Boyne City and Petoskey, Michigan: Water Street Inn, Hiking, Passport Visits

October - November 2020, 2-nights, weekend

We originally had a reservation at Water Street Inn for April of this year that cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, we had planned to bring our bicycles, and were going to bike the trail from Charlevoix to Petoskey. After that trip cancelled, we rescheduled for the end of October. Part of the trail we had planned to bike had washed out from high water levels this year, and it was cooler in October, so we decided we would hike instead. We were glad we changed our plans, because it was snowing and cold when we left Sunday morning!

Deadman's Hill Overlook

Hiking/nature

We stopped at Deadman's Hill overlook on the way to Boyne City. I cannot even imagine how amazing this view is near the middle of October. It was still beautiful at the end of October, even though it was an overcast day and the leaves had already started to turn brown. The second overlook parking area is about two miles off US-131 at the end of Deadman's Hill Road. The first half of this road is paved.

Deadman's Hill Overlook
Jordan River in the distance on the left

We did not hike much at this location, as it was late in the day, and we wanted to get settled into our condo before dark. Jordan River, which we had kayaked near Mancelona and East Jordan this past summer, is barley visible in the photo above.

The Hill Nature Preserve
Lake Charlevoix in the distance

In the Boyne City area, we hiked The Hill Nature Preserve just outside of town off Charlevoix Road. This was an easy and beautiful hike, although the view was not as good as I had expected.

Avalanche Preserve viewing platform

Mancelona and East Jordan, Michigan: camping and kayaking

July 2020, 3-nights, weekday-weekend

Campsite 5 at Graves Crossing State Forest Campground.

Graves Crossing State Forest campground, sites 1 - 5

This campground has only 10 campsites, and we were a bit worried about finding a site available and big enough when we arrived Thursday night. Things ended up working out very well for us. There was only one site available when we arrived; site 5 next to the outhouses. Campsite 1 was also empty; however, there was a tag on the post. We needed two sites, as we had friends arriving the next day in their fifth wheel. The man on campsite 2 came over to talk with us when he saw us looking around. He said he was going to be leaving the next day, if we wanted to move. This helped us know that there would be a site available for our friends, so we set up camp on site 5. 

Graves Crossing State Forest Campground;
fire on campsite 5 facing site 4 and back of second loop.

Other than campsite 5 being right next to the outhouses, this is a nice large site. I imagine campers in tents prefer it more than someone in an RV. The campers who set up after we moved were in tents. The outhouses did not smell when we were there, although the dumpster did, which is close to campsite 1. 

Before we finished checking in, we had learned that the campers on site 3 were also leaving the next day, so we only paid for one night. The next day, we moved to site 3, and our friends took site 2. These were two of the best sites in the front loop of the campground for people camping together. Sites 6 - 10 are in loop two after you pass the outhouses on the main entrance road.

Campsite 3 at Graves Crossing State Forest Campground.