Backroads & Byways of Michigan

by Matt Forster

Overview

The best road guide to the Great Lakes State, completely revised and updated.

From the Chicago and Territorial roads, home of a historic and scenic railroad, to the Lower Peninsula’s Chain of Lakes area, Backroads & Byways of Michigan is the shortest route a visitor can take to knowing the state like a local. This fourth edition offers updated itineraries to scenic and intriguing places, like Michigan’s Wine Country—where you can sample local wines, chocolate truffles, and orchard fruits—and Western Michigan, once a mining area, now a winter-recreation wonderland and home of many spectacular waterfalls.

The Backroads & Byways series provides you with all the crucial information you need to make every moment of your journey count. This guide features maps, photographs, and detailed listings for points of interest on every drive.

Drives include:

History off the Beaten Path

Where Great Lakes Meet

Superior’s Scenic Shoreline

The Grape Coast

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682687079
Publisher:	Countryman Press, The
Publication date:	05/10/2022
Edition description:	Fourth
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	435,266
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Matt Forster is a travel writer and editor. He is the author of Backroads & Byways of Ohio, Explorer’s Guide Colorado, and Backroads & Byways of Colorado. Forster and his family live in Michigan.

Table of Contents

Introduction 11

1 An Adventure through Car Country: Detroit, Dearborn, Redford, Northville, Farmington, Milford, Holly, Oxford & Metamora, Stony Creek, and Rochester 19

2 Blue Water and a Green Thumb: Port Huron, Lexington, Port Austin, and Caseville 45

3 Exploring Mid-Michigan: Frankenmuth. Bay City, Saginaw, Midland, Mount Pleasant, and Owosso 61

4 Forgotten Highways: The River Raisin and the Chicago and Territorial Roads: Monroe & Dundee, Tecumseh, the Irish Hills, Allen, Coldwater, Marshall, Chelsea. Dexter, and Ann Arbor 85

5 The Grape Coast: Michigan's Wine Country: Three Rivers, Kalamazoo, Paw Paw, Coloma, Harbor Country, St. Joseph, South Haven, and Saugatuck 109

6 History off the Beaten Path: Eaton Rapids, Charlotte, Battle Creek, Hickory Corners, Allegan, Fennville, Holland, and Hastings 133

7 Through the Heart of Michigan: Following the Grand River: East Lansing, Lansing (Old Town), Grand Ledge, Lowell, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven 153

8 Hiking, Biking, and Some Unexpected Festivals: Greenville, Cannonsburg, Rockford, Cedar Springs, Big Rapids, Cadillac, Baldwin, White Cloud, and Fremont 171

9 The Cherry Coast: Silver Lake, Ludington, Sleeping Bear Dunes, the Leelanau Peninsula, and Old Mission Point 191

10 The Great Northwest: Elk Rapids, the Chain of Lakes, Charlevoix, Beaver Island, Petoskey, and Bay View 217

11 Mio-Mitten Meandering: Pigeon River Country, Gaylord, Grayling, Higgins Lake, Houghton Lake, and Roscommon 241

12 The Sunrise Coast: Old Lumber Towns and Lazy Rivers: Tawas City, Au Sable & Oscoda, Harrisville. Alpena, Presque isle, Rogers City, and Cheboygan 257

13 Where Great Lakes Meet: The Straits of Mackinac and the St. Mary's River: Mackinaw City, Mackinac Island, Hessel & Cedarville, the Islands of the St. Mary's, and Sault Ste. Marie 275

14 Superior's Scenic Shoreline: Point Iroquois Lighthouse, Whitefish Point, Newberry, Grand Marais, Munising &Au Train, and Marquette 299

15 Waterfalls and Big Snow, Iron and Copper: The Porkies to the Keweenaw Peninsula: Ironwood & Bessemer, the Porcupine Mountains, Houghton-Hancock, Lac La Belle, Copper Harbor, Eagle River, Calumet & Laurium, L'Anse, and Michigamme 325

16 Lakes, Rivers, and Iron Mountains: Iron Mountain, Florence (Wisconsin), Crystal Falls, Iron River, Watersmeet, Lake Gogebic, and Wakefield 353

17 Lake Michigan's Other Coast: Curtis & the Manistique Lakes, Blaney Park, Manistique, and Escanaba 367

Index 381