NCTH Segment 3 - Silver Creek Bridge

Silver Creek Bridge to Rumely Road

Segment 3 Silver Creek Bridge to Rumely Road

Trail adopter(s): Teri Grout, 906-439-5451 / vgrout6874@tds.net

Segment length: 2.4 miles

Last update: May 2008

On the trail:

Westbound: 1.6 miles of trail from the Silver Creek Bridge into the woods heading west, coming out of the woods and turning left unto a gravel road for a walk of 0.8 miles to the parking area on Rumely Road.

Eastbound: 0.8 mile gravel road walk from end of Rumely Road to the trail heading into the woods on the right (east), followed by 1.6 miles on the trail through woods to the Silver Creek Bridge.
Previous segment: 2 - Beaver Pond to Silver Creek Bridge
Next segment: 4 - Rumely Road to Peter White Road

Vehicle access for this segment is via the intersection of M-94 and Rumely Road west of Eben Junction in Alger County. Travel north 3 miles on Rumely Road to the following (Note that Rumely Road turns into unimproved road at the 2.5 mile mark.):

There is no designated parking area, but you can park along the road at the intersecction here. The first part of the trail to the east is a road walk. At the "Y" in the road, stay to the left - the road to the right leads to the bridge over Silver Creek. After approximately 0.8 mile along the road, the trail leads into the woods on the right.

Alternatively, the road walk portion may be driven to the point where the trail leaves the road. There are several possible parking spots near the trail entry.

Vehicles may be driven to the bridge over Silver Creek by following the "Y" to the right. There is a parking area on the right just across the bridge. The trail to the west is just before crossing the bridge. The trail to the east has been mostly superseded by the existing logging road for a considerable distance.

This segment is mostly beautiful old hardwoods. The trail is slightly up and down but easy to follow. There is a small stream to hop across but can be done easily. There are a few outcroppings of rock along the way that add interest to your hike.

Download printable full page map and directions as pdf files.

Waypoints (east to west)	Latitude	Longitude	Distance to next
East end: Silver Creek Bridge	N 46º 24.2159'	W 86º 59.8940'	.70 mile
NCT Close to Road	N 46º 23.9889'	W 87º 0.2980'	.90 mile
Trail-Road Meet	N 46º 23.8670'	W 87º 1.3550'	.17 mile
Road to Bridge	N 46º 23.7170'	W 87º 1.4050'	.63 mile
West end: Rumely Rd Parking	N 46º 23.4699'	W 87º 1.9695'

As you get out and hike this or any of our segments, please contact the trail adopter or Cliff Stammer (906-228-9897 / cnstammer@charter.net) with reports of trail conditions, including blow-downs, washouts, and inadequate blazing.

Hikers ready to hit the trail. West entrance to the trail from the road walk. Babe on an outcropping along the trail. Bridge over Silver Creek.

On our January 6, 2007 GPSing hike of this section, we saw the following plants (Notes provided by Kathy Peters.):
Ferns:

Polypodium virginianum - Common (Rock) Polypody evergreen - This provided the photo-op with Babe on the rock (see picture above).
Polystichum lonchitis - Northern Holly Fern evergreen - Note the auricled (ear-like) lobes at the base of the leaflet. This is similar to the Christmas Fern which is found further south. The scientific name is fun to say... Polly-stick-um Long-chi-tis.
Adiantum pedatum - Northern Maidenhair fern - This was withered and dry but all over the ground near the Silver Creek bridge. A lovely, graceful fern.

Clubmosses:

Lycopodium lucidulum - Shining Clubmoss evergreen - This is an upright, shiny dark green plant. It does not have a separate cone for the sporangia. The sporangia are bright yellow and found in the axils of the leaves. If you collect enough sporangia of clubmosses they can be lit...provided the flash for early photography...flash in the pan!
Lycopodium clavatum - Staghorn (Wolf's claw) Clubmoss - This clubmoss spreads out over the ground and is very bristly and pale green. The sporangia are found in terminal stalks at the end of a branch and are upright.

Flowering plants:

Allium tricoccum - Leeks - We saw the dried flower stalks with a cluster of black seeds. The leaves come out before the flowers. Walking through these woods in the spring, we would notice the strong onion smell of the leeks.
Mitchella repens - Partridge Berry - This plant has shiny, dark evergreen leaves which usually have a white center vein. The plant spreads over the ground. The twin flowers, which are white with fringed edges, form a single, double eyed red berry.

Silver Creek Bridge to Rumely Road