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A Travel Diary

Mackinac Island 2015

Butterflies, bluffs, and Lake Huron — September 2015

26Photographs

3Days

2Places

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A return to car-free Mackinac Island, Michigan — this time with the butterflies of the Wings of Mackinac conservatory, the island's flower gardens in full late-summer bloom, and the long views from Fort Mackinac down over the harbor, the town, and the blue of Lake Huron. Tap any photo to enlarge it, or open the map.

A return to car-free Mackinac Island, five years on, and a chance to slow down and see more of it. This time we spent an afternoon among the butterflies of the Wings of Mackinac conservatory and the island gardens in full late-summer bloom.

From the walls of Fort Mackinac the long views opened up again — down over the harbor, the little town, and the deep blue of Lake Huron. Some places are worth going back to.

This trip ran 3 days, September 4–6, 2015. Along the way we spent time at Wings of Mackinac & the gardens. The gallery below tells it day by day, in 26 photographs.

Day 1

Fri 4 Sep

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensA blue morpho resting on a leaf in the butterfly house.

Day 2

Sat 5 Sep

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens · The island & Fort Mackinac

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensDahlias and mums spilling out of the island gardens.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensBlack-eyed susans everywhere you looked.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensA swallowtail with its wings spread wide.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensThe Wings of Mackinac conservatory, full of color.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensAn owl butterfly settled on the warm stone.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensA blue morpho resting on a leaf in the butterfly house.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensDahlias and mums spilling out of the island gardens.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensBlack-eyed susans everywhere you looked.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensA swallowtail with its wings spread wide.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensThe Wings of Mackinac conservatory, full of color.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensAn owl butterfly settled on the warm stone.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensA blue morpho resting on a leaf in the butterfly house.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensDahlias and mums spilling out of the island gardens.

Wings of Mackinac & the gardens — Wings of Mackinac & the gardensBlack-eyed susans everywhere you looked.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacThe harbor and the bluff seen from up at Fort Mackinac.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacArch Rock and the limestone cliffs over the lake.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacTown, church, and marina laid out below the fort.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacThe island green rolling down toward Lake Huron.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacOpen water and sun glinting off the Straits.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacA horse and carriage crossing the green.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacThe harbor and the bluff seen from up at Fort Mackinac.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacArch Rock and the limestone cliffs over the lake.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacTown, church, and marina laid out below the fort.

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacThe island green rolling down toward Lake Huron.

Day 3

Sun 6 Sep

The island & Fort Mackinac

The island & Fort Mackinac — The island & Fort MackinacOpen water and sun glinting off the Straits.

Where we wandered