Manistee River Loop - Winter Backpacking in Michigan

Join me on my 2-day backpacking trip on the Manistee River Trail Loop. This trail is a 20-mile loop in the Manistee National Forest, about two hours North of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The conditions were cold and snowy, which made for a beautiful hike.
GEAR USED IN THIS VIDEO:
Pack: Superior Wilderness Designs Frameless 30
www.swdbackpac...
Tent: Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape
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Sleeping Quilt: Enlightened Equipment Revelation (10-degree)
enlightenedequ...
Sleeping Pad: Exped UL Winter
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Down Jacket: Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka
www.montbell.u...
Rain Jacket: Marmot PreCip
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Camp Chair: Helinox Chair Zero
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GEAR I USE AND RECOMMEND
- Garmin InReach Mini satellite messenger: amzn.to/2Y9kbOz
- Helinox Chair Zero: amzn.to/2vL3kFA
- Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape tent/poncho: amzn.to/2UQQ78b
- Outdoor Research Helium II rain jacket: amzn.to/2GM5xFM
- Exped AirMat HL sleeping pad: amzn.to/2Lb6Ovr
- Nitecore NU25 headlamp: amzn.to/2LfvG5v
- Columbia Silver Ridge Lite hiking shirt: amzn.to/2UPPETP
- Opsak odor proof food bag: amzn.to/2GWnnHD
- Leatherman Squirt PS4 multitool: amzn.to/2XX1TA4
- Deuce of Spades trowel: amzn.to/2DTnLo9
- Suunto A-10 compass: amzn.to/2VD3rS6
- Thermarest Compressible pillow: amzn.to/2WfBn4r
- Sawyer Squeeze water filter: amzn.to/2Lb8sgB
- CNOC Outdoors Vecto water container: amzn.to/2GPPBCz
- Anker Powercore II external battery: amzn.to/2vGTFzO
- Saramonic SmartMic microphone: amzn.to/2VRpyEC
- BOYA BY-M1 lavalier microphone: amzn.to/2VNvu19
*At no cost to you, help support my channel by buying your gear using the Amazon links above. Click the link, buy your stuff, and Amazon will contribute a small portion of the sale to my channel, which helps me do more gear reviews and backpacking trips. Win-Win! Thanks, all!*
Filmed on a Google Pixel 2 with Saramonic SmartMic
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Welcome to my random musings on all things backpacking. If you haven't already guessed, my name is Dan. I was bit by the backpacking bug in 2014 and since then haven't gone one day without thinking about my next adventure. I'm from Chicago, a great city but...not so much known for its bountiful backpacking opportunities. Nevertheless, I haven't let that stop me from enjoying the outdoors. Hope my videos leave you with one or two takeaways, or even better, inspire you to head out on the trail. Thanks for watching! Have fun out there!
- Dan

[@TravelOverMIWay]

Just found this video! I backpacked the MRT last spring and I hoping to get out sometime this winter to hike it in the snow!

[@uptrail7169]

The Manistee River Trail is beautiful with the snow.

[@DanGoesHiking]

It was gorgeous! Hope to go back next winter!

[@Hulkpants]

We have been going there for years. Sometimes only hiking the Manistee River Trail side back and forth. We have hiked to the dam and canoed down. Never had trouble with mice or raccoons. The NCT seems to go up for a long time when starting at Red Bridge. Great views and a decent trail to start with if your new to backpacking.

[@DanGoesHiking]

I definitely like the Manistee River Trail side better than the NCT. So breathtaking!

[@larryboekeloo5514]

What a great video! Several years ago, I had a salesman, who called on us, that did winter camping. He asked me several times to go with and I never did. After seeing your awesome video, i wished I had. I guess I'll have to see if I can find his contact information and give this a try!

[@kampersadventures958]

Hey Dan, just found your channel. Love that..."You know, sometimes I just do stupid things" LOL. Love your commentary as you hike...really good. I will definitely do this loop for my winter shakedown hike. I want at least one winter hike before I hit the Appalachian Trail in February of 2020. I'll thru hike and v-logg my journey. Have you thought about thru hiking the A.T.? You would be a blast to hike/backpack with. I also use the space blanket under my sleeping pad in cold temps and I feel that it helps. I just Subscribed to your channel and will be looking for more of your videos. Great job!

[@DanGoesHiking]

Thanks for the kind words! It's a great winter hike, especially to test your gear. Family and work keep me off the trail for a thru hike, so the AT may have to wait until retirement for me. 😁 Best of luck to you on the AT! I'll be sure to follow along on your channel!

[@kampersadventures958]

@@DanGoesHiking I totally get it Dan (Family, work etc). I retired last July and have been dreaming about the opportunity to thru hike the A.T. since 2009. Love your sense of humor.

