Day or Weekend Adventures in Michigan

Photo via @seemoris

Michigan is not only our home, its home to the world's most expansive natural resources. Here in the great state of Michigan, we have it all. Cities with rich histories, the Great Lakes are just a stone’s throw away in any direction, hiking and camping opportunities in abundantly forested territories...and that’s just in the lower half of the state! To the north in the Upper Peninsula is home to glorious old-growth forests, multicolored rock cliffs, and cedar bleached waterfalls.

If you find yourself itching for adventure, now more than ever, we recommend you exploring the Wolverine State in search of that perfect Michigan day or weekend trip. To kick off the planning of your Michigan fall time adventure, we asked our team, where should the MuskOx Herd roam through Michigan this fall?

Explore the architecture and history of Detroit

While the city of Detroit is now in the midst of an iconic comeback, it is recovering from decades of isolation and hardship. However, the city is still full of relics from its early glory days. Detroit’s architecture is known as some of the finest in the U.S., and a day spent admiring everything from the Art Deco of the Fisher Building to the modern utopia of the Renaissance Center is certainly a day well spent! 

Spend a day learning about the city’s involvement in the Underground Railroad, on an African American history tour, exploring the Ford Factory museum, or dancing through the Motown museum, and you’ll gain a new understanding of what makes the city of Detroit so special.

Photo of Brad, founder of MuskOx in a Quick Dry Quarter Zip

Take a day trip to Lake Huron

Drive out to the thumb of Michigan and catch sight of Lake Huron which has the highest water level in October and November. With the largest short line of the Great Lakes, you can visit the fall time choppy waters of Lake Huron and then warm up in downtown Port Huron or Lexington. 

Set out to Thunder Bay for a Glass Bottom boat tour and view some of the most famous shipwrecks in the United States. Be sure to pack your Quick Dry Quarter Zip just in case you're in of some protection from the fresh lake water. 

Andrew Blake at Blake's Cider Mill in a MuskOx Grand Flannel

Experience fall like a Michigander with a trip to Blake’s Cider Mill

Every Michigan adventurer knows that there’s nothing like a hot cider and a sugar donut on a crisp fall day. Our friends at Blake’s Cider Mill know just how to give you the perfect Michigan fall day full of apple picking, cider tasting and fun. Plus, it’s the perfect opportunity to whip out some of that MuskOx quality outdoor clothing! We know our flannels look mighty stylish surrounded by the McIntosh, Fuji, and Empire filled apple trees.

Photo via @benjanis

Hike along the Mackinac Island Trails to explore the changing leaves of Fall in Michigan

This one you’ll need a full weekend for, but it will surely not let you down! Take the ferry to Mackinac Island for the most special fall time experience surrounded by unique changing leaves, the combination of Lake Huron and Straits of Mackinac. We’re sure you and the family will become one with the heritage vibe of the island. An island internationally known for its fudge, the island has no commercial hotels, minimal driving, and offers an abundance of forested hikes. 

Make your arrangements quick because the hotel and camping accommodations fill up quickly.

Photo via @justinpheapco

Take to the UP to see the Pictured Rocks

Located on the shoreline of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula, the Pictured Rocks offers over 40 miles of lakeshore and 100 miles of forested hiking trails. If you’re willing to camp during the colder months, this is your spot because camping is offered year-round. We recommend hikes through Munising Falls, White Pine Trail, and Miners Castle Overlook which are all a mile or less. For a more rugged experience, look into Miners Castle to Miners Beach, Chapel Rock & Chapel Beach, and Mosquito Falls, all that have varying lengths and difficulties. Be sure to pack your performance outerwear for the Pictured Rocks because it’s a true adventure.

Spend the afternoon hiking through Tahquamenon Falls

Truly a special Michigan day trip, Tahquamenon Falls offers you a 2.5 mile hike through the waterfalls of the Tahquamenon River. Known for its brown pigment, the Tahquamenon River and Falls are slightly brown from cedar swap runoffs giving the water a unique visual. The state park remains currently open but due to COVID provisions, the viewing platforms are unavailable. No sweat, you can still enjoy the beauty of hiking the diverse terrain.

A day-long trip to the Sleeping Bear Dunes and Lake Michigan shoreline

Located in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula along Lake Michigan, The Sleeping Bear Dunes is site to 4 square miles of sand dunes and home to the only species of bear in Michigan, the black bear. The national park gives you option to a scenic drive with viewing points or sandy dune hikes along Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is quite special as it's the second largest freshwater lake in the world. You can also spend time in Glen Arbor and really take in local flavor, known for Michigan-cherry goodness, craft brews, fresh fish, and pure up north vibes.

As you can tell, we love Michigan’s beauty, we certainly love adventure, and we’re dedicated to designing heavyweight flannels, and performance pullovers and outerwear to serve you while you’re out in the wild. Hit us up when you’re on your next adventure on our social channels. We’re happy to feature members of the MuskOx Herd while they’re in the wild.

Photo via @wanderup906

A Three Mile Hike around O Kun de Kun Falls and the Baltimore River

If you're ever near Bruce Crossing or Houghton, MI you need to get to the O Kun de Kun Falls. The O kun de Kun Falls trailhead kicks off a 2.7 mile hike that surrounds some of Michigan's least trafficked copper stained water falls. Without a hotel in sight, this excursion allows you to enjoy world-renowned freshwater. To get above the Baltimore River, take the North Country Trail Crossing.