Highbanks Trail to Iargo Springs

Where: Huron National Forest, Oscoda, Michigan
Trail: Highbanks Trail (Canoer's Memorial to Iargo Springs)
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3.5 miles round trip
Adventure Rating: 1 Star
Pets: Allowed on leash

The Highbanks Trail is 7 miles long (one way). Because I was hiking with an 8-year-old and a small dog, I chose not to hike the entire length. Instead, we hiked from the Canoer's Memorial to Iargo Springs, which is about 1.75 miles one way. Iargo Springs was a good place to stop, rest, and have a snack, before hiking back to the car.

The hike is pretty easy, mostly flat dirt paths. We did wander off the path in a few places to check out the sand dunes.

The most strenuous part of the hike was when we took the 294 steps down to the river at Iargo Springs (and then had to climb back up them). After that, we still had to hike almost 2 miles back to the car at Canoer's Memorial.

Sam Houston National Forest

Where: Sam Houston National Forest
Trail: Lone Star Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: no idea
Adventure Rating: 1 Star
Pets: Allowed on leash

Unfortunately, I have no idea how far we hiked because we didn't have a map, which is probably why we got lost on our way up to the forest. [Mapquest sent us to a road that didn't exist. We had to call a friend in another state to look up directions for us.] The weekend following this trip, I discovered a tick on Toby--this has been our only encounter with a tick.