Trip Overview
Experience a winding waterway adventure on a 10-day canoeing trip along the Manistee River with Crystalaire Adventures!
The Manistee River is one of our most popular trips and fills quickly each season. This wide and clear river offers paddlers of all abilities a fun and exciting journey through beautiful forests, lowlands, and sandy bluffs.
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Campers will hone their paddling and current reading skills as we navigate our journey downstream. We'll stop to swim, hike, and explore along the way! At night, we'll camp along the riverside and fall asleep to the soothing sound of rippling water!
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Note: This trip can be done as a stand-alone program or paired with your camper's one- or two-week session at Camp Carvela or Camp Lookout as an "add-on" adventure.
Trip Type
Canoeing
Adventure
Group Size
4+ Campers
2+ Guides
Grades
Middle School
Grades 6-8
Arrival/Departure
Crystalaire HQ
Traverse City, MI
Expedition Itinerary
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Day 1
Participants will arrive at Moose Hall, aka "Crystalaire Adventures HQ," located at Camp Carvela.* at 12:30 PM to meet their guides and fellow participants. All participants will then complete a swim test and some basic canoe training before we pack our gear and heading for our first campsite.
*Note: Campers joining this trip from Camp Lookout will be shuttled to Moose Hall via van by Project Foxwood staff.
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Days 2-9
In keeping with our choice-based learning and leadership philosophy, participants will collectively plan our trip itinerary. Together as a group, we'll choose our route and plan each day's activities, creating a one-of-a-kind experience that reflects the unique interests and personalities of our group. Together we'll decide if we want to paddle all the way to Lake Michigan, or take a more leisurely pace to explore side quests along our route. From swimming holes and rope swings to riverside hiking trails, there are countless ways to enjoy and explore the great Manistee! As we make our way downriver, we'll continue to learn about the land, each other, and ourselves.
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Day 10
On the final day of our trip, we'll paddle our final section of the river before pulling our boats from the river and heading back to Moose Lodge. Once back at the Lodge, we'll unload and clean our group gear and then say our final goodbyes to our new adventure buddies.
Camper pick-up will take place at Moose Lodge at 5 PM.
About the Manistee River
The Manistee River runs 190 miles through the northwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Thanks to its smooth, stable flow and clean, cold water, the Manistee is a popular destination for fishing, swimming, tubing, boating, and more!
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Learn more at rivers.gov.