# North Manitou Island



## franklinmanklin (Dec 24, 2008)

I want to take my wife camping here for her birthday. Any suggestions, idears, avoidances, pointers, etc.? Yes, she likes to do these things (I am lucky). We are thinking the end of April-ish. Can I take my recurve to stump shoot? Can we have a fire? Are there canoes available? How is the fishing?


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## meeee (Oct 17, 2010)

franklinmanklin said:


> I want to take my wife camping here for her birthday. Any suggestions, idears, avoidances, pointers, etc.? Yes, she likes to do these things (I am lucky). We are thinking the end of April-ish. Can I take my recurve to stump shoot? Can we have a fire? Are there canoes available? How is the fishing?


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## meeee (Oct 17, 2010)

Fires only in the campground in town no boat rental I've been there a few times its bigger then you think fishing is great smallmouth but its a ways to the lake a water purifier is a must sounds like you need to do more research to see what your realy getting into its a true wilderness
Experience I love it there I know I just rambled pm me with ?s
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## Putman Lake Campground (Oct 4, 2010)

franklinmanklin said:


> I want to take my wife camping here for her birthday. Any suggestions, idears, avoidances, pointers, etc.? Yes, she likes to do these things (I am lucky). We are thinking the end of April-ish. Can I take my recurve to stump shoot? Can we have a fire? Are there canoes available? How is the fishing?


And we even have a place you can shoot your recurve.

www.putmanlake.com
The pettingzoo isn't 100% yet in april, we wait till Mem day to have it complete (cutting hay costs by feeding pasture till then) but we always have some animals here.

Canoes, kayaks, Row boats, etc. Better yet pretty quiet here still that time of year. A hand full of Seasonal campers that time of year so it's not a total ghost town, but then with a mile of roads, etc you can still be nearly 100% isolated if you'd like.

Fishing isn't any better anywhere (for the most part) than Lake County. Steelhead should be in full swing, Suckers moving, Pan fish will be doing well, etc etc.

(Oops I missed that, your looking for Manitobe Island.. sorry... Good luck.. let us know how it went.. I've always wanted to to the islands too.)


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## franklinmanklin (Dec 24, 2008)

Thank you for your help.


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## anon442018 (Jul 12, 2010)

I have been to N. Manitou and S. Manitou, two trips to each island. There is a book called, "Exploring N. Manitou, S. Manitou, High and Garden Island of the Lake Michigan Archipelago" by Robert Ruchhoft. It is a good book and loaded with information, maps and photos of all of the inslands. Depending on how much backpacking you and your wife have done will be a factor. N. Manitou is nice but I think S. Manitou may be more interesting. The buildings on South are nice to see and there is a lighthouse and certain times of the year it is open for tours. From the top the view is remarkable and a great place for photography. I think the U.S. Park Service is a bit a- -l concerning their management of the islands but we won't go there. Boat service starts sometime in May from Leland by Manitou Island Transit. You should have good map and compass skills when traveling on North. South Manitou is smaller and the west side is a nice place to visit and see the perched dunes. If you do some searches on the internet you should be able to come up with some nice images of both islands. hope this helps.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

I would wait and go when the weather is more stable...anytime until mid-summer, if the weather isn't good, the boat doesn't go...which could leave you stuck. You need to be prepared.


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## anon442018 (Jul 12, 2010)

You may wish to check with the US Park Service at Sleeping Bear Dunes about rules for camping on the island(s). There is a village campground near the boat dock on N. Manitou and three campgrounds on S. Manitou. Most of those going to N. Manitou are a bit more serious campers than those who go to S. Manitou. There are some very specific rules and regs when camping on those islands. Good Luck with the plans.


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## meeee (Oct 17, 2010)

Very few rules on north pretty much no fires and not right on the water that campground is the only place you can have a fire in the community fire ring there is a huge difference between n and s as far as a wilderness experience on south you can only camp in the campgrounds north is so much bigger then you think. I would go tomorrow if I could!!!!
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