Southern michigan hiking/off trail camping?

Ken_McCarty

Ken_McCarty

Joined
Aug 30, 2001
Messages
358
I'm at a loss guys, I've been searching for a couple hours now, and I can't seem to find squat about hiking and off trail camping south of traverse city, or west of detroit. Any fellow michigan people out there have any advice? much thanks in advance.
 
Ken_McCarty said:
I'm at a loss guys, I've been searching for a couple hours now, and I can't seem to find squat about hiking and off trail camping south of traverse city, or west of detroit.
Click to expand...
There are plenty of hiking opportunities across the state, but I think to do any backpacking in MI you need to go pretty far north. One place I know of is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which is pretty near Traverse City. There may be a few other isolated backpacking trails scattered through lower Michigan, but I don't know of any other major backpacking destinations.

Some of the best Michigan backpacking, though, can be found in the UP. Porcupine Mountains State Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Ottowa National Forest, etc. are a little further but certainly worth the drive (I used to drive up from Chicago to backpack the UP.)
 
Waterloo State Forest just outside of Ann Arbor is pretty nice spot. I plan on going back there a few times this year.
 
Theres a backpacking trail between two of the metro detroit state parks, Its' like 30 miles IIRC. I'll try to find the book that has it written up. "Hiking Michigan" or some such.
 
Michigan has thousands of acres of state forests and over 10,000 lakes. You don't need to go to the UP. Traverse city is one of the prettiest places on the planet.

The state park system is awesome - and you need to do is find a state forest that is off the beaten path and you can loose yourself out there.

Allegan Forrest - for instance - is MASSIVE and there is no people out there. I grew up on it.

TF
 
Last edited:
Talfuchre said:
The state park system is awesome - and you need to do is find a state forest that is off the beaten path and you can loose yourself out there.
Click to expand...
Could be. I admit I am not that familar with Michgan (except the UP to an extent). ;)

Just how extensive are the state forest in lower MI though? When I think of backpacking, I normally think of areas large enough for at least a couple days of hiking (say... 30-40 miles of trails). To my mind, a patch of woods only a couple miles across does not qualify, even if it is large enough to do some simple backwoods camping. Nothing wrong with that, just not what I think of as backpacking.

Of course, maybe that's what the OP is looking for? :confused:
 
Come on up to da UP ey. You can swing by the Galdstone area and tour BRKT, Rapid Rivewr knifeworks, Hess knives, Northwoods knives, and Marbels.
 
mdauben said:
Could be. I admit I am not that familar with Michgan (except the UP to an extent). ;)

Just how extensive are the state forest in lower MI though? When I think of backpacking, I normally think of areas large enough for at least a couple days of hiking (say... 30-40 miles of trails). To my mind, a patch of woods only a couple miles across does not qualify, even if it is large enough to do some simple backwoods camping. Nothing wrong with that, just not what I think of as backpacking.

Of course, maybe that's what the OP is looking for? :confused:
Click to expand...

The allegan woods are actually pretty large.. my last camping outing was in the allegan state game area's camp ground, which was rinkydink at best. granted it was rustic, and thats what I was looking for, but it's "camp at marked sites only" and the marked sites are stacked on top of each other so close it's not comfortable. Allegan state game area allows off-trail camping during the off season(Which ends in about 2 weeks), but it's also open for hunting, and that makes me a bit nervous. From the sounds of it, I may have to bite the bullet and drive up north.

Thanks for all the replies guys, I always get good advice on these forums:thumbup:
 
The trail system of Pictured Rocks is a GREAT reason to visit the UP.

Jeff
 
Talfuchre said:
Exactly. WHY go to the UP?

I don't get it.

TF
Click to expand...

I agree, you don't need to go to the UP. However, I like to go up there for the better weather in the summer. And the pasties.

Unless your post was meant to dissuade more people from going there. In which case, the UP is a horrible place to go, don't even bother.
 
cmdionne said:
I agree, you don't need to go to the UP. However, I like to go up there for the better weather in the summer. And the pasties.

Unless your post was meant to dissuade more people from going there. In which case, the UP is a horrible place to go, don't even bother.
Click to expand...

Pasties are disgusting and the seashell shack is far overated. Thats my two cents. That salt water taffy and smoked lake trout is good enough to justify the trip though ;)
 
cmdionne said:
I agree, you don't need to go to the UP. However, I like to go up there for the better weather in the summer. And the pasties.

Unless your post was meant to dissuade more people from going there. In which case, the UP is a horrible place to go, don't even bother.
Click to expand...

Pasties are disgusting and the seashell shack is far overated. Then there is the Mystery Spot. I'll look for the mystery spot when trying to give joy to a significant other, but it doesn't have to be in the UP :D Thats my two cents. That salt water taffy and smoked lake trout is good enough to justify the trip up there though ;)
 
Ya ey, stay below the bridge. Nuttin' up her but woodticks and pasties,and trees, and rivers,and lakes. Nuttin up here.
 
pvicenzi said:
Ya ey, stay below the bridge. Nuttin' up her but woodticks and pasties,and trees, and rivers,and lakes. Nuttin up here.
Click to expand...


Holy Wha! If it weren't for us fudge suckers commin' over da bridge every 15th of November you Yoopers would would would go broke.

No more gift shops sellin' two-story outhouses, Moose poop on a pencil, Tahquamenon Falls coffee cups and cedar boxes with 3-D pictures of Native Americans on da tops.

We come up in da fall and show you our new pick-up trucks, quads and snowmobiles just because we know you don't get to see the commercials on TV. What, with three channels and all of dem airing Red Green 24 hours a day. Its what dey call "educational programing" up dere, eh?


:D:p

Kidding of course.

Best regards,
Rupe - The proverbial Troll
(not a forum troll - I'll let pvicenzi explain ;))
 
speaking of northern michigan, I heard something about a 200 mile trail from lake huron to lake michigan.. any experiences with that one?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top