Shore-to-Shore

April 15, 2016

Hikes and Horses Up North

Developed by trail riders in the early ‘60s with the help of Michigan Sen. William Milliken, the subdued Michigan Trail (officially established in 1962) is perfect for those who want to see both northern Michigan legendary shorelines. Just make sure you’re traveling by foot or by hoof, though, because this is one trail that’s not open to cyclists.

TWO HUNDRED MILES

Beginning (or ending) in Empire at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the 220-mile trail — the longest continuous trail in the Lower Peninsula — then travels past Lake Dubonnet, Muncie Lakes and the Sand Lakes Quiet Area, heading north of Kalkaska and passing through Kirtland warbler habitat near Grayling. Separate spurs for the truly ambitious allow hikers to trek south to Cadillac or north to meet up with Lake Michigan again near Mackinaw City; the legendary North Country Trail even joins up with the Shore-to-Shore for a brief time. The topography of the trail’s western side slowly transitions to the hills of the state’s middle and then gets sandier as you reach the eastern regions.

NATURE TREK

Walkers, hikers and horseback riders will find the trail well marked, as it follows a combination of back roads and river valleys, trails and unique pathways, eventually ending on the opposite side of the state at Lake Huron, near Oscoda. You’ll definitely get a peek into town life, but this is a slice of the region that, for the most part, steers clear of northern Michigan’s best-known tourist destinations, focusing mostly on countryside, woods and other scenery.

Stands of hardwood trees and conifers, forested areas, rivers, lakes, fields, and even a waterfall, are all part of the trek, as are a wide variety of animals, birds and insects, with trail campgrounds (some fee-based, most with pit toilets/pump water wells) along the way at 20–25 mile intervals and occasional boardwalks for even more nature viewing. The trail has been greatly improved over the years by a group of horseback enthusiasts called the Michigan Trail Riders Association (mtra.org) who participate in work bees several times each year, with members donating time, gear and effort to keep the routes in good condition.

BUCKET LIST DESTINATION

“We maintain the trails with the help of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Forest Service,” explained Jan Wolfin, MTRA secretary.

The organization offers camp guides online and paper maps for purchase, as well as hosting horseback rides. It takes about 10 days to travel the entire length of the Shoreto-Shore trail if you ride every day. Another good resource for planning a trip on the trail is the Outdoor Michigan website (outdoormichigan.org/feature/5714), which offers a Google map of the trail and its spurs.

“People travel from all over the U.S. and even Western Europe to travel this trail,” Wolfin said. “It’s actually on the bucket list for a lot of folks.”