One of our hands-down favorite places to hike. There's tons of hike-in camping spots along the…read more11-mile hiking trail, which largely follows the shoreline of the Manistee River with a few inland jaunts on a few of the oxbows. Despite being fairly well known, it's pretty pristine and doesn't feel overly busy but it's also never completely vacant. The river views are lovely, there's plenty of wildlife (great fishing & birdwatching), and there's a cliff swing over the water (huge adrenaline rush for this 43-year-old) on an off-shoot path just past the suspension bridge and a waterfall at mile 3.5 if you're coming from the north. You can return on the main path or on the other side of the river on a section of the North Country Trail.

What a great hiking trail! Parking wasn't bad at Red River Bridge Access…read moreOnce on the trail it is well marked. Campsites were clean and it looks like the hikers who enjoy the trail take good care of it. I didn't see one bit of trash the whole day. It was pretty busy, with folks heading both directions, everyone was very friendly and they all seemed to be enjoying the day! The views are beautiful. Absolutely the best hiking we have done in the lower peninsula. We will absolutely be back!

Not a bad fly shop. Never actually been to the lodge part. Small selection of flies but they know…read morewhat's hitting. A large selection of clothing and gear. Clothing is dominated by Patagonia brand.

Rudest, unfriendly staff. Owner is so arrogant. Laughed at our lack of fly fishing knowledge. Stay…read moreaway, go down the street

Crystal Lake is an all-sports spring-fed lake in the Township of Crystal, Michigan, near Carson…read moreCity. It is 724 acres in size and 70 feet deep at the deepest point. It is approximately eight miles around by walking or driving. Our daughter-in-law's parents have invited us often to join them at their cottage on Crystal Lake. It is great for boating, kayaking, water skiing, jet skiing, swimming, fishing, and more. Sometimes it gets almost too busy but early mornings are always calm and the best time to sit out and enjoy a cup of coffee. Over the years we have had fierce debates over whether there are actually fish in the lake but some fish have been pulled out once in a while...sometimes even keepers! It is only about an hour from Lansing and two hours from Detroit; a relatively short drive compared to the similar lakes much farther up north. Now back to my nothing box (google it) to stare at the lake.

North Rivers Lodge has many amenities and would be attractive to a wide variety of customers. If…read moreyour interested in a quiet scenic settling along the Little Manistee River this is the place for you. If you are an aspiring fly fisherman or a professional, this is the place for you. If your just looking to get away and read a book, this is the place for you. And I hear in the winter its a great place for snow-mobilers. The proprietors are wonderful people who do their best to make sure your stay is exactly what your looking for. The accommodations in the cabins are rustic, but not lacking. All the pots, pans, and dishes you could ask for, with full kitchens and baths. Clean sheets and towels on the beds and in the bathrooms. There is a playground with a volleyball net as well. There are also lots of board games in the cabins themselves. At night every cabin has an outside fire pit perfect for a fire. If your into fishing there are many great rivers and lakes up here with world class fishing. I watched Joe, the proprietor fish as he does apparently every night and it was more worthwhile than the hours of videos on youtube i had watched before on how to do it. I came up here with the men in my family to have a relaxing time and we certainly did. We hope to make this a yearly trip, it was truly that great. Good for couples, groups, families, weddings (their was a wedding here while we were here) and individuals.

North Rivers Lodge is an absolutely wonderful place to go! I've stayed there on several occasions…read moretimes with friends. Joe & Lisa have always been extremely helpful and accommodating. The cabin itself was absolutely beautiful. We have stayed in the Grayling and Big Bear. There were several bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, as well as living room area. Dishes, pans, towels, bedding, etc. was provided which was excellent. I would definitely recommend this lodge to anyone looking for a peaceful place to adventure or spend time relaxing in a cabin!

Captain Art is the best!!!!! My girl surprised me with a fishing trip knowing I love to fish. This…read moretrip was almost ruined with a previous guide who did not answer her emails or phone calls or anything. She is one to plan a trip months in advance.... So needed less to say, that other place "Great Lakes guides service" sucks... Wouldn't give them the time of day even if they paid us. Anyway, Captain art was not only lay back and super helpful, but he went above and beyond and took us out on a VERY VERY short notice. His boat is really nice and SUPER clean and also quick! We managed to catch 4 nice sized salmon weighing about 25lbs of edible meat! :-) yum! I want to thank captain art for being so cool and helpful and such a good person over all. Would not even think twice about getting back in his boat! Will be back next year for some more fish! If your looking for a REAL guide and a local that knows his stuff, call up captain art. You will NOT regret it. :-)

