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The Jordan RiverValley is an 18,000-acre block of state-owned
forest land in northeast AntrimCounty. Good
wildlife watching and beautiful scenery are common along the Jordan
River, Michigan's first waterway to be
officially designated as a Wild and ScenicRiver.
Much of the area has been proposed as an old growth forest area. Access
to the river valley is provided by local county roads and an18-mile
hiking trail, the Jordan Valley Pathway, that
winds through this portion of the MackinawStateForest. The Pathway
contains several loops of varying lengths. One loop begins at Deadman's Hill, which offers a spectacular vista of
the surrounding countryside and river floodplain. A second breathtaking
and popular vista is Landslide Overlook. Part of this Pathway is the
North Country National Scenic Trail, that when finished, will extend
4,000 miles from New York to North Dakota. The
seven miles of the Warner Creek Pathway also provide access to the JordanValley area. Camping is only
allowed at the two state forest campgrounds on the area, the PinneyBridge and the
Graves Crossing campgrounds.
Wildlife
Viewing
Good probability of seeing wetland-related wildlife
throughout this area. Beavers, raccoons, mink, otters, frogs, turtles,
herons, and waterfowl all can be seen sharing the solitude of this
beautiful river corridor. Most of the land is forested with a good
mixture of forest habitats, home to many species of woodland songbirds
and raptors. Hike the trails or slowly drive local roads for great
wildlife viewing opportunities. Most of the local access is on unimproved
dirt roads not suitable for large vehicles. The hiking trails are
moderate to rugged and may be poorly marked in spots. Because of the low,
wet nature of this site, spring flooding is common in the floodplain, and
black flies, deer flies, and mosquitoes can be extremely numerous in spring
and summer, so come prepared. Despite these inconveniences, a summer trip
to this beautiful, scenic valley is well worth the effort. Fall colors
are noteworthy in early October due to the hardwood forests throughout
the valley.
This area is open to
public hunting. Contact the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources for affected seasons and locations.
Directions
The JordanValley can be entered
from several points. Best routes are from Mancelona by driving eight miles
north on M-66 to Pinney Bridge Road, or 11
miles north of Mancelona on US-131 to Deadman’sHill Road. From
the village of Alba, drive northeast on US-131 about six miles to Deadman's Hill Road, turn left (west) and follow the
signs about two miles to Deadman's Hill Scenic
Overlook. To get to Landslide Scenic Overlook, drive 1 ˝ miles west of Alba
to Harvey Road
and north 1 ˝ miles. For more information on the North Country Trail
contact: North Country Trail Association, P.O. Box 311, White Cloud,
MI49349.
Ownership: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, GaylordOperationsServiceCenter,
(989) 732-3541
Restrooms
– Pit toilets at Deadman’s Hill Scenic Overlook
and the PenneyBridge and Graves
Crossing state forest campgrounds. Trails –Jordan
River Pathway has a trailhead at Deadman’s
Overlook, moderate to difficult,18 miles with
smaller loops; no bicycling allowed. Warner Creek Pathway, easy to
moderate, seven miles in a series of loops. Picnic – Day use
area at Deadman’s Hill Scenic Overlook, picnic
tables, pit toilet. Camping – At the 2
state forest campgrounds only: PenneyBridge has 15 rustic
campsites, picnic tables, hand pump, pit toilet,
overnight fee. Graves Crossing has 10 barrier free, rustic campsites,
picnic tables, lantern posts, fire rings, hand
pump, pit toilet, overnight fee. Cross country skiing
–Warner Creek Pathway, easy to moderate difficulty. Fishing – trout
fishing in Jordan River. Hunting – small and
big game hunting on state forest lands.
Wildlife
Viewing 
