Life on the bike with M-attAcker: Bikepacking the Manistee National Forest: Part 3

After enjoying a pleasant evening around the fire and sharing a few libations we were up with the sunrise to get a start on our trip. Sleeping next to moving water is always soothing, and waking up next to the Little Manistee River was a treat. Having camped in a relatively low area there was a heavy chill in the air, but the sun rising was doing a fine job to warm things up and drive the fog out of the low lying areas. The nice thing about starting our trip at this location was being able to wake-up, pack the bikes and roll down the road. There was no need for relocating the car which is always a bonus. The route i had laid out started us off on relatively flat gravel for the first few miles which was a welcome way to warm up the body and mind. We paralleled the river for a while and made our turn north on 9 mile bridge just south of Big M. Looming before us were the Udell Hills and ample singletrack. To further warm us up i had us turn onto the NCT that heads into the Big M trail system. From there we followed many of the popular trails within Big M up to Capper's Corner for our first vista of the trip.

Bivouacking on the Little Manistee River

Warm-up gravel on Riverside Dr

The overlook at Capper's Corner in the Big M trail system

The many hills along the route to Capper's Corner had us well warmed up and after adjusting clothing we were on our way, descending down to the warming cabin and turning back into the woods for another hefty ascent. For the route i tried to pick out as many high-points and overlooks as possible, and the next stop along the way was Firetower Hill. Despite being loaded down Tyler put his VanHelgas to the test and power his was up to the top of Firetower. This brought us to our first "adventure section" which was a long unused two track the tended in the direction of the NCT. I like to throw some sections in that aren't sure bets, sections that may or may not be passable, just to add an extra bit of adventure and uncertainty into the trip. Luckily for us it was a somewhat easy to navigate section and we rejoined the NCT. As we departed the Big M trail system and journeyed on towards the Manistee river the terrain was mostly rolling to flat for a nice change of pace. Once we arrived at M-55 we took several dirt roads and two tracks over to High Bridge which was to be our safe crossing of the Manistee River. Once across the river i routed us onto a snowmobile/forest service road that leads up to a nice powerline clearing high above the river. This is a nice area to take a break and enjoy the views despite the man-made intrusions. I tried to utilize as many Forest Service roads as possible to avoid more frequented roads and maintain a pleasant wilderness experience. We weaved our way through the forest land and eastward to the next ridable section of the NCT which begins at Dilling Road.

The infamous Firetower in the Big M trail system

Random two tracks near the Manistee River

Power-line overlook not far from High Bridge road

From Dilling Road all the way to the Marilla Trailhead near the Hodenpyle Dam it is permissible to bike on the NCT. To be clear, bikes are not allowed on all sections of the NCT so this is a nice bonus to be able to parallel the river on singletrack through the rolling terrain. The section from Dilling road to Red Bridge (North Coates Hwy) is less popular than the section from Red Bridge to Marilla Trailhead, but no less enjoyable to ride. The NCT winds its way up and down the large bluffs that skirt the Manistee river and offer quite a bit of elevation gain along the way. We passed few other trail users on our journey to Red Bridge, winding our way through the mixed hardwoods forest. Upon reaching Red Bridge we made the decision to journey onward and not stop down at the river access. For reference, the Red Bridge river access site has a few campsites, ample parking, a vault toilet and a hand pump for potable water. Heading northeast on the NCT from Red Bridge we began to cross paths with many hikers and day users. In the spirit of the trip we took our time and traversed the terrain in a safe manner as to not run over pedestrians or cause a spectacle, frequently stopping to take in the vistas as they presented themselves. I highly recommend this section of trail and it's truly a gem in the middle of the state! Near the end of this section is the Marilla Trailhead and a fantastic view of the river from a couple hundred feet above. This made for a great last stop to discuss the final section of the day and count down the miles to our bivy site.

Tyler making short work of the NCT from Dilling to Red Bridge

Eddington Creek crossing shortly lies right before the ascent to Marilla TH

The awesome overlook near the Marilla TH

Moss guides the way along the NCT

Upon arriving at the Marilla Trailhead proper we turned onto Beers road and let it rip downhill on the first pavement we had ridden in hours. It's always awesome when you can end a days riding with a grin inducing descent and roll into camp! After a brief stop to check out Hodenpyle Dam we headed downriver to one of the many hidden gem campsites along the Manistee River. This particular one happens to be an old homestead site with some weather worn stairs down to the river and a nice sitting log and fire pit. We arrived just in time to enjoy the last few hours of daylight and rinse off in the ice cold rapidly moving water. With no known poor weather on the horizon we opted to bivy out in the open once again to enjoy the evening which makes setting up camp a breeze! Harvesting down and dead wood proved not to be an issue at this lightly used site and the evening wore on with tales from the trail, discussion of the days the laid ahead, and general conversation. The roaring fire kept the chill at bay until the time came to bed down for the night. With the stars gleaming overhead it was a pleasant night to drift off burrowed into a down cocoon.