Grayling Visitor’s Bureau has a wealth of information on things to do in and around Grayling. We encourage you to take a look at their website for further information.
Click here for a list of Special Places to Visit / Historical Sites:
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.
- Carlisle Canoes, 989-348-2301
- Jims Canoe Rental & Guide Services, 989-348-3203
- Penrod’s AuSable River Resort & Canoe Trips, 989-348-2910
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. Visit the Old AuSable Fly Shop for your fly fishing needs.
Lake Fishing/Ice Fishing: The Grayling area has numerous lakes, including Lake Margrethe, that offer a variety of fresh water fish. For ice fishing, many lakes have high quality ice.
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.
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.
Some of the best hiking terrain in Northern Michigan is in the Grayling area. There are miles and miles of paved and unpaved trails to hike, and hundreds of acres of state land to explore! Spring and summer will offer the opportunity to watch wildlife in their natural setting, fall is a great time to take photos of the colors of autumn, and the hardy hiker will love the rugged beauty of winter.
A variety of terrain and numerous scenic trails for the novice to expert rider are making Crawford County an increasingly popular mountain bikers’ destination.
- The Bicycle Shop — 989-348-6868
- Grayling Recreation Authority – Hanson Hills — 989-348-9266
- Hartwick Pines State Park — 989-348-7068
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:
- Forest Dunes: (989)275-0700; 6376 Forest Dunes Drive, Roscommon MI
- Fox Run Country Club: 989-348-4343; 5825 W. 4 Mile Rd, Grayling, MI
- Grayling Country Club: (989)348-5618; 2122 S. I-75 Business Loop, Grayling, MI
Hanson Hills Recreation Area opened their 19-Hole Grayling Rotary PDGA Disc Golf Course in June 2010. Click here for further details.
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.
Low in calories and high in nutrient content and flavor, the morel beckons many a visitor to our area during the month of May. A wild and wonderful delicacy, Crawford County has a large amount of state and federal property which may be hunted at will.
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.
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”.
Click here to check out the Crawford County website for new ORV Ordinances
Local ATV Club: Happi-Trails ATV Club: (989)390-4751
When you’re on a motorcycle, half the fun of the trip is getting there! There are dozens of beautiful rides within two hours of your Grayling Area Home Base.
Playgrounds
Playgrounds are available at the following locations in Crawford County:
- Beaver Creek Township behind the Beaver Creek Township Hall. Picnic tables and restrooms are available.
- Frederic Township Park across from the fire department. Picnic tables are available.
- Grayling City Park on the AuSable River. Picnic tables and restrooms are available. A pavilion and picnic tables are also offered across the river from the playground.
- Grayling Township Park across from the Grayling Fish Hatchery. Picnic tables and restrooms are available.
- Hanson Hills Recreation Areas – located at the entrance to Hanson Hills. Porta Johns are available.
- Hartwick Pines State Park in the “day use” area. Picnic tables, a pavilion and restrooms are available. The pavilion is rented out to specific groups at various times. A state park sticker is required for admittance.
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.
The contrasting evergreen and hardwood forests of Northern Michigan are spectacular in Autumn. Enjoy the scenery with a leisurely drive, cycling or canoeing.
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
For an online snowmobile map from the Michigan DNR, click here.
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, Cross Country Ski Shop, 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.
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.
- The Devereaux Memorial Library is located next to the AuSable Primary School in Grayling
- The Frederic Community Library is located in Frederic, MI
Art
The City of Grayling has two Art Galleries right in the heart of downtown on Michigan Avenue which houses both local and regional talent.
Bowling
American Legion Grayling Post 106, phone:989-348-7232
Movie Theater
Grayling has one movie theater right downtown.