Bridges – Page 7 – Wandering Dawgs

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Michigan

March 24, 2017September 17, 2026Posted in Birds, Bridges, Lighthouse, Michigan, RVing, Wandering around America, WaterfallsTagged Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Mackinac Island, Mackinaw City, Pictured Rocks, Porcupine Mountains, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Upper Peninsula25 Comments

State 20:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is

Michigan

Michigan became the 26th state on January 26, 1837. The capital is Lansing. Michigan is the only state with two peninsulas.

Our wandering around Michigan took us to three great lakes, two national lakeshores, huge sand dunes, magnificent waterfalls, a beautiful island with no motorized vehicles allowed, a lock connecting two great lakes, lighthouses, and gigantic cliffs.

Our Michigan journeys included camping in Muskegon State Park on Lake Michigan and in Lakeport State Park on Lake Huron.

20080610Muskegon-Channel-Swan — Swan in Muskegon Channel

20080611pmLakeport-(7) — Beach on Lake Huron in Lakeport State Park

We picked a beautiful day to explore Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan.

20100528Sleeping-Bear-Dunes-(24) — Dune Climb at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

20100528Sleeping-Bear-Dunes-(49) — 450 feet above Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

We had a great view of the Mackinac Bridge from our campsite at Macinaw Mill Creek Campground. The campground was our home base for a visit to Mackinac Island.

Mackinac Island Ferry

On the ferry to Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island

Lilacs were blooming at Fort Mackinac

Mackinac Island

After crossing the Mackinac Bridge we spent a few days in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, otherwise known as the UP. We spent a day marveling at the spectacular waterfalls in Tahquamenon (rhymes with phenomenon) Falls State Park.

20100601Tahquamenon-Falls-(23) — Upper Tahquamenon Falls

20100601Tahquamenon-Falls-(88) — Lower Tahquamenon-Falls

We drove up to Sault Ste. Marie for a look at the Soo Locks.

Another day was spent exploring Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

20100602Pictured-Rocks-(12) — Sable Falls

20100602Pictured-Rocks-(52) — Miner’s Castle

20100602Pictured-Rocks-(70) — Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Our campsite at Porcupine Mountains State Park was right next to the rocky shore of Lake Superior.

We enjoyed seeing a few of Michigan’s Lighthouses.

Muskegon Lights

Round Island Light, MI

Round Island Passage Ligh, MIt

Cheboygan Crib Light, MI

Old Mackinac Point, MI

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Kentucky

February 27, 2017September 17, 2026Posted in Bridges, Kentucky, National Parks, RVing, Tourist Attractions, Wandering around America, WildlifeTagged Bison, Bourbon, Kentucky Horse Park, Land Between the Lakes, Mammoth Cave, Wild Turkey Distillery14 Comments

State 15:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is the Bluegrass State –

Kentucky

Kentucky became the 15th state on June 1, 1792 and the capital is Frankfort.

When I think of the Bluegrass state I think of horses, bourbon, and Colonel Sanders famous Kentucky Fried Chicken. We never got a chance to visit the original Kentucky Fried Chicken but we did get to experience horses and bourbon and a whole lot more.

Late one fall we set up camp at the Kentucky Horse Park State Park near Lexington. Seeing these magnificent horses was the highlight of our visit to the area.

One very overcast day we left the horse park for a scenic drive by many beautiful horse farms and a tour of the Wild Turkey Distillery located right beside the Kentucky River.

Bridge over Kentucky River at the Wild Turkey Distillery

Wild Turkey Bourbon is aged these barrels

Until we visited the Elk and Bison Prairie in the Land Between the Lakes I never knew that bison once roamed in this area of the United States.

The Land Between the Lakes has been a perfect stop over for us several times in our wandering. It doesn’t get much better than camping near a body of water and Canal Campground in the Land Between the Lakes is one of our favorite Corps of Engineers park.

Sunrise over Lake Barkley, Kentucky from Canal COE — Sunrise over Lake Barkley, Kentucky from Canal Corps of Engineers Campground

Located in central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system known in the world. There are many options for guided tours of the cave. Above ground the scenery is beautiful with hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.

Mammoth Cave National Park, KY

Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

A few Florida curves

June 19, 2016September 17, 2026Posted in Bridges, Florida, PhotographyTagged curve, Falling Waters State Park, Fort Pickens, Garcon Point Bridge, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Weekly Photo Challenge8 Comments

On our recent spring trip to the Gulf Islands National Seashore we encountered a few curves the day we moved on to Falling Waters State Park.

Sand covered parts of Fort Pickens Road as we exited the National Seashore

Curve in Boardwalk at Falling Waters State , Florida

This is my contribution to the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Curve

A stop beside the Alabama River

May 7, 2015September 17, 2026Posted in Alabama, Bridges, COE Park, Road Trip, RVing, Sunset, WildflowersTagged Alabama River, Lownesboro Alabama, Mississippi River, Prairie Creek Campground9 Comments

As we traveled east from Louisiana to Alabama on I-20 we crossed the Mississippi River into Vicksburg and stopped at the Welcome Center to take a break. It was drizzling rain but we were still able to have a beautiful view of the mighty Mississippi.

The mighty Mississippi River in Vicksburg, Mississippi

After our short stop we continued on our journey. Our destination was Prairie Creek Campground near Lownesboro, Alabama, the first Corps of Engineers park we ever stayed in. Were we pleasantly surprised back in 2007 to find big sites, paved pads and a well maintained park. Ever since that first stay in a COE campground we look for them whenever we are traveling.

Our second visit to the campground did not disappoint. When we weren’t enjoying the view of the Alabama River from our site we took a drive to explore the dam.