Scenic State Park

Scenic is a nice little state park about 45 minutes northwest of Grand Rapids, kind of on my way home from Voyageurs National Park. The campground was mostly empty when I pulled in early Friday afternoon. I stupidly picked a campsite close to the only open shower/bathroom because it seemed convenient and quiet. When people started arriving for the weekend, I realized my error but was too lazy to pick up and move.

After giving up on my afternoon nap, I went up to the park lodge. It's an historic structure built by the CCC back in the 30s. There are a couple other buildings scattered around the area from the same timeframe, including a cabin for overnight rent.

I boiled some water and looked at the interpretative displays while waiting for my food to rehydrate. The lodge has a big fireplace and lots of stuffed animals. It's a pretty cool place to spend a couple hours.

Sunset was incredible - the sky was on fire like I've rarely seen. Unfortunately, the view to the west was almost completely blocked by forest, so I had to settle for a non-fiery shot of Coon Lake to the east.

All those clouds brought in some rain - thanks to that, the campground was pretty quiet and I got some decent rest. Morning brought clear skies and cooler temps. I hiked the Chase Point trail and a loop past Pine Lake. I can't say either trail was spectacular, but it was nice to be out and see a new area. The fall colors were best along the main park road.

Rest of my photos are here.