Jo-Ann Boepple: Your directions to purgatory

Published 2:52 pm Thursday, October 20, 2011

Sinning may be one way to get to purgatory, but going by car may be a much easier way.  The promise was made last week to get you there without too much trouble. So here are my directions.
First you need to go on U.S. Highway 12 east to M40 and turn left.  At Shavehead Lake Street turn right. Shavehead Lake Road becomes Millers Mill Road. Turn left on to Purgatory Road.  The road is unpaved and there are places on both sides of the road to pull off and park. You will find walking trails that lead into the woods.  Be sure to wear your walking shoes and try not to get lost. Don’t venture there during hunting season — you might be mistaken for a deer.
It should take you about 30 minutes to get there. You can drive through purgatory but don’t expect to see much but the beautiful forest.
For your return trip try going farther north and you can find the Corey Lake Orchard. Continue north on Purgatory Road and take the first left on Preston Road. Take the first right onto Beers Road. Next take the first right onto Harder Road. Turn left onto Young’s Prairie Road. Now turn right when you get to M-60 and a short distance to Arthur L. Jones Road and turn left. Then take the first left on Corey Lake Road.  In about 0.5 miles you will see the Corey Lake Orchards and farm market on the left.
The market is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and to celebrate its 50-year anniversary it is selling red delicious apples for $5 a bushel. It has other goodies for sale besides apples and it closes for the season in mid November, so you need to get there quick.
Now that you have your trunk full you may need to find your way home.
Go back to Arthur Jones Road and take the first right onto M-60.  Turn left when you get to Calvin Center Road. Turn right on Brownsville Street and left onto M-62 and you will be right back to Edwardsburg.
Plan on spending a couple of hours on this little mini-trip but enjoy the view along the way. Winter might be a beautiful time to take this route when the first snow comes.
Now you can say you to have almost been to hell and back.
Hopefully next year someone will map out a color tour for Edwardsburg. There are just as many beautiful roadsides around the Edwardsburg area.