Active Trips Up North

If you like to move on vacation, here is where to go. In winter, base yourself in Traverse City for the Vasa Pathway and three ski hills close to town, or around Harbor Springs and Boyne for the big resorts. In summer, the paved rail trails, the Sleeping Bear dunes and the clear, shallow rivers do the work. Around Manistee, our picks are the Big M trails in winter and the Manistee River in summer.

One rule for everything below: snow, grooming, rentals, closures and race dates change. Treat every detail here as what the operator lists, and check their own report or page before you go.

Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing

• Vasa Pathway, Traverse City. Traverse City’s main ski trail, with loops of 3K, 5K, 10K and 25K from one trailhead, so mixed groups can split up and meet back at the car. Snowshoers have their own loops; step over the classic tracks, not on them.
• Hickory Hills, Traverse City. The city’s hill has more than 5 km of hilly trails, a 1 km lighted loop for night skiing and the Lower Peninsula’s only FIS-homologated cross-country course. Neighboring Hickory Meadows adds a flatter 6 km groomed trail for an easy day.
• Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park, Muskegon. More than 15 km of trails listed as groomed, in Muskegon State Park, with three loops lit after sunset. A good pick on the southern shore when the days are short.
• Big M trail system, Manistee National Forest. Our Manistee-area pick for cross-country skiing. See its page for trails and grooming.
• Resort Nordic centers. Crystal Mountain lists 25 km of trails, Boyne Mountain 35 km plus 5 km of snowshoe trails, and The Highlands more than 16 km. The tradeoff is a busier resort setting; the payoff is a full base area and other things to do when your legs are done.
• Caberfae Peaks, Cadillac. About 10 miles of volunteer-groomed loops from the ski area base, and the resort lists no fee to use them.
• Trails along the shore. The Leelanau Trail is groomed between the DeYoung Natural Area and the 4th Street trailhead when conditions allow, and the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail has groomed sections in the national lakeshore. The Betsie Valley Trail is skied but not groomed.
• Ludington State Park. Listed for skiing and snowshoeing. On select winter Saturdays, the lantern-lit snowshoe hikes are free and lend snowshoes, a gentle first try.
• Race it. The North American Vasa takes over the Vasa Pathway each February with classic and freestyle races from 27K down to a 6K untimed tour.

Downhill skiing

• Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls. 65 trails on 415 skiable acres, 10 chairlifts and 500 feet of vertical. Pick it when you want a big resort base and plenty for non-skiers.
• The Highlands, Harbor Springs. 55 runs on 435 acres with 552 feet of vertical. It shares a pass with Boyne Mountain.
• Nub’s Nob, Harbor Springs. A family-owned hill since 1958, with 53 runs on 248 acres and 427 feet of vertical. A ski-first place for people who want laps, not a resort village.
• Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. 59 runs, terrain parks and night skiing, with Nordic, fat-bike and snowshoe trails on the same property. Good for a family where not everyone skis downhill.
• Caberfae Peaks, Cadillac. 27 runs and 5 lifts across three peaks, inland from the lake towns.
• Mt. Holiday and Hickory Hills, Traverse City. Two small local hills: Mt. Holiday is a community nonprofit with a tubing hill, and Hickory Hills has 16 runs and has been city-run since 1952. Ideal for learning, or for a short session between other plans.

Fat-tire biking

• Big M trail system, Manistee National Forest. Our Manistee-area pick for groomed winter riding. See its page for the trails.
• Vasa Pathway singletrack, Traverse City. The 15K Winter Sports Singletrack off Supply Road is groomed for fat bikes by the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association.
• Crystal Mountain. The resort lists 6 miles of groomed winter bike trails and fat-bike rentals, the easiest way to try it without bringing a bike.
• Leelanau Trail. The groomed winter section is open to fat bikes. Flat and paved underneath, it suits a first ride.
• Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. Fat bikes are allowed in winter under specific tire rules, so check the park’s page before you go.
• Race it. The North American Vasa includes fat bike races alongside the ski races.

