Bridge MANISTEE RIVER TRAIL & NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL LOOP This weekend-size, 22-mile loop takes you on some of the best terrain in the Lower Peninsula. The trail is part of the North Country Trail (NCT) so it is well marked with signs leading the way. The Route: We started the Manistee River Trail Loop from the southern end at Red Bridge River Access, then crossed the suspension bridge near the Seaton Creek Campground. Since 1970, fish plantings in the Manistee River below Hodenpyl have consisted primarily of brown and rainbow trout yearlings. Among the numerous “eye candy” views you come across hiking the North Country Trail high ridges, one of my favorite vistas is the Red Hill Lookout high above the Manistee River valley. The Manistee River Trail is an 11-mile (18 km) linear hiking trail located in Michigan in Manistee County, along the east bank of the Manistee River between Red Bridge River Access and Seaton Creek Campground.[1]. Two day hike, 21+ miles. by travel and outdoor writer Jim DuFresne! The South Slagle Creek Road trailhead is often used for easier overnight outings and day hikes. Using the Manistee River Trail (MRT) from the Seaton Creek Campground and connecting it with the North Country Trail (NCT) makes a 23 mile loop. 4.0 17.6 mi Starting at the Red Bridge River Access Area just off North Coates Hwy (about 8 miles east of Brethren, Michigan) there is a small parking lot opposite of the trailhead where you can leave your car. MANISTEE RIVER TRAIL – The Manistee River Trail is a 8.8 mile trail that goes the length of the Manistee River from Hodenpyl to Tippy Dam. Red Bridge Access Site also provides overnight parking and is reached by turning west on 30 Mile Road from M-37. Manistee River Trail & Jordan River Pathway, Manistee River Trail & North Country Trail. Manistee River Trail: Suspension bridge - See 4 traveler reviews, 5 candid photos, and great deals for Mesick, MI, at Tripadvisor. As mentioned below, camping at the Red Bridge River campground is on a first-come, first-served basis, but those planning to camp at Seaton Creek can make reservations in advance here. Trail running, hiking, fast packing, and camping along the trail are all great options here. It's about a 3 hour drive from Kalamazoo (160 miles north). The name comes from an old wooden and steel bridge, painted red, that was located at the site. Turn right on O'Rourke Drive for 1.3 miles then right on Forest Road 5993 and follow it a half mile to the campground. Dispose of Waste Properly Manistee River Hiking & Water Trail • North Country Trail West Michigan Trails s Rd s Rd W 26 Rd W 30 Rd W 32 Rd tage Rd Slagel Creek Rd W 30 1/2 Rd W 28 Rd Marilla Rd S Hodenpyl ... and follows the eastern bluff of the river 11-miles to Red Bridge access site and campground. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/michigan/the-manistee-river-trail 8 and No. There are two trailheads for the Manistee River Trail, Seaton Creek Campground and Red Bridge, both offer camping. There is also parking available at Upper River Road Trailhead for hikers. There are six trailheads that provide access to the loop with Seaton Creek Campground serving as the main one. Think superb fresh water fishing for salmon, steelhead, varieties of trout and walleye; access to the Manistee River Trail, a 23 mile loop through thick Michigan forest; and boating of all kinds. The bridge on Coates Highway crossing the Manistee is slated for replacement this coming summer. Google search of this trails returns references to 20 miles trail loop, made up of North Country Trail and Manistee River Trail. The official way back is the North Country Trail, but we took the Upper River Road back instead to avoid the densely wooded forest full of mosquitoes. For more information about the NCT contact the North Country Trail Association (866-445-3628; www.northcountrytrail.org). Rainbow Bend Boat Launch. Water Body: North Country Trail. From Hodenpyl Dam Pond the Manistee River winds south uninhibited and free in the Manistee National Forest for 13 miles before a road crosses it. Ich habe meine Zeit auf diesem Trail zum ersten Mal sehr genossen, nachdem die letzten paar Trails im Westen waren. The best source of information is the Manistee Ranger District of the Manistee Forest (231-723-2211; www.fs.fed.us/r9/hmnf). County - Manistee. Providing trail support on the Manistee River Loop. At 11+ miles along the Manistee River Trail and North Country Trail segment, this is one of the most famous loop trails in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Dispersed campsites along the Manistee River Trail are free while a site at Seaton Creek is $14 a night. There are several access points to the trail, and we started at Red Bridge and hiked north to the trailhead at the Seaton Creek