Like many northern Michigan towns, Cadillac, next to two lakes and surrounded by thousands of acres of forest, began life as a lumber town.
And, like many, it’s now harvesting tourists with four-season fun, which in winter is dependent on two all-important ingredients: snow and cold.
After years of hanging out in this laid-back wonderland, I know firsthand that if you’re looking for a winter weekend exploration destination, you’d better bring your skis, snowmobile, ice fishing gear, and other outdoor fun stuff with you because, whether it’s on the slopes, trails, or the ice, Cadillac’s cool when the white stuff piles up.
On a weekend, it’s hard to do it all, but giving it a try will definitely keep you busy.
Carefree Touring
Just a 20-minute drive from downtown Cadillac is one of Michigan’s first destination ski areas, and one of the oldest ski resorts in the country. Folks who love going downhill fast began visiting Caberfae in 1937, when its lone rope tow was powered by an old Ford Model A engine.
Today, Caberfae Peaks has four chairlifts and one Magic Carpet conveyor tow (gone is the resort’s last rope tow) serving its three peaks. Thanks to a lot of earth-moving over the last few decades, it boasts some of the Lower Peninsula’s highest terrain, with at least a 485-foot vertical drop. The newest addition, East Peak, is still being tweaked, and you can stay slopeside at the 39-room Mackenzie Lodge. Caberfae just increased its snowmaking by one-third for this season.
Bring your skinny skis, too, as there’s access to the beautiful 10-mile MacKenzie Cross-Country Ski Trail near the day lodge.
Drive a few more miles northwest along M-115 and you’ll arrive at the ski resort that rightly claims title to best family friendly and environmentally friendly ski complex in the state: Crystal Mountain, near the Betsie River. It boasts 59 runs, three terrain parks, beautiful cross-country trails, and great lodging with options ranging from hotel rooms to homes. Both Crystal and Caberfae offer night skiing.
You can also rent a fat-tire bike for another workout at Crystal’s base, snowshoe to its Legacy Art Park, and then relax at the nearby Iron Fish Distillery — or drive a bit farther northwest to sample mead, made with fermented honey, at St. Ambrose Cellars near Beulah.
For more cross-country skiing, try the Cadillac Pathway northeast of town. It follows the Clam River and features loops from 1 to 11 miles.
That brings us to the area’s two inland lakes — Mitchell, west of downtown, and Cadillac, on the city’s west side. They’re connected by a canal dug during the lumber era that runs just past the campsites of Mitchell State Park.
Another attraction worth checking out is the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center, with its interactive outdoor sports exhibits and nature trails. It’s open weekends beginning in January.
Trail Outings
Cadillac’s also made for sled heads, with nearly 140 miles of snowmobile trails criss-crossing the Manistee National Forest.
One to make tracks for is the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park. It runs for 92 miles on an old railroad bed connecting Cadillac with the Grand Rapids area, and is the state’s second-longest linear park and a favorite of bike riders in warmer months.
Don’t have your own snowmobile? There are at least four spots in town to rent a sled, including K&R Outfitters. Owner Randy Cornell has been taking riders on guided 70-mile trips for five years now, and is the only one in the area doing it.
Cornell started with four rental sleds and is up to a dozen. “I lead the pack through Manistee, Wexford, Lake, and Osceola counties,” Cornell says. Rides usually last six or seven hours and speeds average 30 mph. All trips include a lunch stop. “A guided trip is much better because you don’t have to worry about anything. I’m there,” he explains.
Pine River Rafting
There are only a few businesses in Michigan that take paddlers on a water-winter wonderland river ride, and Pine River Paddlesports Center and Campground is one. Climb aboard for a guided raft trip on the Pine River, a designated National Scenic River. Trips run 60 to 90 minutes along a twisty but tame stretch of this river that, in summer, is known for its rapids, according to Pine River Paddlesports owners Jacob and Alaney Iltner.
Afterward, either grab a ride back or extend your outdoor time with a 2-mile riverbank walking path back to your vehicle.
Ice It Down
Some weekend warriors are just happy to hang out in a fishing shanty, and in Cadillac, you’ve got two big choices to make. Do you fish for panfish, walleye, and pike in Lake Cadillac, nearest downtown, or fish for the same species in Lake Mitchell, at Mitchell State Park just west of Lake Cadillac?
Pick up your ice fishing gear or bait at spots such as Pilgrim Village on Lake Mitchell, which has been giving fish a hard time since 1994.
At the end of a fun-filled day, try a dinner at spots such as Lakeside Charlie’s or any of three Mexican eateries downtown, or tap into 40 brews to go with dinner at the Clam Lake Beer Co. While these are only a few of my favorite hangouts, you’ll discover more where you can fuel up in a town that knows how to enjoy a Michigan winter.
Plan it!
Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau
cadillacmichigan.com
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