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Grayling Visitors BureauLodging and Local Attractions |
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The Grayling area is a sanctuary for those who seek the great outdoors; a paradise for all who long to refresh their spirit. Silent sports enthusiasts love the opportunities the area offers for canoeing and kayaking, fishing, hiking, biking , birdwatching and Mother Nature's bounty. Families enjoy the activities offered at Hartwick Pines State Park, the Grayling Fish Hatchery and numerous area playgrounds. Historical buffs visit Wellington Farm Park USA and the Crawford County and Lovells Historical Museums. Cold weather enthusiasts crave the snowmobiling, cross country and downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing and snowshoeing that have made Crawford County so popular. With the abundant public and forest land also come many state parks, state and private campgrounds. Grayling's Uptown District offers unique shopping opportunities and numerous original restaurants and bars are located throughout the county.
AuSable River:
The headwaters and mainstream of the AuSable River flow within easy driving
distance of Grayling. For that matter the mainstream itself flows through the
city although to see the most scenic aspects it is advisable to obtain a county
map and cross it further downstream. Perhaps the best way to see the true
wilderness is to use a canoe and paddle silently down the stream.
Manistee River:
Although not as well-known as the AuSable River, the Manistee River is a hidden
jewel. Much of its length is less populated by humans than the AuSable. It is
ideal for wildlife watching and scenic photography. Here again a canoe is the
best way to obtain the wilderness experience although scenic wonders can be had
at any woodland area bridge that spans the river.
Crawford County with its famous rivers, the AuSable and Manistee, flowing only a few miles apart were found by 18th and 19th century French trappers and Indians to be an ideal location to ship furs and trade goods.
At one time Grayling was actually called AuSable as well as Forest and Crawford Station. Another name made popular in the lumbering era was Milltown.
Michael Sloat Hartwick was the first settler of Grayling. He built a log hotel on the west side of the tracks. The railroad platted out 40 acres where Grayling now stands and named it Crawford. Fish swimming in the river were identified by an expert in Washington D.C. as Grayling and residents liked that name better than Crawford so they renamed the town after the fish. It was the lumber era that placed Grayling on the map as the river access for floating logs made it the center of logging activity.
The railroads also served to make Grayling a hub of activity. By the 1920's lumbering faded but recreation soon served to take up much of the slack.
The completion of I-75 served to open a wide new potential for industry. The retail sector blossomed as a regional shopping center and tourist and vacation traffic boomed.
Located in the restored railroad depot in downtown Grayling the museum offers a trip to the 19th and 20th centuries. It is a nostalgic jaunt through the lumbering era when Grayling was a leading participant. The depot was scheduled to be demolished but a community effort saved it.
The grounds also include a railroad caboose, a military building dedicated to local ex-military personnel and to Camp Grayling, a trapper's cabin, and an old fashioned firefighting station.
Wellington Farm Park is a 60-acre, non-profit living history museum, dedicated to preserving and interpreting farm life the way it was during the Great Depression. Many farming activities are conducted daily, making use of vintage equipment, tools, and practices.
The park has many unique buildings including a sawmill, blacksmith shop, gristmill, summer kitchen, farm market, and pavilion. In addition there is a nature trail just waiting to be explored. A farm market at Wellington is open seven days a week offering fresh vegetables, fruits, maple syrup, homemade soups, bird seed, animal feeds and gourds.
Several events are hosted throughout the summer and fall, including the "Walk Through History" and "Flat Belt" festivals, a reenactment from the French and Indian War, "Pumpkinfest" and Halloween Hayrides, and numerous weekend activities.
Wellington's annual tractor and engine show is held in late summer. Celebrate the harvest season with the area farmers. Tractors, engines, thrashers, sawmill, gristmill, blacksmith - are all in full operation.
The farm is located on Four Mile Road West of I-75.
Camp Grayling is the largest National Guard training facility in the U.S., due to its many ranges and ample maneuver areas. It was founded in 1913 on an initial grant of land from Grayling lumber baron Rasmus Hanson to the State of Michigan for military training, and now spans 147,000 acres in Crawford, Kalkaska and Otsego counties. Much of that acreage is accessible to the public for hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and other recreational uses when military training is not taking place.
Each year, Camp Grayling typically schedules training for over 20,000 military personnel from National Guard units in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio, as well as regular Army and Reserve units. The installation provides over 200 full-time jobs to local residents, making Camp Grayling one of the largest employers in Crawford County. Camp activities generate over $20 million annually in local economic impact. The federal dollars that pay employee salaries are often used to pay local taxes and to support schools, hospitals, churches and local businesses, a partnership that has proven itself over generations.
Camp Grayling has over 600 soldiers in traditional Army National Guard units assigned at the Camp. Maintaining this level of membership requires individual dedication and commitment in sparsely-populated northern lower Michigan. Michigan Guard units, also in their domestic mission, often volunteer their skills, labor and equipment in community relations projects for local units of government or authorized community agencies.
A central attraction of Camp Grayling is beautiful Lake Margrethe, named after the wife of Rasmus Hanson. A favorite fishing and recreation lake for soldiers in their off-duty hours, the lake sees much enjoyment by area residents and by campers in the state forest campground located at the lake's northwest corner. Overall, Camp Grayling is a gem secluded within the center of the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Its mission for the last 90 years, has been to train soldiers for combat, but the camp and its natural environment have brought enjoyment to several generations of visitors, both military and civilian.
