The area near the dock is the Village and has the maintenance buildings, ranger facilities, solar power station, washrooms and potable water, numerous old homes, and the campground. As you leave the village, a sign marks the start of the designated wilderness where the wilderness camping regulations take effect. A backcountry permit and fee payment must be completed before camping ($5 per night in 2009.) Camping is prohibited within 300 feet of all water and buildings or on any trail. No fires are allowed in the wilderness area so you must use gas or alcohol stoves. Fires are permitted only in the two community fire rings at the Village Campground, which offers 8 secluded campsites with a maximum of 2 tents per site. The only potable water is available at the ranger station, so treat all other water. Primitive washrooms are available by the potable water and at the campground, as are trash containers so you no longer must carry your trash back on the ferry. The ferry cost $32 roundtrip per person in 2009.
North Manitou Island is nearly 8 miles long and a bit over 4 miles wide and features about 20 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline as its perimeter. The highest point on the island is 1,001 feet above sea level and is located on the northwest section of the island, and that is 421 feet above Lake Michigan. You'll find low, sandy, open dune country on the southeast side and blowout dunes on the southwest the island.
Lake Manitou, the largest of the 2 lakes on North Manitou, is in the north-central portion of the island and is a must-see in my opinion. Numerous nice campsites can be found on the eastern shore, located up on the hillside the required 300 feet from the water. You can access the eastern shore via two marked trails. To the west and northwest of the lake the terrain becomes very rugged bluffs which are steep, and you'll have to bushwack there to find a campsite. Several fishermen said fishing is good and had caught small-mouth bass and perch (a Michigan fishing license is required.) Here's a photo of this most magnificent lake...
The southeast corner of the island (Dimmick's Point) is off limits much of the summer due to nesting Piping Plovers, an endangered bird. I read that some 55 nesting plovers are found on these remote beaches. Numerous other shore birds gather on the beaches including mergansers, golden-eyes, Canada geese, and loons. Beaver, coyotes, white-footed mice, and chipmunks live here, the latter of which are relentless in seeking people-food, so bear-bag even though there are no bears, just to keep the chipmunks out of your food. Raccoons and white-tail deer have been introduced here, but there are no skunks or porcupines. We hiked the beach from the dock to Dimmick Point one day and enjoyed swans and ducks and many coyote tracks, then just before the Plover area, we bushwacked up to the trail to the old Bournique homestead and the old cemetery.
The trail map they hand out (also available online) is quite good, with topo info (100 foot contour), mileage for trail segments, and the location of important sites. All major intersections of trails are well marked as seen below. (Thanks to Ranger Diane Johnson for happening by and taking this group photo for us. From l to r: Ellen, Chuck, Marlene, and Len.)
The island was heavily timbered many decades ago but tall second-growth and thick woods now predominate. Some of the trails are old roadbeds and some footpaths, but the maintained trails are in very good shape and the so-called unmaintained trails are also in pretty good shape. Downed trees can be easily detoured over, under, or around. You'll spend most of your hiking time under a tall canopy of foliage with occasional meadow or former orchard areas giving longer views. The dense forest keeps it dark and cool as you hike and along the Lake Michigan shore you'll have nice cool breezes and long expansive views.
Poison ivy is rife on the island, though the ranger told us the deer eat it like candy, so I guess it could be even more prevalent were it not for them. But beware in the campground and also if you bushwack the backcountry. A sign near the dock identifies the plant to assist you in recognizing and avoiding it.
Farming has been tried but the soil is not rich, though apple and cherry orchards had some success. A lighthouse and the U.S. Life-Saving Service/Coast Guard formerly occupied the island and those buildings comprise the current NPS housing facilities. Summer residents seeking solitude came and left, and the owner of the Continental Motor Company once bought up some 90% of the island and used it as a hunting/fishing club, but then sold it to the Park Service. A few of the old buildings are scattered throughout the island, some of which appear usable while others are in obvious decay. All are boarded up and signed as off limits and dangerous. Small family cemeteries provide a glimpse of the time when residents once populated the island. The village area is composed of cottages which were once used as summer homes or hunting lodges, and one home is still under private ownership.
Additional photos are here.
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