MLive says: “Get a truly scenic view of Wexford County's wooded hills at the High Rollways Observation Deck. Get a stunning birds-eye view of the land surrounding the curving Manistee River. It will be pretty whenever you go, but the truly perfect time to take a trip here is during autumn. Add this spot to your fall color tour this year.”
July 1, 2021
Finding the High Rollways Observation Deck was not particularly easy. The road to get there was a bumpy, sandy, winding mess; I somehow missed the real trailhead and ended up at the place where the road terminated (thanks Google Maps). But when I finally found it, the views were impeccable.
At first I headed down a volatile looking two-track into the woods - for some reason I thought I was going to be found by a large bear and be mauled, but that didn’t happen! Instead I ran into a very long snake: a blue racer over four feet long! I realized that this two-track was not meant for me, or any other hiker, when it terminated suddenly into a large marshy area. I turned away and hightailed out of there, back to my car.
Take 2: I found another trail in the woods and started walking. It was uphill quite a ways, which bodes well for finding an observation deck. My instincts served me right and I found it…and my breath was totally taken away. I didn’t know Michigan had views like this in the lower peninsula!
I screamed a giant Miigwech over the land here (and maybe cried a little, because, well, look at it). As I hiked backed toward the car on the real path (third time’s a charm) I got more awesome views, and some detail on the stretch of North Country Trail in this part of the state.
I would love to return and through-hike this part of the NCT someday soon - I feel super encouraged by the signage I saw in this location, and the number of campsites along the route. I would also love to be on this observation deck at sunset one day - hopefully I’ll make it happen.