Mystery Valley - Come explore earth cracks, sinkholes, and creepy algae covered trees.

[@debzyj376]

A wondrous place....thank you.

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome.

[@danielirvin4420]

What a great four-season location.

[@burninpowder8503]

Weird and cool! Thanks for the good video!

[@JackalopeKatie]

I can feel the fresh air in this video! I think I'm going to make the journey drive to the nearest decent park to walk around a bit even if It is 4 hours away!

[@MichiganRocks]

It was a really nice day. Most of the leaves have fallen now and it's been raining all day, so it looks good to me too.

[@Aethelwulf_Freawine]

Nice little acreage gem for that area. Thx for sharing your hike!

[@JanVafa]

Yes spring visits please!

[@Hewillreturn]

That was a beautiful walk. I like to do Michigan Rocks marathons on cold rainy nights. Thanks I think you ROCK!

[@MichiganRocks]

It must take a lot of training and endurance to do a marathon like that! If I was there, I'd hand you a cup of water.

[@ridgerunner66]

That was a great way to spend a fall day. Very cool place to see. Thanks for taking us along. Davin

[@MichiganRocks]

That was a great day. We have a dusting of snow on the ground now, so it seems even nicer looking back a couple weeks.

[@heathereden842]

The forest floor is beautiful!

[@sarahstrong7174]

Lovely Autumn foliage there. Beautiful place. Thankyou for taking us along.

[@MichiganRocks]

The trees were about as good as they get that day. Now everything is white.

[@sarahstrong7174]

@@MichiganRocks We still have some nice colours here in Devon, U.K but there has been some snow on the moors. It usually gets colder after christmas so we will probably have more then.

[@ShoonitStSinta]

This area is gorgeous. Thanks for the tour

[@sylvainrichard6679]

No way to go here at night ! Very strange place... Thanks!

[@MichiganRocks]

It's not really a scary place. The algae in the trees is just something you don't see everyday. In fact, it's the only day I've ever seen it. Falling into a crack would be the reason not to go there at night.

[@michaelstrong3634]

Cool video. Natures wonders thanks for sharing

[@charisjones632]

Beautiful natural landscape! Love that swampy like area with the hanging things. It looked like something hung it's laundry up to dry 😊

[@MichiganRocks]

Maybe the fish hung their algae up to dry.

[@laurathrasher8965]

you are such a nice person to take all these videos and include us on your adventures! i have never heard of a valley formed this way. those earth cracks are super neat.

[@MichiganRocks]

I really like Mystery Valley. It's super interesting to explore. I did another video here I the spring.

[@laurathrasher8965]

i will check it out!

[@Grimes60]

Another cool spot, thanks so much 🌲🍂

[@cindyfleury5257]

Just saw this video about Mystery Valley. I lived in MI for over 60 years and never heard of it. Thank you for making the video. In addition to the rocks I really enjoy seeing parts of Michigan I didn't know about. I also love your ariel views of where you are. Love your channel. Fun and Educational!

[@MichiganRocks]

There are a couple other cool sink holes very close to this, so if you go, you should see those too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXbZh4ashdiBhdU

[@davemi00]

Another nice adventure thanks !

[@sunqwest1]

Way to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Thanks for sharing

[@salliemorrill2671]

Fascinating. It goes far, too. Interesting background on sinkholes, dam, & what happens w/ water table.

[@MichiganRocks]

I can't quite wrap my head around why the pond drains so quickly. I loved the dried algae up in the trees.

[@yeswing10]

That was really cool and beautiful trees. Thank you for taking us with you!

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome. I made a video here a week ago to show the difference in the spring. I might put it up this weekend, but I have another video that might go up first. The water was much higher in the spring, as you can imagine.

[@storytimewithunclebill1998]

This was so cool. Love exploring new areas. Lots to see and do there. Bet it looks great in the spring too. Some serious cracks and crevices. Was fun to watch. Great video

[@MichiganRocks]

Here it is in the spring: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKqVoneVed6MnKs

[@PingerProspecting]

That is a pretty cool place. Thanks for the show !!!!