Short and sweet version: AWESOME! We went out with Captain Art Sept 7 and had an amazing time! We…read morewent out on Lake Michigan in his gorgeous 30+ft boat called Fish Stix. We caught 4 HUGE salmon and based off the radio chatter, we were the only boat who caught anything that afternoon. He went above and beyond in all respects getting 9 rods setup with a variety of strategies to give us the best chance, he had sun screen for us silly people who forgot it, and a great attitude, very positive, friendly, and knowledgeable. If you are heading out for a trip in the Muskegon area you should look no further. Captain Art will exceed all expectations. Full story: if you really want to understand how awesome Captain Art is, keep reading. I had scheduled a trip for my fiancée's birthday as the surprise main event. I planned the hotel and restaurant around the trip in Muskegon. I had a reservation with Great Lakes Guide Service. They originally had us on Muskegon River, which I found out later was way too early in the year for river fishing... anyway, they were going to call a few days before the trip to confirm. 2 days before the trip, I still hadn't heard anything, so I called them back. They didn't answer, so I left a message. I got an email later saying that the river trip wasn't going to work and asked if we would consider a lake trip. I said sure if we could confirm cost and where we would meet for that trip. I never heard back. So I emailed again, no response. And a third time the day before our scheduled trip (we had already driven 3 hrs for the fishing trip) with still no response. I called 3 times that day and never got an answer. At this point fearing my surprise trip would fall on its face, I called Captain Art. He answered IMMEDIATELY and heard the situation Great Lakes Guide Service had got me into. The day before we wanted to go out Captain Art said he would take us personally in the afternoon. Relief!!! He even left his granddaughter's birthday early to take us out. Unbelievable commitment, customer service, and flexibility. Great Lakes Guide Service also didn't mention to bring a cooler, so Captain Art took his time to fillet the salmon small enough we could take them in Styrofoam ones. He even taught us how to store them. 4 HUGE fish, a wonderful afternoon on a beautiful boat, the only boat catching fish, Captain Art will find you fish . Best charter in the area, hands down.

We rolled into this campground fairly late in the day after an extremely long drive from New York…read more The check in process was super quick and we were able to purchase our Michigan recreation pass. All of the sites are super close together, but well kept and clean. We were in site 380 and were close to the restrooms, but not too close that it was a nuisance. The sunrise on the lake was beautiful. Overall, we had a great single night stay here !

Super bummed. According to the entrance attendant - who is very friendly, by the way - the park is…read morecompletely closed except for those with the boat.

Camped here over the 4th. Bathrooms were ok, a lot of spider webs…read more Rented a pontoon and it barely worked but got charged anyway. Probably not going back here.

Love this campground! The updates that have occurred over this past year have really brightened the…read morecampground up. Having access to 50 amp service is an absolute plus as well as being able to have my dogs there. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. Great camping experience.

Unique experience!…read more If you love off-road riding this is a place you have to give a try. There are rules and permits needed if you bring your own vehicle to ride. We rented so we were able to have that setup and ready for us when we arrived. The dunes are easy to navigate once you are out there. Review the map ahead of time so you are aware of the one way sections. Check out the pictures!

It is breathtaking here. So beautiful. Way too much fun…read more You will need to air down and get into 4L, they provide free air stations on the way out, the line seems long but it goes by fast. Also you will need a 10foot pole attached to the front bumper. They sell them there. I suggest getting the year pass, you will want to come back and play in the sand, trust me. I don't suggest coming here on a busy weekend. The non Jeep people have zero discipline. Almost got hit by a couple of ATV's, why? Because they don't care, unlike us, these Jeeps are our daily drivers. Not rentals. SO just be aware and check alot before you go fast up a hill. The beach is stunning and the water is beautiful. Anyway too much fun!!!

We recently visited The old log resort to tube down the river. I seriously cannot say enough nice…read morethings about this place, Michael/Heather, and their employees. We were greeted with the utmost respect from the second we called, to pulling into the parking lot, getting help onto the river, and getting off. It was one of the prettiest parts of the river that we have seen, very wide open. Pulling into the campground from the river, allowed us to experience their adorable establishment. I truly can't wait to go back and camp next time. I won't say any names but we tried the same experience the day before at a close establishment. It was horrible, a long walk with no help, cash only, and a $80.00 cash deposit. The owner was very disrespectful also.

The Old Log Resort is awesome! Heather & Mike the owners…read moretake such care of you and there place. They have clean showers, clean rooms, an full hook ups. The best part is the location, which is on the Muskegon River. I've been going there for over 6yrs and each time it's consistently the same standards an Fun. Don't past up a opportunity to stay!

This park is very clean, full of friendly staff and a great place to camp and have a fun time at…read morethe Muskegan River. The park is a campground with about 65+ campsites to use at affordable prices. My party used the weekend pass which was 15$ for Friday though Saturday. The first night we set up our site and took a tour of the grounds. The river is just a hop, skip and a jump away and is great for tubing, fishing, swimming and going on a nature walk. Also the park is very acceptable to kids and dogs, you can take your whole family on a bike trail and you can feed the ducks and fish on the grounds too! FUN! The bathrooms are clean... for a campsite. The coolest thing is that they have a replica of the Eiffel Tower in honor of the city it's named after. If you need a place for a fun and clean camping experience, I would highly recommend it.

In prior years, this park operated under far more competent and principled management. The current…read moreleadership demonstrates little integrity, selectively enforcing rules based on which guests are involved, rather than applying standards consistently. The only faintly positive aspect is the continual turnover in management and staff, which at least suggests this leadership group may not be long‑lasting. Operationally, the park has declined to an unacceptable level. Trailers are now positioned so closely together that a single fire could have catastrophic consequences--an obvious and serious safety hazard that responsible management would never allow. Basic maintenance is also being neglected: sites remain unmowed, trash is left scattered throughout the grounds, and during our most recent visit the bathrooms were not stocked with something as fundamental as toilet paper. The park's inclusivity and overall atmosphere fluctuate from season to season, and this year has been particularly poor. Even core amenities are unreliable; toward the end of last season, the tubing bus broke down on multiple occasions, disrupting one of the park's primary activities. Additionally, the decision to prohibit wood vendors from entering the park forces guests either to bring their own firewood from outside or pay an exorbitant price for sawmill scrap--an unnecessary inconvenience created entirely by management. After four years of visiting, this season has been, by a wide margin, the worst experience to date. I intend to update this review once the current leadership inevitably turns over, assuming the next team demonstrates higher standards and a basic commitment to safety, maintenance, and guest experience.