1206 Best Of Michigan's Other Great Lakes
Map
Tawas Bay TCB Houghton Lake Tourism Bureau
www.visithoughtonlake.com
Episode: 1111 "ROSCOMMON COUNTY CIRCLE TOUR" / 1206 "BEST OF MICHIGAN'S OTHER GREAT LAKES" Travel Planner
Michigan is known for its Great Lakes that surround it and Roscommon County, located in the Center of the State, is known for the “Other Great Lakes.” We will travel all around this area discovering Houghton Lake, Lake St. Helen and the lake they call one of the most beautiful in the world, Higgins Lake.
We have collected information and web links related to the area and combined them here with photos we took and video clips from the show in what we hope will be a helpful guide as you plan your trip. For assistance or for more information, call the Houghton Lake Tourism Bureau @ (800) 676-5330 Have fun!
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Related Information & Links
Paddle Sports BEACH on HOUGHTON LAKE
Paddle Sports HOUGHTON LAKE HISTORICAL VILLAGE
Sullivan Beach Historical Village
Beach Water       Watch Video Clip
Location: Houghton Lake
Sullivan Beach: Houghton Lake's East Bay - 4 blocks west of the stoplight at M18 and M55 in Prudenville
If a day in the sand and the sun is what you enjoy, the Houghton Lake Area is the place for you. With dozens of resorts, motels and lodges located right on the water and many more public beaches and picnic areas, you will have your pick of the right beach for you. There are great public beaches that include swimming, children toys, barbecue pits and sheltered picnic areas and some even have showers and toilets.

Sullivan Beach Site is over an acre in size with a sandy beach for swimming. Public restrooms are on site, along with a small playground. A launch site on the east side of the park is suitable for launching small boats only.
» Public Beaches & Picnic Areas [Houghton Lake TCB]
History         Watch Video Clip
Location: 1701 West Houghton Lake Drive (M-55) - 5 Miles West of I-75 or 6 Miles East of US127
Open: Weekends all Summer
Phone: Village (989) 821-8433 | Playhouse (989) 329-4493 | Village Days (989) 821-8433
The Historical Village contains 13 restored 1800s Buildings and a 1920s era Playhouse. These buildings include a schoolroom, museum, town hall, dress shop, general store, doctor’s office/ pharmacy, barber shop, a homestead, a chapel and others. Every year on the first weekend of August, Village Day Festival is held in the historical village. During Village Days the historic site comes alive with demonstrations, guides in period costumes, all buildings open and operating. There are also numerous craft and musical demonstrations.
» Houghton Lake Area Historical Village
» Historical Resources [Houghton Lake TCB]

Paddle Sports ST HELEN ORV JAMBOREE
4 MICHIGAN FIREMEN'S MEMORIAL
St Helen ORV Jamboree Firemen's Memorial
ATV         Watch Video Clip
Location: Richfield Township Park - 10415 Airport Road, St. Helen, MI
When: 2nd Weekend in August Annually
A weekend gathering of ATV enthusiasts providing enjoyment of the outdoors, the company of family and fellow ATV enthusiasts, and unique, fun activities. The main events of the Jamboree are the Mud Bog, Sand Run, and ORV Pull. Other Attractions include: ORV Training, Silent Auction, Obstacle Course, Vendor Displays, Scenic Rides and more. Each year it gets bigger and better. Fun for the entire family !!
» St Helen ORV Jamboree
» RIchfield Township Park Camping
Monument History       Watch Video Clip
Location: 1295 E Robinson Lake Road, Roscommon, MI
Phone: Firemen's Memorial Festival Committee Inc - (989) 275-5880
The Firemen's Memorial is a monument dedicated to all fire fighters that have died in the line of duty.  This memorial is one of few in the nation to honor these fallen heroes.  Each year usually during the 3rd week of September, the Michigan Firemen's Memorial Festival is held in remembrance these brave citizens at the Roscommon County Fire Training Grounds. During this festival there is a parade, antique equipment demonstration, a memorial service, a light parade, music, dancing, emergency crew competitions and many more planned activities.
» Michigan Firemen's Memorial
» Historical Resources [Houghton Lake TCB]

