French Farm Lake is a hidden gem in the tip of the mit, located just 3 miles from downtown Mackinaw City. It is a section of the North Country Trail (NCT) that connects between Wilderness State Park and Mackinaw City.
This place offers beautiful views of French Farm Lake. It is a very shallow lake, nearly 2 miles long, completely undeveloped, and a hosting haven for wildlife. This is also a great place for kayaking, which I’ll cover in another post. The park has a few rustic campsites spread along the road offering a quiet and peaceful camping experience.
There are several good places to park for access to the trail. About ½ mile in you’ll find NCT trail marker #11 with a log book if you want to sign in. The trail section south of there runs on and off the road for a bit, but if you go to the end of French Farm Lake Rd, about 1 mile in, there is a lake access area with plenty of parking that is best for hiking south bound. The terrain in that section offers moderate rolling hills with a few short steep climbs. As a linear trail, the distance of your hike is up to you. I call this an out-and-back hike, while others call it a yo-yo.
Along the trail is a memorial dedicated to someone who sadly, as rumors say, died in a duck hunting accident on the lake. The boat they were using is made into part of the memorial.
At the south end of the lake is a small dam, where you can sit and enjoy the views of the lake.
You get to French Farm Lake at the intersection of Trails End Rd and Wilderness Park Dr, less than a mile south of Headlands Dark Sky Park. Look for the dirt road, French Farm Lake Rd, on the south east corner.
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