AVID ADVENTURER

All Ways Exploring

The Avid Adventurer is:

Outdoor Adventurous
Escapist/Curious
Seeking Authentic Experiences
Winter Warrior
High Tech Gear Researcher
Travel Planner
Nomad/Backpacker/Camper
Jeep/ATV/ORV Driver
Sports Enthusaist

Taking on Cadillac, One Trail at a Time!

Avid Adventurer: Grab your gear, map your route, and point the GPS toward Cadillac Michigan. Escape from the grind and quell your thirst for adventure. No matter the time of year, Cadillac’s central location has just what you are looking for: multi-terrain trails, ORV/ATV off-road adventure, rustic campgrounds, and access to major rivers and inland lakes.

And when the snow flies, we have the best of what Northern Michigan has to offer the winter warrior: 200 miles of groomed snowmobile trails, 34 downhill ski runs, and 60+ miles of XC and snowshoe trails. Explore the great outdoors, All Ways in Cadillac!

Take Me There

Destination: Cadillac.

Just Your Style.

Explore area destinations selected just for you to make the most of your Cadillac outdoor adventure!

Miles of Multi-Terrain Trails

Major Rivers

Miles of ORV Trails

Campgrounds

ORV/ATV

Fat Tire Biking

MCCCT Off-Road Trail System

Manistee River Trail/North Country Trail Loop

Fife Lake Loop

North Country Trail System

MacKenzie Trail

Big-M Recreation Area

Cadillac Stories

Find the latest news and stories about adventure in the Cadillac region. Our team of local writers dig deep into the region’s recreation and provide our travel community the latest about exploring the area, trails, seasons and so much more.

We welcome you to explore Cadillac.

2 Long Hikes for Backpacking Campers

With over a hundred miles of the North Country Trail passing within 40 miles of Cadillac and miles of meandering pathways on Huron -Manistee National Forest lands, hikers have plenty of places to explore. There's no shortage of one-way hikes - walks that are...

Walking the Clam River Greenway

The Clam River Greenway is a 1.6 mile paved trail that takes visitors from the CASA soccer fields to a couple Lake Cadillac trails. The trail is 10 feet wide and covers multiple boardwalks, bridges, and snakes with the Clam River through its entirety. "Walking and...

Walking & Restoring the Old Indian Trail: Footsteps, Stonework, and Shared History

There’s something special about starting your day on a trail before most people have poured their first cup of coffee. At 7:00 AM, with a cool northern Michigan breeze and soft morning light filtering through the trees, I stepped onto the Old Indian Trail at Lake...

Paddling 5 Northern Waterways This Fall In Cadillac

You don't have to go north to Ontario or the Upper Peninsula to enjoy a wilderness-like paddling experience. In less than an hour's drive from Cadillac, one can find stretches of the Pine and Manistee River as well as the Tippy and Hodenpyl backwater impoundments...

Spring might be the best fishing for walleye, pike, and trout

by Dave Foley Unlike downstate areas, these trout waters won't be crowded. Although there may be several hundred trying their luck on Opening Day, in the Cadillac area, crowding is not a problem. It's likely an angler will fish a stretch of river and rarely see...

5 Walking Trails That Won’t Disappoint Fall Color Seekers

by Dave Foley When the sumac bushes turn crimson and the maple leaves burst forth in red, I adjust my priorities. Being indoors when nature is staging its annual leafy color show is just wrong. Starting in the last days of September the dominant woodland green starts...

Tour Waldeck Island

Waldeck Island Nature Preserve is an 11-acre nature preserve located on Stone Ledge Lake. On the preserve is a 1.2-mile looped trail through the serene forests and around the bio-diverse swamp. Walking the trail, exploring the shoreline, and visiting the viewing...

Lace Up Those Shoes for a Week’s Worth of Trails in Cadillac, MI!

Tired of running the same old routes? If you're looking for different views of Cadillac here is a plan for your week - never run the same route twice and start each run within five miles of downtown!Sunday McKellop Walkway Probably the best known is the McKellop...

Dogwalker’s Paradise: A Guide to Dog-Friendly Travel in the Cadillac Area

Dogwalker’s Paradise: A Guide to Dog-Friendly Travel in the Cadillac Area *Our Dog Blog is updated regularly; any additional suggestions are welcome* Traveling is great, but when you have dogs, it can get a bit “hairy” at times. In the Cadillac Area, there are plenty...

Spring in Cadillac: Seven Fun Spring Things to Do in Greater Cadillac

The snow starts melting, animals return from the long winter, the weather gets warmer, and flowers start blooming. Spring may be a jumble of all four seasons in one for Michiganders, but it’s a welcome sight after a long, grueling winter. But part of the problem is...