Manistee River Loop Backpacking

The Manistee River Loop Trail, a popular Michigan backpacking route, is known for its stunning scenery, diverse terrain, and opportunities for solitude. It combines sections of the North Country Trail (NCT) and the Manistee River Trail (MRT), creating a roughly 20-mile loop.

We parked on the west side of the river, near the Red Bridge, and accessed the trail on the east side, north of Coates Highway. This is the Manistee River Trail side. There are many campsites along the Manistee River, many with small streams where you can get fresh water to filter for drinking and cooking. I use the Sawyer Squeeze to filter water; you can find my review of it on the recommended products page.

The Manistee River side of this loop is relatively flat, with a few hills, and has many stream crossings with small bridges built by the Forest Service. This is a popular trail, so if you're looking for complete solitude, this might not be the ideal choice. However, it's a great hike for first-time backpackers, as you're likely to find assistance if needed. If you're camping, there is no permit needed; it's on a first-come, first-served Basis. The river makes a horseshoe bend about 6.5 miles from the bridge. Awesome view see picture below

This area is black bear country, and although the Forest Service website indicates bears are relatively rare, it's always wise to practice bear safety. Most importantly, cook and store food away from where you're sleeping.

We camped about a mile south of the suspension bridge, finding a site right next to the river with a small fire ring made of river rocks. After dinner, we went for a swim, and later, I built a fire and enjoyed the sounds of the river and the many birds.

The second day was a long hiking day, which according to AllTrails should be about 12 miles. It ended up being about 14 miles, but I'll tell you about that a little later. We woke up with the sunrise, made coffee and breakfast, and refilled our water, as there is limited water access on the North Country Trail side of the loop.

The suspension bridge is quite impressive. This NCT side of the loop has some challenging hills and exciting switchbacks, traversing up and down through valleys. Keep in mind that there are only two areas to refill water on this side.

At the second water crossing, we refilled our water again. With the demanding terrain and constant ups and downs, we had gone through a lot of water. After filling up, my wife started hiking faster, saying she didn't feel good. We were at about the halfway point, so we thought around the 6-mile mark. She urged us to hurry, expressing her discomfort and desire to get back as soon as possible.

We kept this fast pace up for about another 4 miles before stopping for a rest. She then told me she thought she had a kidney infection and didn't think she could make it at the pace we were going. We decided to slow down to help her reach the car, and this is when worry started to kick in for me. I could tell by the map that we had another 3 to 4 miles to go, with no cell coverage. In the back of my mind, I was thinking I might have to leave her and get help, possibly even having her airlifted out.

This side of the loop is awesome with a ton of cool switchbacks. I wish we were not in such a rush. I'll have to go back to hike this trail.

She is one tough woman, though. We pushed on and made it another 2 miles. At this point, she was moving very slowly. We stopped for water and a rest, and I took her pack and strapped it to mine. Carrying two packs slowed me down, but it allowed her to hike faster with less stress. It felt like the longest 2 miles I've ever hiked.

We made it to the road, and I gave her the keys. She sprinted for the car. We got in and started heading home, but on the way, she got worse. We ended up at the ER about 30 minutes from our house. It was a full-blown kidney infection. They pumped her full of fluids and ran a bunch of tests. The doctor scolded her for going into the backcountry in that condition. She was able to leave that day with a prescription for antibiotics.

This was a good reminder to make sure you prepared for each and every trip. You never know when things can go sideways. A few tips, before your trip check where you have access water and keep water topped off when you get the chance. Maintain good health, don't hike if your sick. Luckily we didn't need emergency services.