From paddlesports to outdoor sport oases

A group of people could be seen tubing last year on the Big Manistee River after starting at Bear Creek. (Courtesy photo/Dan Reynolds)

Manistee Adventures to open two new locations during M-55 detour

ARIELLE BREEN VENTURE STAFF WRITER

A newer version of an existing outdoor adventure business is breaking with its previous mold. Manistee Adventures is branching out from only offering canoe, kayak and tubing river trips on the Big and Little Manistee rivers in Manistee County. Dan Reynolds, Manistee Adventures co-owner, said the business now has a much broader offering that features the core paddlesports it was founded on, but also backpacking, cycling, outfitting, rentals and delivery services. Additionally, Manistee Adventures is also opening two other business locations outside of the 231 W. Parkdale Ave. building in Manistee. “(This is) partly because the (M-55) bridge is shut down (and it’s) really going to affect us with people getting to our site,” Reynolds said adding that many of Manistee Adventures’ patrons are driving in from the Irons or Wellston directions and then face the M-55 detour. The M-55 bridge detour (near the intersection with U.S. 31) is expected to be in place through November 2021. “We’re opening a spot toward Wellston and a spot … on the other side (of Manistee Township) so people can go directly there and then (also) in our location in town, we can drive them back,” he said. “(We’re) just trying to make the whole traffic thing better so people aren’t spending their whole experience driving.” Reynolds also emphasized that the business plans to have more services than it did last year. Last year, Reynolds’ family bought Manistee Adventures from the previous owner. “I said ‘If you’d ever like to sell, let me know,’ because we moved up here from Detroit about 5.5 years ago and have always visited this area and loved all the outdoor activities,” Reynolds said. “We got into a lot of the water sports and kind of live off the river so we (had bought) a lot of kayaks and said ‘we should do this some day.’” “The passion for the outdoors (drove us here), we always visited this area for backpacking, canoeing, kayaking, lake stuff — just all of it and (we) had an opportunity to get into the business ourselves and try to offer some of those same services that we look for when we travel,” he said. Then, right after the family bought Manistee Adventures, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “But it ended up still being OK, we made it through the first year and had a good year,” he said.

A single canoe is going down the Little Manistee River after starting at Six Mile Road with the help of Manistee Adventures. (Courtesy photo/Dan Reynolds)

8 MANISTEE NEWS ADVOCATE

This photo shows a stand-up paddleboard enthusiast on the Big Manistee River while another person in the friend group kayaks last year. (Courtesy photo/Dan Reynolds)

This group is getting ready to drop in the Little Manistee River at Nine Mile Road in Manistee County with help from Manistee Adventures last year. (Courtesy photo/ Dan Reynolds)

The business also offered beach and downtown rentals like bicycles and electric scooters last year and Reynolds said that aspect didn’t go as well as he had hoped. But he plans to try it again this year in some form. “You gotta try stuff, is how we looked at it. Try everything small and whatever works (you can) focus on that area,” he said. The business also has bicycle rentals. “Ever since COVID started, it’s been hard to buy kayaks and bikes because everyone got into it,” he said. “That’s been interesting and it’s still kind of the same, this year (they are) a little bit more available but I ordered kayaks like six months ago and still nothing.” Reynolds said Manistee Adventures also has backpacking outfitting as the interest in backpacking was one of the original draws for Reynolds before he moved to the area.

“A lot of people don’t realize that we have one of the top backpacking places in Michigan — (it’s) right on the Manistee River Trail,” he said. “It’s such a well-known spot and unfortunately it’s getting more and more well known so it’s getting crowded.”

But backpacking gear also takes time and money to accumulate all the pieces needed for the activity. “It takes a lot of money to invest in all the gear so we have all brand new gear for that so if people want to go out (they are outfitted). We have everything from sleeping bags to mess kits, everything,” he said. “If people just need a few things or they need everything, we can provide them with everything, get them out on the trail and experience the amazing trails we have in this area.” Reynolds said the business also plans to offer lodging this year near High Bridge Road near Wellston as well in an effort to connect water sport enthusiasts a place to stay when they visit Manistee County. Another service Manistee Adventures offers is delivery of items such as stand up paddle boards, canoes or kayaks. “A lot of people that rent houses around the area, they rent lake cottages and stuff (are) here for a week and then we’ll offer a service where people will ask us to drop off a kayak for a whole week,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds said the paddlesports are what they started with based on the

A quick look at Manistee Adventures’ features:

• Backpacking outfitting; • Canoe, kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboards and tubing river trips; • Delivery of canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards; • Beach cruiser, mountain bike or mid-grade bicycle hybrid rentals; and • Lodging.

previous Manistee Adventures model before they bought the business, but they wanted to branch out.

“We look at Manistee the same way (and ask) what can we help offer to continue to bring up the different activities there are to do in Manistee.

Obviously we love the paddlesports, but there’s a lot more that could be offered,” he said.

More information on Manistee

Adventures can be found online at its website, manisteeadventures.com, or by calling the office at 231-233-3265. VENTURE: SPRING 2021 9