts program, I became a Den Leader and, later, a Cub Master for his Pack. We utilized many of the great informative programs that the Metroparks presented at Stony Creek, Wolcott Mill, and Lake St. Clair parks. Our family visited the parks frequently for swimming and hiking and cross-country skiing.

One year I received the gift of a GPS device, and, with the help of the Michigan Geocaching Organization (MiGO), This was my first exposure to all the Huron/Clinton Metropark. I found myself and my family visiting all the Metro Parks in order to complete MiGO’s MetroPark geocache challenges. Now the MetroParks have the Trail Challenge and we continue enjoying visiting all the parks.

I am so thankful that the metro Detroit community supports the Huron/Clinton Metro Parks. They are beautiful oases of nature that educate the minds and calm the souls of busy people. I am always amazed at the diversity of the parks and the new things I see and learn at each one. This year, when we visited Kensington, we walked with Sandhill cranes, saw a huge snapping turtle and fish in the pond near the nature center, saw deer and a woodchuck. All in one visit! We have met some of the nicest people in the parks, both visitors and staff. Often being in nature brings the best out of people. I hope and pray that the Huron/Clinton MetroParks will continue to grow and be a blessing to the community and future generations.