Located in Northwestern Michigan, Wellston is a beautiful place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities and get lost in some outdoor fun. The steelhead and salmon capital of the Great Lakes makes it an ideal destination for the fisherman in you to reel in the big one. If fishing is not your thing grab your canoe or kayak and just enjoy the water. You can relax and take in the scenery, or spend days hiking, camping and biking.
For the outdoor adventurer here are some things to do in Wellston.
1. Tippy Dam
Built back in 1918 Tippy Dam is a hydroelectric dam owned and operated by Consumers Energy, the dam spans the Manistee River on its way to Lake Michigan. Originally called Junction Hydro the dam was renamed in honor of Charles W. Tippy a former board of director’s member of Consumer Energy. While all of that is mildly interesting what makes Tippy Dam a hot spot for tourists and anglers is just below the dam is one of the finest fishing areas in all of Michigan. Trout, steelhead and salmon all run these waters. In the fall when the salmon run the banks are filled with anglers trying to grab a king salmon, which can reach sizes of over 20 pounds!
2. Cooley Bridge
On your travels from the eastern side of Michigan over to Manistee County and right before you hit Wellston you have to cross Cooley Bridge. Cooley Bridge is an impressive sight, one of the rare types of truss bridges it is a Michigan historic landmark. There is a stairway that takes you down beside the bridge so you can see the architectural beauty that is usually beneath your feet. Take in the V-lacing and lattice that won Cooley Bridge the American Institute of Steel Construction’s Class C award for Most Beautiful Bridge back in 1935.
3. Manistee National Forest
The Huron-Manistee National Forest is made up of almost a million acres of land that stretches across the lower peninsula of Michigan, in fact they are the only National Forests in lower Michigan. Michigan forests are filled with history, in the late 19th century logging was at its peak and many forests were cut and cleared. The Huron National Forest was established in 1909 and the Manistee in 1938, in 1945 the two were combined. The Department of Natural Resources and the Forest Service have brought much of the land back to a healthy forest, that’s a project that still continues today. The forest provides a habitat for wildlife and fish, and a recreational opportunity for visitors to the area.
The area around Wellston and throughout Northwestern Michigan provides plenty of places for camping and fishing, here is a video for all you anglers and outdoorsmen highlighting how good the fishing is here.