The complete and indispensable illustrated guide to long walks, overnight hikes, and wilderness treks in Michigan

Bestselling guidebook for over 40 years! Most comprehensive guide to one of the Midwest’s most beloved national parks Emphasizes hiking and paddling, but also includes camping, fishing, and natural and cultural history Longtime Michigan trail evangelist Jim DuFresne explores the park’s 200 square miles of wilderness and 400 islands by detailing 165 miles of trails, chains of inland lakes to paddle and portage, and miles of rugged coastline to explore by kayak. This guidebook is the recognized "backcountry bible" to the park, providing everything you need to know for an island adventure including details on the park’s history, flora, and fauna; fishing opportunities; complete descriptions of trails and waterways including mileage, difficulty, and amenities; overview of all campgrounds; detailed full-color maps; and full-color photos throughout. However you choose to explore Isle Royale, this guide's for you!

Explore the hills, ridges, sand dunes, and breathtaking views of the Great Lake State, one trail at a time Michigan’s Lower Peninsula offers extremely diverse terrain, from beaches that are home to shipwrecks and lighthouses, streams populated with trout, and wildflower and orchid fields to spaces with unusual geological formations, sand dunes, and steep climbs, and beech forests perfect for birding. Each chapter begins with an overview of each hike—the type of hike, total distance, time, difficulty, highlights, maps, and trailhead GPS coordinates. Readers will learn the best way to access the trail, tips and suggestions, and key features to look out for along the way (scenic views, drinking water, rest stops, waterfalls, and old growth trees). Whether readers are setting out in the Sleeping Bear region to observe shipwrecks, open dunes, and beach walking on the South Manitou Island trail, 50 Hikes in Michigan (with 10 bonus hikes!) is the perfect companion.

In the this completely revised third edition of the classic hiking guide to Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, noted outdoor writer Jim DuFresne leads hikers on sixty hikes through the state’s unequaled system of national and state parks, natural areas, and wilderness tracts, where the scenery and trails are as varied as anywhere in the country. Hikes range from 1.5 miles to 23 miles, from easy day hikes to extended island backpacking adventures. Complementing the trail descriptions are the most accurate and up-to-date maps available. Hikers will learn where to find the best trailside fishing, birding, and wildlife viewing as well as where to go to find fall colors, spring wildflowers, and undisturbed backcountry camping.

Offbeat places await travelers and locals alike in Michigan, such as the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum where young visitors can be wrapped in bubbles, and the Air Zoo of Kalamazoo, which is dedicated to preserving and restoring aircraft of World War II.

Michigan Off the Beaten Path features the things travelers and locals want to see and experience––if only they knew about them. From the best in local dining to quirky cultural tidbits to hidden attractions, unique finds, and unusual locales, Michigan Off the Beaten Path takes the reader down the road less traveled and reveals a side of Michigan that other guidebooks just don't offer.

TRAVEL-DOMESTIC

Jim DuFresne's classic, "Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes", has been out for 37 years in various editions and is the only backcountry guidebook to thenation's first island national park. Whether you choose to paddle or hike, DuFresne's book is the "backpacker's bible" that provides you everything you need to know for an island adventure. The guide features details on the park's flora, fauna, fishing opportunities, and history as well as complete descriptions for trails and waterways, including mileage, difficulty, and amenities at each destination. Accompanying the text in this full-color guidebook are 74 photos and 35 maps of the park's backcountry

Michigan Off the Beaten Path features the things travelers and locals want to see and experience––if only they knew about them. From the best in local dining to quirky cultural tidbits to hidden attractions, unique finds, and unusual locales, Michigan Off the Beaten Path takes the reader down the road less traveled and reveals a side of Michigan that other guidebooks just don't offer.

Discover unexpected pleasures, whether they may be shipwrecks in Lake Michigan, homemade cheese made in a converted gas station, or the Be Good to Your Mother-in-Law Bridge, a favorite with newlyweds and married couples.