Explore, Pick, and Leave It Wild-Blueberry Picking Season In Forsyth Township!
There is something special about blueberry season in the Upper Peninsula. Late summer brings the opportunity to head outside and search for one of our area’s favorite wild treasures…blueberries!
For generations, picking wild blueberries has been a simple summer tradition across the U.P. Whether you are filling a bucket for homemade pancakes and muffins, making a pie, or eating a few along the way, blueberry picking is another way to experience the natural resources that makes Forsyth Township and the surrounding area so special.
A Different Way to Explore Our Wild
With miles of forests, trails, and natural areas surrounding our communities, blueberry season gives residents and visitors another reason to get outside and explore. You do not always need a major attraction or a packed itinerary to have a memorable day in the U.P. All you really need is a bucket, some bug spray, and a little patience.
Blueberry picking can turn into an entire day of exploring Forsyth Township. Take a drive, spend some time outdoors, stop for lunch at a local restaurant, visit a local business, and enjoy everything our community has to offer along the way. If you have a favorite blueberry-picking spot, you probably also know one of the unwritten rules of the U.P.: some of the best picking spots are closely guarded secrets! Part of the fun is finding your own favorite places to return to year after year.
Pick Responsibly and Leave It Wild
As more people discover outdoor recreation in our area, it is important that we enjoy these places in a way that protects them for the future. Lets give our lands the respect they deserve. When picking wild blueberries, take only what you will use and leave plenty behind. Blueberries are also an important food source for birds and wildlife that share these natural spaces with us.
Be gentle with the plants and avoid pulling, breaking, or damaging bushes just to reach the berries. Stay mindful of where you walk and avoid trampling surrounding vegetation whenever possible. Just as importantly, whatever you bring into the woods should come back out with you. Food wrappers, containers, bottles, and other trash have no place on the trail or in the forest.
Following simple Leave No Trace principles helps ensure that the places we enjoy today remain just as beautiful for the people who visit tomorrow.
Remember… You’re Sharing the Outdoors
Blueberry season also means sharing the landscape with wildlife. Be aware of your surroundings, make your presence known when appropriate, and never approach or feed wildlife. If you encounter an animal, give it plenty of space and remember that you are visiting its habitat.
It is also important to know where you are picking. Respect private property, posted signs, and any rules or restrictions that apply to public lands. Not every patch of berries is open for public picking, so always make sure you have permission to be there.
Make Blueberry Season Part of Your U.P. Adventure
Blueberry picking represents so much of what we love about life in the Upper Peninsula. It is simple, connected to the land, and often becomes a tradition passed from one generation to the next. For visitors, it is also an opportunity to experience our community in a different way.
Come prepared to explore. Bring a bucket, wear appropriate clothing, respect the land, support a local business while you are here, and maybe head home with enough wild blueberries for something delicious. Just remember to leave a few for the next explorer and for the wildlife that called these woods home long before we did.
Explore responsibly. Support local. And always remember to Explore Our Wild!
