High Country Pathway
Lower Peninsula, NE · Michigan DNR (state forest)
An 80-mile backpacking loop through the wildest block of the northern Lower: Pigeon River elk country, sinkhole lakes, and long ridges of hardwood. Camp where you legally can and hang the card; see the elk at dawn and hear them in September. The Lower Peninsula's longest committed walk.
From above. USDA NAIP, public domain.The vibe
Works for hammock, tent. Measured dark skies, a real one for stargazing.
Hanging a hammock?
Depends whose trees they are. The DNR makes the rules, and wilderness areas can have their own take on hammocks, so check before you count on a hang. Wherever you hang: wide tree-friendly straps, no nails or wire, and don't tear the bark. We can't see the trunks from here, so eyeball it on arrival.
The rules
Dispersed camping along the loop under the state-forest rule: free, post a camp registration card (PR4134), 1+ mile from any state forest campground, off posted ground. Pigeon River Country adds its own posted rules inside the block.
Trailheads around Vanderbilt and Atlanta; ~3 hr from Grand Rapids.
Thicket is not the managing agency and not affiliated with it. The vibe read is our estimate from open data (OpenStreetMap, USGS elevation, NASA Black Marble nighttime light); the rules, permits, and access can change. Confirm with the agency before you go, and leave no trace.