Highlights: A paddle to the Manistee River’s Hole in the Wall or Hole in the Fence Access Sites might be quick, but it still offers everything that makes kayaking in Northern Lower Michigan a delight from jumping fish to shoreline cabins—some with the prettiest frontage you’ll find anywhere—to clusters of deep woods and even a dilapidated footbridge, popular with regional photographers and artists.

And, like the Au Sable’s Holy Waters, this section of the Manistee boasts excellent fly fishing with trophy-size trout being common. Only artificial flies are allowed, though, from M-72 to the CCC Bridge.

Distance: Bike: Hole in the Wall: 3 miles. Hole in the Fence: 4 miles. Paddle: Hole in the Wall: 4.5 miles. Hole in the Fence: 5 miles.

Difficulty: Both the biking (on paved and dirt roads) and kayaking are easy. This section of the Manistee is popular with paddlers and anglers because of its easy access so avoid weekends and holidays.

Location: Leave kayaks at the access site on the south side of the M-72 bridge crossing the Manistee. For Hole in the Wall, turn west onto M-72, and after a short distance, turn south onto Riverview Road. Continue to the Hole in the Wall Access Site at the end of the pavement. For Hole in the Fence, turn east onto M-72 and then west onto Arrowhead Road, which heads south and becomes Kalkaska County Line Road. Turn west onto Arrowhead Camp Road (it might not be signed but it’s the most prominent/obvious road; almost all traffic goes this way), and then left onto Portage Creek Road. The signed Hole in the Fence Access Site is just past the unlabeled Z Landing Access Site. A parking area is on the left, across the street from Hole in the Fence.

(Car shuttle: Using the directions above, park one car at the takeout and then drive the second car to the put-in.)

Route finding: Biking: Cycle back to the boats the same way you drove or, instead of biking, consider walking the short distance. Hole in the Fence option: Turn left onto the sandy two-track paralleling the power lines, just off Arrowhead Road and before M-72. Follow the two-track back to your vehicle. Kayaking: The Hole in the Wall takeout is on the right side of the river, slightly recessed and easy to miss. With Hole in the Fence, don’t make the mistake of getting out too early at the Z Landing Access Site, which comes up shortly before the Hole in the Fence takeout.

Map: PDF map.