Oscoda and the Au Sable River

At the north end of Iosco County, the Au Sable River — one of Michigan’s great rivers — finishes its long run from up near Grayling and empties into Lake Huron at Oscoda. It’s the heart of life up here. The lower river is a chain of calm reservoirs held back by a series of old hydroelectric dams, good for boating, paddling, and fishing for bass, walleye, pike, and panfish, while the famous AuSable River Canoe Marathon ends right in Oscoda every July after a 120-mile overnight race from Grayling.

West of town, the River Road National Scenic Byway runs along the river through the Huron National Forest, past sand dunes, scenic overlooks, and the Lumberman’s Monument — a big bronze statue honoring the loggers who floated white pine down this river in the 1800s. There are miles of trails, campgrounds, and river access points all through the forest. Oscoda also leans into its history as the officially designated home of Paul Bunyan.

For buyers in Oscoda and Au Sable townships, that’s the appeal: a legendary river, Lake Huron beaches, and a national forest in your backyard, with a small resort-town feel along the shore.