Things to do in Grayling
Grayling Visitor’s Bureau has a wealth of information on things to do in and around Graying. We encourage you to take a look at their website for further information. Snowmobiling Thousands of acres of state land and miles of groomed trails make for loads of winter fun in the Grayling area. With easy access from I-75, U.S.127 and M-72, and lodging facilities that offer direct trail access or other special amenities, Grayling has become a favorite with snowmobilers. Hundreds of miles of groomed trails in the county are among the finest in the state. Trail conditions are available by calling the Grayling Visitors Bureau at 1-800-937-8837, or by entering their web site under Updates – snowmobiling. Trail conditions can also be found at Fay’s Motel, VisitGrayling.Com and Michigan Trail Report Our members who offer Snowmobile Rentals can be found on our Categorical Member Directory under Rentals – ATV / Snowmobiles / Boats. Cross Country Skiing / Snowshoeing / Winter Trails The Grayling area offers miles of exceptionally well-groomed cross country ski trails for the novice to the expert, and ungroomed, pristine trails for snowshoeing or back-country skiing. Trail conditions are available by calling the Grayling Visitors Bureau at 1-800-937-8837, or by entering their web site under Updates – skiing. Trail conditions can also be found at Cross Country Ski Headquarters, Forbush Corners, Hanson Hills Recreation Area and VisitGrayling.Com. Our members who offer Cross Country Skiing and Winter Trail updates can be found on our Categorical Member Directory under Skiing – Cross County. Skijoring If you love skijoring, there are many miles of ungroomed areas near Grayling to enjoy. If you don’t know what skijoring is, or are new to the sport, read below or click on “Skijoring” above. Skijoring, a growing winter sport, is a cross between dog sledding and cross country skiing. It originates in Scandinavia, and allows a dog and owner to exercise together while enjoying the outdoors. A dog pulls a skier, who skis or brakes as they travel across natural snow. Skijoring requires only basic cross country ski gear and a harness for your dog, a skijoring belt for your waist, and a towline that connects you to your dog. Canoeing The world famous AuSable and Manistee Rivers have no rocks or rapids, a slow current and crystal clear water. Canoeing or kayaking through beautiful forests of pine, birch and cedar on rivers designed for beginners, couples, families or large groups is the ideal way to enjoy a warm summer day or to view the magnificent fall colors. We recommend the following Chamber members if you wish to plan a canoe trip.
Fishing Fly Fishing: Crawford County has over one hundred miles of cool, crystal clear streams to explore, among them the AuSable and Manistee Rivers, premier world-famous trout streams. Lake Fishing/Ice Fishing: The Grayling area has numerous lakes that offer a variety of fresh water fish. For ice fishing, many lakes have high quality ice. Boating and Swimming There are public access locations throughout Crawford County for swimming and boating. Lake Margrethe has a public beach at the public campground off McIntyre’s Landing Road, M-72 West. Located at the southern end of the county, Higgins Lake offers two state parks with large beaches and wonderful swimming facilities. Jones Lake, Kneff Lake and Shupac Lake also have small public beaches for swimming. There are boat launches located at Lake Margrethe and Higgins Lake for those with larger boats or for jet-skiis. Biking A variety of terrain and numerous scenic trails for the novice to expert rider are making Crawford County an increasingly popular mountain bikers’ destination. Golfing Grayling area has three public golf courses to offer visitors. Going in any direction from your stay in Grayling, you will be within an hour’s drive of over thirty different golfing adventures. We recommend the following Chamber members if you wish to plan a golf outing.
Disc Golf Hanson Hills Recreation Area is in the process of constructing a new Disc Golf Course! Follow the link for more detailed information. Bird Watching Birding is excellent throughout the county because of the heavy and varied forest growth. Our birdwatching page shows known locations where specific species have been spotted. The birds listed are just a sample of what can be seen; many more species live in those areas. Hunting With 70 percent of its’ property owned by the state and federal government and open to the public, Crawford County is a hunter’s dream. Various types of terrain yield trophy sized bucks, snowshoe hares, squirrels, turkey, grouse, woodcock and waterfowl hunting. ORV Ride a scenic, wooded trail, perfect for the novice and intermediate ORV’er. Crawford County’s ORV trail system is approximately 26 miles long and begins at the Blue Bear parking lot, four miles west of Grayling on M72. This trail is winding with a lot of curves but not many hills. It has some sugar sand and some hard pack. For ORV/ATV regulations, please visit the Department of Natural Resources website at www.michigan.gov/dnr under “Recreation & Camping”. Playgrounds Playgrounds are available at the following locations in Crawford County: * Beaver Creek Township Playground Geocaching Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment. Currently there are over 300 hidden geocaches in the 49738 zip code of Grayling. Fish Hatchery Over 5,000 trout swim in the ponds of the Grayling Fish Hatchery. Part of the fun of visiting the hatchery is watching the water churn as the greedy trout fight for their share of the fish food which can be purchased for a small donation. The thousands of brook, brown and rainbow trout range from 2 1/2 to 28 inches in length. Wellington Farm, USA Wellington Farm, USA is a 60-acre open-air interpretive museum designed to provide an educational opportunity for visitors to experience life as it was in rural mid-America during the Great Depression. Historical Sites – For those interested in history, Crawford County has several unique attractions. Click on the links below for detailed information. Hartwick Pines State Park Crawford County Library The Devereaux Memorial Library is located next to the AuSable Primary School in Grayling. Bowling American Legion Grayling Post 106, phone:989-348-7232 Movie Theater Grayling has one movie theater right downtown. |