Smith Rock State Park offers a peaceful natural setting with towering rock formations and quiet trails. Visitors can enjoy nature sounds, river views, and wildlife such as golden eagles and otters.

In today’s Sights and Sounds of Northern Michigan, photojournalist Kaleb Vinton takes us to a calm morning at Clay Cliff’s Nature Area in Big Rapids.

‘The first aspect we should note about Milford Sound,’ shouted our cruise guide over the noise of the humming engine of the boat, ‘is that it is not a Sound. In fact the dozen-plus sounds you may hear ...