[@carolkemp2571]

Thank you for sharing!

[@joannclupper7902]

Thank you. I so much appreciate your videos. I like what you see, what you show us, how you think, what you share with us. Your videos are calming, educational,and examples of how blessed we are to live in Michigan.

[@MichiganRocks]

It is a nice place to live, isn't it?

[@lisaparlberg1581]

I couldn't agree more❤

[@k8eekatt]

Lovely country, thanks for sharing your walk on this gorgeous sunny day! I was flying into Chicago at midnight on the 31 and the weather did not seem promising since our flight was delayed 10 hours for weather at O'Hare. Have a great day!

[@MichiganRocks]

I'm glad you had a safe flight. This video was actually shot a couple weeks before the Halloween, if I remember correctly.

[@old_redlk3319]

Those trees are the most beautiful thing I've seen on KZbin! Thanks for sharing

[@MichiganRocks]

The ones with fall colors or the ones with the algae draped over them? I'd say the fall colors are beautiful and the algae covered ones are very interesting, but not beautiful.

[@gbro8822]

Thank you for sharing.

[@loiskampp5105]

As much as I love the lakes ( and I DO love the lakes) I'm very pleased when you explore other geological sites as well. Since I spent my youth running through forests and exposed bedrock (granite and basalt, in my neighborhood) THIS episode is a blast from my past. Thanks!

[@MichiganRocks]

I think this spot is so cool. It's a great spot to go explore for a day.

[@carolyns9687]

Quite a different view from the spring especially the water levels! Thank you for taking us along!❤️😷🇨🇦🇺🇲

[@MichiganRocks]

I don't know how many people have seen both videos. This one was kind of a flop and the new one is doing pretty well. Unfortunately, I think this was the better video.

[@carolyns9687]

I liked both but this one was very interesting as you have a better view of the rock wall and sink hole as well as the algae

[@soul_adventurist]

Very cool place. Love the gorgeous fall colors!

[@mamasgonecreating1967]

Beautiful. What a great way to spend a day. Wish I could get my hands on some of that birch bark. Have a great day and enjoy the fall weather before the snow starts to fly.

[@MichiganRocks]

That snow is right around the corner. What would you do with the birch bark? I made a picture frame and a lamp covered with it. They turned out pretty good.

[@mamasgonecreating1967]

@@MichiganRocks I use it for crafts. Mostly with my wood burning projects. They want a small fortune for it at Michael's and it is nearly impossible to find in southern Iowa. I bet the lamp shade looks awesome.

[@MichiganRocks]

Mama's gone detecting it’s not the shade. I made a wooden box for the base and covered it with pieces of bark. Then I cut small birch twigs, which are dark colored and covered the seams. Then the light is on top with a regular shade. I like it.

[@mamasgonecreating1967]

@@MichiganRocks sounds nice.

[@jshilohshea381]

loving the fall foliage the colors so crisp and bright ! some of those cracks have deepened...and you standing so close to the edges..glad you not fall in !! and algae (?) in trees....looks like some serious weaving went on by some of bug. did it feel like paper towels to you ? ( audio was crummy on my device ..no fault of yours ) be happy stay safe..looking forward to more Michigan Rocks adventures !!

[@MichiganRocks]

J Shiloh Shea it felt sort of like suede. It was fairly durable. I picture mats of algae that were floating, but got stuck on the branches as the after receded. I really need to go back in the spring to see it full of water.

[@KatyDidRocks]

How marvelous! We only got a week of fall here in Montana, between snowstorms - I walked with you virtually and enjoyed my favorite season.

[@MichiganRocks]

I'd like fall a lot more if I wasn't dreading about five months of winter to follow. I don't mind the first couple months, but I get tired of it after that.

