Manistee Lake Getaways

Manistee County is a place you can go where life is done differently. It is a place where the hustle and bustle is left behind and the warmth of a world class sunset and friendly people welcome you. Manistee's natural four-season fun land has plenty of glistening waterways for boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. With thousands of acres of National Forest and natural beauty, there is hiking, biking, even springtime "mushrooming," championship golf, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, unspoiled beaches plus color tours that will amaze you. Charming villages offer various local festivals throughout the year.

The Huron-Manistee National Forest (964,974 acres) is actually two forests combined for administration purposes. The Cadillac / Manistee Ranger Station encompasses 127,000 acres on the Manistee National Forest. Hundreds of lakes, miles of sparkling waterways, ancient dunes, and abundant wildlife characterize the Cadillac / Manistee Ranger Station. Sprawling from Lake Michigan's beautiful sandy shoreline to areas east of Cadillac, the 536,062-acre Manistee National Forest boasts well-known rivers that include the Manistee, Little Manistee, Pine River, and Big Sable. These rivers and their feeder streams are all notable fisheries. Wild species inhabiting the cold waters include steelhead, salmon, rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout. Warmwater species are present as well. Where the steep banks, sharp bends and wide channels of the dissecting waterways end, the open space unfolds into a mixture of habitats ranging from lakeside wetlands and windswept dunes to the rich hardwood and conifer hillsides. Forested regions of the area, with dense stands of maple, oak, aspen, hemlock, and pine, leave the visitor in awe each season. The cool greens of spring, the lush richness of summer, the kaleidoscope of brilliant fall foliage, and the hush of winter white, all leave a unique remembrance of nature's splendor.

Visitors to the Cadillac / Manistee Ranger Station can enjoy paddling, coldwater fishing, warmwater fishing, camping, backpacking, trail use, sightseeing, nature study, plant identification, picnicking, boating, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and much more. Field guides and binoculars enhance wildlife viewing.