When the leaves have fallen and the vibrant colors of the Tunnel of Trees have faded into the quiet of a Northern Michigan winter, you don’t have to stop identifying the giants around you. Between the Victorian streets of Harbor Springs and the rugged bluffs of Petoskey, the bark of a tree is its most reliable fingerprint.
If you’re hiking the North Country Trail or exploring the dunes at Petoskey State Park, use this guide to identify six of our most iconic trees just by looking at their trunks.
1. Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
The Sugar Maple is the backbone of our “Up North” forests. While the leaves are famous for syrup and fall colors, the bark tells a story of age.
- What to look for: On young trees, the bark is smooth and gray. As it matures, it develops deep, vertical furrows with thick, irregular plates that often curl outward at the edges like a closing book.
- Identification Tip: Look for “shaggy” vertical strips that remain firmly attached to the tree.
2. Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
Found hugging the shorelines of Little Traverse Bay and thriving in the cedar swamps, this tree is a survivor.
- What to look for: The bark is thin and fibrous, appearing in long, narrow, vertical strips that look like they could be peeled off as ribbons. It has a distinct reddish-brown to silver-gray hue.
- Identification Tip: The bark often looks “shredded” or weathered, reflecting its ability to withstand the harsh lake-effect winds.
3. American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
The “Elephant Tree” of the forest. You can’t miss a Beech; it looks fundamentally different from almost every other tree in the woods.
- What to look for: The bark is famously smooth and light gray, even as the tree reaches a massive size. It stays tight and skin-like throughout its entire life.
- Identification Tip: It looks like elephant skin. Sadly, you’ll often see carvings in these trees because the smooth bark makes it a target—but please, leave the bark intact to keep the tree healthy!
4. Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
These trees love the cool, shaded ravines near the water. They provide the deep, dark canopy that makes Michigan forests feel ancient.
- What to look for: The bark is thick and deeply furrowed with wide, flat-topped ridges. It has a dark, purplish-brown to cinnamon-red color.
- Identification Tip: If you break off a small piece of the outer bark, the “fresh” inside often shows bright purple or reddish streaks.
5. Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)
Perhaps the most photogenic tree in the Petoskey area, the Paper Birch was a vital resource for the Odawa people, used for everything from canoes to baskets.
- What to look for: Bright white, smooth bark that peels away in thin, horizontal, papery layers. The underside of the peeled bark is often a soft salmon or tan color.
- Identification Tip: Look for the “lenticels”—small, dark, horizontal lines on the bark that look like little dashes.
6. Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
The tallest tree in Michigan and our official state symbol. These were the “Green Gold” of the 19th-century lumber era.
- What to look for: On mature trees, the bark is very thick and dark gray, broken into deep, rectangular blocks or plates. It feels much “chunkier” than the other trees on this list.
- Identification Tip: Look for the massive scale. If the tree is towering 100 feet above the others and has deeply craggy, dark bark, it’s likely a White Pine.
Trail Pro-Tip: The next time you’re driving M-119, pull over at a trailhead and see if you can find all six. Identifying trees by bark is a great way to stay connected to the landscape, even when the branches are bare!
