Huron-Manistee National Forest

Huron-Manistee National Forest consists of two separate national forests, including Huron National Forest which is located in east-central Michigan and Manistee National Forest in west-central Michigan. Both forests are located in Lower Peninsula, Michigan. 

To access the forest’s facilities, you can use several different routes including US 10, US 23, US 27, US 31, US 131, MI 20, MI 33, MI 37, MI 46, MI 55, MI 65, and MI 72. Civic and urban areas close to the forests include Cadillac, Manistee, Big Rapids, Muskegon Grayling, and Harrisville. 

The Huron Forest was established in 1909 while Manistee Forest was established in 1938. The two forests were combined in 1945 and are both managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The forest land is comprised of Huron Forest’s 438,584 acres and Manistee Forest’s 540,322 acres totaling just about 978,906 acres of land. 

Some of the distinctive features of the forests include access to Lake Michigan and Lake Huron which includes their excellent beaches. Additionally, you can also get to experience the historic Lumberman's Monument that was created in 1932. 

Besides these attractions, Huron-Manistee National Forest also offers a lot of fun, exciting and relaxing activities for visitors to enjoy including hiking, fishing, boating, camping, swimming, OHV riding, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. 

Some of the amenities that you can find in the forest include picnic sites, visitor center, 20 campgrounds, dispersed camping, trails (330+ miles), group camps, boat launches, and scenic drives. You can bring your tail-wagger into the park as long as you follow the management’s regulations. 

You are mainly expected to maintain immediate control of your dog at all times and ensure that you avoid going into restricted areas of the forest. Additionally, you are supposed to maintain proper pet etiquette and clean up after your dog right away. For this reason, carrying poop bags for your dog is a good idea.