Clark's Marsh

Clark's Marsh sits across the Au Sable from Whirlpool River Access, on the edge of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base — and it should not be skipped. A chain-link fence gives way to a quiet of woodland ponds and old-growth forest, with flat grassy trails made for slow walks and long looks.

The base's drainage helped write this water; after the federal conversion to the Huron National Forest, nature's engineers re-write it. Beavers bend the water, eagles hold the tall tree, and the reeds keep talking.

Birders know it as a stop on the 145-mile Sunrise Coast Birding Trail: marsh wrens, Virginia rails, green herons, warblers, sandhill cranes, pileated woodpeckers — and one of the area's most productive bald eagle nests. Bring binoculars, not expectations.

Enjoy the wildlife, don't eat it. The marsh's habitat is under active environment remediation — one of the most closely watched restorations in the country — so the one rule is to take photos, not fish.