Manistee River Trail Loop

The Manistee River Loop is Michigan backpacking perfection: 20 miles through pine and hardwood forests, following the Manistee River through country that feels like northern wilderness. The loop design means you finish where you started - no shuttle logistics. The river crossings are memorable - in spring you might get wet feet, by summer there are bridges. The campsites along the river are idyllic. This trip introduces boys to northern forest ecology - different trees, different wildlife, different terrain than southern hills. Yes, it's a longer drive, but Michigan's lower peninsula is gorgeous and the trail is expertly maintained. This is the trip that makes boys start looking at maps and dreaming about the Upper Peninsula.