Manistee River Trail

I hiked a Section of the North Country trail and then the Manistee River trail this past weekend, it forms a 21 mile loop. We got on the NCT at the Red Bridge trailhead just south of Mesick Michigan. We hiked that up to Hodenpyl dam and crossed the Manistee river on the suspension bridge and hiked south on the Manistee river trail to one of only 2 waterfalls in the lower penisula of Michigan. the waterfall isn't particularly impressive.

So we set up camp, 2 of us in hammocks and the 3rd supposed to be sleeping in a 1 man tent. He sees the hammocks and wants to try one out so he lays down in one and won't get out. Says he could get used to this. Then he asks me why I didn't loan him a hammock instead of the heavy 4 1/2 lb tent. I tell him I tried to talk you into a hammock and you wanted the tent. His response- "well you didn't try very hard". Which isn't true because I did try to convince him to take the hammock instead of the tent.

So thanks to this site I've made a few hammocks and have read a bit about making hammocks. All the ones I've made have been a sewn channel end but I knew how from reading about it to do a whipped end. It wasn't supposed to rain and I wasn't setting up my tarp any way so I took my 5x10 tarp and whipped the ends. Attached some suspension lines and the 3 of us enjoyed hanging bliss. He won't be carrying a tent next time. :D

I've enjoyed that loop myself many times but not since converting to hammock camping. Thanks for jarring my memory, I'll be headed back there very soon. Awesome field expedient use of the tarp. I keep one with me always since it can be used for so many purposes. I'm sure your friend appreciated it too!

Awesome. A convert and an improvised trail hammock. You 'da man, man.

Thanks for sharing...that's a great hike.

I did a portion of the MRT a couple of weekends ago with a 2 hammocking friends. We hiked south from the dam 6-7 miles and then back the next day. I really want to go back on a solo trip and do the whole loop.

Would you suggest starting on the NCT side?

We started on the south end near Red Bridge (there is potable water from a faucet there) and hiked up the NCT side. . You can't see the Manistee river and their is no access to water on that side until you get to Edington creek which is about 2 miles from the Hodenpyl dam. It's not very scenic when compared to the Manistee River trail side. We hiked the NCT side first just to get it out of the way so that we could get over to the other side and take our time. It can be done easily in 2 days. We only hiked about 6 hours one day and 4 the second. Without a pack you could should be able to do it in a day.

My in-laws have a place 14 miles south of there that is about 35 miles via the NCT. I'd really like to start at Red Bridge and hike back to their place.

Terrific! A dual use tarp......

I do a snowshoe backpacking trip there every winter, have not hiked it without snow on the ground. Need to do a fall trip, it is a great trail.

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Originally Posted by Skyline

I do a snowshoe backpacking trip there every winter, have not hiked it without snow on the ground. Need to do a fall trip, it is a great trail.

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I bet its a bit less busy then. :D

Way to improvise! Using your tarp for a hammock. Now that is truly multi-tasking.

Great trip report ... Love this trail ... plan to do this fall for a Michigan hang.. Check out my last trip there ... here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCfpsgRoJZA
thanks for your report .. good memory's .. :D

Great report, trail intervention no better way!
Thanks for sharing!

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Originally Posted by questtrek

Great trip report ... Love this trail ... plan to do this fall for a Michigan hang.. Check out my last trip there ... here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCfpsgRoJZA
thanks for your report .. good memory's .. :D

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Great video!

I'll be watching if you do a Michigan hang up there this fall. I'd love to get in on that. Lots and lots of great trees to choose from!

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Originally Posted by ih8mice

Thanks for sharing...that's a great hike.

I did a portion of the MRT a couple of weekends ago with a 2 hammocking friends. We hiked south from the dam 6-7 miles and then back the next day. I really want to go back on a solo trip and do the whole loop.

Would you suggest starting on the NCT side?

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The 1st hill up on the NCT side is a MONSTER! Best to get it out of the way on the 1st day. Great stealth site, at the north end of the NCT by the power lines, just past the creek. Take a lot of water the 1st day if you do the NCT side 1st no reliable water till the creek (mentioned above). Enjoy!

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Originally Posted by stonehooligan

The 1st hill up on the NCT side is a MONSTER! Best to get it out of the way on the 1st day.

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There were 2 bad hills on the NCT side and it seemed like that side was worse but looking back at the elevation profile in the GPS shows there are more up downs on the MRT side they just aren't as long or big as the NCT side.

If anyone is interested in the GPS data I'll post it.

I'm trying to figure out how to post it at http://backpacker.com but haven't had success yet.

The whole NCT side is up and down. All of those little draws and hollers, winding back and forth though the hills. There were a few bad ones on the MRT side, perhaps it was all the beer we had the night before the 1st day that made that hill seem so bad. ;)