The Au Sable River is 138 miles long and stretches horizontally across the state of Michigan from Grayling to Oscoda. One of the beautiful things about the river is that it dead-ends into Lake Huron, making it a very scenic area to view both different and equally beautiful bodies of water.
The Highbanks Trail is located within the Huron-Manistee National Forest. The trail is 7-miles long but does not go in a loop. If you plan to hike the entire trail, plan on a 14-mile round trip hike. The USDA Forest Service has an interactive map on its website.
The 22-mile River Road Scenic Byway is a great way to see the views down along the river. Some of the views rivaled what we saw in Isle Royale this past summer. Clear, dark blue water, green trees, birds, and sand.
The camp is open April through November, so depending on the weather, it would be enjoyable in the spring, summer, and fall. The firepits are directly next to the river, so this would be a really scenic place to camp.
The biggest tip for enjoying the drive is to actually enjoy it. Take your time. Whenever we’d see a view we liked, we just pulled over. There are so many places you could picnic, or have a snack and watch the water.