Wakely Lake Foot Travel Area

Wakeley Lake is a semi-primitive, non-motorized foot travel area administered by the US Forest Service. It is a shallow, marshy lake that provides good fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities. Habitat around the lake includes tag alder, willow, and other shrubs, while upland habitats are largely a conifer-hardwood mix. A mature stand of red and white pine is located to the east of the lake. Aspen, oak, and cherry with some pine is found on much of the rest of the upland. The outlet on the lake is on the north shore and includes an earthen dam that was built to raise water levels and to increase the size of the wetland lake. Beavers also work at keeping water levels elevated. A series of foot trails provide access to the areas around and away from the lake. A small, rustic, walk-in campground is found in the tall pines just east of the lake. The parking lot is immediately north of M-72. Visitors must park and walk the 1/4-mile trail to the lake. Motorized vehicles are not permitted in this two-thousand-acre site to allow for a quieter and more natural setting for wildlife and people. ~US Forest Service

MichiganTrailMaps.com says, "The area is laced with old logging roads and two-track forest roads, but an 8.5-mile network of trails has been marked. The most scenic walk by far are the trails that skirt the lake, occasionally referred to as the lakeshore or inner loop. This 3.9-mile trek begins and ends at the trailhead off M-72 and follows almost the entire shoreline of the lake where you can enjoy good views of the water."