The Manistee National Forest is a national forest in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It covers an area of 540,187 acres (2,190 square kilometers). The forest was created in 1938 and joined with the Huron National Forest in 1945 to help manage the forest better, forming the Huron-Manistee National Forests. However, these two forests remain separate units because they are not connected. The area is known for activities such as hiking, fishing, camping, boating, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and hunting. The North Country Trail runs through the forest and connects to the 11-mile Manistee River Trail, creating a 23-mile loop. The highest point in the Lower Peninsula, Briar Hill (1,706 feet), is located in the forest. The Manistee National Forest is not one continuous area but is instead a "mosaic" of land broken up by private property and towns. The main office for the forest is in Cadillac, Michigan.
History
The Manistee National Forest is unique because it was created from lands that were taken due to unpaid taxes and purchased after logging had stopped. Large areas where trees had been cut down were not good for farming, and by the 1930s, many burned forest areas had not grown back into forests.
In the 1920s, reforestation and conservation efforts began in Michigan as part of a larger movement across the United States to protect remaining forests and wildlife. This movement included actions taken by the federal government under President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Manistee National Forest. A major goal was to replant areas where trees had been cut down. This work was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a program started by President Roosevelt to employ young men during the Great Depression and to replant many of Michigan’s barren lands.
Geography
The area is mostly covered by forests that grow on sedimentary rocks. These rocks are covered by a thick layer of glacial material, up to 1,000 feet (300 meters) deep. Features like glacial moraines, outwash plains, deltas, lake deposits, and old shorelines are common in the region. Soils formed from these landscapes are mostly made of sand. Water from underground layers, called aquifers, in the glacial material flows into thousands of miles of cold streams at a steady rate throughout the year.
The forest includes a mix of hardwood trees and pine trees, with red pine (Pinus resinosa) being the most common type. A notable feature of all Michigan National Forests is the presence of large, straight rows of planted red pines. These were planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Today, many of these trees are over 75 feet (23 meters) tall and are a major source of timber for sale. The largest continuous red pine plantation in North America is located in the Manistee National Forest and is called the Kellog Plantation.
In order of land area, the Manistee National Forest spans parts of Lake, Newaygo, Wexford, Manistee, Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Mecosta, and Montcalm counties. Local ranger district offices are located in Baldwin and Manistee.
The Lumberjack 100, a 100-mile ultra-endurance mountain bike race, is held every year within the forest’s boundaries.
Camping is free on National Forest lands if guidelines from the USFS website are followed. However, some rustic campgrounds require a reservation or a camping fee. A permit is needed to cut firewood. These permits are only valid for the Manistee National Forest and do not apply to the Huron National Forest.
Features
The Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness is a special part of the Manistee National Forest. This area covers about 3,450 acres (14 km²) and is located on the east shore of Lake Michigan. It is one of the few places in the United States with a large ecosystem of dunes along a lake shore. Most of the dunes are between 3,500 and 4,000 years old, and some rise about 140 feet (43 m) above the lake. Trees like juniper, jack pine, and hemlock grow among the dunes. Small water holes and marshes are scattered across the area, and dune grass covers many of the dunes. The beach is wide and made of sand.
Briar Hill is the second-highest point in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, standing at 1,706 feet (520 m). It was formed by glaciers and is covered mostly with trees that grew after the glaciers moved away. There are no marked paths to the top, which offers limited views of the surrounding area. The remains of an old steel firetower and a USGS survey marker are still present. The marker incorrectly spells the hill as "Brier Hill."
Caberfae Peaks Ski & Golf Resort is in the Manistee National Forest, within the Caberfae Hills region, which gets heavy snowfall from lake-effect storms. The resort officially opened in January 1938, making it one of the oldest ski resorts in the United States.
Several rivers flow through the forest, including the Manistee, Pere-Marquette, Pine, Muskegon, and Little Manistee rivers. These rivers were important for moving logs to mills during the logging era and are now popular for activities like canoeing, fishing, hunting, and hiking.
One of the many hiking areas includes a 23-mile loop trail, which combines parts of the Manistee River Trail and the North Country Scenic Trail. The trail can be accessed from Red Bridge and Seaton Creek (Manistee River Trail) and from Marilla and Upper River Road Trailheads (North Country Scenic Trail). Many backpackers plan 2–3 days to complete the loop, camping overnight in the backcountry.