The Leave No Trace e-Tour visited the Jellystone Park campground in Frankenmuth, Michigan for “Family Reunion Weekend.” Frankenmuth, known as Little Bavaria, is an interesting community with a strong German heritage that was settled first as a Lutheran mission in the early 19th Century. The celebration of its Bavarian roots is the signature feature of the community today. Local school children still study German from kindergarten to high school, and the architectural styling, music, food, and beer all recall the traditions of German alpine culture.
Here is an excerpt from the Leave No Trace blog:
Once again, it was a full and busy Jellystone that greeted us on Friday night as we arrived at our campsite in the farmlands of Eastern Michigan near Saginaw Bay. The campground was carefully groomed, with a network of paved roads that the kids (and adults) used to good advantage for their virtually nonstop cruising on bicycles and pedal-cars. We could hear squeals of laughter as spontaneous games of wheeled chase erupted on the child-friendly autobahn, and the “pursued” pedaled furiously to outpace their equally determined “pursuers.”
We’ve come to appreciate the appeal of Jellystone as a similarly safe and comfortable haven for young and old who seek to enjoy a sense of community with like-minded neighbors. It’s a place where all can take pause from the frenetic pace of urbanized and internetized lifestyles, and enjoy the outdoor leisure activities that kids and adults have timelessly appreciated when afforded the opportunity.
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and the Jellystone Park™ campground system have forged a partnership to reach hundreds of thousands of families with Leave No Trace education. The partnership is part of a comprehensive effort to teach outdoor skills and ethics, as well as help make the critical connection between people and the outdoors.
