Seney National Wildlife Refuge Fishing Loop Backcountry Road

The Fishing Loop backcountry road penetrates deep into Seney’s 95,000-acre wilderness where the feds restored drained farmland back to its original wetland state. This 18-mile route follows old CCC roads past Walsh Creek and through the refuge’s most remote sections, where trumpeter swans nest in cattail marshes and gray wolves den in aspen thickets. The road skirts Manistique River oxbows where beaver dams create seasonal obstacles and moose wade belly-deep in summer.

Easy to moderate difficulty with seasonal wet spots that can trap the unprepared. Any high-clearance vehicle handles the maintained gravel sections, but spring mud season (March-May) turns it into a swamp buggy track. Open year-round but best from June through October for wildlife viewing. No permits required, but camping is prohibited within the refuge — nearest dispersed sites are in adjacent Hiawatha National Forest. Bring binoculars and patience. This is Michigan’s Serengeti, where you might spot sandhill cranes, bald eagles, and black bears all in one morning.