If you love tranquil cozy cabins in the woods, you will love Sylvatica Ecolodge! Sylvatica is a latin word meaning "of the forest" and this lodge is exactly that. It's a 4-acre property adjacent to the Hiawatha National Forest with a very diverse mature hardwood forest, a 0.5 acre planted prairie, a pond, woodland plant gardens, and butterfly/hummingbird gardens. The property includes a 0.3 mile long interpretive nature trail explaining the natural environment and history. The interior of the ecolodge feels snug and comfortable and like part of the forest at the same time. The concentric layers around the house of natural forest on the outer ring, then semi-wild woodland plant gardens, then our rustic porches and finally woodsy interior. You'll feel like a forest creature here! The inside has a semi-rustic interior design melded with modern touches. We have a very efficient propane fueled heating system and hot water heater, modern foam insulation and natural bamboo flooring in the bathroom. Lots of local materials were used in the construction. Maple floors, white ash paneling, a white cedar arch way, an oak bookshelf along with oak and hickory furnishings. The flooring and ash paneling were both salvaged. A spacious rainforest themed eco-bathroom, laundry closet, an open living area with a nature library, a full-sized kitchen, a roomy loft with two sleeping areas, and a nice living/dining area. The whole home is decorated with local nature pictures taken by the owners. Our guest services include a guide to local nature attractions (written by the owner) and include directions to and information about a nearby Indian cemetery, a beautiful secret beach, old growth forests, lakeshore cliffs, lighthouses, great areas for blueberry picking and the breeding grounds for the endangered Kirtland's warbler. This location is only an hour from Pictures Rocks National Lakeshore, 45 minutes from Fayette State Park and Kitch-iti-Kipi Big Spring (Palm's Brook State Park) 1.2 hrs from Marquette's many attractions, 1.5 hrs to Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Foxes, woodchuck, abundant deer, 125 species of birds have been seen here. Flying squirrels regularly visit the bird feeders on the porch at night! With all this abundant nature and nearby attractions, its a great hub for a week or 2 vacation! The basement is partially finished with a lab and a spare bedroom, but is currently closed off. The hosts can be reached by email if any questions arise, but they will likely not be around the property. Guests are encouraged to contact the hosts about travel advice The lodge is located in a beautiful hardwood forest with few neighbors present. It is a 30 minute drive to the closest town with a full-sized grocery store (Gladstone), although Rapid River has a some basic amenities and restaurants (20-25 minutes away). Cell reception is limited. Sometimes calls go through upstairs or in the driveway. The property has a quarter mile interpretive nature trail (we offer a trail booklet that details the natural history of the property). It's a 15 minute walk or 2 minute drive to a sandy beach on Lake Michigan. The Peninsula Point Lighthouse is 15 miles away. This is a great place to bird watch, have a picnic lunch, fossil hunt, hike or relax. It's also an epic monarch butterfly hot spot in late summer/early fall when they migrate south. We also offer eco-guiding services featuring: birding, herping, tracking, plants, wild edibles and occasional workshops here on herps, birds, botany, wild edible plants, etc.. A detailed guide (written by the owner) of other nature attractions on the Stonington Peninsula and beyond is available at the lodge.