Paddle Sports MARGUERITE GAHAGAN NATURE PRESERVE
Paddle Sports AUSABLE RIVER
Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve AuSable River
Nature Preserve Hiking Wildlife     Watch Video Clip
Location: 209 Maplehurst, Roscommon, MI 48653
Phone: (989) 275-3217
Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve - Peaceful hiking trails amongst mature white and red pine forest and cedar swamp. This is an area working to protect habitat and wildlife forever.  The Preserve is open to the public from dawn until dusk.  One trail is paved and wheelchair accessible.  Gahagan Preserve is located in Roscommon, off M18 and Southline Rd. directly behind Compost Center.
» Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve
» Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve Trail Map pdf 21kb
River Canoeing       Watch Video Clip
Location: Roscommon, MI
The South Branch of the AuSable River is world renowned for canoeing, kayaking and tubing. The South Branch of the AuSable River flows northward out of St. Helen to Roscommon (This section is floatable only at certain times of the year). Out of Roscommon the AuSable River flows north and east through the George Mason Wilderness Retreat. There are no homes or roads in the 3,500 acres between Chase Bridge and Smith Bridge; this stretch of the river is preserved as a wilderness. Here the river's depth ranges from one to four feet; a few places are deeper. A moderate current will take you steadily downstream. The Roscommon Canoe Liveries can help you plan trips from 1-4 hours to overnight trips.
» Canoeing [Houghton Lake TCB]
» Campbell's Canoeing

Paddle Sports CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS MUSEUM
Paddle Sports WELLINGTON FARM
CCC Museum Wellington Farm
History Lumber       Watch Video Clip
Location: 11747 N Higgins Lake Drive, Roscommon, MI 48653 (Across from North Higgins Lake State Park)
Phone: (989) 348-6178
Hours: 10am - 4:30pm Daily (Memorial Day - Labor Day)
The Civilian Conservation Corps Museum has many photographs and artifacts depicting the CCC workers day-to-day life and accomplishments, including a replica CCC barracks building with exhibits. This group between 1933 and 1942 planted 484 million trees, constructed 7000 miles of truck trails, 504 bridges and 222 buildings.
» Roosevelt's Tree Army - Michigan's CCC [Michigan Historical Center]
» CCC Museum [Michigan Historical Center]
History Farm Lumber Mill     Watch Video Clip
Location: 6944 S Military Road - Grayling, MI 49738
Phone: (989) 348-5187
Wellington Farm, USA is a 60-acre open-air interpretive museum designed to provide an educational opportunity for visitors to experience life as it was in rural mid-America during The Great Depression.  Through a series of displays, a wide variety of exhibits, and beautiful natural settings, the park provides a variety of educational, recreational, and cultural opportunities for visitors to Northern Michigan.
» Wellington Farm

9 WINDSURFING / HIGGINS LAKE
10 MARL LAKE
Higgins Lake Windsurfing Marl Lake
Windsurfing Lake       Watch Video Clip
Location: Higgins Lake
Great Lakes Windsurfing LLC is your source for all windsurfing needs. They host the Great Lakes Demo Tour to provide introductory lessons, rigging and tuning clinics and an opportunity for riders of all levels to try the latest gear in locations where they live and sail.
» South Higgins Lake State Park [Michigan DNR]
» Boating [Houghton Lake TCB]
Hiking Lake Fishing
    Watch Video Clip
Location: 106 State Park Drive - Roscommon, MI 48653
Phone: (989) 821-6374
3 Trail Loops: Green Trail (2 Miles), Red Trail (3.5 Miles), Blue Trail (5.5 Miles) 
To the south lies Marl Lake, more wildness, and better wildlife viewing. The Marl Lake portion of the park is about 700 acres and includes Marl Lake and a small boat launch with vault toilets. This area is also the parking area and trail head for the five mile hiking trail along and around the west and south shores of Marl Lake. The Marl Lake upland is forested with oak, maple, and pine predominating with some white birch, ash, and other species mixed in.
» Hiking [Houghton Lake TCB]
» Marl Lake & South Higgins Lake State Park [Michigan DNR]
» Marl Lake Map pdf 252kb