[@KatyDidRocks]

@@MichiganRocks, true story. We are expecting a bad one this year. It will test my creative abilities, continuing to get videos out when I can't go rock wandering. :D

[@MichiganRocks]

@@KatyDidRocks I have some ideas for videos this winter, but it's going to be tough to get something out once a week for the whole snowy season.

[@kaybree6738]

Michigan Rocks Turned out to be "The winter that wasn't"☺️.

[@anitamitchell3452]

That's up there with the top ten craziest things I've seen in nature. Everything about is is beautiful! Are you allowed to camp there? Absolutely amazing, thank you so much for this video. The TREES!!!!

[@MichiganRocks]

No camping here, but there’s a campground very close on Sunken Lake. There’s a trail from the campground to this spot.

[@anitamitchell3452]

@@MichiganRocks Thank you. I believe I've heard of the lake but I'm going to do some research on it. Pretty fascinating that it just disappears like that. Thanks again for the video, it's beautiful up there. I hope we get some snow videos. : )

[@kaybree6738]

Watched again and gave a thumbs up this time. Enjoyed both times. Amazing land feature!

[@MichiganRocks]

I went back here a few weeks ago. I think that will be the week's video. It was interesting seeing how different it was in the spring.

[@blookan]

Wow, this place looks so cool. I'll definitely have to check this out on my next trip to the U.P. Thank you for showing this

[@MichiganRocks]

This is not in the U.P. It's near Posen, which is a couple hours south of the bridge.

[@christinavallem5669]

Thanks, I'm putting Mystery Valley on our hiking list.

[@MichiganRocks]

I think you'll enjoy it. They usually have pamphlets at the sign that go along with numbers on the trail. If there aren't any there, there's a link to the guide on this page: caves.org/conservancy/mkc/preserve_mv.html

[@beckyperkins4181]

Just north east of there is a lake called Rainy Lake, it completely disappears also. It has houses all around it. The DNR has put dye into it to see where the water goes. It did not enter lake Huron. They think there are huge caverns underground all around that area. You found another one of my favorite spots!!! 🥰

[@MichiganRocks]

I hadn’t heard of Rainy Lake. I sure wouldn’t want a house right next to something like that. Does it drain every fall and fill every spring like Mystery Valley does? Is there public access to it? I want to go see it now.

[@beckyperkins4181]

No it drains every few years. It was back in the late 70's early 80's when the DNR put the dye in it. My dad and his best friend went into a cavern one year when it drained and he always talked about how spooky and huge the cavern was. It is about 8 miles south west of Millersburg.

[@beckyperkins4181]

Here is a good link about it. geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/NE-MIkarst.html

[@MichiganRocks]

@@beckyperkins4181 That's really cool. I had no idea there were caverns that you could go into. I know there must be voids down there, but I figured they were all filled with water.

[@beckyperkins4181]

Thought you might like this. It was on our local news last night. www.9and10news.com/2019/11/05/special-report-mystery-valley/

[@shinystar82cj]

Did you see any crystals in the earth crack?? Cool video Thank you

[@MichiganRocks]

Nope, I don't usually see crystals in limestone here. I did find a piece on a beach once that had a little vug with what I think were calcite crystals, but normally I don't see crystals.

[@markattardo]

Crazy, cool area!!

[@joang.cavanna2046]

How very strange and interesting. I've heard of karst topography before but not earth cracks and sunken valleys. The algae covered trees are creepy. Thanks for being brave enough to touch it and describe it. I wonder what early Americans and settlers thought of the cracks.

[@MichiganRocks]

That place is kind of awesome. Someone sent me a video of their trip there this summer and the whole valley was dry, including the sink hole at the end of the valley. I'm not sure if I showed the sinkhole in this video, but I did in another.

[@Brad-.-.-.-.howitzer]

Awesome video 👍👍👍👍 thank you¡!!!

[@MichiganRocks]

You're welcome!