campground. I like hiking at dusk. Backpack the Manistee River Trail. Had to walk along the side of the road for 5-10 min to get from the parking lot to the trail. Manistee River Backwaters Red Bridge River Access Hiking the Trail Float Times Site Hours Hodenpyl Dam to Red Bridge 3.5 Access Sites Plan Ahead and Prepare Bring water or a filtration system with you. At this junction we turned east, hiked to the road bridge over the Manistee River (the Red Bridge Access site we first pulled into) and after crossing the bridge found the beginning of the MRT. A National Forest vehicle permit is not required to park at the trailheads at Red Bridge or South Slagle Creek Road. Ideal für Rucksacktouristen aller Schwierigkeitsgrade, da es viele dynamische Änderungen gibt. We started out from the Red Bridge access mid-afternoon on a Thursday. From this lot there is a trail that heads north and shortly hits the connecting trail between the NCT and the MRT. Gut für das Training, da es viele Höhenunterschiede hat, aber ein sicherer und kurvenreicher Weg ist. Enjoy your view of the Little Mac on the Big Manistee River between Tippy Dam and Hodenpyle Dam. Red Bridge. On the east side of the river lies the Manistee River Trail, on the west side a portion of the North Country Trail. Follow 30 Mile Road for 3 miles, where it curves south (left) and becomes Warfield Road. For beginners, we recommend beginning at the Red Bridge Trailhead and hiking along the North Country Trail … Beginning on or about April 2nd and through August the road will be completely closed while they replace the approximately 200 foot long bridge. The remote trailhead is located in one the most scenic stretches of the Manistee River Trail and is a short walk from backcountry campsites No. Thankfully,… We recommend you begin your adventure at Red Bridge along the southern most point on the Manistee River Trail and tackle the North Country Trail during your first day as this is one of the more challenging segments. Shore To Shore Trail - South Spur. Click here to order a detailed map and a guide to the Manistee River Trail. Found in the Huron-Manistee State Forest the Manistee River Trail is one of Michigan's premier backpacking locations. The NCT and MRT are accessible from both the Red Bridge River parking lot and Seaton Creek campground. A hour later I left the North Country Trail and headed back the way I had come on the Manistee River Trail. Camp on Hardened Ground Campsites must be at least 200 feet from water and 100 feet from roads and trails. Campgrounds - Seaton Creek, Manistee River Primitive Camping - 43 sites - Red Bridge. Manistee River Bridge Boat Launch. Der Manistee River Trail ist einer der Hauptwege in Michigan. We started hiking about 3 PM. A 23-mile (37 km) loop trail can be formed by two connector trails at the southern and northern termini connecting the Manistee River Trail to the North Country National Scenic Trail. The Manistee River Trail is an 11-mile (18 km) linear hiking trail located in Michigan in Manistee County, along the east bank of the Manistee River between Red Bridge River Access and Seaton Creek Campground. There is designated parking for vehicles with boat trailers at Red Bridge. In 1970 and 1976, adult steelhead from the Little Manistee weir were also stocked at Red Bridge. Upper Branch Trailhead; Marilla Trailhead; Trailheads - Seaton Creek, Red Bridge. Red Bridge on the Manistee River will be closed this summer! Red Bridge River Access Site gets it’s name from an old red bridge that used to mark the site. Contact the Manistee County Convention & Visitors Bureau (877-626-4783; www.visitmanistee.com) or the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau (800-872-8377; www.traversecity.com) for lodging and accommodations in the area. The trail is limited to foot traffic only. For those planning to skip the established campg… The Manistee River Trail, together with a portion of the NCT, forms a 20-mile loop of varied hiking. Below is a link to a trail map and my splits. Red Bridge River Access may be down a red bridge but it gets a perfect 10 for activities. 