# In need of a destination



## Angeloboot (Oct 13, 2009)

Have a long weekend off in May, and would like to do some exploring and camping. Looking for recommendations on places I haven't been, or should explore more. I've spent lots of time along the lakeshore from Frankfort north, lots of time around Indian River, some time around Newberry and Tahquamenon. I'll most likely be by myself, have a tent, compass, maps, camera, bourbon, and notebook. Any ideas? Right now I'm thinking Wilderness State Park on the NW tip of the mitten, but am open to ideas. It's been a long time since I've seen any old settler/logging homesteads and whatnot, so places I might bump into those would be appreciated. I've got at least 4 days away from Detroit, and I want to use it wisely! 
Looking to stay away from the RV-type campgrounds (no offense to the RVers!)


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## icefalcon (Jan 30, 2009)

Manistee River Trail near Mesick. 10miles > 10+miles back on w side.
Jordan Valley Trail 10?> in to campground, return trip.
Pigeon River Forest area [Vanderbilt area]..many many miles. Can camp on trail.. Might see elk there too.
Midland to mackinaw trail [Runs from N side of Midland to Mackinaw City] can access lots of places. A one way, not a loop.

There are several good bp trail books around - see your local library.

Skip


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## Putman Lake Campground (Oct 4, 2010)

Angeloboot said:


> Have a long weekend off in May, and would like to do some exploring and camping. Looking for recommendations on places I haven't been, or should explore more. I've spent lots of time along the lakeshore from Frankfort north, lots of time around Indian River, some time around Newberry and Tahquamenon. I'll most likely be by myself, have a tent, compass, maps, camera, bourbon, and notebook. Any ideas? Right now I'm thinking Wilderness State Park on the NW tip of the mitten, but am open to ideas. It's been a long time since I've seen any old settler/logging homesteads and whatnot, so places I might bump into those would be appreciated. I've got at least 4 days away from Detroit, and I want to use it wisely!
> Looking to stay away from the RV-type campgrounds (no offense to the RVers!)


I'm like you, before buying and rebuilding this place. That's whay it still has lots of tree's and space between sites. 

Enough about us.

There's a fed campsite that I know of that requires a boat to get to it.

There's another campground that used to be a ghost town literally on a river up in the NE corner4 of the mitten. I used to do only fed campgrounds that were totally rustic and very unpopular.

There's a place not to far west of hesperia where you can legally camp and have water and hundreds of acres of stomping grounds all around you.

I can give those to you via a PM.

do you prefer river or lake fishing?
do you have a row boat/trolling motor or is a power boat your only option? canoe, kayak? etc?

The UP has a number of just what you are asking for's too.


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## knockoff64 (Oct 14, 2001)

Goose Creek Rustic Campground. http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=726&type=SFCG 

It's very small, less than 50 sites, a few right on the river. It's on the Upper Manistee North of M-72 on Goose Creek Rd. 30 min. West of Grayling. Right in the middle of hundreds of thousands of acres of pulic land.

The remains of Deward (an old logging town) are only a few miles away on the
the Upper Man.. Lots of cool stuff to see around there.

http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/publications/pdfs/wildlife/viewingguide/nlp/58deward/index.htm

Hope this helps!


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## Angeloboot (Oct 13, 2009)

Thanks for the replies so far! Icefalcon--I have the big blue trail maps of MI book, but I like to hear others' input. The book doesn't have an icon for "high likelihood the local high school beer bash will be held here." PLC--PM sent. Knockoff--much appreciation, thanks for the links.


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## icefalcon (Jan 30, 2009)

None of the trails I mentioned are beer trails that I know of.[Never encountered that problem on them].


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## inland44 (Dec 1, 2008)

icefalcon said:


> Manistee River Trail near Mesick. 10miles > 10+miles back on w side.
> Jordan Valley Trail 10?> in to campground, return trip.
> Pigeon River Forest area [Vanderbilt area]..many many miles. Can camp on trail.. Might see elk there too.
> Midland to mackinaw trail [Runs from N side of Midland to Mackinaw City] can access lots of places. A one way, not a loop.
> ...


 
+ 1 for the Manistee River Trail/ North Country Trail. if your looking for a developed campground Seaton Creek near the Hodenpyle dam is a nice campground. It will be mostly fishermen, mt bikers and hikers staging for the trail system. There are TONS of two-tracks and logging roads and in the Manistee National Forest you can pretty much camp where ever you would like. Check out some rules before you go just to be safe.


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

Personally, I am a huge fan of the Dead Stream area up around the NW end of Houghton lake. LOTS of neat crittery stuff going on there in the spring .


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## PerchPatrol (Mar 31, 2006)

Check out the hike-in sites at Porcupine Mountains state park.


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## PiercedOne (Sep 7, 2007)

Dont know if it would be enough time but Ile Royal would be awesome.


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## seizolltor (Apr 12, 2011)

We normally camp ten or fifteen weekends during the season but this year it sure is looking like we will have to be staying nearer to home.
One word GAS.
Still will beat setting home.


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## Ken Martin (Sep 30, 2003)

One of my favorite places in the state is the Jordan River Valley. There is a small rustic campground at Graves Crossing. Trout fishing is awesome. Hint: use anything yellow. An old timer I ran into on my way to the river was watching a guy not catching anything and he told me, "it doesn't matter what... as long as it's yellow." I proceded to catch 4 nice brook trout where this guy had been fishing. 

If you have a passport... I would highly suggest Norfolk County, Ontario. There are thousands of hectares of Crown Land that is largely open and sparcely used. There is a fishing town of Port Rowan, Bird Sudies Canada will probably be banding tweeties on Long Point (which has a campground). There is fishing in Long Point Bay. There is also an 1812 Historic Fort and Mill if you are into that stuff too. Contact http://www.norfolktourism.ca/

Ken


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## Putman Lake Campground (Oct 4, 2010)

seizolltor said:


> We normally camp ten or fifteen weekends during the season but this year it sure is looking like we will have to be staying nearer to home.
> One word GAS.
> Still will beat setting home.


Have you considered taking a seasonal campsite? The savings is simple, park it and drive the econo box instead of toting the camper.

you probably spend between 100 and 200 a trip on fuel along. Likewise by having a seasonal you can cut your fuel bill down to as little as 20 gals a weekend assuming low 20's for fuel economy (Assuming your driving 200 miles each direction to your campsite).

That's why we keep our seasonal prices affordable, so folks can afford it.

Unfortunately not all campgrounds can afford the large wooded sites we have due to space limitations, so it's not easy to find seasonal's that actually appear to be camping rather than RV Parking lots. There are however a few options up this direction that would do that.

Either way, good luck and have fun doing the camping you can do.

(I remember when I had to back off on camping for a year or two....)


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