[@cactuswren9771]

Hey, Rob. Gorgeous trees. And I like the sounds of your feet as you shuffle the dry leaves along the cracks. I thought the algae would just disintegrate. I was surprised. Was there calcification in the algae? With all that dissolved carbonate, anhydrite and gypsum underground, I'd bet your water is pretty darn hard. Do you soften the water? Do you cross-country ski? LOL! Just don't ski into a hidden crack.

[@MichiganRocks]

I have no idea if there was calcification or how to even tell. Water varies a lot around here. Some people have softeners, some water is great. This place is about a half hour or a little more from my house too, so I wouldn’t know how their water is. I don’t currently cross country ski, but I did as a kid. I was much more into downhill skiing though. I plan to get some cross country skis again when I retire in a couple years.

[@cactuswren9771]

@@MichiganRocks I had forgotten how extremely bitter cold northern winters can be, though I remember walking to school in occasional -60oF in central Montana as a kid. The whole Missouri River would freeze solid, including the great water falls on the river. It was magnificent to see. Part of asking about your skiing was that I hope you might take us on some winter skiing or snow shoeing expeditions with you if the cold wouldn't kill you or your camera. The question that hit my mind for the first time ever was, do the Great Lakes completely freeze over during your bitter cold? I know ice stirs up the rocks on the beaches, so I assume some freezing in more shallow areas? What do they call that on the lake shore that shovels the rocks... ice shelves when the ice breaks?? Avoiding bone chilling winter cold is exactly why I chose the west coast and the desert. :)) But I do miss the beauty and peace of the Autumn trees.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@cactuswren9771 I haven't decided what I'm going to film this winter. It will be mostly lapidary stuff inside, but I am going to try to get out to a few places in the snow. We just got our first snow overnight. We got an inch or two that looks beautiful on the trees. I'm not sure if there's a word for ice moving the rocks around. If there is, I don't know it. A few years ago, all the lakes froze completely over. It depends on the year. The DNR has an online ice map you can look at.

[@susansmith6680]

Awesome. Happy Halloween 🎃

[@edpaslaski9477]

I can't wait to check this out in June

[@MichiganRocks]

It's a fun place.

[@LadyYoop]

This is so cool...I gotta figure out how to miniaturize myself, so I can hop in your pocket and hit these adventures with you! It's pouring snow U.P. here right now!

[@MichiganRocks]

We got a couple inches Thursday night. It rained last night, so it's gone now.

[@SteveandSusiesHomestead]

Amazing ...The collapse must have append fast to cause the earth to crack..

[@MichiganRocks]

I wonder what that sounded like. Must have been pretty impressive.

[@keithg7667]

Crazy, never seen anything like that before

[@MichiganRocks]

It's a really cool place Very different than other places in this area.

[@d.freier1695]

Very interesting video. I live in Indian River and had never heard of this place. This evening, on the 9&10 News they mentioned that they would be airing a story on Mystery Lake next Tuesday at 6. I can't imagine that it will be as up close and indepth as your video is.

[@MichiganRocks]

D. Freier I’d bet the news story is about a different place. I’ve never heard this referred to as “Mystery Lake”, only “Mystery Valley”.

[@d.freier1695]

@@MichiganRocks I just saw the promo for it again. It's def. about Mystery Valley.

[@MichiganRocks]

@@d.freier1695 I’ll have to watch it then. Maybe I’ll learn something.

[@russsherwood5978]

thank you for the adventure, just subbed and thumbs - up

[@MichiganRocks]

Thanks Russ. I liked that video, but it was disappointingly unpopular. I went back there last week to see the pond filled up. I made a video that I might release in a couple weeks or I might not.

[@ronnrazo9282]

Eerie..

[@lyneece1956]

What an odd and interesting place

[@MichiganRocks]

That place is awesome.

[@karenpacker8862]

Where is this located? Ive never heard of it. Sounds like a trip to me! Awesome footage by the way.

