What are /r/CampAndHikeMichigan's favorite Products & Services?

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Hiked the Crooked Lake Trail in Pinckney, MI over the summer. It is a very nice trail. There are other (shorter/longer) trails there as well.

Manistee river loop is 19miles. Park South near the red bridge start on the NCT side. Note there is no water for the first 8.4miles then the rest of the trail has plenty.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/michigan/the-manistee-river-trail

You HAVE to go to Twin Falls Plant Reserve in Munising!! It isn’t overrun with tourists and is the ultimate hidden gem. It’s a very short hike in and out to two separate waterfalls, each of which you can climb down and inside the basins to get under/behind the falls. Way better than Munising Falls where you stand on an observation deck. View comments from the link to get proper directions! :)

This is on my list for 2021, haven't done it yet.

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/michigan/north-country-trail-fife-lake-loop

Have you checked out Bald Mountain yet? Right in your backyard and my favorite place in the area. The south loop is like 4.5 miles with a few cut-through were you could do loops to add a little distance. We went yesterday and it was beautiful, only going to get better in the next couple weeks. The North loops are even better, probably as “technical” as it gets in SE Michigan, and there’s two main loops you can add together for a roughly 7 mile hike (maybe a little less, going off memory). Side note - if you're interested in a bit of morbid history, the North loop contains one of the cabins where Dr. Jack Kevorkian did some of his, uh, work.

I’ve heard that Pinkney near Ann Arbor is awesome but have never been myself.

There are a few beautiful trails around Lumberman's Monument/Huron National Forest. Not sure where in Oakland county you are, but it's about a 2.5 hour drive from northern Oakland County. Call it 3 hours if you're more in the Ferndale/Royal Oak area

Check out this trail on AllTrails. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/michigan/the-manistee-river-trail

I did the loop a couple months ago and there were plenty of spots to camp and it wasn’t too crowded on a Friday-Saturday overnight trip.

Blue Trail Loop had a fair amount of single track (https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/michigan/island-lake-blue-trail-loop). Having said that, I never had an issue sharing the trail and never had a beef with the bikers.

Not camping advice but an awesome short hike — you HAVE to go to Twin Falls Plant Reserve in Munising!! It isn’t overrun with tourists and is the ultimate hidden gem. It’s a very short hike in and out to two separate waterfalls, each of which you can climb down and inside the basins to get under/behind the falls. Way better than Munising Falls where you stand on an observation deck. View comments from the link to get proper directions! :)

I just found this app but really like it. You can track a variety of activities practically where ever you go- just hit ‘start’ and then ‘stop’. I was impressed at how well it worked with little to no service and how little battery is used. You can track your own path or download or reference someone else’s, upload your own photos, and create graphics that display your data.

My hike pictured in original post is of my hike last week to Spray Falls in the UP.

AllTrails App

Picture is public domain and is titled "Allagash under the stars"

https://unsplash.com/photos/XNDRevkpoZg

OP, Did you take this pic? Was it taken in Michigan?

I personally use this Garcia model bear canister, mostly because it’s more affordable than the Bearicade (albeit heavier), but still an approved canister for some places in the U.S. where the BearVault is not. (A few years back there was a bear in upstate NY who figured out how the hack into the BearVault canisters.)

It’s not as light as my dyneema bear bagging kit (obviously), but I love it for when I’m hiking in bear country in a place without lockers or poles. I usually use it for a seat when I take my snack breaks.

If your looking for a more general purpose, leather, outdoors boot I recommend Chippewa Apache 6" boot with the lugged sole. They are a nice, rugged leather boot you dont have to be afraid of getting dirty. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TK2XHK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_RY42DNVBKWH45DH5TP36

I've had mine 7 years and they look better now than when they were new. The best footwear I have ever worn.

They arent as lightweight. If you're serious about throughiking it's probably not for you. They are quite water resistant. You can stand in water for a bit without and getting in. I think most would advise against true waterproof though. Feet get really sweaty.

I can't speak to making it ultralight by any means but I can tell you what I'm using this summer.

• Hammock: ~$30 from https://www.rivercountryproducts.com/product/hammock-tent/
• Underquilt: Hammock Gear Incubator 20degree ~$180
• Topquilt: Generic brand down blanket from Amazon: $69 https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08959RBWK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
• Tarp: Hammock Gear The Quest

I don't have a total weight for this config but it is easily carried in my pack.

LifeStraw Universal Water Filter Bottle Adapter Kit Fits Select Bottles from Hydroflask, Camelbak, Kleen Kanteen, Nalgene and More https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074WJDZYK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EucLFbKFW56N3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This might do the trick

I just got back from a trip to the porcupine mountains.

This is a great tent, a couple of my friends had this one and they were awesome.

Camp Chairs are a great for sitting around at night or after a long hike but keeping yourself up off the ground. For 1lb a chair it was worth the weight.

Paddling Michigan (Regional Paddling Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1560448385/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_j7diFbPEBNRVP

If you can get ahold of one of these books. I believe they have maps and info that you are looking for.

A hammock! Amazon sells them cheap though REI has bigger ones for $70. Either way I recommend getting one, excellent to relax or even sleep in.