Going to the Bottom of the Devil’s Soup Bowl: Middleton, Michigan
Need an interesting place to go, not far, not expensive, and MAYBE something you didn’t know existed? Or maybe you did and you never went there… It’s the Devil’s Soup Bowl (and Grave's Hill) in central Michigan, located in Yankee Springs Recreation Park, located approximately halfway between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. What’s a Devil’s Soup Bowl? It’s a “kettle” lake (except there’s no water) that was formed by glaciers up to 13,000 years ago. There are trails that take you all over, and you can hike to the bottom of these “bowls” – approximately 100 feet down...or, you can walk the rim.
Why called a “devil’s” soup bowl? There are other big kettle pits in other states that has the name “devil’s” tacked onto it…but why? I’m only guessing, but maybe it’s the eerie feeling you sometimes get down in the bottom of the ‘bowl’. There are times when it is so still and quiet, it can be unnerving. Other times it’s TOO quiet – with NO sounds of birds chirping even with a forest full of trees…so it can be a rattling experience to some. I’m not saying it’s silent like that all the time, but some people have remarked about the creepy silence.
The trail leading to the ‘bowl’ is enjoyable – it goes through the woods, old farm homesteads, and around a bog. No cars, no bikes, and no off-road vehicles can make it into the bowl thanks to the steep slopes. You’ll have to walk/hike down one hundred feet if you want to experience it.
It’s another hidden Michigan attraction…a ‘roadside’ attraction that may help you have more fun in our state. If you’re up for it, it’s located at 2104 S. Briggs Road, Middleville.
Photos are below!
Devil's Soup Bowl
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