[@MichiganRocks]

It's near Posen, MI. Here's a Google Maps link: www.google.com/maps/@45.2115196,-83.7334192,743m/data=!3m1!1e3

[@karenpacker8862]

@@MichiganRocks Thank you!!!

[@MichiganRocks]

@@karenpacker8862 Where are you coming from? If you go there, check out the Stevens and Bruski sink holes just down the road. There are also sink holes and other cool karst formations near Alpena and at Rockport Quarry. I have other videos showing them. caves.org/conservancy/mkc/preserve_tb.html

[@joang.cavanna2046]

I see I watched this video before - it is so amazing, awe inspiring. Everything that I wrote before is what I would like to say today. Do you know how long ago the sinking event happened? I wonder how deep the fill is in the cracks. I guess because it is all stone in the cracks is why it is not overgrown. It seems like Nature usually recovers quickly but not here. Thanks for sharing.

[@MichiganRocks]

I have no idea how long ago this formed. I'm not sure anyone knows. There's a fairly extensive walking tour guide that's available there that didn't say how old it is as far as I remember. Here's the trail guide, that you might enjoy: mkc.caves.org/trailguides/mysteryvalley.pdf Here's the webpage for Mystery Valley: mkc.caves.org/preserve_mv.html

[@joang.cavanna2046]

I followed both links you provided and also went to the websites listed on the trail guide and followed further links. The information was helpful and interesting. There were no dates as to when the collapse might have happened. Thank you for all your responses and for the links for additional information. So fascinating!

[@merlinjones6485]

Interesting. Rebel that I am I would probably sneak into some of those cracks with a rock hammer. Who would miss a few pieces of chunked off stone. Sometimes my curiosity out weighs my sence of caution. Hope that doesn't make me a dastardly trouble maker. If it does...so be it.

[@MichiganRocks]

The rock in the cracks is just limestone, so it wouldn't be very interesting. It's also covered with a really cool layer of moss that would be a shame to disturb. To me the most is more interesting than the limestone. It was fun going down in them the first time I was there. It's easy to walk in from the end.

[@rebeccaofsunnybrookefarm8469]

I don't really like earth cracking areas but we have a bunch of them. I try not to think about being swallowed up in them.. But definitely it could happen. Those are different from the mudslide types I've seen.

[@MichiganRocks]

I think they're really cool. We don't have a lot of exposed rock like that around here. I know of two places with earth cracks like this and several sinkholes in the area. I have done videos on most of them.

[@lisaparlberg1581]

Rob,what year did that " earth crack" happen ?

[@MichiganRocks]

I have no idea. I don't know if anyone knows.

[@diannacolmen3723]

Awesome video! Have you ever heard of an underground connection between Higgins Lake and one of the great lakes? When I lived in the area, I heard about an Indian account of a person drowning in Higgins Lake and their body being found by the tribe at their summer fishing spot in Lake Superior (Huron maybe?). I've always wondered how it could be possible. After watching the video, maybe it was based on a real experience. 🤔

[@MichiganRocks]

I have not heard that about Higgins Lake. There was an experiment done with one of the sink holes in this area where dye was poured in and it came out in Lake Huron.

[@boardmanvideo]

Hello, My name is Mark Boardman, I am working on a video series with a friend called Mystic Michigan. Would it be possible to include one of your clips of the cracks from this video into our video? We of course put your name on the screen and on the credits. If you do not wish to I totally understand.

[@minaalmeida169]

CUIDADO. ESSA. TERRA. NÃO. ESTÁ. ESTÁVEL UM. ABRAÇO

[@MichiganRocks]

Não se preocupe, eu vivi.

[@Hoannguyen-rq8ff]

Did it ever occur to you that Mystery Valley was beautiful and ugly?

[@MichiganRocks]

Hoan nguyen not really. I thought it was mostly beautiful. The algae is ugly I suppose, but I though it was really fun to see.

[@donaldhebert2973]

Where in Michigan is this?

[@MichiganRocks]

Near Posen. There are directions on their page: mkc.caves.org/preserve_mv.html