Michigan Wild: The Ultimate Mitten Adventure

Overview

Michigan Wild: The Ultimate Mitten Adventure
Empire, MI 49630, USA
Jul 7 - 12, 2026
Wander Women Midwest image
Wander Women Midwest
$995
Deposit: $500

About your trip

Many folks don’t know the true wonder of northern Michigan, but step into one of the Midwest’s best kept secrets and you’ll find a world of outdoor adventure unparalleled in the Midwest. This is one of our favorite trips every year!

Come with us for the ultimate outdoor lover’s adventure in beautiful northern Michigan along the shores of Lake Michigan. On this trip, you’ll experience every wild experience nature has to offer, from hiking hundred foot dunes to riding the Great Lake waves! There’s a reason folks in the know have been flocking to northern Michigan in the summer for generations, and we can’t wait to show you everything the region has to offer, from outstanding water activities to local fruit stands that will blow your socks off!

This trip is jam-packed with outdoor experiences, exploring the beautiful and unique landscape of Michigan’s lower peninsulas. It’s centered around Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, with some of the country’s most exquisite dune landscapes and hiking. We’ll head north on the Leelanau Peninsula, famous for its fruit farms (we’re in cherry country, folks!), wineries and cider.

And we’ll explore the longstanding villages and towns that make up the northern Michigan culture and artistry, from centuries old fish towns to thriving downtowns filled with galleries and restaurants. Trust us, this is a trip you’ll be sorry to miss!

Adventure Rating: Intermediate
This trip is rated at Intermediate because of the jam-packed schedule and range of outdoor activities. Hiking at Sleeping Bear Dunes can be tailored to the group, but dune hiking is sometimes intensive, and the trails we’ll follow will have elevation gain. The paddling will be beginner-friendly, as well as the e-bike excursion.

What's included

Planning and guidance

Expert planning and guidance from two Wander Women guides to help make your trip as seamless and fun as possible

Accommodations

Five nights of camping and parking

Meals

3 dinners, 4 lunches and 5 breakfasts, prepared by your guides, including breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and beverages

Paddling

Paddling rental, including: boat, lifejacket and paddle

Sailing

Evening sailing experience in Traverse City

E-Bike excursion

E-bike rental and guided bike tour

Camping Accessories

Camp kitchen, camping chairs, fire kits, first aid kits, dining ware, fire wood, games, coolers

Swag bag

Wanderer swag bag full of goodies

Private Discord channel

Private Discord channel with trip participants and guide

Online guide

Comprehensive pre-trip online guide with detailed logistics, packing recommendations, and insider tips

What's not included

Transportation

Transportation to/from trip (we always encourage carpooling and can connect you with other participants to ride with!) and trip activity locations

2 Dinners

2 group dinners out

Wine tastings

Optional wine tastings along bike tour

Group surfing lesson

Optional group surfing lesson ($60/person—can add at registration)

Park Fees

State park entrance fees

Travel insurance

Travel insurance, which can be beneficial in case of emergency

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1. Empire, MI 49630, USA

Empire, MI 49630, USA

About your organizer

Wander Women started in 2018 as a way to connect, guide and empower women on all-inclusive camping and hiking trips throughout Iowa. We saw a chance to bring together a community of folks in nature to relax, reconnect to a deep love of the outdoors and build new relationships to others and ourselves. Now, just a few years later, our community is larger than we could have imagined and we’ve expanded to offer backpacking trips, paddling trips and educational courses to women all across the state. It’s a dream come true!

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