[scarabchuck]

Originally Posted by North 42

I would say just north of Saganaw Bay really starts to feel like the "north", so say Tawas City and west Branch, over to Cadillac and Manistee.

That is where I usually consider "up north" to start.

[JoePO]

For me it depends on which roads I'm taking... west side (31/131) then it's starts around Big Rapids or Pentwater (certainly by US 10). On the east side (127/75), it's Houghton Lake/Grayling. The main criteria is a change in dominant tree species from deciduous to coniferous, and overall increase in forested lands vs farms.

[famlife]

To me, from Gladwin on up, it's all up north.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by JoePO

For me it depends on which roads I'm taking... west side (31/131) then it's starts around Big Rapids or Pentwater (certainly by US 10). On the east side (127/75), it's Houghton Lake/Grayling. The main criteria is a change in dominant tree species from deciduous to coniferous, and overall increase in forested lands vs farms.

I completely agree with the tree species. Which might explain why people think that "Northern Michigan" starts at a lower latitude on the West side of the State because a lot of "depression pine" forests were planted further South on the West side, giving West Michigan a more "up north" feel to it. I'm in Northeast Grand Rapids and I can see depression pine forests in just a half mile from my house, probably at least half a dozen of them (maybe more if I pulled out google earth).

If you're from Michigan or new to Michigan and don't know what "depression pine" forests are, take a gander:

https://fhsarchives.wordpress.com/20...sfs-nurseries/

Or if you've ever seen a pine forest laid out in neat rows and wondered "how did that happen?", now you know.

[beachmouse]

One of my great uncles planted trees for the CCC in Michigan during the Great Depression.

[djmilf]

Yes, the CCC plantings during the 1930's.

Back in the 1990's I was invited to go deer hunting on private lands in the northwest lower peninsula and the tops of the small hills all had pine trees laid out in perfect grid patterns...done to prevent soil erosion. The land owner mentioned that he needed to find someone to harvest the timber as the trees were getting towards end-of-life. I don't know if he did so, or if he did and then planted seedlings to take their place.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by magellan

The Zilwaukee Bridge?

No, the rouge river bridge.

[SoCal Midwest Noobie]

Oakland County Line

[bunding761031]

Lived in Michigan for 15 years. Northern Michigan to me is anything north of a line drawn from Standish to Clare to Manistee. Pretty much the northern 40% of the lower peninsula and upper peninsula. It's where people from downstate have a cabin and spend their long weekends.

[huckster]

I worked at the Zilwaukee Bridge for two years and all over the state for that matter for a long time on its' infrastructure projects . It is right next to Bay City. So I know the state pretty well.
ON the west side of the state the lower peninsula is scarcely populated and much is unspoiled or fruit farms
even south of Grand Rapids. Lots of LP , hillbillies there. The Allegan State Forest is over there along with the Barry State Game area. It is a midwest old farm house area.
If one takes a drive up Highways 63, specifically the section called A-2 where I worked in South Haven, Michigan- I kid you not- it is identical to driving near Alpena. There is no difference. Highway 63 is the old 31. A very old highway which ran from Alabama to Mackinaw, City,mi hugging Lake Michigan. An old fashioned Two lane highway with a lot of old, well kept motels... built many, many years ago. Before the Great Depression I would think. A lot of rich from Chicago have huge summer homes there overlooking Lake Michigan. It is quite a beautiful area with lots and lots of pine trees. Simply a gorgeous drive. Surprising.
I worked at the refurbishing of Sterling State Park in 2002, sure it was nice however it was nothing like Western Michigan.
The difference is very ,very , big.
When we excavated the stretch of highway we were to replace we were astonished to see it was still a Corduroy rd. In other words we removed the old pine logs still in place from underneath the Asphalt and gravel- Pine logs which ran cross to the direction of the highway.
This is very old road building technology; to put pine logs underneath unstable soil areas which were too soft to build roads upon perhaps one hundred years ago or more. The road sort of "floated" upon the wood, if you will. It worked too. The road was still holding up but the Asphalt was too "Alligatored" to save. The road's surface, was shot by 1988.

Originally Posted by magellan

I was just kidding, Zilwaukee Bridge is still in the Saginaw Bay City area to me. Maybe just after you pass the outlet mall in West Branch? (I always thought it was a weird place for an outlet mall)