Aman Park, 0-1859 Lake Michigan Drive, Grand Rapids ~ May 2021

May 13, 2021

5-11-21

This is the view looking up from the grave of the man who donated these 331 acres to the City of Grand Rapids in 1926. He selected his burial site and was buried here in 1928. Thank you, Jacob Aman.

There is one other historic monument in the park, that remembering Edwin Sweet (1847 - 1935). He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1874 and became Mayor of Grand Rapids 1904-1906. He, however, is not buried under this rock.

After finding these spots we set off on one of the many beautiful dirt trails.

We crossed these two bridges and were amazed at the fields of trillium and bluebells, flowing through the woods like rivers.

Wild Phlox, Wild Geranium, and Jack-in-the-Pulpit

5-13-21

Today we returned to the park to take a few larger loop trails.

Although there are markers here and there (not enough of them), this is the only map (at the main entrance). We took a pre-printed one with us but if you are color-blind, it won't help you. The map doesn't have corresponding letters on it.

We found this random numbered marker, indicative of nothing on the map.

Nonetheless, we set off.

Trillium were everywhere but are starting to turn pink, a sign of their aging bloom.

Forts, trails, and stands of trees we found today.

This sign was apparently not observed.

There are a quite a few small paths leading off of the main trails and several of them will get you down into the canyon in which Sand Creek flows.

On the other side of the creek, we saw three guys setting up their hammocks 😊

Winding back, we walked through a pine grove.

The last leg of our hike brought us back across a bridge with a subsequent fairly steep hill to climb to get out of the canyon.

This poor old sign (and tree) once said something.

Parking here is minimal and there is just one porta potty in one of the small parking lots, and it's a little one at that (gross and not well-stocked - take your own kleenex/toilet paper). Trail terrain is varied overall but if you stay on the orange and yellow trails you will have basically flat ground to walk. Take the larger loop trails for hills and valleys. We did 3 1/2 miles each day, hiking different trails.