Three days. Miles of trail. Kayaking. Campfires. New friendships. A little rain. Live music. And finally, a beautiful paddle down the Boardman River.
Our Fife Lake NCT Hiking & Kayaking Adventure took us through some of Northern Michigan’s beautiful forests, along the North Country Trail, beside the Manistee River, and eventually onto the fast-moving waters of
DAY 1 — AUGUST 28, 2026 | INTO THE NORTH COUNTRY π²π₯Ύ
The adventure begins!
Once our cars were packed, we headed north on US-131 toward Old 131 Campground, where we met up with our friend Elizabeth and the rest of the West Michigan Kayaking Club crew before hitting the North Country Trail and heading toward Spring Lake State Forest Campground.
About 11 miles of winding trail lay ahead of us.
We hiked through beautiful Northern Michigan forests, following the Manistee River for several miles and soaking in the scenery along the way. Around mile six, we caught up with our friend Nicole, who had started ahead of us, and she joined us for the rest of the journey.
By the time we reached Spring Lake, it was time to set up camp, relax, and enjoy the evening. We also met several other club members who had reached camp before us. We were still waiting for others who had started the hike later in the day, and several more members drove in that evening to join the adventure.
Beautiful trails. Great people. New friendships.
And tomorrow… more miles.
DAY 2 — AUGUST 29, 2026 | MILES, MILES & MORE MILES π₯Ύπ²
Early morning. Breakfast. Break down camp. Back to the trail.
We continued the Fife Lake North Country Trail Loop, making our way back toward Old 131 Campground, where our journey began.
This section of trail was a little less scenic than the previous day, but that didn’t slow us down. There was plenty of elevation, a small marsh, and a whole lot of miles ahead.
Our group maintained an impressive 3½-mile-per-hour pace as we worked our way toward the finish.
We stopped for a lunch break and discovered several wild apple trees along the way. Of course, we had to pick a few and try them. They were quite sour, but still good enough to eat!
Along the trail, we also saw lots of wildflowers, deer, and several beaver dams.
Once off the trail, we headed to Manton for the evening.
And that’s where the adventure shifted from hiking to hanging around the campfire.
We cooked dinner, shared stories, and got to know some of the newer members of West Michigan Kayaking Club. Then we discovered there was live music at the campground, so naturally… we had to go check it out. πΆπ₯
We stayed at Manton Trails Campground, and if you’re ever in the area, we highly recommend checking it out. It’s a very nice campground, the owners are great guys, and they even have live music.
A little rain? Sure.
A couple of leaky tents? Unfortunately.
Did it dampen our spirits?
Not a chance.
Tomorrow, we trade our hiking boots for kayaks.
The Boardman River awaits.
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DAY 3 — AUGUST 30, 2026 | FROM BOOTS TO BOATS π£βοΈπ²
After two days and miles of hiking, it was finally time to hit the water.
We woke up to a little rain, packed up camp, loaded the kayaks, and headed for the Boardman River.
Our plan was roughly 18 miles from Forks Road State Forest Campground to the Shumsky Road Boat Launch.
Forks Road State Forest Campground has a very nice canoe and kayak launch that is easily accessible. There is also a bathroom and plenty of good parking.
The drive to the Shumsky Road Boat Launch is approximately 25 to 27 minutes, making it a convenient option for setting up a shuttle.
And if you have never kayaked the Boardman River, I highly recommend it.
It is absolutely beautiful.
I have to say, the Boardman River is easily in my top three rivers in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
There are also hiking trails in the area that we didn’t have time to explore, but we’ve heard they are very nice and definitely worth checking out.
Recent rain had the river moving fast, and the Boardman was absolutely beautiful.
Clear water. Fast current. Pine forests. Cedar swamps.
And wildlife everywhere.
Along the way, we spotted herons, eagles, and plenty of other wildlife as the river carried us through Northern Michigan.
After two days on foot, the miles went by quickly. We completed our kayaking section in about four hours.
And just like that… three days of adventure came to an end.
Three days of trails, rivers, campfires, rain, laughter, new friendships, and memories.
We’re always a little sad when an adventure ends.
But the next one is already waiting.
Next stop: the Manistee River.
West Michigan Kayaking Club
Wild Rivers. Rugged Trails. Real Adventure.
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Wild Rivers. Rugged Trails. Real Adventure.
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