Mt. Baldhead

Mt. Balhead is a cool, little spot in SW Michigan where you can climb 282 steps to the top of a dune.  At the top of that dune, there is an old WWII radar tower and some great hiking trails.  As a kid I LOVED "climbing the mountain" when we came to this area for vacation.  I remember racing to the top (my stamina was much better at the age of eight) and not-so patiently waiting for everyone else to climb to the top.

These days, this is a spot that I like to go to workout because the climb itself is intense.  The stairs are steep and there are kind of a lot of them.  Once you get to the top I would recommend checking out the trails.  The lookout point at the top is pretty fantastic, but the view from the trails is waaaay better.  The trails are nice and they wind through the top of the dune and some heavily wooded areas.

On the other side of the trees you will break into a great dune overlook.  From this spot, you can climb down the dune and enter Oval Beach (FOR FREE) and enjoy a dip in the water.

If you're just there for the workout I would highly recommend climbing to the bottom of the dune and back up again (on the sand side), then trekking back on the trail to the first scenic overlook and heading back down the 282 stairs to the parking lot.  It makes for a seriously sweaty trip, which is why I don't see anything wrong with sneaking down to Lake Michigan for a dip before heading back up the dune :)

Your turn…What whacky places do you like to workout?
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