Kirtlands Warbler Wildlife Management Area

Northern Michigan (also known as Northern Lower Michigan and colloquially within Michigan as "Up North") is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan. The region, which is distinct from the more northerly Upper Peninsula and Isle Royale, which are also located in the north of the state, is bounded to the west by Lake Michigan, and to the east by Lake Huron. The Upper Peninsula is accessible from the region via the Mackinac Bridge. While the region's southern boundary is not precisely defined, most definitions include the northernmost 21 counties of the Lower Peninsula, which had a population of 506,658 people at the 2020 census. Its largest cities are Traverse City, Cadillac, Alpena, Ludington, Manistee, and Petoskey. Like the Upper Peninsula, Northern Michigan is a popular tourist destination, and is more rural than the rest of the state. The region is home to several small- to medium-sized cities, extensive state and national forests, lakes and rivers, and a large portion of Great Lakes shoreline. The region has a significant seasonal population much like other regions that depend on tourism as a primary industry.

The Grayling Bicycle Turnpike is a multiple-use, non-motorized paved trailway in Michigan, about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) long. It begins at the entrance to Hartwick Pines State Park and runs southerly along M-93, eventually meeting Business Loop Interstate 75 (BL I-75) and ending at East Michigan Avenue. The turnpike is used for a stretch of the Avita Water Black Bear Bicycle Tour, which coincides with the Au Sable River Canoe Marathon and shadows the route of the canoes over the roadways, beginning in Grayling and ending in Oscoda.

Hartwick Pines State Park is a public recreation area covering 9,762 acres (3,951 ha) in Crawford County near Grayling and Interstate 75 on the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The state park contains an old-growth forest of white pines and red pines, known as the Hartwick Pines. It is claimed by the Michigan Department of Natural resources that this old growth area, along with the Red Pine Natural Area Preserve in Roscommon County resembles the appearance of all Northern Michigan prior to the logging era. These areas do, however, lack the reoccurring low intensity fires which once occurred throughout northern Michigan, impacting regeneration of red pine and eastern hemlock, as well as leading to an increased content of hardwood species such as sugar maple and beech.

Grayling ( GRAY-ling) is a city and the county seat of Crawford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the only incorporated community in Crawford County. The population was 1,884 at the 2010 census. The city is surrounded by Grayling Charter Township, but the two are administered autonomously. The city is located in the middle of the Northern Michigan region at the junctions of Interstate 75, U.S. Route 127, M-72, and M-93. Grayling is well known for hosting the Au Sable River Canoe Marathon in July of every year since 1947. The city is named after the Grayling species of fish once abundant in the Au Sable River, although the species has been extirpated in Michigan since 1936. There have been many attempts to bring Grayling back to the area but none have been successful.

The Edward E. Hartwick Memorial Building is a museum building located on Hartwick Pines Road in Grayling Charter Township, Michigan, in the Hartwick Pines State Park. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

The M-72–Au Sable River Bridge, also known as the Grayling Bridge or State Street Bridge, is a bridge located on M-72 over the Au Sable River in Grayling, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

WMQU (1230 AM) is a radio station which previously broadcast a sports format until March 2016 when it became an affiliate of Baraga Radio, a regional Catholic radio network based in Traverse City, Michigan. As of now it is currently affiliated with Catholic radio network Relevant Radio. Licensed to Grayling, Michigan, the station is owned and operated by Sheryl & Gerald Coyne, through licensee Blarney Stone Broadcasting, Inc. Blarney Stone also owns WGRY-FM and WQON, co-located at WMQU's broadcast facilities in Grayling.

Lake Margrethe is near Grayling in Crawford County, Michigan. Its area is 1,920 acres (780 ha). It was formerly known as Portage Lake. Fish species include: rock bass, yellow perch, bluegill, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, tiger muskie, and walleye. Portions of the Lake are within Camp Grayling. It is a favorite fishing and recreation lake for soldiers in their off-duty hours. There is also Lake Margrethe State Forest campground. This provides access for use by area residents, campers and tourists, who access the lake from the state forest campground located at its northwest corner. Lake Margrethe was renamed after the wife of lumber baron Rasmus Hanson (1846-1927). Mr. Hanson also founded the Grayling Fish Hatchery in 1914, and contributed real estate in three counties to the State of Michigan for military training, now known as Camp Grayling. Most of the lake is relatively shallow, especially the northernmost parts of the lake, those closest to M-72 Highway. The western bay has areas that exceed 40 feet, and the southern bay has a maximum depth of around 65 feet in a single small hole. Lake Margrethe is well known for its fishing.

Camp Grayling is a military training facility located near Grayling, Michigan, primarily in Crawford County, and spread over three counties. Camp Grayling is the main training facility for the Michigan National Guard and is the largest US National Guard training facility in the United States.

Grayling Charter Township is a charter township of Crawford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,827 as of the 2010 census, down from 6,516 at the 2000 census. The city of Grayling is surrounded by Grayling Charter Township, but both are administered autonomously.

Kirtland Community College is a public community college in Grayling, Michigan.

Crawford County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 12,988 as of the 2020 census. The county seat of Crawford County is Grayling, the county's only incorporated community.Crawford County is located in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It contains land within three of Michigan's largest watersheds, belonging to the Au Sable, Manistee, and Muskegon rivers and 75% of the county is publicly owned by the Department of Military Affairs, the United States Forest Service or the State of Michigan.