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Road to Beauty: The Tunnel of Trees
By Kristi Kates 
Visitors to Harbor Springs, Michigan can find plenty to do for the two major seasons of the tourist year; namely, summer (domain of swimming, boating, camping, and shopping) and winter (domain of skiing and... well, shopping). But it's one of the "shoulder seasons," as they're called here, that holds a certain unique appeal for both car and driver.
Michigan's Highway M-119 - otherwise known as the "Tunnel of Trees" - is, of course, available for driving year-round, but it's autumn that the road is famous for. Comprised of 20 miles of twisting, turning (often sharply so), heavily foliage-bedecked highway that runs from just outside of Harbor Springs proper all the way up to Cross Village, the otherwise-quiet road becomes full of gently-cruising automobiles all throughout the fall, as the tree colors slowly bloom from every shade of green to the oranges, reds, and browns that the season is known for.
Originally a footpath carved out by Native Americans long ago, this section of M-119 is comprised mostly of hardwoods, the forest areas floored by ferns and fallen leaves, and much of the road canopied by criss-crossed branches and arching pines, sometimes to the point where the sky is barely visible. The dense forest breaks up occasionally, and the expansive fields you'll see when it does are sometimes host to horses or cows being let out to pasture, and are also good places to try and spot deer, turkeys, cranes, or the flocks of Canadian geese that frequent the area. Glimpses of blue on the other side of the road periodically open up into full panoramic vistas of Lake Michigan, viewed from above, as much of M-119 resides up on a bluff overlooking Little Traverse Bay, with distant boats becoming the size of toys and lighthouse reduced to mere specks in the distance.
While you're gazing at all of the colorful trees and keeping an eye out for wildlife, just remember that this road brings new meaning to the word "meander" - many of the curves are unexpected, and the singular turn nicknamed "Devil's Elbow" is no joke, and is best slowed down for well in advance. You'll likely want to pull over numerous times to take photos, but part of the charm of M-119 is its resistance to development; drivers will have to carefully and courteously find the few roadside spots worn down by previous pullers-over, or risk getting honked at by the eager leaf-peepers that are sure to follow behind.
The main scenic portion of the Tunnel of Trees basically ends at Cross Village (although the determined can, of course, continue further north to Mackinaw City), which is a good place to take a break. Legs Inn restaurant is a prime stopping point for M-119 drivers; with its eclectic mix of Polish cuisine and Native American decoration, the big stone building with a quirky lineup of old chair legs on the roof (hence the name) is both a good place to stop for a hearty meal or a drink, and is an interesting place to visit. Make sure you check out all of the unique wood carvings and the carefully-kept garden out back, where you can rest on a bench or swing and pinpoint those aforementioned lighthouses with the help of a posted map. And when you're ready to return to Harbor Springs, you'll be surprised to find that the Tunnel of Trees does, indeed, look quite different driving in the other direction, so be sure to save some film for the way back.
Kristi Kates is a music/film/travel writer and musician from NYC. To find out more about her music and writing, please visit www.fizzzz.net.
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