Crawford County's forests and public land

Step away from the rivers and Grayling, and Crawford County is mostly woods. A very large share of the county is public land — the Au Sable State Forest and the Huron-Manistee National Forest — which is a big part of why it stayed so rural, with just six townships and one small city. For buyers who want elbow room, that means big wooded parcels, two-track roads, and public land you can hunt, ride, and roam practically out the back door.

The southern townships sit along the I-75 and US-127 corridor, the main gateway into the county from downstate, but turn off the highway and you’re quickly into jack pine and oak forest. This is deer country, with grouse, turkey, and small game as well, and the sandy soils and rolling terrain make for easy walking. In winter, the same forest carries snowmobile and cross-country ski trails.

A couple of things to keep in mind out here: homes are on wells and septic (see the well-and-septic note), parcels can be large and a little remote, and it’s worth knowing exactly where your land ends and state or federal forest begins — and whether any neighboring tracts are public. It’s quiet, affordable, and about as close to the woods as you can get.