9. I backpacked the Manistee River Trail in May 2019 with my boyfriend. Follow Warfield for 1.5 miles and the turn west (right) on Coates Highway to reach Red Bridge at the Manistee River. We arrived at 3:45 to a crowd of thirty-or-so people, we worried that we came to find solitude on the trail, but only found chaos. In this post, I share some tips about the Manistee River Trail loop that may be helpful for anyone planning to hike the MRT. Manistee River, suspension bridge, waterfall. There is water and bathroom access at the Red Bridge River access parking lot. Diverse vegetation, spring-fed waterfalls, river bluffs, and wetlands. https://www.visitmanisteecounty.com/project/manistee-river-trail CAN'T MISS: The best views are along the NCT between Marilla trailhead and Red Hill. Robinson Backwater Access Boat Launch. The Red Bridge River Access offers 4 sites that are walk in only and allow easy access to the Manistee River. A popular multi-day hiking loop is to combine the 11-mile Manistee River Trail on the east bank from Hodenpyl Dam to Red Bridge with the 8.5-mile segment of the North Country Trail … That said, you should be prepared to be entirely self-sufficient for the duration of your hike as facilities are limited and opportunities to restock on supplies nil (unless leaving the trail on a sizable diversion). This site provides access to the Manistee River Trail. The loop trail can be accessed from the Marilla and Upper Branch Trailheads for the North Country National Scenic Trail and the Red Bridge and Seaton Creek accesses for the Manistee River Trail. To reach South Slagle Creek Road from M-37, turn onto 30 Mile Road and head west for 3 miles. Together those trails can be combined into a 23-mile loop that has become the most popular backpacking trek in the Lower Peninsula. Old US-131 SFCG Boat Launch. A total of 21 miles. The loop trail can be accessed from the Marilla and Upper River Road Trailheads for the North Country National Scenic Trail and the Red Bridge and Seaton Creek accesses for the Manistee River Trail. Location - Manistee River, Manistee River Trail. Hiked the North Country Trail from Red Bridge, connector to the Manistee River Trail and back to Red Bridge. Contact the Manistee County Convention & Visitors Bureau (877-626-4783; ) or the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau (800-872-8377; ) for lodging and accommodations in the area. Unmolested by bridges, cottages and dams, this wild stretch of Michigan's third-longest river appeals not only to paddlers and anglers looking for trophy trout but also to hikers. ... Manistee River Trail. Where the paved road curves south to become Warfield Road, look for a rough two-track that is posted as Slagle Creek Road and follow it 1.2 miles to the small parking area at its west end. At Seaton Creek there is a $6 day fee (paid at a self-registration station). Shore To Shore Trail. The first night, they camped at the Red River Bridge. Follow Warfield for 1.5 miles and the turn west (right) on Coates Highway to reach Red Bridge at the Manistee River. To reach Seaton Creek Campground head north on M-37 for 9 miles from its intersection with M-55 and then turn left on 26 Road for 1.7 miles. The Manistee River Little Mac suspension bridge is a 245 foot long foot traffic bridge that is really something to see on the Manistee River Trail. This page was last edited on 11 January 2021, at 15:40. Red Bridge Boat Launch. A 23-mile loop can be formed with the North Country National Scenic Trail. Rainbow Jim Bridge Boat Launch. Last weekend, we hiked the Manistee River Trail in the Manistee National Forest. Sand Banks Boat Launch. An 18+ mile loop trail is formed with the North Country Trail along the Manistee River's western banks with two entrances. Planning your hike on the Manistee River Loop is fairly straightforward. Follow 30 Mile Road for 3 miles, where it curves south (left) and becomes Warfield Road. ELEVATION: Red Hill tops out at 1,105 feet, and the trail descends to about 700 feet through Flower Flats. Now there is a modern cement structure. The NCT ran along the west side of the Manistee River and the jog north was necessary to reach the suspension bridge and cross over to the more picturesque (I was told) MRT. It was my first time backpacking more than a few miles and overall was a fantastic experience. These sites are very popular and are by reservation only Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. Nearby Recreation Areas - North Country National Scenic Trail. I would highly recommend the Manistee River Trail even if you are looking for is a 2-mile hike as opposed to 20-mile. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}44°21′44″N 85°49′19″W / 44.362109°N 85.822058°W / 44.362109; -85.822058, Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, notability guideline for geographic features, www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/hmnf/recarea/?recid=18710, Manistee River Trail USDA Forest Service Website, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Manistee_River_Trail&oldid=999711456, Protected areas of Manistee County, Michigan, Lower Peninsula, Michigan geography stubs, Articles needing additional references from July 2017, All articles needing additional references, Articles with topics of unclear notability from July 2017, All articles with topics of unclear notability, Geography articles with topics of unclear notability, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. 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