The Wilderness Next Door

When I was ten, our family moved from Pontiac to Auburn Heights. My life on Caroline Street lasted until my own children were grown.

In spite of the small town being separated from Pontiac only by the area called Pontiac Township (later incorporated into Auburn Hills), the new world I found myself in was filled with constant wonders to explore.

When I was 16, Hall Road, running from Utica west toward Pontiac where it became Huron Street, was widened into the M-59 highway, but in my childhood, Opdyke Road ran through Pontiac Township, with local landmarks on either side like Motorcycle Hill and Chuck’s Shack.

And a view of Bald Mountain.

As a child, I was fascinated with the flat-topped hill in the distance, not sure what it was. When Dad turned right onto Opdyke from Auburn Road, I watched for the sight of the unexpected hill before we reached Featherstone Road. Within a short time, the mountain grew smaller until it disappeared. Years later, I wasn’t sure if I’d dreamed it.

Bald Mountain Recreation Area is a state park of over 4,600 acres near Lake Orion. Rugged and wild, part of the park remains undeveloped forest and fields. There is a beach for swimming and a boat launch on Lower Trout Lake, and across Orion Road, in a different section, you can rent a rustic cabin on Tamarack Lake, one of several small lakes in that segment.

There are trout streams, hunting, fishing, hiking on steep hills, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, and snowmobiling in the protected Michigan wilderness.

As well as weekend parties when I was in high school.

And there was once a ski area with lift equipment from a hill later leveled for businesses. I hadn’t dreamed the view from Opdyke Road.

You can share hikes with deer, rabbits, squirrels, Canadian geese, woodchucks, ducks, raccoons, woodcocks, and mushrooms. My brother was an avid mushroom hunter and made annual excursions. Lakes offer bass, pike, trout, and bluegill.

There’s no camping now, but when my son was a toddler, we camped at Bald Mountain with our three-room canvas tent, lanterns, and Coleman stove. His sister was pre-school age, and both children loved playing outside in the dirt. I remember bathing them in the ice chest between replacing ice.

The campground was rustic. Outhouses. Water pump. Fire pits. Mosquitos.

We closed up the tent and sprayed before the children’s bedtimes. Once it was safe, they were tucked into sleeping bags and it was time for parents to sit around the fire.

There was a nearby lake and beach for outings, plenty of fresh air, green, and nature.

We only made one camping trip. Maybe the campground closed afterward, or the lure of Holly and Algoe Lake were too strong to resist.

There are no more Motorcycle Hills off Opdyke or view of Bald Mountain, but the wild park still exists. I’d love to see the hills, woods, lakes, and pond views of the Bald Mountain park again.

And a salute to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for recognizing the true treasures of our state.