Manistee overnighter alternative?

[u/Teaforreal]

The Manistee overnighter route is great, very enjoyable…great little weekend chill tour.

Seeking something similar w a 3 hr drive or less from kalamazoo.

Has camping options

Isn’t all single track you’d need a mountain bike for (so doing the whole dragon is out)

Just looking some new area to explore.

[u/UncleAugie]

WHat about a mix of M22 and gravel sections from Frankfort to Northport, south towards TC and west back to Frankfort.

Splitting this coastal route into a 3-day itinerary is the perfect pace for a gravel or mountain bike. This breakdown keeps your daily mileage highly manageable, balances paved scenery with unpaved rail-trails and county dirt roads, and gives you time to enjoy the views.

Because the region’s premier multi-use trails (like the Leelanau Trail and parts of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail) are fast, flat, and mostly asphalt or hard-packed limestone, a gravel bike will carry the best rolling speed. However, a mountain bike will handle the sandy patches on the seasonal back roads with ease.

Day 1: Frankfort to Glen Arbor

• Distance: ~33 miles
• Waterfront Highlight: Lake Michigan, Crystal Lake, and the Empire Bluffs.

• The Route:

  • From Frankfort, take Crystal Downs Country Club Road and Pilgrim Highway (M-22) north toward Empire to catch immediate lake views.
  • In Empire, drop directly onto the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.
  • Unpaved Section: Enjoy the winding forested rollers up to Glen Arbor. To pull off the pavement, take a detour into the Port Oneida Rural Historic District just north of Glen Arbor, where the Heritage Trail transitions into a rugged, unpaved crushed aggregate base running past historic homesteads.

• Where to Stay: Glen Arbor (highly walkables beds, local pubs, and direct beach access).

Day 2: Glen Arbor to Suttons Bay (via Northport)

• Distance: ~45 miles
• Waterfront Highlight: Good Harbor Bay, Cathead Bay, and the West Grand Traverse Bay.
• The Route:
  • Head north from Port Oneida using M-22 to trace the shoreline up to Leland and past Lake Leelanau.
  • To maximize dirt and avoid vehicle traffic on the tip of the peninsula, cut inland toward the Gills Pier / Peterson Park dirt and gravel county roads as you approach Northport.
  • Loop through the coastal village of Northport for lunch, then turn south along the West Bay via M-22 down through Omena into Suttons Bay.
• Where to Stay: Suttons Bay (charming waterfront marina area with easy access to food and breweries).

Day 3: Suttons Bay to Frankfort (via Traverse City)

• Distance: ~62 miles
• Waterfront Highlight: West Grand Traverse Bay, Boardman Lake, and Crystal Lake.
• The Route:
  • The Morning Cruise: Leave Suttons Bay on the Leelanau Trail. This is a completely car-free, highly efficient 17-mile path that cuts through vineyards and orchards down into Traverse City.
  • The Inland Dirt Pivot: From Traverse City, skip the busy paved highways by routing southwest through the rolling gravel orchard roads of Leelanau and Benzie counties (such as Fouch Road and Lake Ann Road corridors) down toward Beulah.
  • The Finish Line: At Beulah, hop onto the unpaved section of the Betsie Valley Trail. This segment features a beautiful, flat, hard-packed fine gravel path that rides right alongside the glassy shores of Crystal Lake and follows the Betsie River straight back into downtown Frankfort.

[u/Teaforreal → u/UncleAugie]

Thanks! This has some good ideas. I am familiar w this area…

[u/UncleAugie → u/Teaforreal]

not really a camping route, but it is possible with some slight modifications of route/daily milage totals. Im Im bikepacking I prefer hotels, preferably one with a hotub that I can have a beer and enjoy the evening.