Enjoy the Outdoors in Northern Michigan (but Watch out for the Dogman!) by Jennifer Merrick
E
veryone’s heard of Scotland’s mythical beast, the Loch Ness Monster, and of course, there’s Big Foot AKA Sasquatch. But Northern Michigan has a legendary creature of its own, which we learned about one very dark night. On a shuttle bus coming back from Bellaire, a village located approximately an hour north of Traverse City, our bus driver named Al (and you can call him that) blared the stereo. A documentary words-put-to-music song dramatically recited sightings and evidence of a dog-like creature that stands upright on two paws, reaching heights of seven feet four inches. “Everyone around here’s heard of the Dogman,” a local resident told me. Does he believe? “Well, the story’s been around for years.” Other interesting trivia about Michigan is that the state borders four of the five Great
Lakes, has over 10,000 lakes and claims the world’s largest freshwater shoreline. Also, people from Michigan are called Michiganders.
which is the 8km Mackinac Bridge that connects the two peninsulas.
And Michiganders, Dogman or not, love to go Up North and enjoy outdoor activities, not to mention craft brews, wineries and a food scene that’s come into its own in recent years. After visiting Traverse City and a couple of the resorts all in northwest lower Michigan….Let’s pause for a moment. I know that location sounds confusing: How can a place be northwest and lower? Let me explain. Michigan consists of two separate peninsulas that jut out into the Great Lakes: the Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula. People who live in the U.P. (what Michiganders call the Upper Peninsula, pronounced ‘You Pea’) are referred to as Yoopers. Not to be outdone, Yoopers call people who live in the Lower Peninsula Trolls, as they live ‘under’ the 8km Mighty Mac,
Anyway, after visiting Traverse City and a couple of resorts in northwest lower Michigan, I began to wonder if perhaps residents invented the Dogman as a means to keep too many visitors from discovering this captivating outdoor playground. And come to think of it, that may be why they speak in code as to where it is.
Whew!
But it’s well-worth taking the time to figure it all out and taking a chance on the Dogman to visit. Here are some of the top experiences to try:
Outdoor Activities at Crystal Mountain Located 45 kilometers southwest of Traverse City, the four-season property was named by