[@jscarpetta1]

love that hike in the winter! Aqua Mira can freeze but I believe it takes single digits and is not ruined by freeze thaw cycles. Aquamira Tablets as an option maybe?

[@DanGoesHiking]

It was definitely beautiful! Thanks for the intel on Aqua Mira. I'll have to try the tablets next time if it gets cold enough.

[@johnbarrett6260]

Dan great video. Enjoyed it. I live about an hour and a half southwest of your hike. If you ever want a hiking buddy let me know. I'm an old guy (67) but fit. I can do 20miles a day but I like 15, 18 miles. Thanks for the video. Good stuff.

[@DanGoesHiking]

Sounds like you can do more miles than I can! :) I'm hoping to get back there sometime this year. I'll let you know next time I'm in the neighborhood. Thanks for watching!

[@JoshEbersole]

Great video! I’ve been trying to backpack the MRT/NCT for 3 years and every time I plan it something comes up so I’m making a point to do it this year.

[@DanGoesHiking]

Hope you get to tackle it this year. Thanks for watching!

[@DebCampos]

Loving your channel, very good information 🤗🤗 one thing though, in this trip you seemed very cold! Would you have taken any more gear or was that warm enough? Amazing views 🤗🤗🤗

[@DanGoesHiking]

Thanks, Deb! Appreciate the kind words! I was actually mostly too warm on this trip, especially during hiking. It was around 25-32 degrees F the whole trip, and my typical layering of two long sleeve shirts, fleece jacket, and rain jacket kept me warm on my hike. At camp, I added a Montbell Alpine Light down jacket which kept me toasty, and my 10 degree Enlightened Equipment quilt was good enough at night (I usually try to sleep without wearing my down jacket). I did get slightly chilly in the middle of the night, but I warmed up after tossing on my down jacket. Hope this helps! Thanks for watching!

[@outdoorsywannabe1888]

Wow!! I found your vid. Im doing this trail this yr. Will there be some snow this Thanksgiving week? Lol I want to do some winter backpacking.

[@tomm1677]

Hey there, I am a Michigander who got back into backpacking in 2014 also (mostly to get my kids into it but now because I re-discovered I love it). I've done part of the MRT and was thinking about doing the loop prior to the popular season. Is the bridge at the trail head (Coats Highway) open? It was closed for the longest time since last spring. Did you have microspikes or anything like that? Most of my clothing is good for shoulder season, what do you wear for a jacket and layers? Thanks!

[@DanGoesHiking]

Hey Tom! Welcome back to backpacking! The bridge on Coates is indeed open. No microspikes on this trip. The fresh snow had good enough traction without them. While hiking I wore two long sleeve shirts, a lightweight fleece, and a rain jacket. It was low 30s/high 20s with no wind, and this kept me plenty warm. In camp I threw on my Montbell Alpine Light down jacket. Thanks for watching!

[@luli7567]

Hi! Based on your past expediting this time of the year, how are the rod conditions to the camp sites? Any recommendations which trailhead to start for a day hike of 7-10 mi?

[@DanGoesHiking]

The main roads going to the major trailheads are probably fine. I don't know how quickly they get plowed, but their main enough roads so I imagine it doesn't take too long. The smaller gravel roads are probably more problematic. My favorite trailhead for an overnight backpacking trip is Upper River Road, but for a day hike I'd recommend starting at one of the northern trailheads and heading south on the Manistee River Trail. You'll see some of the prettier stuff that way. But keep in mind it's a 20 mile loop, so to do a 7-10 mile hike you'll need to turn around to do an out and back.

[@roncummins9614]

Hey Dan. Where you started your hiked, was it pretty flat as I would like to use a pulk sled and do some hot tenting there. Any suggestions?

[@DanGoesHiking]

If you park at the Upper River Rd trailhead and hike clockwise, there's a pretty steep climb shortly after starting. It's not long, just a good hill that leaves you winded. From there it's moderately hilly. I've never used a pulk so I don't know how flat you need it to be. If you don't want to hike too far, there's Red Hill overtook about 2 miles in that makes for a nice site, and another site about 30 min after that (but neither have water). Or you can park at the Marilla trailhead at the North end if you want to skip the NCT side and tent along the Manistee River. Hope that helps! Happy to answer more!

[@roncummins9614]

@@DanGoesHiking Thanks Dan. Any other places in Michigan to hike in for about 2-3 miles and use a hot tent. I dont mind small hills but pulling a sled can be a challenge. Also, someone that is not to populated with bears as I will be keeping my food in my tent.

[@DanGoesHiking]

You may want to check out the southern sections of the North Country Trail. I'm not as familiar with those sections, but the NCT association website has a lot of resources and a great online map. As far as bears, the further south you go the better. Use Google Images and you'll find black bear maps of lower Michigan. Have a fun trip!