The Hadley Hills are a rugged glacial

moraine A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...

located in

The Thumb The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. The Thumb area is generally considered to be in the Central Michigan region, east of the Tri-Cities and north of M ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

, that extend from northern

Oakland County Oakland County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Metro Detroit, metropolitan Detroit area, located northwest of the city. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 Census, its population was 1, ...

and into southern

Lapeer County Lapeer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 88,619. The county seat is Lapeer. The county was created on September 18, 1822, and was fully organized on February 2, 1835. The name ...

. The Hadley Hills surround the village of Hadley; The highest points and most prominent outcroppings are: Pinnacle Point at , Kerr (Cemetery) Hill at , both located in Hadley Township; Mt. Christie at , in Metamora Township; and a point near Mayville reaching up to above sea level. Located predominately in Hadley Township in Lapeer County, the Hadley Hills are actually an extension of a much larger collection of hills which are attributed to other geologically related moraines that run in a southwesterly direction from northern Lapeer County and stretch as far south as northern

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

and

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

. The southern portion of this moraine system is known collectively as the

Irish Hills Irish Hills is an area of land located roughly in southeastern Jackson County and northwest Lenawee County in Southeast Michigan. It was named after the numerous Irish immigrants who settled there from 1830 until 1850. Today it is known thro ...

. This glacial ridge and plateau system creates some of the highest points in southern lower Michigan, is dotted by numerous lakes, and provides the

Detroit Metropolitan Area The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is a major metropolitan area in the U.S. State of Michigan, consisting of the city of Detroit and its surrounding area. There are varied definitions of the area, including the ...

with many of its recreational areas, parks, ski resorts, and beaches, including the

Ortonville Recreation Area Ortonville State Recreation Area is a recreation area, located in Brandon Township, Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County and Hadley Township, Lapeer County, Michigan, Lapeer County, Michigan. Facilities * Beach House * Boat Launch * Campgroun ...

, Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area, the Holly State Recreation Area, as well as the Mt. Holly and

Pine Knob A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...

ski areas. The Hadley Hills were created in a slightly different geologic process from the rest of the moraines in this system. The Hadley Hills are a

veiki moraine A Veiki moraine (Swedish: Veikimorän) is a type of moraine found in northern Sweden, Troms og Finnmark in Norway, and parts of Canada. This moraine is characterized by forming a hummocky landscape of irregular moraine plateaus with elevated rim ...

, which is produced by the melting of leftover (or "dead") glacial ice, which created a plateau of glacial debris, instead of the typical glacial ridges associated with the rest of the system which were produced by the advancement and retreat of the glaciers. This accounts for the numerous basin lakes, sinkholes, and the unusual shape and rugged terrain associated with these hills. The hills provide habitat for wildlife, and are popular with hunters and fishermen. There is also a network of trails used by hiker, snowmobilers and for horseback riding."HORSIN' AROUND: Equestrian work bee seeks participants to clean, improve area"
. ''Oakland Press News''. By SHARON GREENE

References

External links

*http://itouchmap.com/?d=627586&s=MI&f=range *http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=481&type=SPRK *http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=472&type=SPRK {{coord, 42, 54, 11.4, N, 83, 25, 30.6, W, type:mountain_region:US-OH, display=title Landforms of Oakland County, Michigan Moraines of the United States Landforms of Lapeer County, Michigan