Road and trail riding

• TART Trails and the Leelanau Trail, Traverse City. The TART runs 10.5 flat, paved miles along the bay through town, and it meets the 17-mile Leelanau Trail to Suttons Bay. Ride one way and treat yourself in Suttons Bay before the trip back.
• Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, Empire to Port Oneida. About 22 mostly paved miles through the national lakeshore. The Glen Arbor to Dune Climb stretch is the gentle one; Empire to the scenic drive has the hills.
• Little Traverse Wheelway, Charlevoix to Harbor Springs. A paved path along Little Traverse Bay, 23.25 miles officially. Check for the posted closure in Petoskey first, and do not detour onto US-31.
• Betsie Valley Trail, Frankfort to Beulah and beyond. Asphalt along Betsie Bay and Crystal Lake, then aggregate past Beulah. Bring wider tires if you are going past the paved end.
• Hart-Montague Trail. 22 miles of rail trail through orchards and farm country between Montague and Hart. A quieter ride on the southern end of the shore.
• White Pine Trail, Cadillac. The northern end of a 92-mile paved rail trail. Ride south as far as you like and turn around.
• Mackinac Island. With no cars on the island, M-185 makes an 8.2-mile, fairly level loop around the shore. Interior routes climb, so save them for when your legs are fresh.
• Mountain biking. Try the Vasa Singletrack in Traverse City, the multi-use Dry Hill Trails at Arcadia Dunes, and the resort bike trails at Crystal Mountain, The Highlands and Boyne Mountain.

Running

• Paved trails for easy miles. The TART, Leelanau Trail, Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail and Little Traverse Wheelway are all open to runners and flat enough for a steady morning run.
• Trails with some climbing. The Dry Hill Trails at Arcadia Dunes draw trail runners, and the Vasa Pathway loops are open to runners outside ski season.
• Bayshore Marathon, Traverse City, Memorial Day weekend. A flat course along East Grand Traverse Bay, with a half marathon and 10K too. Entries are capped and recent years have filled early, so watch for registration.
• Fort2Fort Five Mile Challenge, Mackinac Island, early May. A course the organizer calls challenging, from inside Fort Mackinac past Arch Rock and Fort Holmes. A good excuse for a spring island trip.
• Mackinac Bridge Walk, Labor Day. A walk, not a race, but a round trip is about 10 miles, and the schedule is firm. Know the cutoff times before you start.

Hiking

• Dune Climb, Sleeping Bear Dunes. Short and steep, and you can turn around anywhere. The Dunes Trail to Lake Michigan is about 3.5 miles round trip over loose sand; carry water and allow more time than you think.
• Arcadia Dunes. More than 15 miles of trails, from the accessible Overlook Trail to forest loops, on the Lake Michigan shore.
• Ludington State Park. 21 miles of marked trails, including the 1.8-mile walk to Big Sable Point Lighthouse. The Skyline Trail is closed for work, so check before you plan around it.
• Manistee River Trail. Our Manistee-area pick for a longer hike. See its page for the route.
• Mackinac Island State Park. More than 70 miles of roads and trails on an island without cars, with interpreted trails if you like to learn as you walk.
• Petoskey State Park. A beach day with a climb attached: Old Baldy is the dune trail here.

Paddling

• Platte River, Sleeping Bear Dunes. Clear, shallow and easy, ending at Platte River Point on Lake Michigan. An easy first river for families, but the lot fills on summer days.
• Crystal River, Glen Arbor. A gentle float from Glen Lake toward Lake Michigan. Check the water level sign at the launch.
• Pine River, near Cadillac. Narrow, winding and a moderate challenge, with a Forest Service permit system from mid-May to early September. Plan ahead for summer weekends.
• Pere Marquette River, toward Ludington. A free-flowing National Scenic River with rocks, logs and eddies. A Forest Service watercraft permit is needed at its access sites from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
• Manistee River. A big river for summer canoe trips below Tippy Dam, with Forest Service and state access sites. You need a parking pass at the Forest Service sites.
• Jordan River. A cold, clear, motor-free river for a full-day float through the valley.
• Bear River, Petoskey. A quarter-mile whitewater course right in town for experienced kayakers.
• Hamlin Lake, Ludington State Park. An inland lake with paddlesport rentals listed in the park, for when the big lake is too rough.

Lake Michigan can turn quickly. Wear a life jacket, check the wind and water levels, and choose a river or inland lake on a breezy day.