Trail Overview
North Manistee River Road is a scenic 7.1-mile double-lane unpaved road traversing the Grayling/Gaylord Forest Management Unit in Northern Michigan. Surrounded by a dense forest of pines and hardwoods, the route offers a flat and straightforward drive with less than 60 feet of total elevation gain, making it highly accessible and scenic.
The road surface consists of dirt, gravel, and sand, which remains mostly solid with occasional soft sandy spots. It is wide enough in most sections to accommodate passing vehicles and features a very gentle grade. This route can be driven in either direction, integrates with multiple surrounding trail networks, and can be ended near Geronimo's.
Access Description
The route is located within State Forest land managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Street-legal vehicles do not require special permits to drive the road. Non-street-legal off-road vehicles (ORVs) must have a valid Michigan ORV license and trail permit to operate on designated forest roads.
The road is not plowed or maintained during the winter months, when it frequently becomes part of the regional snowmobile trail network and is impassable for standard wheeled vehicles. Dispersed camping on adjacent state forest land is permitted free of charge but requires a completed state forest trail camp registration card posted at the site.
