My husband and I recently rented a rustic cabin at Hartwick Pines State Park near Grayling, MI.

We had to cancel a previous cabin trip around Halloween, 2025 because of me having to visit an emergency room!

This was our “makeup trip.”

We had a great time! We wanted to camp on Beltane, or Walpurgis Night if you’re more traditional – and camp during a full moon.

Here are a few pics of the cabin itself:

For those of you not in “the know,” rustic cabins in the Michigan State Park system are…rustic. No frills. No electricity, no modern restrooms, no running water (use a hand pump).

They are, however, heated – either with a woodstove, or in this case, propane heat.

As it was…this stove was a great way to warm my bones 🩻 after sitting outside by the campfire for a few hours! 🥶 🔥

I was still chilled down when I was ready to get into my sleeping bag. But that didn’t last long. Here’s a pic of my bunk:

While we were outside this was our main source of warmth. We really piled on the logs as it got colder.

Nighttime temps dipped below freezing. we really had to bundle up! Springtime my ass 😆

We had a partial view of little Bright Lake from the fire pit area, which is popular with people who love to fish. Also birds who love to fish!

We had a great spot for bird watching. Too bad we left our binoculars at home!

I did the best that I could with the crappy built-in camera on my phone. I’m pretty sure that this was an osprey (I could tell that it wasn’t a bald eagle):

While this may have or may have not been an actual osprey, another bird and its distinctive shape that we saw was unmistakeable:

Hunters, please leave this area alone! Hunting is currently prohibited in this area. 🚫

I’ve read that turkeys roost in trees, but have never actually seen it. It was kind of cool! They have bedtime routines just like the rest of us 🛏️ 🌝

Since neither of us are super early risers, we didn’t get to see the turkey leaving the roost the next day. That’s OK!

We had a sunny afternoon during our weekend visit, so we decided to hit the day use area and walk the trails.

The evidence of the recent thunderstorms in Michigan (not to mention massive ice storms in 2025) was… quite obvious. Those poor trees!

If you’re into history, especially involving lumberjacks (more about them if you read on), the museum area at the park is pretty cool. You can see interpretive displays with fake lumberjack chow, displays of tools, and even displays replicating bunkhouses where the men got their sleep after a long day of labor. There is even a funny poem written on by a lumberjack on display! Nice commentary on greed and capitalism. And lumberjack life.

Sadly the visitor center was closed while we were there, but it is definitely a must-see for any day visitor to Hartwick Pines. Great interpretive displays, scenic location, gift shop and most importantly – modern restrooms!

It’s a great freeway stop if you’re on your way “Up North” or coming back from it. But if you want to stay a while, you can rent the cabin like we did, or…

Stay in the modern campground. It has full hookup sites for water, sewer and electric and a modern restroom building. We filled up some of our water bottles while we were there – and used the trash and recycle bins.

If you decide to camp at Hartwick Pines, Grayling is only about 10 minutes away, and is worth exploring a bit! Or also great for picking up any supplies you might need.

We stopped in this place while we explored downtown:

They had novelties, books, and games. And a very friendly staff! It looks as if they have been in business since 2022.

I just bought a deck of cards. Ours didn’t have a full deck 😂

They had a decent selection of games. No, I’m not talking about the ones you can pick up in the toy section of any Meijer. Ya know – “Ticket to Ride” and others of that nature. Also card games.

Off topic, has anyone else wondered if the Beatles song “Ticket to Ride” is perhaps a bit filthy in nature? Or just my dirty mind? 😉

Moving on! 😁

We also picked up a takeout order of queso dip from a Mexican joint called Mezcalito a couple of doors down to bring back to our cabin to have with refried beans and taco filling. 

On our last morning, we had a hearty breakfast downtown at Grayling Restaurant. Yes that is its actual name! Gotta love the simple pleasures!

If you’re super hungry and love the meats, you might want to try their “Lumberjack Breakfast.” Because of the nearby Au Sable River, this area is pretty ripe for lumberjack references.

A hot tip for travelers looking for WiFi, hit up the parking lot at Tractor Supply. That’s all I’m gonna tell ya! But if you need any supplies, you could also get a better signal if you actually go inside 😂

Grayling is a cute little town with everything you need for sure, but be prepared for it to be more bustling as canoe and tourist season hits in the warmer months. It is right on the popular Au Sable River, loved by boaters and anglers alike. The intersection at 72 leading to Traverse City can get backed up.

Well? What are you waiting for? Plan that Up North trip to the Grayling area right now! 😊