Any good hikes in West Michigan?

Macchina

Macchina

Joined
Apr 7, 2006
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I live in the Grand Rapids area of Michigan's lovely jobless lower peninsula. 2 or 3 times a year, We drive 2.5 hours north to Manistee to hike the excellent Manistee River Trail/North Country Trail. It's a great trail, but it's kinda crowded at times, and a bit far away for the gas prices of today to hike as much as I'd like to. Any Michiganders out there? Any places a to hike/wilderness camp in West Michigan? I'm thinking about wandering about the Huron-Manistee National forest a bit; any good spots?
 
I am in Texas right now but I lived in Kalamazoo for 30 years.

Check out the Kal Haven Trail. That is a pretty fun thing. It runs from Kalamazoo to Lake Michigan using an old train track. This is fairly easy going because of the improved trails - but would be cool for the family.

One of the cool state parks for camping is at the tip of the Kewanaw peninsula. Rustic and very cool.

In fact, you are in one of the best states for state parks and hiking. Start with the state parks and go from there - you really have MILES of great parks and trails at your disposal. A cursory investigation will turn up trips for years.

TF
 
Take the ferry to North Manitou. Try to go during the week as the weekends can get pretty crowded. If you end of making the trip be sure to stay at "cable box" for a night - It's a campsite approx 100 ft. above lake Michigan, one of my all time favorites.
 
I've been to North Manitou for a week long deer hunt. Awesome island indeed! We set up camp on the West side of the lake that is in the center of the island and hiked out each day from there. The coolest part of the island is the north tip where you can overlook lake Michigan from a few hundred feet above the beach. I would have loved to have camped there. Oh yeah, we saw 1 deer, no shots taken.
 
Nordhouse dunes.

Man there is a really cool trail North of Alba. You take E Deadmans Hill Rd. It goes along the Jordan river. It's a sweet little overnight or long day hike. Lots of cool country up by Torch Lake. :thumbup:

Sleeping Bear Dunes is great.
 
BTW, where do you live in G.R. I hail from Cornstalk Park...bout a mile from the Whitecaps stadium.

I hear you on the jobless thing. In between stints out west I was forced to suffer the same fate. Hurts my head to think about it.
 
I live on the west side of Grand Rapids, right near Walker. I work on West River Drive though, about two miles west of the Whitecaps Stadium. Small world!
 
My parents live in the old farmhouse on the corner of West River and Four Mile. Right across from the Legion Hall. :thumbup:
 
I am also in Grand Rapids, SE side. There really doesn't seem to be much in the immediate area, does there?

We have a cottage on Stony Lake, nearby Silver Lake. I just walk in the woods/sort of make my own trail along the dunes.
 
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