This year had a lot of firsts for my wife and I when it came to our camping trips. Many times through the summer we find ourselves traveling back to a lot of familiar spots. The fact is, there are just a lot of state parks in the state of Michigan that we love. With the Great Lakes surrounding us and a number of larger inland lakes, it's not too hard to fall in love with just about every part of Michigan.
While our big trip to Wisconsin was probably the biggest shift for us this summer, we also mixed things up a bit by camping at four or five different state parks we have never visited before.
Sleepy Hollow State Park is one of those parks.
Despite the name, and the references to that other Sleepy Hollow in New York made famous by Washington Irving, the Sleepy Hollow in Michigan is far from scary.
The funny thing is, living where we do in Michigan, 90% of the time when I am looking to book a camping trip, the first thing I do is look north. There are plenty of campgrounds in the southern part of the state, but when you think about getting away for the weekend, you immediately think "north". Sleepy Hollow on the other hand is actually a bit south and west from where we live. It's been on my list for a while now to visit, but I've just never pulled the trigger mostly because of that stigma of not being north.
It's funny how our minds work like that sometimes huh?
Sleepy Hollow State Park sits on the shores of Lake Ovid which is a man made lake which was created when the Little Maple river was dammed back in the 1970's. It's actually a really impressive lake for being man made with a ton of fishing piers and other places to hang out and spend your time. We actually didn't spend too much time around the lake, but we did walk there one night to grab some photos of the sunset.
One of the coolest things about Sleepy Hollow State Park is the fact that it is only about a 45 minute drive away from our house, which is about half the time it takes to get to many of the other closest state parks to us in Michigan. This is one that I could see us making a quick drive over for a short weekend. The other cool thing about the park is the fact that many of the campsites are isolated from each other. Where many state park campgrounds are set up more like a trailer park or a parking lot, this one has a bit more privacy.
That privacy does come at a cost. Lake Ovid is near the small towns of Ovid and Elsie in Michigan and quite literally in the middle of nowhere. There is hardly any cellular service here, and data service is even more abysmal!
Honestly though, with views like this, who needs all of that. Okay, being able to check the weather would be nice. As well as finding a nice bar or pub close by that we could have a beer or two.
As we were sitting at our campsite watching the campfire, there was a path that led through the woods a short distance behind our site. We saw a constant stream of people walking to one of the many fishing piers that surround the lake. I'm not sure if anyone ever caught anything though. Sometimes that's not really the point with fishing anyway...
@mrsbozz and I were really happy we expanded our horizons a little bit this summer and added Sleepy Hollow State Park to our list of places to visit. We have two camping trips left so far this year and both of those are at campgrounds that are very familiar to us. It will be nice to finish off the year at some of our tried and true favorites. However, this trip especially made me realize just how much we need to look outside the box and try some new things as well.
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Sleepy Hollow is so close to home and beautiful, I'm surprised you don't visit more often. How has the summer camping gone so far? Too bad the season is coming to an end though. Enjoy it while it lasts!
It was good. We have two or three more trips left. This time of year is almost better because people are back to school and work and it isn't quite as busy.
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There's a reflection in this post I agree with, namely that we often continue to choose what we already know simply because it makes us feel comfortable. Ultimately, broadening one's horizons is always a good thing... probably in any field.
That is very true!
Seems like a wonderful site to unwind...
And that fire shot is very cool!!!
Now just thinking and it's been a while since I was at a water body...
Almost 2 months, I miss the clean sea breeze already...
I live in a place where you are never more than an hour or so away from one of the Great Lakes, so it is pretty awesome. I took a bunch of different fire shots trying to get different effects! Thanks!
That's pretty dope😂😂
At my ends there are water bodies too but they're mostly work related or polluted from refineries so aren't pristine leisure spots...
😔
Ugh, that's too bad!
I still haven't made it up to Michigan this year but will be going there soon to buy a replacement engine so it won't be a fun trip where I'm swiming in the Blue Waters listening to old Kid Rock songs. 😭
It's still Michigan, so that is always better than the alternative, no matter what you are doing!
Not to rush it but I love when the Concord Grapes are ripe up there. I can never get enough.
I like the photos at the lake, but the other two are superb! The photo of the fire is extraordinary! Your capture of the flames is so artistic and unique! And that first shot of all the greenery with the sky overhead is stunning and dreamy! Love it! 💚
Thanks, I really appreciate that. That first photo was a bit of a chore as we were swatting away all the bugs. I am shocked it didn't come out a bit more blurry.
Those pictures are simply beautiful, with this post you inspired me to camp and visit national parks in my own country.
Greetings from Venezuela!🇻🇪
Thank you! I bet you have some amazing parks in your neck of the woods!
I am all for expanding horizons, but in terms of camping the closest I was able to convince my wife to try was a luxury waterfront lake house rental a few years ago that came with kayaks and jacuzzi :)
I've been looking at kayaks, but I am not sure how to transport them with the trailer. I think I would have to put a rack on the bed of the truck which isn't cheap!
Nature at its best, feels like return to innocence (Enigma). 😊
Good song!
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