Thompsonville and Crystal Mountain

Tucked in the southeast corner of the county, the village of Thompsonville grew up as a railroad and lumber town and today is best known as the home of Crystal Mountain. A family-owned, four-season resort, Crystal Mountain draws skiers in winter to its 50-plus downhill runs and golfers in summer to two championship courses, with a spa, an alpine slide, lodging, and the outdoor Michigan Legacy Art Park spread across the hills. The Iron Fish Distillery, a farm distillery set on a working farm, is nearby.

This part of Benzie is the headwaters country of the Betsie River, a state-designated Natural River prized for trout and salmon, which winds west from here toward Lake Michigan. The Betsie Valley Trail, the rail-trail that runs all the way to Frankfort, starts up at this end. It’s rolling, wooded country, quieter and more affordable than the lakeshore.

For buyers, the draw here is resort living and recreation: condos and homes around Crystal Mountain, river and woodland acreage, and easy access to both Traverse City and Cadillac. Outside the village, homes are on wells and septic (see the well-and-septic note).