Discover Michigan's Thumb Jayson Sacco

In this episode, I talk with Mike Rickerman, Associate Real Estate Brokerage and life long Lexington, Michigan resident. If you are looking for a great vacation home or to relocate to a safer, slower pace of life, Lexington and the surrounding area may be just what you want. From Lake front property, to land and/or farms, you can find it here in the Michigan Thumb.
Mike can be reached using one of the following methods:

Phone – 810-712-1568
Email – MikeRickerman@yahoo.com
Town and Country Website - http://townandcountrymichigan.com/about-us/agents/mike-rickerman/
Listings Website - https://www.zillow.com/profile/mikerickerman7/

Check out Discover Michigan’s Thumb Instagram page – www.Instagram.com/discovermichigansthumb

Website – www.discovermichigansthumb.com

Today in this episode I will take you from Harbor Beach to Bay City. There are so many stops on this trip, you can probably plan a whole weekend seeing the sites. Leaving Harbor Beach, it is just a short (but very scenic) drive of about 7 miles to Port Hope. Port Hope is a small town of about 250 year-round residents located right on Lake Huron. Here you will find a marina as well as a really cool restored railroad depot that has been turned into a museum. 
As you leave Port Hope, you will be heading north on M-25. About 2.5 miles north of Port Hope, you will come to a crossroad named Pochert Rd. If you take a right hand turn onto Pochert Rd(which is a dirt Rd), you can drive about 1.5 miles down the dirt road till it ends, while there is not an official parking lot, you can park here, you are in the Kernan Memorial Nature Sanctuary. It is a 45 acre preserve left to Michigan by the estate of William J. Kernan and had been in the Kernan family’s possession since 1902. There is a hidden sandy beach that I will let you discover. You ill be looking at a cove off of Lake Huron here. It is called Whisky Cove. During prohibition, liquor from Canda was smuggled across Lake Huron and the boats would put in here because of the shelter from Lake Huron weather and prying eyes.
After exploring the Kernan Memorial Nature Sanctuary, head back out Pochert Rd to M-25 and make a right hand turn to head north again. There is now just a short 4.5 mil trip till you get to Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse. Established originally in 1848, it was updated to its current design in 1875 and designated a first class station and has been witness to many storms that Lake Huron can dish up over the last 172 years. It is one of the 10 oldest lighthouses in Michigan. The lighthouse and grounds are now owned by PABL (Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse) Society, a 501c3 and there are lots of updates and restoration plans for the museum. In the area are also cabins for rent and an RV park right on Lake Huron.

Leaving the lighthouse, you will have a scenic drive for the next about 7 miles till Grind Stone City. Grind Stone City was a boom town in the Thumb of Michigan in the late 1800’s when it was discovered that a certain type of gritty sandstone was perfect for making Grind Stones use in all sorts of applications and sizes.

Grind Stone City is now a resort and retirement town. It is a great place to catch a bite to eat at Shelley’s bar and grill or Grindstone General Store and then walk around the harbor. There is no longer a town, but there is still plenty to see. You will now be basically at the tip of the thumb. Stay on Pointe aux Barques Rd until you get to Wallace Rd and head up to Eagle Bay Public Access. To your left is the mouth of Saginaw Bay and to your right, you are looking out to Lake Huron. This is the tip of the Michigan Thumb. Head back to Pointe aux Barques Rd and turn right. From Eagle Bay Public Access, it’s only 4 miles till you arrive in Port Austin.

Port Austin is a bustling tourist town near the tip of the thumb. There are all sorts of summer events that take place and there are numerous restaurants, fishing, boating, kayaking (Turnip Rock), and other fun things to do. I included a link in the show notes to the Port Austin Chamber of Commerce web page to help you plan your getaway. 

As you leave Port Austin, just a short 7 mile trip to the southwest, you will be at Port Crescent State Park. This incredible state park is 640 acres on Lake Huron. Port Crescent is home to a dark sky preserve, three miles of sandy shoreline, a modern campground, and a boardwalk. You can also fish, canoe, hike, cross-country ski, go birding, and hunting. This is a state park, so a Recreation Passport is required to use the facility. 

Once you leave Port Crescent State Park, you will be headed west and slightly south on M-25 and in about

Discovering Michigan’s Thumb
Episode 1 - Driving Scenic M-25 - Lakeshore Rd
Welcome to the first episode of Discovering Michigan’s Thumb. Having grown up in Michigan’s thumb, I can sometimes forget how truly unique and beautiful this part of the country is and in this episode I’ll introduce you to the drive around the outside of the thumb on beautiful M-25.
The drive from Port Huron to Bay City is about 190 miles around the thumb of Michigan. Coming in from the southern part of the state, you will enter the city of Port Huron from I-94 Eastbound, where you will see the Blue Water Bridge. This is the bridge to Sarnia, Ontario and goes over the St. Clair River at the mouth of Lake Huron. In the future I’ll be doing a whole episode on Port Huron and things to see and do.
Once you make a left hand turn onto Pine Grove heading north, you will have your first decision to make. Do I take Pine Grove north till it merges with M-25 or do I take the first right at Garfield Street and head east to see Lighthouse Park where you will find the first of numerous lighthouses, The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse. Here you will find the oldest lighthouse in Michigan, it was built in 1829. The tower is now 82 feet tall and still operates almost 200 years after it first started operations(see show appendix).

Coming back out on Garfield, turn right onto Gratiot Rd where you will be driving along the shore and Gratiot will turn into Lakeshore Rd at Keewahdin Rd. Here you will stay on Lakeshore Rd heading north. 

While the shore is built up with houses, there will be breaks that allow beautiful glimpses of Lake Huron. About 5 miles north of where Lakeshore and Pine Grove merge you will come to Lakeport State Park. 

Lakeport State Park (see show appendix) is about 565 acres that straddles M-25. There are beautiful beaches, campgrounds, grilling facilities, and recreational opportunities. Please go to the state park website to see what is open, available, and events taking place. You do need a recreation passport to enter the park.

Getting back on M-25, you will head north and go 11 miles from Lakeport State Park and you will enter the village of Lexington. Lexington as a township in Michigan was formed in 1837 after President Andrew Jackson made Michigan a state. Here in Lexington you will find lots of small shops to visit, several notable Bed & Breakfast places and Lexington Harbor. This would be your first stop if traveling the Michigan Thumb by water. You can watch or launch a boat from this location and enjoy the public beach as well.

Once you leave Lexington, headed north on M-25 you will continue through the houses built on the water and glimpses of Lake Huron through the trees. About 11 miles north of Lexington, you will get to Port Sanilac. A few miles before Port Sanilac, you will have the opportunity to pull over into Lake Huron Roadside Park. This small park on Lake Huron is an amazing gem to stop and just enjoy the sites. There are picnic tables, bathrooms, and access to the beach at the base of the cliff. Be sure to read the historical marker about The Great Storm of 1913.

Then continue onward 2 miles north on M-25 to arrive in the smal village of Port Sanilac. With little shops to explore and another harbor. There are lots of things to view in Port Sanilac including Port Sanilac Lighthouse and the Sanilac County Museum of which part is housed in Dr. Loop’s twenty-room Victorian mansion. Also, if you're a scuba diver, there is the Sanilac Shores Underwater Preserve.

Getting back on M-25, a short 5 miles north of Port Sanilac is Forester. Here are some camping and food options for

Welcome to the Discover Michigan's Thumb podcast. I'll take you around the thumb of Michigan to discover the people, places, and things that make this such a special area.