
TRAIL RIDING
Hiking / Biking Trails:
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- Spring Lake Hiking and Camping Trails
- North Country Trail and Fife Lake Loop
- Brown Bridge Nature Loop
- North Country Trail Manistee River Spur
- Brown Bridge Ridge Trail
- North Country Scenic Trail: US 131 State Forest Campground to County Line Road
- Manistee River: Smithville to Manistee River
- North Country National Scenic Trail: Baxter Bridge to High Rollaways
- North Country Scenic Trail: Baxter Bridge to Mesick
To just list a few trails in the area...
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ORV TRAILS
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Taking place twice a year, Free ORV Weekend is a great time to see, experience and test out Michigan’s off-road vehicle trails. Residents and out-of-state visitors legally can ride Michigan's 4,000 miles of off-road vehicle trails and routes and the state’s six scramble areas on two back-to-back days without an ORV license or trail permit.
Free weekends take place June 7-8 and Aug. 16-17, 2025.
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The MCCCT Cross State Connector along with a webbing of local roads and trails are just down along Union Street. Our local trails web for miles running out towards Baxter Bridge, High Roll Aways and of course all along the Manistee River. Crossing the main roads near by you will find the North Missuakee Trail, Kalkaska Route, Grand Traverse Route.
Some sites you can use to look further at the maps:
www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/orv-riding/where
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RIVER RAFTING
River trips are relaxing and always a good day trip for a group or just a small family outing.
Canoes, tubes, kayaks, rafts.
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Chippewa Landing Canoe Livery
10390 Chippewa Landing Trail, Manton MI 49663
(231) 313-0832 or (231)824-3627 Seasonal
Canoe Rentals, Rafting, Kayaking, Tubing.
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Smithville Landing
13177 Old M-66 SW, Fife Lake, MI 49633
(231) 839-4579
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Wilderness Canoe Trips
6052 Riverview Rd, Mesick, MI 49668
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Self Launch Sites:
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Old US 131 State Forest Campground
Baxter Bridge State Forest Campground
Manistee River Roadside Park
Rainbow Jim's Bridge - Coster Road Landing
M66 Manistee River Boat Launch
Dutch John Boat Launch
NEARBY LAKES
HORSEBACK RIDING
Looking for a day riding trails on horseback, here are a few places to check out:
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Ranch Rudolf
6841 Brown Bridge Rd., Traverse City MI 49696
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CJ's Stable
7216 W Walker Rd, Manton, MI 49663
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Cedar Creek Crossings
Kingsley, MI 49649
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Outrider Horseback Riding,
7922 Ole White Dr, Lake Ann, MI 49650
www.outriderhorsebackriding.com
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Valley Creek Farm
17676 Honor Hwy, Interlochen, Michigan 49643
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Blair Acres
5980 North 7 Mile Road Lake City, MI 49651
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Spring Lake, Fife Lake (4.5 miles North)
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Spring Lake, East Bay Township (19.4 miles )
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Fife Lake, Fife Lake (5.9 miles North)
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Headquarters Lake, Fife Lake (5.6 miles NE )
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Pickerel Lake, Fife Lake Township (6.2 miles NE )
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Long Lake, Wexford County ( 15.8 miles S )
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Lake Dayhuff, Meauwataka ( 18 miles SW )
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Lake Mitchell, Cadillac (25 miles S )
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Lake Cadillac, Cadillac (24.8 miles S )
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Lake Missaukee, Lake Township (25 miles S )
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Long Lake, Long Lake Township (32.2 miles NW )
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Lake Sapphire, Lake Township (23 miles SE )
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Crooked Lake, Lake Township (20 miles SE )
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Round Lake, Lake Township (22 miles SE )
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Woodward Lake, Selma Township ( 25 miles SW )
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Arbutus Lake, East Bay Township ( 19 miles NW)
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Rennie Lake, Forest Lakes ( 19.4 miles N )
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Spider Lake, East Bay Township ( 20 miles NW )
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Keith J. Charters Park, Traverse City ( 25.5 miles NW )
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Clinch Park, Traverse City ( 29.4 miles NW )
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Boardman Lake, Traverse City ( 25.2 miles NW )
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............. This is just to list a FEW LAKES nearby to visit during your stay.
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Events, Fairs and Festivals
MAY
Mesick Mushroom Festival, Mesick
May 9th - 11th
JUNE
National Cherry Festival
June 28th - July 5th
JULY
Best 4th in the North, Fife Lake
July 4th - July 6th​​
Cadillac Arts Festival, Cadillac
July 18th - 19th
Manton Truck Show, Manton
July 26th - 27th​​​
AUGUST
Kalkaska County Fair, Kalkaska
July 27th - August 2nd
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Northwestern Michigan Fair, Grawn
August 3rd - 9th
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Northern District Fair, Cadillac
August
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Buckley Old Engine Show, Buckley
August 14th - 17th
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SEPTEMBER
Springfield Township ORV FUN RUN
Last weekend in September
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Manton Harvest Festival, Manton
August 29th -September 1st