I once vowed to never live any farther north than Indiana. Then I fell in love with a Michigander and moved to the Mitten State. The more I traveled and learned about this place, the more I fell in love with it too.
Michigan is unique with its mix of cities with thriving art scenes, industrial centers, rural farmland bursting with fresh fruit, wilderness woodlands full of wildlife and freshwater shoreline that rivals the best beaches in the world. The people who live here are just as wonderful. Most will tell you that the magnificent landscape is one of the things they enjoy most.
I take every chance I can to be outdoors here. In any season, even the cold, snowy winters, there’s something to appreciate. But don’t take my word for it. The numbers speak for themselves.
- 11th largest state in the Union land wise
- over 19 million acres of forest
- 41.5 percent of the state is made up of water
- 3,052 miles of coastline
- Four of Five great lakes border the state
- 11,000 inland lakes
- Over 78 islands in the Great Lakes
- At one time there were 247 lighthouses. 124 still remain.
- 1,220 public beaches
- 153 species of freshwater fish
- More than 500 charter fishing companies
- 11 peninsulas, including the major Upper and Lower Peninsulas
- 51 ski areas, with over 260 lifts and 1,000 runs
- 3,000 miles of cross-country ski trails
- 6,204 miles of maintained, interconnected snowmobile trails
- Houghton has 90 days with snowfall and 207 inches of snow on average, yearly.
- 13,00 miles of bike trails
- About 160,000 campsites
- The Great Lakes hold 21 percent of the earth’s fresh water.
- In Michigan, you’re never more than six miles from a body of water.
- Over 40 million acres of publicly protected land
