Paulding Light

There is the great mystery of the Paulding Light in the UP.  In the Ottawa National Forest, between Watersmeet and Paulding, MI, there is a viewing spot where a mysterious light appears during the night.  There are many theories and it has been studied by scientists- but there is no explanation for it.  Some claim that it is from cars passing on a distant road, others predict that it is gases collecting, but many believe that it is the ghost of either an old railroad engineer or someone walking their dog who was killed by the old train.  

Thanks to websites, we were able to find the obscure location.  We turned off of the main highway onto a dirt road.  Kicking up dust in the dark night, it was eerie driving to the end of the road.  We knew we were in the correct place when we saw the lineup of cars along the side of the road.  Exiting our car, we walked to a metal barricade where a group of 20-something's sat.  There were approximately 15-20 people milling about all facing a narrow clearing in the woods.  I was unsure how long we would have to wait-- but it did not take long.  Within 5 minutes a glowing light appeared at the top of the hill.  It flickered, would shine brighter and then after about 45 seconds, it faded away.  Sometimes it was a white light, other times red or a faint green.  The light seemed to dance a bit in the opening between the trees.

During the intervals as we waited for the light to appear, the site became a social scene as people would tell tales of their visits to the Paulding Light.  One man had been visiting the site yearly for the past 20+ years.  Another man had brought his wife here on a trip from Chicago 15+ years ago when they were dating and now was bringing his teenage son and friends.  The young adults sitting on the barricade seemed to be regulars and experts on the light.  They said that on nights when the moon is not bright, the Light can illuminate the entire sky. (On our viewing night the moon was close to full.)

We watched the Light appear about six times and then decided not to fight the mosquitos any longer and called it a night.  

Taking a photo of the light was near impossible- especially with a cellphone.  The light was so far away that in a photo simply looked like a speck of light.  The next day, as we drove to Bond Falls, we pulled off to see the viewing site during the day.  

The light appears at the top of the little hill where the dirt road seems to end.

Hoping when we return home we can dig up more information or watch the SyFy program about it. We will definitely return on a future visit!