Digital Maps & The Big Wild

Editor’s Note: We’ve begun digitalizing all our maps to make them easily available as PDF files downloaded straight to your mobile device or computer. In celebration of finishing our entire collection of Pigeon River Country State Forest maps, we asked Jim DuFresne to pen a piece on his five favorite trails in The Big Wild.

By Jim DuFresne
Spread across the high central plateau of the Lower Peninsula is the Pigeon River Country State Forest, a rugged 105,049-acre tract covered with trails, two tracks, and obscured, off-the-map paths just beckoning you to see where they go. They call this place “the Big Wild,” and it is.

The forest is an outdoor playground for hikers, backpackers, mountain bikers, and, in the winter, backcountry Nordic skiers and snowshoers. Dotted with lakes, trout streams, and eight campgrounds, the PRCSF is best known as the home of the Michigan elk herd, an animal that was reintroduced here in 1918.

Best of all, the state forest is not that far away. Less than 20 miles north of Gaylord, Pigeon River is three hours for most of southeast Michigan. You can drive from urban sprawl to the Big Wild and get a hike in before lunch.

If you’ve never spent much time in the PRC, it’s time to explore. Start at the State Forest Headquarters for great advice and interesting exhibits. Next, stop at the Pigeon River Discovery Center, the log cabin right behind the headquarters, for more informative displays and exhibits. Then take a hike or snowshoe adventure.

Here are my five favorite trails in the Big Wild. One starts right at the forest headquarters:

Shingle Mill Pathway
Shingle Mill is one of Michigan’s classic trails. The pathway is composed of five loops, ranging from 0.75 to 11 miles, that pass through some of the most scenic portions of the Pigeon River Country. The 10-Mile Loop is the most scenic and allows you to spend a night at the dispersed campsites on the north and south shore of Green Lake. In the winter it’s the best wilderness ski or snowshoe trek in the Lower Peninsula. Click Here for a downloadable trail map.

Green Timbers
Scenic vistas, prime wildlife habitat and eight miles of the Sturgeon River dominate Green Timbers, a 6,300-acre tract on the west side of the PRC. It’s a backcountry experience – summer or winter – as its trails are not marked. Download our map and keep in mind that mountain bikes, horses, and motorized vehicles are banned from this special area.

The most popular route to follow is the trail from the Sturgeon Valley Road parking area to Honeymoon Overlook, a one-way trek of 3.8 miles. In the summer or fall, haul a tent along for a beautiful evening spent perched above the Sturgeon River Valley.  Click Here for a downloadable trail map.

Towerman’s Watch Pathway
One of the loneliest jobs in Northern Michigan in the 1930s – standing on top of a fire tower – is responsible for the newest trail in the Pigeon River Country, the Towerman’s Watch Pathway. Built in 2020, the 3.7-mile interpretive trail begins at the PRC headquarters and leads you to the remains of the former Pigeon River Middle Fire Tower before returning to its trailhead. A crossover spur shortens the trek to 3.1 miles but still includes highlights such as the Witness Tree, a beaver pond, and the P.S. Lovejoy Monument. Click Here for a downloadable trail map.

Pickerel Lake Pathway
Pickerel Lake Pathway is an easy, 2-mile loop that encircles the lake, staying within sight of the water for much of the way. In the beginning you skirt an interesting cedar swamp and at the north end of the lake the pathway winds past pines large enough to make any botanist pause and look up. 

This is a great summer destination for the family. You can snag waterfront sites in the campground and then hit the water thanks to CCC workers. They made Pickerel Lake their favorite swimming spot in the 1930s by creating the sandy beach in what is now the campground’s day-use area. Click Here for a free downloadable trail map.

Inspiration Point Pathway
Inspiration Point is Pigeon River Country’s shortest pathway, a round-trip of only a half mile to a grassy clearing on a ridge. But the view encompasses miles of forests and ridges that are ablaze with autumn colors in October and provide the opportunity to watch elk in the field below. There is a bench here, making it a great spot to enjoy your lunch or, if it’s early evening, a glass of wine. Click Here for a free downloadable trail map.