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.

Out and About, Fishing Hotspots for Free Fishing Weekend

By Dave Foley: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has designated June 10-11 as Free Fishing Weekend. That’s right, no license needed. Residents and out-of-state visitors may fish fish for free on both inland and Great Lakes waters, but fishing regulations...

5 Scenic In-and-Out Hikes Along the North Country Trail

The 4600 mile North Country Trail (NCT), beginning in Maine and running to North Dakota, passes through Michigan. More than 100 miles of it are within 40 miles of Cadillac. With so many miles of trail available, deciding where to go could be a problem. But wherever...

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...

Out & About, Prime Paddling Season is Upon Us!

By Dave Foley If you were hesitant about joining the throngs of paddlers that fill popular rivers like the Manistee and Pine on summer weekends, take heart, the pressure on these streams is noticeably less after Labor Day. Only a few canoe liveries are...

Walk, Run, Hike & Bike – Here are 7 Paths to Take in Cadillac this Fall

By Dave Foley: Tired of running the same old routes? If you’re visiting Cadillac you can go out every day for a week, never take the same route twice and start each one within five miles of downtown.#1 Keith McKellop Walkway (2 Miles) Probably the best known is the...

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...

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...

Improvements Being Made to the Carl T. Johnson Nature Preserve

Published by the Cadillac Area Land Conservancy Not to be confused with the Carl T. Center Hunting and Fishing Museum and Heritage Park Trails located on the north side of Mitchell State Park near the Canal, the Carl T. Johnson Nature Preserve can be found a ½ mile...

A December Backpacking Trip on the Manistee River Trail Loop

As the seasons change and winter arrives, many people put away their backpacking gear. But as the snow falls and the crowds disappear, a new adventure awaits. It was a cold December night, and our group met at the Upper River Road trailhead on the North Country...

Out & About, Steelhead on the Move

By Dave Foley Rivers like the Pere Marquette, as well as the Big and Little Manistee, get a little crowded after Labor Day as thousands of salmon leave Lake Michigan to push up these steams to spawn. From late August until September king and coho salmon dominate the...