Camp Grayling Community Relations Office (989)344-6104
The Michigan Museum of Military Transport Foundation, Inc. is an idependent, non-profit, educational organization established for the purpose of showing the general public the significance of military vehicles in the history of the 20th century. The MMMT is currently a traveling museum and appears at various events around the state. They are in the process of fundraising for a permanent home in Grayling."
Planted in 1888, it may be the oldest documented tree plantation in North America. A short nature trail wends it way through the plantation. It is located within the city limits of Grayling. Head east on M-72 to Industrial Park Road and turn right. The parking lot can be seen on the left just a few hundred yards from the turn. The plantation is handicapped accessible and offers a self guided tour.
Beal Plantation was planted in 1888 under the leadership of Michigan State University. The purpose of the planting was to determine and demonstrate how well various trees and shrubs could be established and grown on dry, sandy soil. It was a recognition of how to recover from exploitive lumbering and manage forest resources intelligently.
Over 100,000 young Michigan men worked in Michigan forests during the Great Depression and lived in barracks in many parts of the state. A museum commemorating their achievements can be visited at North Higgins Lake State Park.
Hartwick Pines State Park near Grayling boasts an "Old Growth" forest with trees more than 150 feet tall and over 150 years old. The Red and White Pines and Hemlock Trees are home to a variety of wildlife.
Hartwick Pines Logging Museum:
Return to the state's 19th-century logging era, when thousands of men cut
millions of board feet of lumber, and Michigan led the nation in sawed lumber
production.
Berry and Mushroom Picking:
Wild berry picking is a treat for many outdoor enthusiasts and the countryside
around Grayling offers prime territory. Blueberries (huckleberries) red
raspberries, juneberries, strawberries, and blackberries are all available
during the summer months. Look for blueberries under low Jackpines in sandy
soil. Blackberries and raspberries can often be found along forest trail
roads
Morel Mushrooms:
Morels are a treat for many as they are abundant during the spring in the
county forests. Other mushrooms are also available during the summer but none
are as distinctive as the morel. A word of caution here is worthwhile. Not all
varieties are edible and some people are allergic to them.
Petoskey Stones:
The state stone of Michigan, the octagonal coral colony can be found in many
locations in the county. Look along gravel roadsides, on beaches, and in gravel
pits. Hunting for them after a rain tends to be the most profitable time as the
pattern shows up much more brightly.
Playgrounds:
Playgrounds are available at the following locations in Crawford County:
Shopping:
Specialty stores offer expertise in all areas of outdoor pursuits. In the
uptown district, a unique collection of retails shops offer antiques,
arts-n-crafts by local artists, bikes, clothing, florists, jewelry, music,
specialty gifts, souvenirs, technology and photography. All the conveniences
are available in the community - an old-fashioned bakery with deli, banks and
credit unions, bars, gas stations, grocery stores, hair salons, laundromats,
pharmacies and a wide selection of restaurants. Grayling also offers The Rialto
Theatre, one of the oldest single-screen theaters in the U.S. consistently run
by the same family.
Night Life:
Numerous restaurants and bars offering casual dining are located in Crawford
County. Some display rustic décor, some offer unique Northern Michigan or
Grayling specialties, while others focus on 50's type dining or on local
celebrities. Live entertainment is available on certain days and it is
recommended to call ahead for details.
Annual AuSable River Festival:
In late July every year one of the north country's outstanding events is
centered in the city of Grayling. The River Festival includes an outstanding
arts and crafts show, huge parade with hundreds of entries, an auto show, a 10k
run, a one mile fun-run/walk, Special Olympics and children's races, the annual
Black Bear Bicycle Race and the world famous Weyerhaeuser AuSable Canoe
Marathon.
Weyerhaeuser AuSable
River Canoe Marathon:
It is the middle jewel of the prestigious Triple Crown of Canoe Racing.
Considered to be one of America's most extreme endurance events the two- person
teams must paddle, non-stop, 120 miles. The race begins at dusk in Grayling
and after over 50,000 paddle strokes the contestants arrive at the finish line
in Oscoda. The paddlers not only must travel in darkness but often in inclement
weather and through swamplands that create artificial side streams. They must
portage around six hydroelectric dams while battling mental and physical torture
with up to 19 hours of paddling. The race is held annually on the last full
weekend in July. The marathon is also considered to be one of the world's
toughest spectator sports, with thousands of fans also battling fatigue to
follow their favorite paddlers throughout the night, to greet them with shouts
of acclaim in Oscoda the following day.
Hanson Hills
Events:
Several annual events such as the Michigan Cup Cross Country Ski Marathon, Michigan Traditional Bowhunters Jamboree and National Trails Day bike and running races, attract serious competitors from throughout
the state.
Hartwick Pines State Park Events:
This state park offers numerous events throughout the year. Annually, their
Black Iron Days, with the largest gathering of working blacksmiths in the state,
Woodshaving Days and various seminars and workshops, attract thousands of
visitors.
Uptown Activities:
Grayling's uptown district with unique shopping opportunities, proudly offer the
annual "Christmas Walk". During this four hour evening event, local stores
offer special sales and treats and local organizations present caroling,
historical information and various Christmas attractions.
Wellington Farm
Park Events:
A French and Indian War Reenactment, Flat Belt Festival and Saturday special
events are becoming more popular and drawing attention from historical
enthusiasts nationwide.