11 BLODGETT MEMORIAL AIRPORT
12 FISHING / HOUGHTON LAKE
Blodgett Airport Fishing on Houghton Lake
Airport         Watch Video Clip
Location: 5218 E Houghton Lake Drive - Houghton Lake, MI 48629
Phone: (989) 366-7660
A county-owned public-use airport located five miles northeast of the central business district of Houghton Lake.
» Wikipedia entry
» Blodgett Memorial Airport [Roscommon County]
Fishing Lake       Watch Video Clip
Location: Houghton Lake
Michigan's largest inland lake covering 22,000 acres. The lake offers great fishing possibilities. Here you will find good fishing possibilities for walleye, pike, bass and bluegill. There are seven access sites strategically located around the lake.
» Fishing [Houghton Lake TCB]
» Boat Launch Sites [Houghton Lake TCB]

13 LAKELAND RECREATION
14 THE PINES THEATRE
Lakeland Recreation The Pines Theatre
Fun Amusement Putt Putt Golf     Watch Video Clip
Location: 6979 W Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake, MI
Phone: (989) 422-3576
Hours: Open Daily at 10am (Memorial - Labor Day)
Lakeland Recreation is the number one place in Houghton Lake to go for fun, whether you are celebrating a birthday, going on a date, or looking for a place where you can take the entire family. We have lots to do, including 2 go-kart tracks, 2-18 hole miniature golf courses, an arcade, bumper cars, bumper boats, baseball and softball batting cages with many pitching speeds, a haunted mansion, kiddie rides and the extremely fun air powered bazooka ball guns.
» Lakeland Recreation
Movies History       Watch Video Clip
Location: 4673 West Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake, MI
Phone: (989) 366-9226
The Pines Theatre is a 450-seat Log Cabin Chalet was designed by C. Howard Crane to look like a hunter's cabin.  Originally opened in 1941 by W.J. Olson, who owned many theaters in Michigan at the time, the Pines features 40-foot cathedral log ceilings, a parquet wood floor, and a large collection of trophy game animals.
» The Pines Theatre

15 ROCKIN CHAIR GIFT SHOP
16 ARNIE'S ARTS 'N' CRAFTS
Rockin Chair Gift Shop Arnie's
Gift Shop         Watch Video Clip
Location: 3881 W Houghton Lake Dr (M-55), Houghton Lake, MI
Phone: (989) 366-5223
This unique tourist/gift shop has many designs on T-shirts and Sweatshirts, moccasins, jewelry, and fudge. They also sell candles, toys, Michigan books and much more.
» Shopping [Houghton Lake TCB]
Craft Store         Watch Video Clip
Location: 3741 W Houghton Lake Dr, Houghton Lake, MI
Phone: (989) 366-8794
Located inside Arnie's Arts and Crafts at Houghton Lake, Arnie's Coffee shop offers specialty coffees, Chai tea, smoothies, and more. Free WiFi, Big Screen TV and a cozy "Up North" atmosphere. Hours: Mon.-Sat: 7AM to 5:30PM. Sun. 8AM to 4PM.

Unique Gift Shop is located in the West end of our building at Houghton Lake. Browse our selection of: Home Decor', Accent Furniture, Garden Furniture, Garden Stakes, Statues, Pots, Urns, Silk Floral & Greenery, Yankee Candles,  Northern Lights European Candles, Lamps, Clocks, Frames, Mirrors, Artwork, Hand-Painted Glassware, Wine Gifts & Decor' and more!
» Arnie’s Gift Shop
» Shopping [Houghton Lake TCB]

Paddle Sports LOST TWIN LAKES PATHWAY
18 ATV TRAILS
Lost Twin Lakes Pathway ATV Trails
Hiking Lakes       Watch Video Clip
Location: AuSable State Forest, M-55 & Co Rd 400, Houghton Lake, MI
Phone: (989) 275-4622
This 3 mile loop trail winds through an old growth pine forest. Designed for hiking and cross-country skiing this trail has several bridges, including a covered bridge.  The trail contains scenic overviews of pristine wetlands areas.
» Hiking [Houghton Lake TCB]
» Lost Twin Lakes Pathway Map
ATV         Watch Video Clip
Throughout Roscommon County
Let’s get muddy. Let’s rev up our engines and venture out on hundreds of  miles of the best ORV trails in the State of Michigan. Here two-track, twisty single-track, and soggy mud bogs welcome dirt bikes, quads and four-wheelers.
» ORVs [Houghton Lake TCB]
» Michigan DNRE - ORV/ATV Riding In Michigan
» Roscommon County ORV Ordinance & Map pdf 1.76mb
 


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